Rick's Wedding Reception

Tonight, we were at Ricks place for his wedding reception. Needless to say we brought plenty of wine. We started with a variety of Champagnes, which I won't recount for this post, but they were all delicious. we then went to reds and never looked back.

• 1989 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  Showed just a little odd at first. With air, it opened up and was unexpectedly in a dark fruit spectrum with smoke and plenty of acid to back up the fruit. Length is there, but I am not finding the focus, delineation and verve I find in the best burgs. Good, but not great for me tonight.

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• 1995 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  I just really like the style of this wine. Where the Pegau may have lacked some cut and focus, this wine showed it in spades. Horse manure, cure meats, black olive, grilled dried herbs, and a briary, saline component make this an intellectually inspiring wine. It's not very extracted, but there's plenty of fruit and structure, and almost racy acidity. It won't win over lovers of brute force wines, but burg drinkers should relish this. When I was drinking this, all I could think of is what it would be to drink it along a herb and salt crusted rack of lamb. 5 years from peak, at minimum, maybe 10 years would do it even more justice. Needs food, and a long evening to really follow the evolution of this wine.

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• 2003 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée

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

  A very, very good bottle of CdP. Best Cdp I've tasted from 2003 thus far. Incredibly powerful on the palate with ample tannin, kirsch and plum fruit, and some creamy, glycerin notes. Meat juice, licorice, and loamy notes. Ever so slightly raisiny on the finish, but it never got hot or flabby. If I had to nitpick, I'd say this lacks a little acidity, and for lovers of the more traditional style of CdP, this will probably never approach the heights of the 2001 or even the 2000. That said, amazing wine, and certainly with multiples of its release price.

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• 1989 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Seems way too young still. Almost primal aromas of deep black currant and a lack of teriary notes. Perfectly balanced wine that shows off its fruit, and structure, and virtually screams to be cellared another 10 years. Some tobacco and gravel, this is dominated by its masculine fruit profile. Reminds me a little of the Leoville Barton house style. Very very good wine. Needs time.

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• 1990 M. Chapoutier Côte-Rôtie La Mordorée

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Color was incredibly light red, raspberry-looking. Powerful on the palate though, and it tastes like freshly rendered bacon fat. When drinking this, I can't help but think of a side of bacon. Nose on this was remarkable, and so was the cut and focus of the wines' palate. This particular bottle was perfectly red fruited, although getting ever so slightly thin on the finish, so I thought it was drinking in the perfect window right now. No need to hold...ready to drink and give lots of pleasure. I would love to drink this alongside some good cassoulet.

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• 1997 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  My last wine of the evening, but what a showstopper. The fruit was simply perfect. Velvety texture, slick, silky acidity. Amazing sweetness of tannins, but the wine was fully dry. Earth, loam, dirt, dust, complexity, and nuance. Cherry fruit. Very tannic still, but ready to drink at the same time. What a wine...intellectual and keeps you guessing at all times.

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Thanks to Rick and Nicole for their generosity and hospitality, and to those who contributed the fantastic wines.