The Tenth Annual Stonefields Dinner

To celebrate the tenth anniversary, host Michael Barnstijn sourced wines from iconic vintages and paired them with the stunning cuisine of chef Arpi Magyar. 1811, 1911, 1961, 1991 were all represented at this magnificent event.

• NV André Clouet Champagne Un jour de 1911... 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  What a way to start a party…this wine had notes of lemon zest, lime, subtle caramel, bread dough and a ever present mineral note that provided a nice backbone to the wine. The palate was lush with similar notes and a nice mixture of autolytic notes and citric fruit. The finish was long and persistent with good complexity. 92+pts

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Paired with a few canapés: poached shrimp, kangaroo carpaccio, smoked quail eg, chorizo and zatar
Also paired with the amuse bouche of Garden Vegetables, in their dirt, herbed buttermilk

• 1996 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Very powerful nose….hazelnuts, yeast, lemon and lime dominate. The palate showed flavours of lemon custard, minerals with yeast and autolysis holding them all together and with such fine mousse and impeccable balance. This wine really takes off on the finish though, it is super long with waves of flavours that come and go…..lemon, lime, fresh bread dough, minerality, and pear. Such texture and balance. Very pretty

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Paired with a duo of Truffle soup and puff dome and Jamon Iberico de bellota and crostini de tomate

• 1961 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut Vintage 99 Points

  France, Champagne

  From Magnum
  Wow….this is sex in a bottle. There is so much going on here but at the same time it is so focused and rounded with not edges whatsoever. Caramel, yeast, fresh bread dough, floral notes, burnt brulee….it goes on and on. The finish is never ending and relentless in its size and scope. Champagne perfection? Pretty damn close

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• 1911 Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Vintage Collection 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  Deep colour and a noticeable lack of effervescence. Pear, apple, and an almost rancio note that shows the age of this champagne. Despite the subtle oxidation, this is truly remarkable champagne that proves the ageability of sparkling wine under ideal conditions. Flavours include lemon pie, baked apple and pear with hints of crème brulee and white florals. The finish is where one notices that age of this wine; there is some oxidation that creeps through with some subtle sherried notes. This wine might have suffered from being poured closely after the near perfect 1961 Veuve magnum. 92+pts.

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Paired with A can of foie gras, quince cheese, mushroom dust and a bag of brioche

• 1811 Château d'Yquem 100 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  It took the head sommelier almost 20 minutes to extract this cork….but she was able to do it with limited amounts getting into the wine. Bravo!
  The colour on this wine certainly belied its age….it was a deep lemon. On first glance, I would have thought it was not any older than 50 years.
  The flavours though were oh so complex….pure lemon and lime, floral notes, minerals, honey, and an almost saline quality. There was a touch madearization on this but it was just enough to add complexity and not a flaw. The palate burst with marmalade, spice, citrus, honey, crème brulee and flowers. The finish is monumental….endless, seamless and returns with waves of flavour…..perfection……100pts.

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• 1811 Fürst Bretzenheim Tokaji Eszencia 98 Points

  Hungary, Tokaji

  Deep tawny, showing notes of honey, flambéed oranges, burnt raisin and dates. The palate showed complex notes of orange marmalade, raisin, fig and burnt honey with a textured, layered and incredibly long finish. This Tokaji is a truly historic wine from one of my favorite regions.

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Paired with Lobster soufflé, and opah sashimi, soya atomizer and crispy Kelly gator

• 2001 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  Medium gold colour, this wine showed richly textured notes of lemon custard, minerality, and oddly enough some freshly cut mint. The palate showed similar flavors with the additions of quince, caramel and a flint like note. The finish showed great length and poise. Very pretty

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• 1996 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet 95 Points

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

  Deep golden colour….the nose is dominated by a focused minerality with textured lemon, lime and nutmeg notes adding tremendous complexity. The balancing acid on this wine just makes this so beautiful. This finish is extremely long….I can still taste it 2 minutes later. Gorgeous, will last for a while still and shows none of the Premature oxidation that has plagued some of the 1996 white burgs. 95+pts

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• 1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet 98 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Medium gold colour. The nose is intoxicating…..roasted nuts, orange and lemon marmalade, honey, apples, lemon curd, minerals and citrus peel. Similar flavours dominate the palate but are almost overwhelmed by the sheer power of the wine…..such a textural weight to it but still so focused and not cloying or heavy due to the wines acidic backbone which plays such a key role in this wine in keeping it in balance. This is just so elegant and pure and will age gracefully for some time I think. Iron fist in a velvet glove!

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• 2001 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée 96 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Rich with a fiercly autolytic nose….fresh baked bread and yeast lie over flavours of apple, smoke and spice. The palate shows similar citrus flavours, apple, bread dough and an extremely lush texture and weight. This is regal. There are also some caramel and smokey oak tones on the palate that remind the taster that this went through malo-lactic in barrel. The finish is long, powerful and rich. Stunning.

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Paired with Poire Williams

• 1976 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 97 Points

  France, Champagne

  Served in a wide glass, this champagne exploded….notes of caramel, hazelnuts, brioche, lemon curd, lime pastry and earth. The palate shows a saline quality with rich beautifully textured mousse and stunning complexity. Sugar coated lemon pastry, hazelnuts, citrus, caramel and a touch a orange rind transition to a finish that long, complex and balanced with a multiplicity of flavours all wrapped in very fine lees character. A reference point in fine champagne. 97+pts

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Paired with Beef cheeks, bone marrow and jerusalem artichoke

• 1911 Louis Jadot Corton-Pougets Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  Opened and quickly decanted for sediment into a small decanter, this burgundy was a stark contrast to the two Barolet wines. It was still very much alive with gorgeous notes of nutmeg, clove, cranberry, tart cherry and raspberry. The finish was long and with great complexity and a cashmere like texture. 100-year-old burgundy at its best. A reference point wine. 93+pts
  This was sourced ex-chateau and certified by Jadot as having been re-corked twice.

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• 1971 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru

  Originally not slated to be opened for this dinner, the host graciously opened this as a replacement for the two Barolet Burgundies. This wine opened up with a beautiful nose of beetroot, cranberry, spice, soy and ginger. The palate showed great poise and balance and carried with it a long finish with very good overall complexity. Having only had two other vintages of DRC La Tache, this one did seem to be lacking some of the verve and energy that the 1990 and 1978 had had for me. In spite of that, this is still incredible wine from a storied producer and vineyard.

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• 1811 Château Lafite Rothschild 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  The piece de la resistance…the focal point of the dinner. This wine was actually afforded its own course with no food at all. The note along with it said “A quiet contemplation of ancient wine”. After all of the issues that Sarah, the head sommelier, had been having with some of the older wines, were are all huddled around her as she dove into opening this ancient wine. As a testament to her talent, she was able to get the cork out in one piece. When we had a chance to look at the cork, it had either 1811 or 1812 stamped over the Domaine Lafite Rothschild cork. It was understood that this bottle had been re-corked at the chateau roughly 35-40 years ago but there was no sticker or anything at the bottle to indicate this except for some glue on the back bottom of the bottle where he thought the sticker might have been placed. Once we tasted the wine, we were all quite convinced that it was not in fact an 1811 Lafite. The host and others from the dinner all crowded around and we discussed it for a few minutes to no real resolution except that it was really quite nice but probably not an 1811 Lafite.
  
  Medium ruby garnet in colour, the nose was spectacular with complex notes of cedar, leather, cassis, currants, blackberries, and forest floor. The palate was equally complex and transitioned to long and pretty finish. I am very skeptical that this is 200 year old Bordeaux….the colour and flavor profile simply do not match a 200 year old wine…..my stab in the dark is that this is a post 1945 Bordeaux (45,47, 49, 53) from a very good producer, possibly even Lafite.

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Paired with Smoked wild boar, red cabbage, caraway, pulled pork burger and steamed bun

• 1961 Château Montrose 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Decanted for sediment and then into a small decanter, this wine exhibited all of the characteristics of aged Bordeaux…notes of cedar, cassis, cherry, earth and leather. The palate showed similar notes I found that it was a touch thin with not as much depth or complexity that one might expect from such a vaunted chateau and vintage. The finish too was correct but uninspiring. My hunch is that this is not a perfect bottle as I have heard many wonderful reviews. Having never tried it before, I’ll just go by what was in the glass. 91+pts

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• 1961 Château Haut-Brion 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  A huge step up from the 1961 Montrose, this was a textbook of fine Bordeaux. The nose showed gorgeous black fruit, smoke, cassis, cedar, sweet tobacco, and fine bead of minerality that ran right down the wines centre. The palate was equally as complex and showed pure boisterous fruit and tertiary notes in a restrained style that Haut Brion does so well. While not quite as good as the 1989 Haut Brion’s I’ve had, this was close….magic in a glass. 97+pts

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• 1961 Château Latour Grand Vin 100 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  My first encounter with 1961 Latour, a wine on my must try before I die list.
  What a thrill….such power and elegance. The nose was stunning….ripe primary black currants, cherry, and cassis transition to secondary notes of forest floor, spice, cedar, plums, sweet pipe tobacco and an almost truffle element. The finish is mesmerizing….waves of flavours coat the palate. This is stunning! I’m speechless! Never ending. Wow!

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Paired with Nunavut arctic musk ox curry, cauliflower, parsley and beets

• 1991 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 98 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  The nose opened up to show blue fruit, olive, campfire, high-toned florals and minerals. The palate too was dominated by pure blueberry, subtle bacon fat, an almost crunchy minerality and violets all wrapped in smoke and underbrush. The finish was extremely long, complex and thrilling. An unreal seminal Cote Rotie.

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• 1991 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée 100 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  The Guigal was a tough act to follow but the Chapoutier more than took on the challenge. The nose has such an alluring perfume…blueberries, creosote, olive tapenade, minerals, pepper, and smoke all create a aroma that is so many things but all at once so singular in its focus and balance. The palate as well just keeps inviting you back and with each sip you get further flavours. I was unable to write any specific notes after tasting it because I was literally speechless. Monumental! This wine made want to cry. I had to stop and just think about the stunning quality. Totally spell binding.

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• 1961 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côte-Rôtie Les Jumelles 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  The Jaboulet was tough to taste after the Guigal and Chapoutier. The nose showed underbrush, spice, tart cherry and minerals. The finish was graceful with moderate complexity and length but I think that this was either an imperfect bottle or it should have been consumed 10 -15 years earlier.

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Paired with parmesan foam, Roquefort bavaroise, elderberry glaze, walnut sponge, double preserved olives and crispy nuts.

• 1911 Sandeman Porto Vintage 92 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  This was a very good port with notes of prunes, dates, figs, raisins, nutmeg, clove and cardamom. The palate was equally complex but there was some lingering heat on the backend of this wine that took away a touch from its overall quality on the palate. The finish was quite complex and finished quite clean.

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Bacon and egg, sweet potato, bourbon jelly, shortbread crumble and ketchup

• 1986 Château de Fargues 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  The de Fargues jumped out of the glass with notes of spicey botrytis character, crème brulee, nutmeg, orange rind and citrus fruit. The palate showed similar flavours and balanced off the weight and texture of the wine its beautiful natural acidity. The finish was long and balanced. Very nice Sauternes. 94pts.

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