Chicago Rotating Wine Dinner Series - July 2013

Chris' House - Highland Park, IL
Tasted Tuesday, July 30, 2013 by tooch with 638 views

Introduction

For July, Chris hosted us at his house in Highland Park. His theme was California from the 1970s - 1990s. We were joined by chef Nick Thompson from Northwestern University's James Allen Center who cooked up a very enjoyable menu. Despite a few sprinkles, I thought the dinner was great. We had a couple wines not really show up, while others were absolutely profound.

Flight 1 - Appetizers (2 Notes)

Oyster Shooters with Cucumber Juice, Hendricks and Ginger
Lamb Bacon, Caramelized Banana and Puff Pastry
Bourbon Cured Salmon, Cornmeal Cracker, Pickled Fennel and Crème Fraiche
Green Grape and Almond Gazpacho with Crème Fraiche Drizzle

Flight 2 - Course 1 (3 Notes)

Grilled Octopus, Confit Potatoes, Pickled Eggplant, Tomato, Oil Cured Olives

Flight 3 - Course 2 (2 Notes)

Seared Duck Breast with Corn Polenta, Goat Butter, Scallion Oil

  • 1975 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    Chris opened one of these and it was dead, so he reached into his cellar for a replacement and it showed beautifully well. Mature nose with cassis, cedar, mint, tobacco, dried florals and blackberries. Palate was gorgeous and complex with many layers of fruits, florals, spices, and earth. This was the first Martha's I've had and it did have a certain elegance to it that was incredibly enjoyable.

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  • 1978 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    A perfect match for the 1975 Martha's drank alongside it. The temperature of this wine was a bit warmer than the 1975, so the flavors seemed a bit more rich and dense. The dark fruits were a bit darker, and the mint was a bit fresher. Besides that, the same (general) profile was there. Elegant, complex, with layers of fruit. Tannins were nicely resolved and it still had freshness to the finish.

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Flight 4 - Course 3 (3 Notes)

Flannery 21-Day Dry Aged Hanger Steak with Warm Mushroom Salad with Braised Beef Vinaigrette Topped with
Duck Egg with Shaved White Truffle

  • 1983 Dominus Estate 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    A rustic and earthy cabernet. Palate was just oozing with old world charm; dried florals, earth, mint, and dusty dark fruits fit together perfectly. The nose was so incredibly enjoyable here, but the palate was a touch soft. It was like the palate was being viewed through a foggy lens.

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  • 1984 Dominus Estate 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    I think this was my wine of the night. Nose was exotic, layered, and endless. Dried fruits and floral notes mixed with earthy, underbrush tones and just an explosive dose of mint. The palate also had fireworks with its dark fruit, lovely mushroom undertones, tobacco, and floral notes. A complete package.

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  • 1986 Dominus Estate 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Showed nicely. The aromas had that minty component to it with nice combinations of dark fruit and underbrush. A darker Dominus than the 84 and 83 drank alongside it, there was an interesting meaty component to this not found as significantly in the others. A great wine with a lot of character and balance.

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Flight 5 - Course 4 (3 Notes)

Flannery Rib Cap Steaks, Bellwether Ricotta Gnudi and Black Truffle Sauce

  • 1982 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

    Who would have guessed the 1982 is showing more like a wine with 7-10 years on it? As Keith mentioned, this took some time to unwind a bit, but what emerged was incredibly elegant and complex. Beautiful red fruits, underbrush, silky red floral notes were woven together seamlessly. Another example of just how long these wines can effortlessly age.

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  • 1985 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

    Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Elegant, yet powerful. Dense but airy. Fruited but balanced. This is what I want Cabernet Sauvignon to be. Rock. Star.

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  • 1987 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

    Awesome aromatics with layers of dusty red fruits, mushroom, florals, and some sweet spiciness. The palate was mature but did have a firmness to it that suggested it still has a long life to go. Nice integration of fruit, earth, and floral notes with some great acidic pop on the finish. Great stuff.

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Flight 6 - Desert (2 Notes)

Grilled Peaches, White Chocolate Lemon Panna Cotta, Hazelnut Brittle
And Honey Thai Basil Glaze

Closing

Thanks again to Chris for opening his house and Nick for preparing a great menu!

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