THE FIRST SUPPER – Dinner with Robert Parker
Corks Restaurant, Baltimore Maryland
Tasted Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - Wednesday, May 18, 2005 by jamiekutch with 2,292 views
Introduction
Talk about luck. Dan Kravitz posted here on the board (in the offline section) that he wanted to have a vertical tasting of Mayacamas in the Philadelphia area and mentioned that he had room for a couple of board members. He asked if anyone would like to attend. I initially read the thread and thought that it would be a great experience to taste through a vertical of Mayacamas that seemed to have performed so well in the mid to late 70’s then just seemed to fall of the map in more recent years. Little did I know that Robert Parker would also be attending…
Amazingly, Dan didn’t have one single reply to his post and after 2 weeks he wrote, “I am shocked no one wants to taste these wines.” I then chimed in to his post saying, “Dan – if you want to pack this tasting, why not have it in NYC. That’s when he wrote me via email explaining that he wanted the tasting to be held in Baltimore so that it would be convenient for a particular board member whom he was tasting with professionally the following day. He said, “I suggest you join and will reserve you a seat…
NOW – again, this was written in email form and when I read it in my NYC apartment I nearly shit. I really still wasn’t 100% sure that it was Parker whom he was referring to as “a particular board member” (but was pretty certain) until Dan sent out an email with attendees explaining the specifics of the event. I couldn’t believe my eyes when my name was next to Robert Parkers.
Dan Wrote Here is a list of those who will be attending the dinner:
- Dan Kravitz
- Sarah Kravitz
- John Heinel
- Pat Heinel
- Bob Parker
- Steve Heydemann (fellow board member)
- Jamie Kutch
- Dr. Jay Miller (who unfortunately couldn't attend as I wanted to meet him)
- Jon Genderson
- Ted Manousakis
What can I tell you about Bob? He was just like you and me. It felt like I knew him for years. I arrived about 20 minutes early and walked into Corks in Baltimore after taking the train down from NYC. As I was escorted to the back room by the hostess, I stumbled upon Bob sitting at the bar and Dan standing chatting to him. Dan was mentioning how he didn't want to decant THE WINES and wanted to just open them and go with it. All of the THE MAYACAMAS had been there for almost a week so we were in good shape.
After sitting at the bar listening to Dan and Bob chatting away while waiting for the others I quicky thanked Bob for this amazing web site and mentioned how its given me a feeling of friends and family amongst so many nice people here. I also said how the site has literally changed my life and has enabled me to follow my dream to make California Pinot Noir this year. I was short and brief and Bob smiled and mentioned how he enjoys stories like these.
The Mayacamas tasting was to comprise of 20 vintages of Mayacamas and was set to begin promptly at 5:30 on May 17, 2005 (happy belated birthday to Tim Spears of Clos Mimi). After roughly 2 hours of tasting the Mayacamas vintages, we moved onto dinner that comprised of four courses. Dan provided the entire Mayacamas vertical and as well provide most of the wines for the dinner. He mentioned that if anybody wanted to provide some of the dinner wines that they were invited to do so. I thought long and hard and really wanted to bring something that Bob would enjoy and of course I wanted it to be California Pinot. That’s when I referred to this thread. The Best California Pinot Ever. In the thread Bob mentioned that he felt the best Cali Pinot was split between the 85 Mount Eden and the 1980 Chalone. I was thrilled when I was able to source two different bottles from two different board members here just by asking.. (Thanks Scott Jameson & Jimmy Mancbach). Having had a stellar bottle of 1985 William Selyem Rochioli California Pinot in San Francisco the week before, I was stoked for the vintage.
Flight 1 - Onto the Tasting: (4 Notes)
All the wines were about 12.5% - 13% alc. and everything after 1978 was of a lighter style than the bigger California Cabs were are accustom to today. The hotter vintages showed more sweet fruit in the 90's and the last of the greats was 1977. Amazingly, none of the wines were nose popping. Bob said that 25 years ago when he tasted the wines young they were much denser and richer. He said these wines today lacked those attributes. He thought the 74' & 75' were still great wines and nothing after 77' did anything. The 1975 was easily the wine of the flight and one of the top wines of the evening.
Flight 2 - Flight #2 (4 Notes)
Nothing jumped out at me in this flight. The 77 was definitely a bruiser.
Flight 3 - Flight #3 (4 Notes)
Flight 4 - Flight #4 (4 Notes)
Flight 5 - Flight #5 (4 Notes)
Flight 6 - The Dinner - Champagne & Chardonnay (1 Note)
After the Mayacamas tasting, we got up and walked to another table for the dinner. I sat first and was happy when Bob took the seat next to me. He asked me about where I was planning to make my Pinot Noir in California as well as the vineyard I would be sourcing fruit from. He was genuinely interested and seems to really aspire to make the wines of this world better. I asked for advice and he was happy to give me some. We also chatted about Mondovino and I think it was brought up at least 3 times that evening.
Blood Orange salad with Sicilian olive oil and Sicilian olive on top.
Fizzy bluepoint Oysters with American Sturgen Caviar. Scallop Pancetta bacon sandwich stuffed with bacon sea scallop and Chipotle fizz.
Flight 7 - Pinot Noir (2 Notes)
Rock fish with braised fennel, hazelnut & Lemon foam and micro broccoli.
Flight 8 - Old California Cabernet (3 Notes)
Duck leg and duck breast with earl grain infused wild rice with cherry demi glaze
And finally a cheese course
Closing
Dan,
Thank you. You are a gentleman and now a close friend.
I am thankful for the opportunity to share so many wines with you and of course with Bob.
Jamie
1999 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Napa Valley
(5/17/2005)
Bright almost opaque in color with pink hue to the rim. Raspberry fruit, medium bodied. Not a big bruiser like Bob said they were like in their youth in the 70's. Lacking in the mid palate and slightly bitter in the after taste.
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1992 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Napa Valley
(5/18/2005)
Still holding onto a good bright ruby red color this tasted less ripe and sweet than the 99. Again medium in body (which became a theme as the tasting went on) with an ok clean finish leaving my mouth with a light coating. Still nothing to write home about.
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1982 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
USA, California, Napa Valley
(5/18/2005)
Darker black to purple in color the bouquet was faint and non descriptive. Very little secondary flavors but some dusty tannins & tasting almost earthy. Tannins were still keeping this one together, I had higher hopes for this vintage.
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1975 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Mountain
USA, California
(5/18/2005)
Ruby red with hardly any bricking. In this flight it was the one glass I consumed. Still has plenty of life ahead of it with its integrated tannins and fruit poking out underneath. Very nice - with a long, sweet finish and balanced structure.
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