Dinner with Great Friends at Fountain Restaurant

Four Seasons Hotel, Philadelphia
Tasted Saturday, November 12, 2011 by 1800kidney with 457 views

Introduction

End of a long week, our group of 6 meet to celebrate a lovely meal together

Flight 1 - Champagne! Krug no less! Great way to start off the festiviites (1 Note)

Flight 2 - Oysters on the half shell, the chablis was a lovely match (1 Note)

Flight 3 - The blind tasting! A red wine was decanted before we arrived, brought by Miguel for his cellar (1 Note)

Varietal was a pinot, with some elegance and balance. It was a bit high in the alcohol (clearly New World), with excellent extraction but not heavy handed. There was a bit of sun in the fruit, a pinot that came from a fairly hot climate or year. My guess was a 4 year old pinot from below the Equator..could have just as easily been a Carneros pinot too, turns out to have been pretty close!

The pinot was an excellent pairing with our entree choices...lobster bisque, and sauted wild rock bass with tiger shrimp and lobster served with "paella", English peas, chorizo and a saffron sauce

  • 2006 Casa Marin Pinot Noir 90 Points

    Chile, San Antonio Valley, Lo Abarca

    Decanted and well presented, good balance and finish. Lots of alcohol with impressive extraction but not over the top; reminds me of a Caneros Pinot Noir...has seen plenty of sun in the vineyard

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Flight 4 - Old World Pinot... (1 Note)

Another blind tasting which was meant to compare and contrast to the New World pinot noir, but unfortunately the Vosne-Romanee was badly flawed and was returned without any question.

  • 2000 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée Flawed

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

    Sadly...badly flawed. Despite Decanting, there was very strong acetone/volatile acidity up front that made it unapproachable. Looked murky in the decanter, can this really have been a Vosne_Romanee??

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Flight 5 - We regrouped with a Barbaresco as the Main Course were served (1 Note)

Main courses included a lovely veal chop with french lentil gnocchi and a savoy cabbage puree, and rare roasted Cervena Venison loin with chestnut bread pudding, porcini mushrooms and a cabernet sauvignon reduction. The Barbaresco was superb, and at 13 years was coming into its own

  • 1998 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Wonderful Barbaresco! deep color, great presence with well rounded tannins, beautiful fruit and long finish...has the stuffing to last another 10-20 years

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Flight 6 - The cheeses with a wonderful classic Burgundy (1 Note)

Cheeses include an epoisses, comte, an interest blue that was a combination of goat and sheep, a triple cream, an aged gouda and a parmigiano reggiano. There was a a bit of Barbresco left to enjoy with the parmigiano reggiano, and the Volnay was perfect with the others.

Closing

Lovely evening, great food, wines and friends! Thanks to Dick for arranging a perfect get together

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