Kelly’s 61st - Champ, Monfortino, Burgundy and a ringer ('14 Summum)

Kelly was in town with Eric, Daphne and David to celebrate his 61st birthday and attend the Queens concert. Eight of us got together at the Grill Room to celebrate the occasion. The Grill room is now consulted by Wolfgang Puck group and the new chef will start in September. The menus had been updated a bit and definitely improved but still not quite the level when Chef Ruta was at the helm. The service was excellent as usual.

The P2 rose was muted and lacked energy.

• 1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 95 Points

  France, Champagne

  Beautifully mature nose displaying decadent sweet yellow fruits, lemon curd, tarte tatin, sweet spices, honey and mineral. Excellent concentration, piercing acidity, fine mousse, strong mineral presence and a long finish with decadent yellow fruit and mineral at the end. The bright acidity and strong mineral presence provide good precision and freshness. It has reached the peak but won’t decline anytime soon.

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• 1996 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé P2 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  There is a long story to this. RJ bought this during our visit to the private boutique of Moet Hennessy in Paris.
  
  https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=35604&searchId=AD2F74A9&UISource=list
  
  RJ meant to open it during the trip but never had a chance to do so. He ended up carrying it, which came in a heavy box, for almost a week all over France. RJ decided to bring back home and open for this special occasion,
  
  Very copper in color and the nose and palate reflect it. Really coopery with shy raspberry fruit. The palate is a bit flat. Tom mentions slightly lacking energy. Perhaps a travel shock, despite it has been over a month?

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All three were singing!

• 1992 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 95 Points

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

  Beautiful intense bright yellow color which is very promising. Exquisite fully mature Burgundy nose that we all love, decadent yellow fruit, lemon curd, yellow peach, light caramel, lanoline, limestone and a hint of creme brulee. Gorgeous fully integrated palate, ripe orchard fruit and crème brulee, slightly lacking acidity which is typical of the 92, good mineral presence and a lovely long delicious yellow fruit driven finish. With a half hour of air, the nose becomes very mineral a la wet stone. The nose reminds Eric, Ravneau and I agree wholeheartedly. The palate however remains reach and ever so slightly flat. The nose constantly changes back and forth from Chablis like mineral to decadent yellow fruit. However, the palate remains constant. Slightly lacking acidity keeps the wine from flirting with perfection.

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• 1995 Coche-Dury Meursault 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Fully mature nose displaying delicious ripe yellow fruit, crème brulee, peach, vanilla, smoke, oyster shell and light caramel. Excellent concentration, sweet ripe orchard fruit and vanilla driven palate impression, medium acidity and mineral and a medium to long sweet yellow fruit driven finish. Despite being slightly flat, the richness and opulent delicious fruit make it delicious and really enjoyable. Excellent concentration for a village Meursault but not terribly complex. I prefer to drink them young when the expression is dominated by Coche flint and fresh white fruit.

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• 2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte 94 Points

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

  This seems a bit more mature than the June bottle. The first note is butter scotch. Fully mature nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, peach, tarte tatin, mint, caramel, lanoline and mineral. Beautifully balanced very sophisticated palate that I associate with Chevalier, nicely layered, ripe yellow fruit, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a medium to long sweet yellow fruit and mineral driven finish. With air, it evolves a bit, strong white mint chocolate note. The palate remains consistent. The butter scotch note and mint are very strong. Unlike the June bottle, this is fully mature and at the end of the plateau. The fruit is very ripe and sweet but also showing bright acidity and mineral.

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Eric brought this. A lot of flint, fresh cool white fruit, very Burgundian!

• 2014 Evening Land Vineyards Chardonnay Summum Seven Springs Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  Served blind by Eric, strong Coche like flint, white fruits, white peach and pear, a hint of lemon and strong limestone mineral. Very good concentration, very polished palate, medium acidity and a medium to long fresh white fruit and flint driven finish. I believe Kelly mentioned the palate is too warm to be a Burgundy. My guess is either Coche or PYCM. PYCM St. Aubin or Coche Meursault. Really nice showing, very Burgundian for my palate.

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• 2003 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Perhaps more advanced than the last bottle. Sourced from France with perfect appearance. Medium expressive nose displaying dry orange peel, dry peach, oyster shell, cinnamon, nutmeg, honey and burnt sugar. Medium concentration, lacking acidity and a medium finish that clips due to a hint of alcohol. Will this come back in another decade?

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• 2008 Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 98 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  More mature expression than the Troisgros bottle. Expressive nose displaying intense decadent yellow fruit, lemon curd, dry pineapple and peach, a hint of coche flint, crème caramel, honey, strong wet stone, sesame, crushed white pepper and honey. Excellent concentration, dense and oily without being heavy, beautifully layered, bright acidity and strong presence of mineral. Once again, opulent fruit with excellent precision make this an exceptional wine.

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• 1999 Domaine Fourrier Griotte-Chambertin Vieille Vigne 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Very youthful nose displaying intense succulent red fruits, strawberry rhubarb tart, roasted cherry, candied raspberry, rose, a hint of licorice, tree bark and earth. Very good concentration, crunch red fruit, earthy mineral, good acidity and a long mineral and crunch red fruit driven finish. The layering and complexity are in between Charmes Chambertin and Chambertin. This really opens up after three hours in the glass, the nose and palate become more detailed and precise. For my palate, another ten more years to reach the peak, gaining sous bois, grille cep and etc. Pop and pour, around 94 pts but with plenty air, 96 pts.

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• 1999 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Bonnes Mares 98 Points

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

  Incredibly rich nose displaying concentrated sweet red and black fruits, raspberry jam, blackberry jelly, caramel, sap, iron, red flowers and mineral. Excellent concentration, beautifully layered intense black fruit, oily yet silky and airy, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a long seamless finish. With air, the palate becomes incredibly silky and polished. Although very young the opulent black fruit and sensual palate make this very enjoyable. It needs another ten years minimum to reach the youthful peak. I really love the silky airy texture. Very special wine!

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• 1995 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 98 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Explosive nose displaying intense ripe red fruit, dry cherry, cherry liqueur, cherry pie, fruitcake, roasted beet with balsamico, strong tobacco, garrigue, baking spices, mineral and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of intense cherry fruit, bright acidity and strong mineral presence. The finish is intense and incredibly long. Still very youthful with generous opulent red fruits. Drinking beautifully but still has major upside for another decade or two.

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• 1995 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Classic Chave nose, slightly unripe red fruit, a hint of cherry and strawberry, charred steak, rare leg of lamb with rosemary, a hint of tapenade and licorice and white pepper. Fully integrated palate that gives a very silky and fluid palate impression, subtle red fruit, good acidity, strong mineral presence and a long smoke meat and subtle cherry fruit driven finish. A classic Chave with very Burgundian palate, reminds me a bit of Jamet. Excellent food friendly wine.

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• 1990 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Initially a bit too ripe and lacking energy. Japanese dashi broth, rare steak blood, a hint of cherry brandy, tobacco, cedar, ash, licorice, leather and fruitcake. Fully integrated palate, shy dry cherry fruit and dark caramel, good acidity, medium acidity and a medium to long shy red fruit and blood driven finish. About two hours later, it gets fresher and more complex, strong garrigue and smoke/ash emerge. Unless one is looking for all tertiary nose, this needs to be drunk soon. Starts around 93 pts but ends around 95 pts.

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• 1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 97 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Once again, incredible youthful and “correct” example. So fascinating to compare to the 90 and 95 Chave. This is all black fruit where the Chaves are all red fruit. Very youthful nose displaying intense black fruit, black cherry, blackberry jam, licorice, fruitcake, tobacco, tapenade and garrigue. Incredible concentration, layers upon layers of black fruit and tobacco, oily, silky, fluid and good acidity. The finish is unbelievably long and ends with black fruit and licorice. This remains so darn youthful. This experience makes me to be a bit more certain that this will evolve like the monumental 61. Starts around 95pts but improves to 97 pts.

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• 1982 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 99 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Initially, it is all about iron and mineral. Perfectly mature, unbelievably complex nose displaying subtle yet decadent red fruits, dry cherry, cherry liqueur, medium caramel, only a hint of balsamico, leather, chestnut, dark spices, fresh porcini, tar and earth. Fully integrated perfectly harmonious palate, beautifully layered dry red fruit, strong iron, bright acidity, a hint of tannins and a long iron driven finish. The nose constantly evolves from rose to iron to blood. All the elements are in perfect balance. At the age of 35, it remains extremely youthful and perhaps will require another ten years to reach the peak. However it is already a textbook Monfortino that flirts with perfection.

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• 1990 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 96 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Decanted in advance. Initially showing a lot of very ripe black fruits, dry cherry, black cherry, fruitcake, licorice, a hint of balsamico and tar, chocolate, dark spices and earth. Exceptional concentration, dry black fruit and fruitcake driven palate impression, chewy, good acidity and a long dark fruit driven finish. With air, a bit more of iron and rose emerge. It clearly displays the 90 vintage character with fruitcake. However it starts to become very Monfortino with iron and rose after two hours in the glass. Still needs another decade or two to reach the peak.

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• 1999 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino 97 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Very energetic black fruit driven nose, black cherry, blackberry concentrate, licorice, dark spices, tar, dark caramel and a hint of balsamico. Excellent concentration, beautifully layered, very polished and silky, sweet tannins and a long dark fruit and licorice driven finish. Incredibly young but perfectly balanced. A bit overshadowed by the 82 Monfortino. Incredible intense yet very precise and detailed. Excellent showing.

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• 1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 95 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  The fruit expression is black which is unusual for Giacosa. The black fruit, ripeness and energy are strangely similar to Monfortino. However, this seems a bit rounder and linear. Very sophisticate silky palate. This youthful wine will need at least ten more years to reach the peak. There is Rousseau like sophistication.

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