Our First Acker Auction
Marea in NYC
Tasted Saturday, February 6, 2016 by MC2 Wines with 695 views
Introduction
Our introduction to the Acker Auctions and what an introduction it was. Thanks to a few inches of snow on Friday morning and an overactive set of Delta cancellations, we ended up finding ourselves in NYC after all and ready to attend the festivities. The list of wines being poured was a veritable who's who of the wine world. Unfortunately missed a few of the special ones, but tried a few others. Were also lucky enough to be in a corner with many generous wine folks and we took the opportunity to try a few from our cellar as well.
Marea is one of our favorites in the city, and the menu for this didn't disappoint.
ANTIPASTI (choice of)
ASTICE - nova scotia lobster, burrata, eggplant al funghetto, basil
POLIPO - grilled octopus, smoked potatoes, pickled red onion, radish, chilies, tonnato
ASSAGGIO DI CRUDI - pacific snapper, long island fluke, pacific jack mackerel
PRIMI (choice of)
FUSILLI - corkscrew pasta, red wine braised octopus, bone marrow
PANSOTTI - taleggio, red kuri squash, swiss chard, hazelnuts
CASONCELLI - pork shoulder, apple, chiodini, smoked almond pesto
SECONDI (choice of)
BRANZINO - wild striped bass, garbanzos, sweet peppers, 'nduja, kohirabi, fennel
POLLETTO - hudson valley chicken, chesnut, baby turnip, celery root, dried cherry
TALIATA - creekstone farms dry-aged sirloin, bone marrow banzanella, braised romaine
** The Astice was spectacular as always and the Crudi was amazing. The chicken and sirloin both showed incredibly well. And being a Michael White restaurant, the pasta was just special. Many good pairings could be made.
Wines poured for the day below, although we didn't get to try all of them:
2001 - Chateau Angelus
1966 - Chateau Cheval Blanc
magnum - 1979 - Chateau Haut Brion
2000 - Chateau Leoville Las Cases
2003 - Chateau Palmer
magnum - 2007 - Bonnes Mares - Comte de Vogue
1997 - Latricieres Chambertin - Domaine Leroy
1983 - Nuits St. Georges - Les Pruliers - H. Gouges
2001 - Puligny Montrachet - Les Enseigneres - Coche-Dury
2004 - Meursault - Comte Lafon
2000 - Chevalier Montrachet - Domaine Leflaive
magnum - 2007 - Puligny Montrachet - Les Folatieres - Domaine Leflaive
2011 - Chablis - Les Clos - Fevre
2009 - St. Aubin - Chatenieres - Pierre-Yves Colin Morey
2010 - Chablis - Montee de Tonnerre - Raveneau
1978 - Chateauneuf du Pape - Chateau de Beaucastel
2001 - Chateauneuf du Pape - Chateau de Beaucastel
2007 - Chateauneuf du Pape - Cuvee Reservee - Domaine du Pegau
1988 - Cote Rotie - La Landonne - E. Guigal
2009 - Hermitage - J.L. Chave
magnum - 2003 - Chateauneuf du Pape - Clos des Papes - P. Avril
2007 - Chateauneuf du Pape - Secret de Sabon - R. Sabon
1995 - Chateauneuf du Pape - La Crau - Vieux Telegraphe
NV - Jacques Selosse Champagne - Extra Brut Originale
1990 - Krug Vintage Champagne
1997 - Brunello di Montalcino - Montosoli - Altesino
magnum - 1989 - Barolo - B. Mascarello
2001 - Brunello di Montalcino - Valdicava
2004 - Barolo - Brunate - Vietti
2004 - Barolo - Lazzarito - Vietti
1964 - Rioja - Imperial, Gran Reserva - CVNE
magnum - 1998 - Harlan Estate Red
1992 - La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon - 11th Anniversary
2007 - Hanzell Pinot Noir - Ambassadors 1953 Vineyard
2004 - Kistler Pinot Noir - Sonoma Coast
Flight 1 (20 Notes)
Closing
What a fabulous day of wine, company, and food. Many thanks to all of the folks who were kind enough to share their wine with us. Auction itself was pretty successful for us with a few very fun lots. Looking forward to the next one!
1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
France, Champagne
Two LGD '90s in one week! This was drinking much better than the bottle from the week earlier. Much fresher and brighter. Still has that nice aged characteristic that seems to lend some heft to the wine. Get the apples a bit more here. Bubbles continue to be very fine and lovely.
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NV Jacques Selosse V.O. Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged Aug 4, 2014. This had tea-like characteristics and an herbal quality and some savory notes. Was not as smooth as the '90 LGD on initial pouring, but really came together in the glass. It was evolving through to the last sip with pine needles and maybe even a vanilla bean note towards the end. Very good champagne. Would love to see in 10 years.
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2009 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Cru La Chatenière Blanc
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru
The first of what was to be just too many chardonnay based wines for me. This was one of my favorites perhaps because I was not yet overwhelmed. Easy and elegant, lemon and a touch of greener notes - like a tree leaf, not a piece of grass. Decent acidity. Good and a pretty good pairing with the crudo dish served.
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2007 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Just much too much of a chardonnay for my palette and about where I tired of trying them. There's sortof a sweetness and honey to it. Not for me.
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1966 Château La Mission Haut-Brion
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
For some this was the WOTD which is saying something in a line-up like we went through. For me it was just very good. Leather and prune and depth. It's in an excellent spot right now.
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2001 Château Margaux
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
This was a real contender for WOTD with me. There's times when I wonder are the First Growths really that much better and yet it seems they do stand in their own class. Just a bit more intense and deep and flavorful and evolving. Very elegant wine, nice saddle leather and ripe red fruits. Very special fabulous wine that may or may not have led to a purchase later in the day. Many thanks to David or Nick (not sure whose bottle this was) for sharing.
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2012 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Spice cabinet and light cherries. This wine really reminds me of what I like about Oregon Pinot Noir. Very bright and lovely. I enjoyed it more than most Burgundies.
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2010 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
This was baby killing, but a beautiful baby. There was a 2003 running around of this somewhere, but unfortunately we didn't end up trying it. This wine was still slightly unripe red fruits, very bright, decent tannins create a good backbone. Would love to try again in 15 years. Many thanks to Andy for sharing!
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2001 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
This is one of those wines that is just in the perfect spot. Wonderful cinnamon flavors and red fruits and just delicious. Drinking excellently right now.
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2003 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Still just a little baby, but it is drinking well now. Funky but with great red fruits (mostly currants), just delicious. For some in the group this was the WOTD. Many thanks to Miles for sharing!
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1970 Château Cheval Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Our first experience with a Cheval Blanc. I'd been very interested to try and this did not disappoint. When first opened it was on the musty side, but after a filtering and decant the wine started to come alive. I worried that we'd just have a bit of time with it, but it actually went for quite a few hours and was still ok as we were finishing the last sip. Leather and saddle and forest floor and just a hint of fruit but really just a hint. Lovely.
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2003 Château Palmer
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Just generally overshadowed by the other wines of the day. This is kindof a standard young Bordeaux. It's got promise, but it's not there yet. Leather and red fruits. Will be good.
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2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
We killed a few babies during the day, but this was probably the most ridiculous version of it. Was opened and double-decanted and then poured. Still very tannic and tight at first. Mostly I just taste stems, hints of spiced red fruits. With some time it opened a bit, but really this needs quite a bit more time in the bottle.
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1967 Bertani Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Superiore Amarone
Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Recioto della Valpolicella Classico Superiore
This was an amazing pairing with the cheese plate. Almost port-like, smooth as silk, touch of burnt caramel, maybe a bit of glycerin. Really delicious. We very much enjoyed. The CT drinking window ending @ 2003 is wrong - this was still going very well. Many thanks to Jon for sharing!
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2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Still a very young wine, can even get a touch of the alcohol on the palette. Dark fruit. Overshadowed again by some of the others, but suspect we'd enjoy on a normal night.
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1988 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Meaty, funky, felt like it was towards the end of it's life and then suddenly the mustiness blew off and it became really very good. All sorts of savory and uname and hints of older, slightly unripe fruits. I know that doesn't sound wonderful, but it was quite good. Lots of sediment which distracted a bit from the wine. Would filter the next time.
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2007 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Good, too young, in the category of wine we drank during the auction that was just a bit overshadowed by some of the others. Not in quite in the drinking window that the '03 was, harder tannins, more berries and red fruit.
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1995 Colgin Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb
USA, California, Napa Valley
Just a straight up spectacular wine. This was opened and double decanted before being poured back into the bottle and then poured. The nose jumps out of the glass at you. Cinnamon, spice, all sorts of fruits, beautiful and elegant. This was one of my candidates of WOTD. It's fantastic. One of my favorites.
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2012 Horsepower Vineyards Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
This is standard Cayuse funk. Would be very interesting to try this next to a GOK. Felt like it was really great with the meat and band aids and stinky feet. Very different than the other wines we were drinking that day, but I really enjoy it.
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2003 Sine Qua Non Chardonnay Mr. K The Noble Man
USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
The perfect end to a pretty fantastic full day wine event. Given the palette fatigue this actually didn't feel quite as full blown as bottles have in the past. It was just a nice wonderful sweet wine. Acidity was very prevalent and balanced the wine well.
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