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Wine in the Sunshine State
Florida
Tasted February 20, 2020 - February 23, 2020 by MC2 Wines with 377 views
Introduction
We made a trip down south because why not in Feb given the (more generally) chilly temps in NY and it's always fun to do a wine trip.
Flight 1 - Aussie night (12 notes)
I was impressed with the wines here but I guess I shouldn't be surprised since we spent a lovely visit there last year and it is clear that while there are the Astralis's of the world there a lot of other wineries that have been making really great stuff with a lot of balance.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé
This wine was used the same way that it always is used which is basically as a pre-dinner sipper. It always works well for that. Very easy and quaffable. The bottle was finished quickly. It doesn't require deep thinking, but it's always enjoyed.
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Comments (6)
White
2017 Yangarra Estate Roussanne Roux Beaute
We had this wine over the summer (northern hemisphere summer) when we visited Yangarra and it was very fun to come back to it. It drinks very well esp when considering price point. Rounder and softer in style. This grape has always struck me as the white wine for the red wine drinker and this version fits with that.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1994 Yarra Yering Dry Red N°1
In retrospect we should have decanted. This was drinking really well at the end of the night with a lot more air, but it definitely needed the air. Started musty and reminded me of a third tier aged Bordeaux (not necessarily a bad thing, but it didn't stand out). With more air the mustiness went away and it got a lot more life to it. Fruit started to come through as well. Enjoyed. If we find more old ones of these we'll be snapping them up.
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Comment
Red
1999 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri
Drank side by side with the '98. This was loved a bit less by the group, but I still really enjoyed it. To me it was a bit less full bodied, a little bit more acid to it. Agree also prob more in the savory side of the grape. Drinking really well. We opened the bottles and let them air for prob an hour before we started pouring. For the price point this is becoming a go-to wine for me.
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Red
1998 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri
Drank side by side with the '99. For many this was the favored wine and certainly it's the year that got a lot more press for Aus. More full bodied. I actually feel like slightly less acid. More fruit, but it's not overpowering. Also an enjoyable wine although I'm not sure that I had a clear favorite between the two or if I did I might have leaned a bit to the '99.
1 person found this helpful
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Red
1996 Henschke Shiraz Mount Edelstone
Opened and decanted based on previous notes. I didn't take detailed notes and I don't have a strong impression from this wine. I remember it being pretty good. A bit of a slower start as mentioned in the early note and it needed to open up. It was drinking nicely though by the end.
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Red
2000 Domaine A Cabernet Sauvignon
Opened and decanted. Wish we'd given it even a bit more time. This is quite young, but as it opened up it was drinking really nicely. Very much the old world Bordeaux style and I'm not even 100% sure that it really seems like new world fruit to it, but I really quite liked it. Secondary characteristics, but with a nice freshness.
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Red
1997 Clarendon Hills Astralis
Definitely that stereotypical Aussie style. Interesting since it was an all Aussie night and it's clear that not all of the wines from that time went that direction. Big, fruity, jammy, a hint gloppy. Didn't have the acid to support the fruit. Came across as very high alc although bottle seemed to suggest more restraint.
Red
1998 Clarendon Hills Astralis
Very similar to the younger brother (the '97). Big and fruity and intense and jam and all of that. Interesting in the Aussie line-up as the other wines all showed a lot more balance.
Red
1996 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Kalimna Block 42
Fun to get to try this. Had not heard of the wine before, but I guess it is some of the old cab vines near the original house. We opened and decanted and gave it prob a few hours. It needed more and maybe also more time in bottle. Not sure it ever got to the point where it was fully open. Wish we had had more time to contemplate this one.
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Red
1980 Penfolds Grange
Ah - love me some old Grange. These wines just seem to last forever. We opened and decanted for a few hours as well for this and by the time we were drinking it it was rocking. Eucalyptus and menthol and almost herbal and woodsy.
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Red
1997 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace
Pure class. Opened and decanted it for a few hours before pouring. From a mag and the wine is still quite young, but it was drinking very well. A nice elegance to the style here. More old school and yet you can get the benefit of the new world fruit. It's lovely.
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Comments (3)
Flight 2 - Big Reds (9 notes)
This was just a super evening. All of the wines were rocking. I struggle to say there was a WOTN. To me there was just a string of special gems and even writing up notes a few days later I can still remember back to them.
White
1997 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
This is back to that 'wow'. Incredibly fresh and complex and honey and a hint of carmelization and a bigger and rounder white but there's still some acid here. Drinking super well. Makes me wonder if it will be time soon to pull our last bottle.
Red
1952 Château Mouton Rothschild
Opened and decanted and we served it first thinking that it was going to fade with time but in fact it got better and better over the course of the dinner. Certainly more secondary, but still very fresh and all of the lovely more savory side of Bordeaux. Drinking super well. A real treat.
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Red
1989 Château Margaux
Opened and decanted for a few hours before rebottling and bringing to the restaurant. In retrospect could have used even more of a decant. This continued to open and evolve through the entire meal as well. It's got that very beguiling nose, velvety softness, red fruits and cigar and all of that. Also drinking very well.
Red
1999 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia
Got this lot a few years ago and I was looking forward to finally getting to try it. It did not disappoint. Opened a few hours before dinner and then decanted. As previous notes mention this wine is still quite young. It's drinking really well though. I remember thinking it was quite elegant. Will hold on our others for a bit, but very much enjoyed them.
Red
1996 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia
Drinking incredibly well too. This was all herbal and mineral and all of that. Reminiscent of the sea air. Very fresh. Very enjoyable.
Red
1994 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
In a pretty amazing line-up of wines and this got a bit overshadowed I think. Or at least I don't remember it as clearly as some of the others. All wines this night were good though and I liked it.
Red
1990 Dominus Estate
There was a lovely savoriness to this wine. Maybe a hint of brett but I don't mind that. Def fruit faded and all more secondary style. But drinking quite well.
Red
1984 Dominus Estate
Really fun to get to try this and it was definitely a very good bottle. Opened and decanted. Great old world style.
Red
1993 Abreu Cabernet Sauvignon Madrona Ranch
I am shocked how young this was. Opened and decanted at the beginning of dinner. Even 4 hours later it was still a bit tight. Fruit fully present, secondary hadn't really started to show up. But there is a lot of potential here. Nice.
Flight 3 - Champagne Sail (8 notes)
Boats and champagne should go together. This was a very fun afternoon out on the water with a perfect day and we just missed the big rain shower which started five minutes after we docked.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Savart Champagne Premier Cru Bulle de Rosé Brut
Surprised me how well this was drinking. It was very fresh and good fruit and generally quite tasty. Very different than I remember from the last time we had it. Nice and soft and seemed to soften more in the glass.
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White - Sparkling
1996 Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé
This is a very well evolved and prob more evolved than I would expect for the age. Still - one of my favorites of the day. All carmelized and almond and marzipan and just generally very tasty.
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Comment
White - Sparkling
1996 Dom Pérignon Champagne Oenothèque
Drinking well. This is still quite young and fresh. Bit of brioche. Touch of toast points.
White - Sparkling
1996 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart
First time with this wine and fun to get to try. It's quite young and probably needs some more time, but it was enjoyable.
Rosé - Sparkling
1985 Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Millésimé Rosé
This was really great. Also has the more aged style which I really like. There's a nice almost sour fruit style to it. Drinking very well.
White - Sparkling
1996 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
Again drinking well and very enjoyable. This is on the younger side and I think could use some more time. Especially true when comparing to the '85 which was in a really lovely spot.
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White - Sparkling
1985 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
This was just awesome. Maybe my favorite of the day. It's in that perfect drinking window where the age is just right, the bubbles are still there but very soft. The wine has some more secondary notes. Very tasty.
White - Sparkling
1990 Deutz Champagne Cuvée William Deutz
Also quite enjoyable. More on the aged style. Pours darker and more of the carmelized and almost slightly oxidized notes. I enjoyed it.
Flight 4 - Pinot (10 notes)
I struggle a lot with burgundy especially for the price and this evening did nothing to change that assessment.
White - Sparkling
1982 Pol Roger Champagne Vintage Brut
Love to start the evening off with aged champagne and it ended up being a very good pairing with a number of the early courses including the oysters and lobster bisque.
Red
1969 Louis M. Martini Pinot Noir
These wines are just wonderful when you can find them. Much more old world style and the truth is difficult to really tell the difference between this and the burgs on the table. It's a bit uni-dimensional, but drinks well.
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Comment
Red
1999 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds
I am not really a crazy burg fan and I always find that for the price point the wines struggle to live up. This was a totally fine wine, but nothing special and should be at least a little bit special for the price point.
Red
1995 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes
Another in the string of relatively forgettable burgundies which is a pity given the price point on these. It was light and earthy in style. Missing that extra precision or zip that can make the wine great.
Red
1998 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Grace Vineyard
Huge amount of brett here so all horse blanket and all of that. I don't mind and so it worked ok for me, but can imagine that it wouldn't be for everyone. Bit of a shame since I do really like wines from this vineyard and this is the oldest we've had of them and would have liked to see how it goes.
Red
1998 Domaine Amiot-Servelle Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
Another forgettable burg. Perhaps more painful because we bought this one so I know what it cost and for the price there's a lot of other regions I'd rather go. Was next to a less than half the price oregon PN with brett and I think I preferred that one.
Red
1997 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot
Continued the trend of relatively forgettable burgundies. Drank next to the Echezeaux. Both were earthy in style and relatively light and totally fine wines, but just didn't stand out.
Red
1996 Louis Jadot Echezeaux
Drank next to the Gevrey Chambertin. Another wine that was earthy and slightly lighter bodied and totally fine but nothing really jumped out either.
Red
1995 Maison Bertrand Ambroise Corton-Le Rognet
Opened and decanted prob an hour before serving. One of the only Grand Crus of the evening. It fits with the Corton reputation of being a bit bigger with a little more muscle to it. Still in the earthy style.
Red
1999 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard
Of all of the wines of the night this one jumped out because it was new world and truly tasted as such. Fruit still going strong. Would need to age quite a bit more to get to my sweet spot. Secondary notes not there yet.
Flight 5 - Bonus bottles (1 note)
Fruit/Vegetable Wine
N.V. Eric Bordelet Poiré Granit
This is always a great way to end the night. Very light and fresh and easy and interesting and yet so simple. Hint of sweet. Very good.
Closing
Overall a wonderful weekend. Always fun to hang out with some friends and drink some good wine and reconnect. While we had some fabulous wines (esp the Friday night line-up which was really special), I'd say my favorite part was the people.