Annual Chicago winos visit - Pearl Clutcher, coche, drc, rousseau, D'Yquem and etc.

We hosted four of Chicago winos for our bi-annual Chicago/DC wino gathering. Eight of us got together at the grill room to drink some monumental wines. The wine service was exceptional as usual. Unfortunately the chef tasting menu was a bit of letdown which is highly unusual. Nevertheless we all had blast!

Burgundy Al, a prolific tasting note writer with an excellent palate, posted his own TNs of the event. Our impressions seem very close to each other in general.

We started at the roof top with a charcuterie and cheese plate. The 90 Dom was a bit tired but the 96 CdC was flirting with perfection, so much fresher in magnum format.

• 1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Pulled from my last case. As I pour, still generous mousse. Medium expressive nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, candied lemon zest, lemon curd, apple pie, brioche, smoke, mineral and sweet spices. Sweet palate, round and warm, medium mousse, good acidity and mineral expression and slightly bitter medium finish. This particular bottle seems fully mature. Lacking the freshness and energy of the best bottles.

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• 1996 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 99 Points

  France, Champagne

  The 96 CdC is a great wine and en magnum, it flirts with perfection. Incredibly fresh yet complex nose displaying sweet chardonnay fruit, lemon candy, apple, white flowers, a hint of smoke, smoke oyster, oyster shell and brioche, Excellent concentration, incredibly fresh, energetic and detailed palate, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and beautiful seamless finish that ends with mineral and smoke. This is incredibly delicious yet profoundly serious. A bit like the 96 Salon but more airy and believe it or not, fresher in magnum! More than any other wine, I prefer Champagne in magnum format as it is noticeably fresher yet more complex. Absolutely stunning!

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Neither were impressive for my palate.

• 2007 Peter Michael Chardonnay Point Rouge 90 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  I seem to enjoy Peter Michael chardonnays very young when they display fresh white fruits, hence freshness. Very ripe nose displaying ripe yellow fruits, pineapple and mango, strong butter scotch, coconut, mineral and noticeable heat. Tropical yellow fruit and butter scotch driven palate, quite dense and heavy palate due to alcohol. As the opulent fruit subsides with age, the alcohol is quite prominent and clips the finish short. A 94 point nose but below 90 point palate.

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• 2005 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

  In line with the bottle drank two years ago. Not premoxed but no energy and cloying. Ripe yellow fruits, lemon curd, matchstick and sweet spices. Good concentration, medium acidity, good mineral presence and medium finish. Just not doing much for me.

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Surprisingly, I enjoyed both.

• 2012 Sine Qua Non Chardonnay Pearl Clutcher 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  This is a big scale Chardonnay. As a matter of fact, it is so big that I would not recognize this as a Chardonnay if tasted blind, more like a top Chapoutier hermitage blanc cuvee. Expressive nose displaying white peach, bubble yum, a hint of lemon curd, scented soap and raw Vidalia onion. Unbelievable concentration, oily texture and very noticeable alcohol at the end. I believe most folks like this a lot more than Burgundy Al and me.

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• 2002 Sine Qua Non Whisperin' E 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  En magnum, pleasantly surprised by the freshness. Harmonious youthful nose displaying white peach, fresh squeezed orange juice, lemon oil, oyster shell, steel and vanilla ice cream. Excellent concentration and mineral presence, oily palate and clean medium long finish. The finish can be longer but a bit of heat emerges at the end. With air, burnt sugar and a hint of petrol reminds me 20 year old ZH Riesling. My impression closely mirrors Burgundy Al’s but I enjoy the wine more. There is reasonably complexity coming from ideally aging in magnum format. Most prefers the Pearl Clutcher by a good margin.

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Incredible informative and educational flight. The wines precisely displayed the vintage characters as well as the age.

• 2008 Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  One of the benefits of taking tasting notes on CT is that I can follow how a wine evolves according to my palate. This is a fascinating and educational flight as we are tasting 08, 11 and 13 together. I am also fascinated by the way the 08 has evolved and how the 11 closely resembles the 08 at the similar stage. The overall expression has subdued in past three years, no longer showing fresh white fruits, mostly shy decadent yellow, still a hint of Coche flint and toasted sesame, slightly floral, honey and mineral. Very good concentration, a lot leaner and tighter now, mouths puckering acidity and long clean finish that ends with very sweet yellow fruit and mineral. This reminds me a bit of how the 08 Dauvissat clos is showing, i.e. more yellow fruit, dense and tight. I actually like the current impression but others find it a bit too angular, especially compare to the younger brethren. Once again, very similar impression as Burgundy Al but I am linking this a lot more.

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• 2011 Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  For my palate, Coche can do no wrong. I am not a big fan of the 11 Burgundy but this is showing very well. Very fresh and pure nose displaying pear, white peach, lanoline, a hint of Coche flint and sesame, lavender and mountain stream. Medium concentration, cool and refreshing, bright acidity and good mineral presence, and beautiful clean medium to long finish. Really enjoyable without being profound.

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• 2013 Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  This is decided riper and more concentrated than the 11. Expressive ripe nose displaying riper and sweeter yellow fruits, pineapple, lemon curd, a hint of flint, strong wet stone note and a hint of light honey. Excellent concentration, oily sweet yellow fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of mineral, medium acidity and a long dense finish. A bit more Californiaesque but remains distinctive Burgundy and also distinctively Coche. WOTF for the group.

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Other than the Jadot Moose, all showed excellent.

• 2002 Louis Jadot Musigny 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru

  Youthful nose displaying stewed tomato fruit, earth, tree bark, white pepper, scorched earth and mineral. Very good concentration, slightly stewed red fruit driven palate impression, slightly rustic and coarse and medium finish. Burgundy Al’s take is that the bottle is heat damaged. Not having had the wine prior, I can’t say. I thought enjoyable but the fruit is stewed.

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• 2001 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Bonnes Mares 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

  This is a very good Bonna Mares for my palate, ie velvet glove and semi iron fist. Very precise and focused nose displaying bright red fruits, cranberry, cherry, delicately floral, strong presence of mineral and subtle spicy spices. Very clean, polished and precise palate, perfectly amount of acidity and mineral, and a lovely long pretty finish. It is real pretty, precise and energetic. The overall expression is still quite young without much sous bois. Perfectly enjoyable now but can improve, especially you prefer a lot of tertiary notes.

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• 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  Absolutely captivating nose displaying perfectly ripe fresh blackberry, cherry, Vosne spices and Chinese medicine. Strong note of stem gives very exotic impression and add additional complexity. Beautiful harmonious palate, silky and polished, good stem based mineral presence and beautiful long harmonious finish with stem as the end note. Drinking magnificently in very youthful way. Still can improve at least for another decade with additional sous bois and tertiary notes. Excellent showing.

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• 2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin 97 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

  The beauty of Rousseau wines, especial Chambertin and Chambertin Clos de Beze, is the beautiful interplay of finesse and power. The wines can be quite energetic and intense yet air and weightless. The most enjoyable and ready wine of the flight. Perfectly harmonious elegant nose displaying decadent red and black fruits, essence of raspberry and blackberry, cinnamon, Asian spices, sous bois, light caramel and rose. Perfect integrated harmonious palate, silky and weightless, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a seamless long finish with sweet spices and raspberry as the end note. Drinking incredibly well, essence of Burgundy!

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I brought the Petrus, DOA, the worst wine of the night.

• 1990 Château Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) 98 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Perhaps the most harmonious and ready example of my life. Perfectly harmonious displaying subtle yet decadent black fruits, blackberry, black cherry, a hint of milk chocolate and black truffle. Beguiling airy palate, silky and sensual, fully resolved tannins and perfectly seamless finish that quietly resonates. I wholeheartedly agree with Burgundy Al, “Absolutely wonderful, No need to say more.”

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• 1970 Château Palmer 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Very youthful example. A classic claret nose displaying bright subtle red fruits, cherry, plum, strong spearmint and eucalyptus. Lead pencil and a hint of ash. Fully integrated subtle harmonious palate, silky and polished, shy cool red fruit driven palate impression and a long clean finish with spearmint at the end. A classic claret that is very clean.

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• 1970 Pétrus Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  I feel totally shameful to bring the worst wine of the night. DOA.

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Incredible informative and educational flight. They were served from the most % viognier to 0 for La Landonne.

• 1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 96 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Another fascinating and intellectual flight. Expressive youthful peak nose displaying perfectly ripe blackberry, beef blood, tapenade, cannabis lavender, smoke and a hint of scorched earth. Seamless youthful palate, beautifully layered black fruits and exotic spices, slick and silky, fully integrated tannins and lovely long finish that ends with a hint of exotic hemp like note. This is the most exotic wine of the flight and in the middle for concentration.

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• 1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque 96 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Most floral and red fruit driven nose of the flight, subtle raspberry and dark cherry, framboise, tapenade, crushed black pepper, rose and smoke. Perfectly balanced subtle palate, silky and polished, cool energetic red and black fruit driven palate impression, nicely integrated tannins and lovely long cool floral finish. This is the most floral and most red fruit driven wine of the flight, perhaps also the lightest.

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• 1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne 97 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Most concentrated and backward of the flight. Intense nose displaying black fruit, crushed blackberry, black cherry, blackberry liqueur, baking spices, charred rare steak and dark caramel. Excellent concentration, intense youthful ripe dark fruit and dark spice driven palate impression, thick and unctuous, nicely integrated tannins and seamless long finish. My WOTN for the concentration and youthful pure syrah expression.

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I really enjoyed the Papa and I can see the 100 pt rating if you a big fan of the SQN style.

• 1998 Sine Qua Non E-Raised 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  As I anticipated, expressive nose displaying very ripe, slightly dry red and black fruits, cherry preserve, blackberry liqueur, a hint of molasses and port, beef jerky, dark spices, dark caramel, strong note of rare steak/blood, root beer and earth. Excellent concentration, motor oil, silky, fully integrated tannins and long deeply toned finish with aged port and dark spice as the end note. Seems a bit dull and monolithic compare to the La Las despite having various notes perhaps due to very ripe fruit expression.

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• 2003 Sine Qua Non Syrah Papa 96 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  If I were brother Jeff, my main descriptor would be “liquid sex”. It is all about beautifully lubricated blueberry liqueur, 10W-40 with ungodly amount of baking spices and also cola. The most concentrated wine of the night. Despite the concentration and ripeness, it maintains pretty good balance and never shows much heat. It is quite enjoyable.

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• 2009 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  It is hard to believe but it withstands the Papa. Very ripe nose displaying bluberry, crème des cassis, blackberry liquor, caramel, a hint of lead pencil and vanilla. Extremely silky, opulent liqueur like fruit completely masks tannins and a very silky and long blueberry liqueur driven finish. Consistent with the last bottle, this is a very ripe and jammy style of California cab. For some, a caricature of Napa cab.

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• 1959 Château d'Yquem 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Very dark color in considering the age. Dry apricot and plum dominates, dry orange peel, candied orange zest, dark caramel, a hint of madeira and dark spices. Very precise D’Yquem signature airy palate, dried apricot and dark spice driven palate impression, strong presence of acidity and long finish that ends with dark spices. For my palate, a bit more advanced even considering the age. Incredible generosity and a great treat!

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• 2001 Château d'Yquem 100 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  For my palate, this is the best D’Yquem since the 75. Another perfect showing. Incredibly complex yet perfectly harmonious nose displaying energetic decadent yellow fruits, apricot preserve, a hint of fresh squeezed orange juicy, vanilla, a lot of ginger, sweet and spicy spices, honey and botrytis. As usual airy and weightless despite unbelievable concentration. I dare say one of the greatest wines and the cheapest price! Just incredible and for my palate, always a step or two above the 01 Climens which is the great modern era Climens.

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As usual, a great time was had by all!