Dinner with Mike Woodhead

We had a great day/night yesterday. Started off with a couple of Vieux Telegraphe's in the afternoon at Mike's house, then on to Elements Restaurant for a bit of Bordeaux. In attendance: Brad England; Chris Palm; Mike, Jane, and Sarah Woodhead; Andy and Stephanie Fuller, Fred Brander, and Bernadette (of Yorkshire), and once he was done cooking, Chef Paul.

• 1995 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  This wine was very good! A hell of a good afternoon start to the evening. This is how CDP is meant to taste. Slightly herbacious, great nose, soft and flavorful, and surprisingly complex. Just a great bottle of wine.

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• 1994 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Followed up the 95 with a 94. Good, not great. Unmistakably the sibling of the 95, but two or three notches down in every respect.

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• 2002 DuMOL Pinot Noir Russian River Valley

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Our starter wine. As Mikey English said: "the predinner thirst quencher".
  I liked it. Great full fruit flavor, soft, nice!

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• 2003 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Ashley's Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Not tasted by yours truly, but the ladies loved it.

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• 1989 Château Canon

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  A great nose, nice flavor (not great), with a short finish. Probably the weakest of the 89 flight.

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• 1989 Château Lynch-Bages

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  A much more open, perfumed, accessable wine than the Canon. Good nose, and good in the mouth, and a decent finish. But not as much of a "wow" as this wine has provided in the past. Everyone liked it, as usual.

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• 1989 Château Montrose

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  This was WOTN for most of us. Clearly just beginning its drinking plateau, but really a fun wine to drink as always. Nose, mouth, finish; the whole package.

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• 1989 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Gobs of flavor. Full and round. Seemed to be the hedonist favorite of the night. I had less of this than others, and can't really recall it as well.

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• 1982 Château Léoville Poyferré

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  This is a great wine. I have never had a bottle I didn't like a lot. Fruit is awesome, and its a classy wine. This is exactly what a good St Julien should be. This has now firmly replaced the 1990 as my favorite Poyferre.

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• 1979 Château Brane-Cantenac

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  This was a bit of a surprise. A low rated wine, but a bottle in great shape. I thought it held its own against the 1989's, and I returned to this bottle more than any other one of the night! Nice fruit, great finish, bravo.

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• 1990 Château Brane-Cantenac

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Sadly, corked and undrinkable.

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Fred brought one of his recent Sauvignon Blancs, which was outstanding. Being the red wine guy, I embarrassingly forgot the vintage.
Great wine, great company, and great food. Thanks to Paul and the team at Elements for a great night!