John's Birthday Degustation Dinner
Hippopotamus Restaurant, Museum Hotel, Wellington, New Zealand
Tasted Sunday, May 31, 2015 by Marc with 529 views
Introduction
A brilliant evening of great company and outstanding wines to celebrate a significant birthday for the possessor of one of New Zealand's greatest palates.
The menu was comprised of:
Selection de Canapes - Feta bavarois with macadamia crumble, Salmon sashimi
Parfait de foie de canard, sablé a l'oignon caramelise, petite poire pochee et gelée au vin cuit
Fitel de dorade poêlé, coque de Cloudy Bay rôties, spätzle de langoustine et sauce Homardine
Confit de cuisse de canard, épinard sautés, crème de haricot blanc "esprit cassoulet" et jus aux canneberges
Filet de bœuf Réserve, cannelloni de joue de bœuf braisée, crème à l'ail, plats de côte glacée, jus à la moëlle et eux cèpes, pomme purée à la truffe
Filet de chevreuil, petites betteraves au vinaigre, ganache de caramel salé et pruneaux u porto
Mille-Feuille à la fraise revisité
2002 Pol Roger Champagne Vintage Brut 88 Points
France, Champagne
Rich and yeasty. Very concentrated with considerable bottle development. This particular bottle came across as slightly unfocused, although true to its house style. Other bottles tasted at the time were met with greater favor from tasters I highly respect. Certainly very good, but tonight, it just did not wow me.
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2002 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 93 Points
France, Champagne
Drunk directly after the 2002 Pol, this was by far, the more involving experience. While very much in the same house style, this bottle was far fresher, with brilliant definition and a clear inner core of structure that adds lift and life to the yeasty and toasty aromas and flavors. While there is bottle age character, this came across as young and with the ability to grow in nuance and stature as it ages. I would love to try this out of a magnum. A brilliant 2002.
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NV Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Del Duque Aged 30 Years Very Old Amontillado VORS 94 Points
Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
Subtle, rich and complete. Massive length, fabulous aged material, a harmonious finish. The 21% is barely noticeable, so rich is the nutty complexity of the fruit.
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2008 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Lifted camphor nose, bright spice, bottle development. High acid profile. Fresh mealy complexity. Refined, long and complete, with the camphor subtlety echoing on the finish. Still a baby, although the wine is certainly showing integration. No hint of premox. I see this getting better over the next 3-5 years. 93+
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2010 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 91 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Still very young and at this stage, not yet showing integration between fruit and oak. Fresh toast and hazelnut. Very tight palate with masses of latent power. If this does not pre-oxidize, I would see this wine showing great integration and complexity in 5 or 6 years and lasting for another decade afterwards. 91+++
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2002 Domaine René Engel Grands-Echezeaux 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru
Light ruby. Spectacular and etherial, lifted nose flys out of the glass, pushed by some VA. Glorious wild strawberry fruit. The palate is light on its feel and shows great vibrancy. Drinking beautifully today, this will continue to grow in stature and will always be a very light wine that convinces on its transparency. 95+
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2002 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche Cuvée Auguste 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Tasted with the Rene Engel Grands Echezeaux 2002, this outstanding wine came across as the more sturdy and opaque of the two. Considerably richer on the palate (and as a consequence, the better match at the dinner table), the nose is both riper but also more earthbound. Sour cherry, iodine and earth notes add complexity to this large-scaled Burgundy.
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1995 Château Léoville Las Cases 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Massive, yet transparent nose of iron ore, pencil shavings, blackcurrant and earth, Linear, structured, powerful and focused palate. Drinkable today but (surprise, surprise) this is a true vin de garde. Clearly outclassed the Mouton Rothschild drunk at the same time. I see this as a sure bet to improve with further evolution. 96+
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1995 Château Mouton Rothschild 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasted next to the Leoville Las Cases of the same vintage, this came across as much further developed. A classy (and classic) nose of oak, cedar cigar box and refined blackcurrant fruit. This feels pretty new-style and open knit (comparatively). This is both gorgeous and correct but ultimately not sublime. An outstanding and refined example of the vinatge.
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2001 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio 94 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Modern Barolo, but with a hint of old school about it. Classy and bright rose-petal Barolo nose with a herbal and cinnamon laced palate of great balance. Excellent.
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2001 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra 92 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Great Barolo - huge length, very new style with considerable amounts of new oak. Despite the oak, the nose still betrays the tarry, floral and bright aspects of the style. Broad palate that for all of its weight still comes across as transparent. Tangy and spicy. I see this improving with time. 92+
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2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 93 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Still a complete baby - tasting fresh as a daisy. Some SO2 and rubber hose notes on the aroma. Great nose of wet slate with a tangy mineral laced palate of only subtle perceived sweetness. Taut in the mouth with amazing definition and length, this was not sweet enough for the dessert that was served but on its own, it was a wine of superb poise.
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