Dinner with Tom and Deb Mortimer of Le Cadeau: A Mix of Le Cadeau and Other Gems

Tom and Deb were back in town for the Food & Wine Show in the Twin Cities, and this was a great chance to catch up with them and find out what's new out in Oregon. Tom & Deb brought a bevy of wines for us to try and it was real treat to get some of these before their release. We contributed our wines to make a very nice tasting around the menu from I Nonni. As always, Tommy was a perfect host to us. Thanks to everyone for making this a special evening.

Sparkling Flight

• 2011 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Blanc de Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Something not right here. Weird vegetal, skunk cabbage nose. Tom and Deb say, nothing like it should be. (FLAWED)
• 2005 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année - France, Champagne
  Drank a glass over 90 minutes. This seemed like it might be corked initially. It seemed to largely blow off, but it never really was doing it for me. Some of that is probably the style, which I have become less enamored with over time. There are many similarities to my previous note, but this one was less than expected. Lots of apple peel on the nose; with a lot of chalk on a strongly oxidative palate. No score tonight.

"Orange" Wine

• 2015 Aubichon Pinot Gris sur peaux - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Pale orange color. Small pour over 30 minutes. Very enjoyable, almost sweet fruit on the nose with a touch of vanillin and bright tropical fruit on the palate. (88 pts.)

Chardonnay Flight

• 2014 Hanzell Chardonnay - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
  Very pale gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. Loving this as usual, a first visit with the '14 vintage. This has an awesome nose with a load of saline, brine, lemon and stone fruit. The palate is so energetic and crisp, medium bodied, excellent minerality and it has that ocean feel with citrus all overit. There's some youthful oak and vanilla that needs to fully integrate, but no worries there. (93 pts.)
• 2015 Domaine Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé - France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Mâcon-Verzé
  I almost missed this wine as the food for the reds started coming. Fortunately I did not. Light gold color. Small glass over 20 minutes. Surprising power, Meyer lemon, hints of tangerine, lemon blossoms, bright and good verve. Nice. (91 pts.)

Rousseau Flight

• 2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
  Medium red color. Drank a glass over 2 hours. Same bottle as Chablis28 and I completely agree with his notes. Wow, gorgeous nose, perfumed, floral, great spices, pretty red fruits. The palate is so elegant, and as Chablis28 said, harmonious, a wine of great purity, a mix of strawberry and cherry, wonderful spices, roses, long with very fine tannins. Thanks for sharing this Craig. (94 pts.)
• 2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
  Medium plus red color. PNP, drank a glass over 90 minutes. This was drinking pretty darn well. Sometimes i have to remind myself that we're pushing 10 years now on these '09's. While this still goes more to the primary side, it is without a doubt classic Rousseau. This kept getting better in the glass, bigger and deeper red berries, earthy, good power, silky tannins. Only going to get better. 92+(+)pts. (92 pts.)

Le Cadeau Flight

• 2011 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Merci Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
  Medium red color. PNP, drank a glass over an hour. For me, this was the wine of the trio, featuring the '11 Merci Reserve, '16 Trajet Reserve, and '16 Pierre Reserve. That might change over time, but right now, the '11 has the age and cool vintage characteristics that I really love. I'm glad that more people don't get excited about these supposedly off/cool vintages because there's more out there, they're usually cheaper and they age so well. This was a great example of where the '11 vintage is heading. This has a great aromatic nose, blissful Oregon earthiness, cinnamon and spice cake, red cherry. I circled the words aromatic and lift which are so apt here. Both the nose and palate are lifted. The palate is driven by the cool red cherry and baked red berries with the damp wet forest floor and spice notes. Highly recommended. (93 pts.)
• 2016 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Trajet Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Medium red color. PNP, drank a glass over an hour. From a trio, featuring the '11 Merci Reserve, '16 Trajet Reserve, and '16 Pierre Reserve. This was showing really well for its youth, and my second favorite of the trio. This is 100% whole cluster and the depth and complexity shows. Ripe, but very fresh with deep tart cherry notes that danced back and forth across the palate, good minerality and a refined texture. This is also impressive, and I look to see where this goes in about 3 years. 92(+)pts. (92 pts.)
• 2016 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Pierre Reserve Steve Ryan winemaker Le Cadeau Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Medium plus red color. PNP, drank a glass over an hour. From a trio, featuring the '11 Merci Reserve, '16 Trajet Reserve, and '16 Pierre Reserve. Also good in its youth, this is 50% whole cluster and the character and complexity shows here too. Tom and Deb really glow when talking about Pierre Milleman and his collaboration with Steve Ryan on this wine. Very small production with only 2 barrels made. Cherry fruit with a distinctive tart red currant streak, stems, a little richer, a little vanilla, lots of fresh herbs on the palate. I think this is going to take more time to fully flesh out, there's a lot stuffing here and this may be a real gem down the road. Impression 91 currently with a lot of upside potentiial.

Clerico Barolo Flight

• 2006 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Medium dark red color. Decanted for 3 hours; drank a glass over an hour. Drank this as a part of a micro vertical of the '04 and '06. Lovely on the nose, woodsy, anise, dark red fruits, plum, rose hips, and spice. This is brighter on the nose and palate than the '04 is. The palate is dense with a gritty minerality, firm but manageable tannins and the same brightness coming through from the fruit, more so than the '04. This drank very well now and it should get better from here. (93 pts.)
• 2004 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Medium dark red color. Decanted for 3 hours; drank a glass over an hour. Drank this as a part of a micro vertical of the '04 and '06.
  I loved the nose on this, leather, saddle, funk, black cherry, anise, and dried wood. The palate seems deeper and a little more sullen with a sense of darker fruits, baked berries and plums. This feels bigger than the '06 too, with a lot of dirt and minerality showing on the palate with again firm but round tannins. We would have benefited from more food to drink through this last pair too. (92 pts.)