A Mixed Bag of Frenchies and Italians

Eight of us gathered to work through the menu at a new St. Paul neighborhood spot. Wyatt Evans is the chef (and spouse of one of my employees) and he and the team did a fantastic job with the menu. It is not often that we walk out thinking the food surpassed the wine, but that was my feeling tonight. Very good wines and great food. Well Done!

• NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grande Réserve 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  I had the pleasure of drinking this again tonight thanks to Craig. I will echo my last note and just say, this always over delivers and presents such a nice drink. Always elegant and refined, bright, white peach, apple, pear, floral. 91+ to 92pts. You will have to spend at least double or more to consistently drink at significantly higher level. 91-92pts.

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• NV Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cuvée de Réserve 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Plenty of toast and yeast here, more citrus, chalk, and good depth overall. Full bodied, citrus, apple peel, brioche. I will take the finesse of the Vilmart though myself.

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• 2010 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  light green gold color. Drank 1+ glass over an hour. This absolutely blew me away tonight. By far the best bottle I've had to date. This was my WOTN overall too. I loved the nose, loved the palate, it was firing on all cylinders. I thought the nose was simple intoxicating with the tangerine, orange blossom, lemon, wet stone minerality, and grapefruit edginess. The palate had incredible vibrancy, man I love 2010 Chablis, powdery fruit that hits the palate with intensity but still has this focused well delineated minerality that adds to the generous cut present. Very long finish, steely. wow, I loved this.

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• 2012 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Light green gold color. Drank 1 glass over an hour. This was supposed to be the 2010 La Forest, but alas, we had to "settle" for the 2010 Vaillon. Certainly no slouch, this was showing more earth and some spice on the nose and palate, more citrus, mineral, youthful. Very good, need a year or two. (corrected)

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• 2012 Lamy-Caillat Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over an hour plus. This was very good, mineral driven, great wet stone character, citrus, some earth notes, nice acids, good length. Brad thought it was meaty, but I never saw that. 91+pts.

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• 2012 Domaine Roulot Bourgogne Blanc 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc

  Light gold color. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. Some matchstick on the nose and palate that gradually blows off leaving an immensely toasted wine on both the nose and palate, citrus fruit in the background and a good dose of stark minerals. .

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• 2005 Domaine Michel Lafarge Beaune 1er Cru Les Aigrots 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

  Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. Sour cherry, pretty nose with subtle earth. The palate is medium plus bodied, cherry, wood, some heat, nice tannins and overall structure, loam, firm tannins.

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• 2005 Domaine de la Vougeraie Clos Vougeot 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

  Dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour plus. This was muted and closed to start, it continued to open over 90 minutes becoming very very nice. Showing some power and depth on the nose and palate eventually - with dark fruits, plum black cherry, full bodied, a touch of heat at times, blood meal. This becomes integrated and much better after the first hour plus.

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• 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  This had some slow-o time and an hour decant. Drank 1 glass over an hour plus. This was reductive initially, blows off slowly, very dark fruited, a touch of heat on the palate, anise, tobacco, firm tannins, big, but expressive. Gets better with even more air. 91 to 91+pts.

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• 1998 Fontanafredda Barolo Paiagallo La Villa 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Dark red color. Slow-O for 4 hours and decanted for 45 minutes. Drank 1 glass over over 2 hours. I have to say that I loved the nose on this when I opened the bottle, and the palate showed floral notes, dried berry fruits, spice and mushroom, The palate was earthy, mushroom dried berry fruits, firm tannins and some wood spices that integrated over time. But this was much more shut down when we drank later with a grainy, FIRM character to the the tannins and a bigger fuller body than initially. 92pts on PNP, and 91pts after decanting.

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• 1995 Château Pavie Macquin Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  first bottle was corked.

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• 1995 Château Pavie Macquin 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Very dark red/purple color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour. Plum, cassis, oak firm, wood, good acid, full bodied, some dried earth. 90+pts.

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• 1998 Château Gruaud Larose 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Very dark red/purple color; PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour plus. Wow, this was singing, great nose, perfumed, leather, lovely cassis and berry fruit on the nose, with the signature earthiness. The palate is equally beguiling, great balance, good fruit, medium body with elegance galore, dark fruits, cassis, raspberry, earth, fine tannins, leather, long, so nice. My red WOTN. 92+ to 93pts.

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• 2007 Christophe Billon Côte-Rôtie La Brocarde 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Very dark red color. PNP, the word "interesting" comes to mind, I'm not sure if it is in a good way, maybe not...lots of olive character, nose and palate, dark fruits, brodding, beef blood, green pepper, oak, full body, firm, youthful, modern.

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• 2006 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Very dark red/purple color. Drank 1 glass over an hour. Very good, nce acid, great nose, dark and sensuous, smoke, dried red berries, new wood, fine tannins. Really nice and drinking quite well at this point.

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My White WOTN was the '10 Michel MdT Chablis and red WOTN was the '98 Gruaud Larose