Charleston III - the Weekend
Charleston SC - various locations incl. Red Drum, Halls, Circa 1886, and Kings Courtyard Inn
Tasted September 18, 2014 - September 20, 2014 by MC2 Wines with 905 views
Introduction
We're back for the third (our second) annual Charleston offline event.
Flight 1 - Burg Thursday (11 notes)
Always start the weekend with a bang. This time we were located @ Red Drum which did a fantastic job pulling together a very tasty menu. Wines were wonderful as was the conversation.
First Course
House Smoked Salmon with Poached Farm Egg
Brioche Batonette
Wine Pairing: 1990 and 1993 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut
Second Course
Oven Roasted Local Grouper & Maine Lobster
Avocado Butter and Fennel Fumet
Wine Pairing: 2004 Paul Pernot Bienvenue-Batard-Montrachet
Third Course
Seared Day Boat Sea Scallop & BBQ Baby Back Rib Meat
Sticky Sweet Rib Sauce
Wine Pairing: 2005 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Bourgogne Blanc & 1995 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Musigny
Fourth Course
Slow Grilled Pork Loin Niman Ranch GA with Pistachio Watercress Cream
Roasted Fall Beets and Toasted Pistachios with Fennel Seed
Wine Pairing: 1995 Domaine Robert Arnoux Romanee St Vivant & 1993 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Cuvee Vieilles Vignes
Fifth Course
Wood Grilled Squab Durham Ranch CA & Seared Foie Gras La Belle Farms NY
Dirty Rice Risotto Cake and Red Wine Demi Glace
Wine Pairing: 1995 Mommessin Clos de Tart & 1996 Mommessin Clos de Tart (Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart)
Cheese Course
Wine Pairing: 1978 Domaine Jaboulet-Vercherre Chambertin & 1968 Louis M. Martini Pinot Noir
White - Sparkling
1990 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
France, Champagne
Popped and poured. Enjoyed over ~40 minutes. Started sharp, but then really smoothed out. Got some butterscotch along with most of the table, honey flavors. Super soft bubbles, very smooth, with just the lightest sense of toastiness right at the end. Tasted again after a sip of the Montrachet and the sweetness was much more apparent. Liked this better than the '93 we had alongside, but the group was split.
White - Sparkling
1993 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
France, Champagne
Popped and poured and drank over ~45 minutes. Much toastier than the '90 LGD we had alongside. This felt a bit more in the Krug style of champagne (although I think Krug does it better). Get a wheat stalk kindof flavor. Coarser bubbles, but still nice. Later in the night I felt like I was tasting unstained wood boards (not really straight oak flavor, more like a beech or something). There were a few in the group who preferred this to the '90 and I can understand that. It's a great wine.
White
2004 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Opened prob about an hour before consumption. Lemon-lime on the nose, very green. Somehow I get goat butter in this. Not really my style of wine although I can appreciate that it is very elegantly done.
White
2005 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bourgogne Blanc
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc
Opened prob a few hours before pouring. This wine surprised me (in a good way). It had some really great flavor. Reminded me of a granny smith apple (mostly the skin). A touch of sour, some spiciness almost to it. A bit of floral, and then just a hint of a honey flavor. Very well done. I preferred it to the Montrachet although I realize the Montrachet is a more elegant wine.
Red
1995 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Opened and decanted for a few hours before drinking. Tasted alongside a 2005 white from this producer. This wine comes across as much drier and tannic. There's a hint of a backbone in this one. Black pepper was a nice counterbalance to the sweet in a the sweet BBQ sauce that was on the pork that this was paired with. I liked it most at the beginning and felt like it started to come apart during the drinking. Ready to go now.
Red
1995 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Romanée St. Vivant
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Opened and decanted for a few hours before drinking. This was paired alongside a 1993 Clos de la Roche and both wines just felt like babies. I get the stewed fruit that I often taste in Burgundies. There wasn't much complexity here. It just seemed tight and closed up. The CT drinking window (2007) is well underestimated.
Red
1993 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
Opened and decanted for a few hours before drinking. Has that funky smell - kindof dirty socks and feet, some pepper, prune juice flavors. There's good potential here, but it's not ready yet despite the fact that wine if it were a person would now be legal to drink in this country. It prob needs to get to middle age.
Red
1995 Mommessin Clos de Tart
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de Tart Grand Cru
Wow - such an incredibly different flavor for a wine. There is definite mint here. Not sure where it comes from, didn't taste it at all on the '96 that this was paired side by side with. It's still a very young wine. I think I liked it, but not quite sure what to say about it other than different and interesting. Also decanted for a few hours before consuming.
Red
1996 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de Tart Grand Cru
Totally different wine than the '95. I get the kopi luwak (the coffee that comes from Indonesian cats) flavor here but it's not offensive. Still the standard Burgundy stewed fruits, but it's more pulled together than some of the earlier wines we had. I liked it.
Red
1978 Domaine Jaboulet-Vercherre Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
This tastes like a very old glass of Pinot Noir (to be expected as that's what it is). Whereas some of the earlier wines we had still felt young, this is heading towards the end of its drinking life. The stewed fruit flavor that I get is particularly pronounced and heading a bit towards the sour side. I like it though.
Red
1968 Louis M. Martini Pinot Noir
USA, California, Napa Valley
This wine actually got better over time in the glass. It's the first point in the night that I got some of that crisp sour cherry that I like in the older burgundy/pinot wines. It was a fun one to try. Popped and poured. I don't believe we decanted this given the age.
Flight 2 - Afternoon white Part I (8 notes)
Despite some very menacing clouds, somehow the weather seemed to hold off and we were able to maintain our Kings Inn courtyard venue. The Krug was the standout of the group to me although also loved the Lokoya. I think I have not yet learned to appreciate really impressive whites at the same level.
White - Sparkling
1995 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé
France, Champagne
This is much more in the style of the '90 LGD that we'd had the night before. Very soft and supple. Bubbles are on the fainter side and kindof smooth. Get more of the honey flavor than a toastiness. Was my second favorite of the sparkling (behind the '95 Krug, ahead of the '01 Schramsburg).
White - Sparkling
1995 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
France, Champagne
Very strong nose, standard toasted popcorn, really long finish, evolved and just kept getting better and better in the glass. The bubbles were super soft. Elegant, flavorful, and just a wonderful wine. My favorite of the afternoon tasting.
White - Sparkling
2001 Schramsberg Vineyards Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs Reserve
USA, California
This was a nice wine, just in tough company (a '95 Charles Heidsieck Millesime and a '95 Krug). Could tell that the bubbles were a bit coarser, and everything was a bit more intense without that balancing softness that the other wines have. More on the toasty side of things (similar to the Krug).
White
2009 Morlet Family Vineyards La Proportion Dorée
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
I get more of a lemon and passionfruit flavor from the wine. Just a hint of honey. It was pretty good, but I have a hard time fully appreciating the more expensive whites.
White - Off-dry
1983 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Burgberg Riesling Auslese
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
This was the wine I was most excited about looking at the list of ones we were trying for the afternoon sessions. It didn't quite hold up. Very thick, missing the balancing acidity. Some people had a hard time pulling out the petrol, but I still got those flavors (although more on the palette, less on the nose). It tasted a bit like a mild caramel - although not much sweetness left. Maybe a mildly burnt caramel? Was interesting but I had hoped for better.
Red
1998 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain
USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
The '98's just continue to be impressive. We decanted for maybe an hour before drinking. This was consumed down in Charleston and had been on the plane the day before which I think kicked up some of the sediment into the wine. Still get some nice soft fruit although less pronounced than the last time we had it. Good earth flavors. Not quite as much spice as I like, but I loved it anyway. Delicious wine.
White
2011 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Reminds me of chewing on a piece of grass when I was a kid. Very green. There's a hint of spiciness that comes later. Very distinctive. For the price point though feels hard to justify (but that could just be because it's a white).
Flight 3 - Steak & Syrah (11 notes)
This is going to be the highlight of the trip from a wine perspective. I think I marked every wine as liked. They were just phenomenal. Food was very good too. They make a great steak @ Halls.
Appetizer Cheese Plate
Choice of:
She Crab Soup/Low Country Fried Green Tomato
Simple Green Salad
Choice of Entrée:
8 oz. Filet Mignon/12 oz. Prime NY Strip/Chicken Breast/Salmon Filet
Pepperjack Creamed Corn and Collard Greens
Bread Pudding with Whiskey sauce (there was an attempt to replace this with a chocolate torte, but many still got the bread pudding)
Red
2010 No Girls Syrah
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Decanted this all through the afternoon drinking session and then rebottled and brought to dinner. It was the most approachable at the beginning of all of the wines. Wonderful funkiness - mushrooms, rocks, granite, etc. but much softer than I would have imagined. This one holds those flavors a bit more in check. Great wine although when the Frog woke up I preferred it.
Red
2007 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Love Frogs. Just wonderful wines. We popped and poured and initially it was very disjointed and not quite coming together - really strong cracked black pepper which was overpowering the fruit. Left it alone in the glass with some swirling over a few hours and suddenly it was this great multi-dimensional wine with great funk and spice and fruit all coming together. Delicious.
Red
2005 Colgin Syrah IX Estate
USA, California, Napa Valley
This wine was one of the surprises of the night for me. With a line-up of SQN, Grange, Frog I didn't expect it would hold it's own, but it was one of my favorites of the night. Lots of great flavors, very rich wine, finish just kept going and going. I get some unripe blackberry and some forest floor and some nice spiciness. Really enjoyed this. Looking forward to seeing how it fares on day 2.
Red
2004 Marc Sorrel Hermitage Le Gréal
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Popped and poured. Very smooth wine, good cranberry and white pepper flavor, this was a delicious wine that was a bit overshadowed by some of the others in the night (SQN, Grange, La Turque), but I think would have been wonderful on its own.
Red
2006 Sine Qua Non Syrah Raven Series
USA, California, Central Coast
Popped and poured and as you might expect this started out a bit on the tight side. Slowly began to open up though and was one of those beautiful SQN wines where there's so many flavors it's impossible to keep up. Explodes on the palette and definitely not for the faint of heart. We had this last year in Charleston as well and I think it's progressing nicely. Appreciated this time being able to let it sit in the glass a bit longer before drinking as the air really helped it come together.
Red
1982 Penfolds Grange
Australia, South Australia
The point was made at the table that there are better years for Grange and while I'll admit that is true I think this might have been my WOTN. It was just a wow. So earthy with really deep dark fruit and eucalyptus and just amazing. I was shocked at how young it was drinking. We popped and poured and I wouldn't be surprised if there was another 5+ years left.
Red
1995 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Popped and poured. Good smokey flavor, great pepper. There's a very unique taste to this that I can't quite put my finger on. It's prob linked to the Viognier in the mix. Maybe a balsamic? Very interesting. First experience with a La-La and it's tasty stuff.
Red
2008 Saxum Bone Rock James Berry Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Popped and poured. I'll admit my palette was starting to fatigue a bit after all of the other Syrah. I got some in the rocks flavor here which surprised me a bit. An almost metallic taste to it. It was a nice wine - would like to try again.
Red
2007 Lillian Winery Syrah Blue Label
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Last one of the night and like the Saxum I was starting to have some palette fatigue. Originally a bit alcoholic, but that seemed to blow off with some time. Then I get very bright fruits - plum, cranberry, pomegranate. Lots of pepper in there. This is another one I'm interested to see on day 2.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1975 Château Coutet Barsac
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
Poured from a mag. Wine was in a great place. Really long finish, still had excellent balancing acidity, paired great with a bourbon bread pudding with sour cherries. Just delicious!
White - Sweet/Dessert
2006 Sine Qua Non Chardonnay Mr. K The Noble Man
USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
I love the SQN stickies but perhaps that is a tribute to a very well developed sweet tooth. Somehow they are the completely in your face, almost (but not quite) overdone approach that still maintain a certain elegance. I think it's the fact that the acid tends to hit a bit later and so the wine goes right to the brink and then comes back. Get some good peach flavor here. Delicious wine.
Flight 4 - Afternoon white Part II - with some leftover Syrah (5 notes)
The whites we opened were alright and the Runinart champagne and Riesling I'd say were pretty good, but the standout of the day for me on day 2 were the leftover Syrahs from last night (not surprising - see inability to appreciate white wine above). Amazing how a bit of time and those wines come together even more. No new notes on them, but I was esp impressed with the Colgin and SQN a day later.
White
2007 Didier Dagueneau Silex
France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
Comes across as very green. Like eating sour grass stalks. I kindof get lemongrass, but what I'd imagine if you chewed it and it had the consistency of normal grass. A bit bitter. Not really my wine although I think others were more impressed.
White
2004 Dirler-Cade Riesling Kessler Cuvée Cécile
France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
This was a great bonus wine. I continue to love Riesling for an easy afternoon drinker. Especially on a hot summer's day, but even on a cooler fall day with ominous clouds overhead (the weather we ended up with). This was maybe a touch sweeter and a touch less acidic than I'd normally pick for a Riesling and it didn't quite have that evolution of flavor, but I enjoyed it and was a nice counterbalance to a large number of Syrah leftovers from the previous evening. Esp loved the honeysuckle flavors.
Red
2011 Goldeneye Pinot Noir Anderson Valley
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
This wine was probably ok, except that the rest of the wines of the afternoon outclassed it. It was a bit too almost tannic and bitter. Didn't come together as well as I would have liked.
Red
2004 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah Rattlesnake Acres
USA, California, Napa Valley
Didn't take the same level of detailed notes as I did on some of the others. This is definitely your typical intense Petite Sirah. I would actually say I could see it going a bit longer and would be interested to know what it tastes like in another 5 to 10 years. Very dark fruit. Very strong pepper. Good wine.
Flight 5 - Open choice - dinner @ Circa 1886 (11 notes)
Let's just say the event is getting a bit of a reputation among the Circa 1886 staff. Our waiter who has transitioned into a distributor role for Moet Hennessy was nonetheless back and made sure he was working the night of our event. Some old favorites (the antelope story) made a comeback along with some new items. This was indeed the blowout that it sounds like.
Smoked Trout and Turnip Flan, Licorice Lacquer, Candied Chestnut, Espelette Pepper
NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Rosé
Mushroom Potato Hash, Duck Prosciutto, Coffee Syrup, 64 Degree Egg, Fried Sage
2005 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
2008 Guigal Chateau D'Ampuis cote rotie
Chicken Fried Salmon, Chèvre “Mac n Cheese”, Port Reduction, Haricot Vert Salad
1976 Mantlerhof Kremstal Grüner Veltliner Spätlese Spiegel
2004 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Pur Sang
Antelope Au Poivre, Yellow Corn Grits, Baby Spinach, Maple-Carrot-Cherry Glaze, Cabernet-Guinness Onion Ring
1999 Cos d'Estournel
2001 Cos d'Estournel
1986 Château Latour
1997 Ornellaia
1982 Grange
[substitution] - Honeycomb bread pudding (didn't catch all of the accouterments)
1980 Château d'Yquem
1998 Zind Humbrect Clos Jebsal SGN
2005 SQN To the Rescue Roussanne dessert
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Jacques Selosse Champagne Brut Rosé
France, Champagne
This was my favorite sparkling of the weekend which is saying something given we had a '95 Krug the day before. I think the differentiator was I prefer Rose champagnes to standard ones. It was just pure cashmere in a glass. Nice strawberry flavor, a touch of acidity. Just delicious. First Selosse and I am sorry to have liked it as much as I did. Wondering how the community got it for so much less than we had to pay.
Red
2005 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
We've got a bottle of this pending and I think it will be hanging out in the cellar for awhile. Decanted for maybe 30-45 minutes before pouring and even then it felt quite young. This is a great CDP - good brine, meat, cedar flavors. If I really concentrate I pick up a touch of red currant. Goes well with food (in our case a potato and mushroom hash).
Red
2008 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Popped and poured which prob did this wine a dis-service (esp in comparison to the Pegau which was a bit more evolved). Very smokey, some green flavors, woodsy, low on the fruit, but a fun wine.
White - Off-dry
1976 Mantlerhof Grüner Veltliner Spätlese Spiegel
Austria, Niederösterreich, Kremstal
First experience with an old Gruner Veltliner and I can attest that it works out pretty well. I actually thought the wine came across as fairly young. Really nice sour flavor to it, excellent pairing with a goat mac & cheese. Delicious.
Red
2001 Château Cos d'Estournel
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
This was very fitting with classic Bordeaux flavors. Smelled a bit like a diaper. Very earthy. Nice dry wine. For some reason was a lot richer than the '99 that we drank alongside.
Red
1999 Château Cos d'Estournel
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
This felt a bit more water-y than the '01 for some reason to me. Didn't quite come together. Not sure what was driving the difference in flavors, but vintages tasted like they were relatively far apart.
Red
1986 Château Latour Grand Vin
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Very well done version of a Bordeaux. Didn't appeal to me as much as the '82 Grange or the '97 Ornellaia, but easy to appreciate that this is a delicious wine. Paired pretty well with the antelope. Good earth flavors.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1980 Château d'Yquem
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
I've never had a D'Yquem which disappointed and I'm happy to say the trend continues. So many flavors but the one that jumps out the most is a burnt caramel flavor. It's the first time I remember getting a tobacco flavor in a dessert wine, but somehow it works. Finish goes on and on. Really delicious.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2006 Sine Qua Non Roussanne To The Rescue Vin de Paille
USA, California
I've said it before and I'll say it again, SQN dessert wines are not for the faint of heart. This had more white grape flavors than I am used to. Great orange zest as well. Just fantastic wine. The acidity comes in right at the right time to pull it back from the edge. We have an '08 and I'm looking forward to it.
Closing
Wow - what a great weekend. Fantastic company and with a slightly smaller group than last year got some more time to speak with each of the participants. Really amazing wines (as predicted, I think the Steak and Syrah night was my highlight although the '82 Grange's appearance on the last night bumped it up). '82 Grange takes WOTW for me. Close runners up were '97 Ornellaia (a 'bonus' wine that was showing fantastically), '07 Bionic Frog, '80 D'Yquem, '05 Colgin, '06 SQN, Jacques Selosse Rose. Many thanks to Scott and Pam for 'herding the cats'.
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