Tasting Group Dinner - Steaks & Montrose
Dave's House
Tasted Tuesday, August 7, 2007 by Siggy with 796 views
Introduction
Dave Dalluge invited us over on a Tuesday evening for a blind tasting of steaks and a vertical of Chateau Montrose. In attendance were Dave and Desiree Dalluge, Chris Larson, Brad England and his son Kevin, and me. We hung out for several hours in the kitchen and on the outdoor patio, watching the sun set, grilling and tasting Montrose. The weather was perfect, and there was not a mosquito in sight. It doesn't get much better than this on a summer evening in Minnesota! Thanks Dave and Desiree for hosting a great evening.
Flight 1 - Appetizers (2 Notes)
Served with homemade olive tapenade bruschetta, which were delicious.
Flight 2 - Lamb Chops (3 Notes)
Served with grilled lamb chops with oven dried tomatoes, sauteed chanterelle mushrooms, and a three mushroom vinaigrette. Also delicious.
Flight 3 - Incinerated Steaks #1 (2 Notes)
Dave assembled four different kinds of steaks for us to blind taste. They were coated with rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. I got to man his fancy new TEC grill, which we cranked up to maximum heat for about 15-20 minutes. Unfortunately, I totally incinerated the steaks (4 minutes per side x 4 sides). It would have been worse if Brad hadn't staged an intervention midway through the fourth side. The grill thermometer read about 550 degrees, and the surface of the grill was hot enough to singe my arm hair. It must have been at least 700-800 degrees. Ouch. I consider myself a pretty good griller, but clearly I haven't mastered the TEC... yet.
The wines were both incredible. I kept going back and forth and ultimately decided they were both equally awesome... Co-WOTF and WOTN for me.
Flight 4 - Incinerated Steaks #2 (3 Notes)
Flight 5 - Dessert & Extras (2 Notes)
Served with homemade mocha creme brulees. We drank the Laurent while washing glasses.
2003 E. Guigal Ermitage Blanc Ex-Voto 95 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Thick, deep gold color. Intensely floral on the nose. The palate shows super-ripe apricots, butterscotch, and a hint of smoke/oil/diesel. Very fat and weighty in the mouth, but does not cross over into heaviness. Smooth and intense with a very long finish. Easily ranks as one of the best white Hermitages I've had. I have no idea if this will temporarily close down and then re-emerge after 10-15 years, the way so many white Northern Rhones do. Delicious.
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1990 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 91 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
Tasted blind; I guessed Hermitage from the mid 90s, possibly 1994. This has a medium brick/maroon color and a lovely nose of white pepper, violets, and smoke. On the palate, there is red fruit, secondary flavors of roasted meat and earth, and a moderately long finish with well-resolved tannins. Light/medium body. This is hanging on very well and I liked it a lot. Still very interesting. Drink relatively soon before the fruit begins to fade.
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