Dinner at Matt and Francesca’s

After 27 emails, 14 proposed dates and 11 months of failed attempts, Matt and I were finally able to find a date that worked for everyone so we could get together for dinner and pull a few corks. A fun night with great food and wine and even better company.

• 2000 Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé 90 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  This was tight at first on the both the nose and palate giving not much more than notes of lemon and lots of acidity. After some time in the glass it began to open up and gave notes of lemon, minerals, tart orchard fruit and hints of autolytic aromas. At first the palate was sharp and lean but it developed nicely into a softer and more generous mouthfeel with more lemon and tart stone fruit with fantastic acidity and freshness. Gives a nice blast of minerality on the lengthy finish. This is really good, especially my last sip, but it’s just a baby and needs 3-5 years. Excellent. 90+

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• 2005 Spring Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

  The nose here was showing quite youthfully but at the same time quite expressive and open for business with loads of ripe black fruits, chocolate, mint and a hint of (pleasant) greenness that reminded me of cab franc (although there is only 4% cab franc in this wine). In the mouth this is big but controlled with concentrated and rich black and red fruit flavours, along with hints of mint and oak. Full bodied with decent acidity and firm but tolerable tannins this drank surprisingly well but for my tastes would benefit from 2-3 years in the cellar. Very good. 89+

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• 1998 Il Palazzone Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Flawed

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Corked.

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• 1990 Château Léoville Barton 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Slow-O’d for 5 hours then decanted for sediment and served immediately. Beautiful, complex and classic mid-aged Bordeaux nose with notes of that wonderful Bordeaux funk, plums, black currants, cedar and coffee grinds. As it sat in the glass the nose continued to change and evolve offering other aromas of bell pepper, Cajun spices, graphite and tobacco. In the mouth this was smooth and mellow without being soft with solid acidity and fine, almost chalky, tannins. Finish is fairly long. I really love traditionally styled Bordeaux and this was no exception. This offers tremendous pleasure right now but should continue to age gracefully for at least another decade. Outstanding.

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• 2003 Château Léoville Barton 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Slow-O’d for 4 hours then decanted 2 hours prior to serving. Nose was quite expressive right from the get-go with youthful and deep notes of coffee grinds, toasty oak and a ton of dark fruits. In the mouth this masculine, concentrated and youthful and with more black fruits and cedar notes with hints of pepper. There’s a ton of structure with firm yet powdery tannins and lots of acid. Overall this is very well balance and shows a great deal of potential but lacks Bordeaux typicity at this point. As it sat in the glass it continued to improve and gain complexity and depth on the nose but I found the palate tightening up. Young, dark and tannic but surprisingly gave quite a bit of pleasure tonight even while being drank alongside the beautiful ’90 Barton. I’ll try another in 5-7 years. Excellent. 90+

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• 1993 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese 90 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Opened and served a few hours later. Even with its thoroughly soaked through cork, this was another youthful bottle of this wine (3 of my previous 4 bottles were much more mature/advanced). Nice (youngish) nose of orchard fruit, citrus, petrol and crushed rocks. In the mouth notes of citrus, apricot, minerality and hints of petrol with solid acidity and slightly weighty mouthfeel that’s finished up with a nice dose of tart candied lemon. I have one bottle left and I will leave it for at least 5 more years, but probably more. Excellent. 90+

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• 2008 Château Lamothe Guignard 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  From 375ml. Opened and served right away. With all the fantastic cheeses and desserts on the table I didn’t spend enough time with this young Sauternes but it was showing notes of spice, ginger bread, orange marmalade with great acidity and a fairly fresh finish. I wanted to buy some of this on release but it sold out very quickly so I’m happy to have tried it now and look forward to drinking another one of Matt’s bottles in 10+ years. Very good. 88+

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