Fourth Annual White Truffle Dinner

David Burke's Primehouse - Chicago IL
Tasted Friday, January 9, 2009 by Burgundy Al with 778 views

Introduction

Scheduling problems pushed this dinner into January causing problems procuring good white truffles. Still, good wine.

Flight 1 - Chapoutier Blanc (4 Notes)

Flight 2 - Deiss and Zind-Humbrecht (4 Notes)

  • 1994 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand 93 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    Ripe and lush Riesling aromas with clear signs of sweet character, also apple, orange, orange peel. Flavors of orange peel and candied lemon peel with spiced apple, also with more than a hint of sweetness. Lush, long and well textured. My favorite of the flight.

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  • 1999 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand 92 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    Apple and orange zest aromas, not quite at the same intensity level as its 1994 counterpart in the next glass. Similar fruit profile on palate with good spice on finish.

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  • 2000 Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim 92 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    sweet aromas of butterscotch, ripe peach and candied orange peel. Fat and lush fruit on palate with hints of alcohol on finish. A slight step up from the Deiss 2000 Schoenenbourg in the next glass.

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  • 2000 Marcel Deiss Schoenenbourg 91 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    Apple, lemon and orange aromas with slight floral hints. Leaner styled fruit on palate with good length and energy, but not the same intensity I remember from when I had this previously.

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Flight 3 - White Burgundy (5 Notes)

Flight of the Night.

  • 2000 Marc Colin et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

    Ripe stone fruit with excellent spice. Same good fruit and spice on palate; lush, long and extravagant. Close to its peak now.

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  • 1996 Michel Colin-Deléger et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet 95 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

    I brought this bottle and the Colin-Deleger 1996 Batard-Montrachet in the next glass with some trepidation, given the producer's problems with premature oxidation, particularly in the years starting in 1996. No problem with this fantastic bottle. Lush peach and apple aromas and supporting spice. Same large scaled fruit on palate with great intensity and well supported by acidity and minerality, providing a burst of energy at the end. I have a few more bottles...hope they are close to this level!

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  • 1996 Michel Colin-Deléger et Fils Bâtard-Montrachet 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

    I brought this bottle and the Colin-Deleger 1996 Chevalier-Montrachet in the next glass with some trepidation, given the producer's problems with premature oxidation, particularly in the years starting in 1996. No big concern with this bottle, even if not to the level of the Chevalier. Fat and lush stone fruit on nose and palate. Modest spice, moderate length. Showing as "age appropriate."

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  • 1976 Louis Latour Montrachet 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

    Dark color. Ripe fruit and slightly sweet elements on nose. Still retaining some intriguing fruit and very good earthy flavor elements. Certainly helped by the fact that it has retained a sense of acidity in a generally ripe vintage, which has mostly proven tough for bottles of white Burgundy at this stage in their life.

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  • 1939 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet 96 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

    One of the most fascinating wines I've ever had. Popped and poured. Kevin recently hand-carried this back from the Bocuhard Père cellars. Beguiling aromas started with some earth and white truffle (or was the truffle from the food?) with some sweet orchard fruit aromas emerging in a few minutes. Palate was slightly sweet with earthy and apple flavors that were sensational for about 30 minutes, fading somewhat quickly after that.

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Flight 4 - Older Aldo Conterno (2 Notes)

I am trying to recall the explanation for the existence of the older wine in this flight (before Aldo Conterno existed), and think it was that the brothers divided the inventory of older bottles of Giacomo Conterno wines when they split and Aldo released the bottles from his stash under his new label, or something along those lines.

Flight 5 - Sweet Wine with Foie Gras (3 Notes)

Flight 6 - 1961 Bordeaux (2 Notes)

  • 1961 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Not nearly at the same level as another bottle I recall from several years ago...oh well. Mostly forest floor aromas with some tart black cherry lingering around with leather and hints of tobacco. Similarly mostly earthy flavors on palate.

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  • 1961 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Very nice mature aromas of cigarbox, leather, black cherry and leather hints. Mature, ripe black fruit also on palate with good spice behind the enticing mushroom and earthy flavors.

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Flight 7 - Guigal LaLas...too young (3 Notes)

Flight 8 - 1990 Chateauneuf (2 Notes)

Flight 9 - Vega-Sicilia Unico (2 Notes)

This would have been the Flight of the Night, but flights need three bottles to get my vote.

  • 1994 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único 95 Points

    Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

    I think this was decanted close to all day! Sensational black fruit aromas with great spice and allure. Powerful black cherry and plum on palate with great spice. Layers of flavors unfold, coming through beautifully alongside lots of acidity and tannins. Great wine that will be even better in 10 years and drink great for 30+ years.

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  • 1970 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único 96 Points

    Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

    Black fruit with great spice and sensational earthy notes in the background. Incredibly powerful for a wine its age, with great textures and layers. Long, balanced finish.

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Flight 10 - But Wait...There's More (2 Notes)

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