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Bohemian Duck Dinner (Pinot and Riesling)
New Buffalo, Michigan
Tasted February 14, 2011 by Vino Me with 586 views
Introduction
We visited some friends in New Buffalo, Michigan this weekend and my wife made her Bohemian styled duck dinner. The duck is roasted with bacon and caraway seeds and stuffed with a half lemon and onions. Sauerkraut is added to the duck fat dripping in the bottom of the pan halfway thru the cooking process. At the end the bacon and onions are chopped and added to the sauerkraut (the sauerkraut is addictive this way). She also made a side of stir fried bok choy cooked in soy sauce and sesame oil. We paired the duck with some Riesling and Pinot Noir and started the afternoon off with a couple champagnes. Here are my notes:
Flight 1 - Pre Dinner Champagnes (2 notes)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Thierry Massin Champagne Brut Sélection Champagne et Villages
91 points
Opened my last bottle of this prior to dinner with friends. Still fresh and lively and showing very well. Citrus and bread dough notes. 91 points.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Geoffroy Champagne Premier Cru Rosé de Saignée Brut
91 points
Opened before dinner. Bright pinkish red color. Tart with strawberry and pepper notes. This was a slightly different style Rose than I am used to. More acidic tasting. Still a fine bubbly though. 91 points.
Flight 2 - Riesling (3 notes)
White
2007 Hickory Creek Riesling
78 points
Paired with my wife's duck. The most disappointing wine in the lineup. This did not hold up very well over the last 2+ years since I bought it at the winery. It lost most of it's fruit and came off as very lean and petrolly. Petrol is not bad as long as their is some fruit behind it. One dimensional. 78 points.
White - Off-dry
2008 Left Foot Charley Riesling Seventh Hill Vineyard
88 points
This single vineyard wine is made in a spatlese style with comparable sweetness. 11% alcohol. 311 cases made. The winemaker considers this his best Riesling site. The vineyard was planted in 1997 and this is the 3rd vintage LFC has made. A white clear color. I was told this was an ageworthy wine but this did not improve at all in the 1.5 years that I bought it. It held it's own though. Still had good acidity balanced with moderate sweetness. Note of white pepper, peach and lychee. 88 points.
White
1999 Franz Hirtzberger Riesling Smaragd Hochrain
93 points
Bought this on sale for $27 years ago (normally $50) and opened it this weekend with my wife's duck. This was better than either the 1998 or 2004 vintages of this wine. At 12 years old this wine was still going strong. It showed the depth, elegance and subtlety that age can bring out in a fine Riesling. Golden yellow color. Slight hint of petrol on the nose but not as much as you might expect. Notes of quince, grapefruit and fresh herbs. Strong mineral backbone. Long finish with a touch of sweetness. 93 points.
Flight 3 - Pinot Noir (3 notes)
Red
2004 Bernhard Huber Malterdinger Bienenberg Spätburgunder Großes Gewächs
91 points
Opened by our friends. This estate was started in 1987. Today, Huber makes some of the best Pinot in Germany and Bernhard Huber was voted the winemaker of the year in 2008 by Gault Millau. His vineyards are planted on Devonian chalk and are aged on their skins.13.5% alcohol. The "R" stands for his reserve level wines. This was my 2nd favorite Pinot of the evening and it matched very well with my wife's duck. Good core of fruit and drinking well. A round and supple Pinot. Notes of earthy red fruit and tar. 91 points.
Red
1997 Louis Jadot Pommard
87 points
Opened with my wife's duck in Michigan. You can taste the age in this wine. A little brett with notes of roasted fruit and tart red berries. I did not like it as much as the others at the dinner. I thought it was a little off and lacking somewhat in balance. 87 points.
Red
2002 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard
93 points
Opened with my wife's duck. Much more fruity than the 2003. Round and excellent depth. No heat and well balanced. Notes of ripe berries, light oak and toasted almonds. 93 points.
Closing
VM