San Diego WineSpectator.com Offline, 3/1/2013

Tonight we welcomed Mr. & Mrs. Parrot77 to our group, and hope to drink wine with them again soon. Our party of eight convened at Sbicca and were seated in the "wine room," a comfortable private space that, fortunately for us but unfortunately for Sbicca's wine, is not refrigerated. A server assured me that only the "lower end" wine is stored in that room, and that the better wines are properly climate controlled. Among the cases of wine on the shelves at room temperature, there were several bottles of Plumpjack Chardonnay, which was not exactly at the lower end of their wine list. However, given the coastal climate, I doubt the wines are suffering too much from lack of active cooling. Corkage was $15 per bottle. Stemware was just OK -- acceptable size, not crystal. We asked for and received two stems per person. On to our wines -- ratings are by group vote; point scores are my own.

• 2005 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang 95 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  Clear light straw yellow. Brilliant notes of fresh daisies, white grapefruit, lemon zest, green kiwi, green apples, with stony minerality, light smoky oak, and electrifying acidity. Has opened up dramatically since 2011, illustrating the age-worthiness of this fantastic wine. ShaneT mused "the best sauvignon blanc in the world." My #2, group's FIRST PLACE for the evening, outranking all the red heavy-hitters.

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• 1989 Château Cos d'Estournel 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Decanted and re-bottled three hours before tasting. Clear dark garnet color. Fresh bouquet of lavender, red currants, cherries, pipe tobacco, rocky forest floor, spice box. Elegant and balanced. Ultra smooth, mellow, medium body, long finish. My #1, group's SECOND PLACE, but with more #1 votes than the top-ranking wine tonight.

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• 1983 Domaine de Chevalier 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Clear medium garnet-ruby color. Fresh notes of lavender, red cherries, currants, river pebbles. Similar on the palate, seamless and elegant. Simpler than 1989 Cos d' Estournel but no less delicious.

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• 1987 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  Decanted. Clear medium garnet color. After three classic Bordeaux bottles showing their aristocratic restraint and sophistication, here was a wonderful example of New World exuberance. Initial whiff of dill, followed by a bonanza of tart cherries, cranberries, pomegranate, and currants in all their sun-drenched glory. Light oak. Full body, beautifully balanced, long finish.

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• 2009 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul

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

  Not decanted. Clear medium ruby-garnet color. This seemed pruney and overripe, with notes of red licorice, grilled herbs, garrigue, jammy cherries, and smoky bacon fat. Low apparent acidity. Not sure whether this will improve. Score withheld since not decanted.

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• 1985 Château Ausone 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Decanted 1 hour before tasting. Clear medium blood-garnet color. Musty when first opened, but this greatly subsided within an hour to reveal a lovely bouquet of fresh red currants, lavender, cherries, spice box, pipe tobacco, and old leather. ShaneT commented on something reminiscent of baked wheat crackers. An elegant, balanced old wine, not much change from 2011. My #3, group's THIRD PLACE.

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• 2008 Schulz Cellars Syrah Fortunati Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder

  Mrs. Racer117 brought this bottle and said "a friend of our family makes this wine -- but it's actually good" which got a laugh. 14.5% alcohol. Clear deep garnet purple. Nose of melted red licorice, stewed red plums and cherries, campfire. Very ripe with low apparent acidity. Round and flabby -- like a lot of American syrahs, and a lot of Americans! This got two informal votes as "pleasant surprise of the night."

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This was a fine place to bring wines for dinner, if stemware is not of the utmost concern. Reasonable corkage, excellent food, attentive service, with the restaurant's namesake greeting us at the door. Thanks to Mrs. SD-Wineaux for initiating this offline!