2nd Annual Hobo's Winetasting Dinner - a Niederauer Production
Plumed Horse Restaurant, Saratoga, California
Tasted May 7, 2009 by rjonwine@gmail.com with 667 views
Introduction
David Niederauer is known in wine circles not only for his showcase cellar, love for d'Yquem and tremendous generosity, but also for his sometimes diabolical blindtasting stunts and general sense of fun. Last year he hosted a dinner on tax day that he dubbed "a Hobo's dinner," and got Chef Peter at Plumed Horse to create some stunning dishes with whimsical hobo-inspired names. The results were too good not to create demand for a sequel this year. This time David had a little help with the wines from Howard Graham, of Graham Family Vineyards, who supplied a flight of '01 Montrachets that were double blind to the rest of us. Red Restaurant Sommelier Jason Heller, who is developing a reputation as a highly talented blindtaster, also joined us this year.
Besides the lovely Montrachet flight, other highlights for me this year were the red Burgundies in two blind flights of Pinot (unexpected, since David has only lately started collecting Burgs), a terrific flight of Diamond Creek Cabs, and a beautiful bottle of Massandra. On the food side, besides usual Plumed Horse favorites like the black pepper and parmesan souffle with uni and Dungeness crab fondue, the standouts for me were foie gras dumplings, roasted squab breast with morels, and a beautifully prepared Sonoma lamb loin with ricotta gnocchi and fava beans. All in all, another fun, tasty and memorable evening with David and company.
Flight 1 - "Cosmo" cocktail (1 note)
Turned out to be chilled SQN Rose, clearly a little tannic for a Cosmo. (Some of us let it warm up over time, and it was a lot tastier chilled.)
Rosé
2006 Sine Qua Non Autrement Dit
USA, California
Dark cherry red color; tart cranberry and berry nose; big, tart cherry, sour cherry, tangy, concnetrated, ripe cranberry, orange palate with an herbal note; long finish 90+ pts. (55% Grenache, 45% Syrah) (tasted better served cold initially, as a faux "Cosmopolitan," not as good as it warmed up to room temp)
Flight 2 - "Monty Python" - '01 Montrachet Flight (4 notes)
Served with "Fishmonger's Stew": Shellfish Bisque and tarragon creme fraiche
White
2001 Marquis de Laguiche (Joseph Drouhin) Montrachet
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
Light golden yellow color; nice floral, white flower, lemon and mineral nose; rich, delicious, luscious, poised ripe lemon, integrated oak and mineral palate, with more oak showing as it warms up; medium-plus finish 94+ pts.
White
2001 Etienne Sauzet Montrachet
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
Light golden yellow color; tight, minerally, buttery nose; tasty, tart lemon, mineral butter, saline palate, very Chablis-like, with good acidity; medium-plus finish
White
2001 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
Light medium golden yellow color; nice floral nose with a touch of green; tart, tight, citrus and orange palate, with silky texture; medium-plus finish
White
2001 Domaine Jacques Prieur Montrachet
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
Light medium golden yellow color; a little oxidized, orange nose; tangy, orange, orange marmalade, tart lemon and mineral palate; long finish 92+ pts.
Flight 3 - Black Glass Flight (3 notes)
The Novy Blanc de Noir, which I'd had before (with David in the Russian River last fall), really threw me. Best I could guess was a tart Riesling Kabinett. But I and others guessed that the other two wines were SQN white Rhone blends.
Served with "Pepper Pot Soup with Vegemite": always delicious Chef Peter speciality Black Pepper & Parmesan souffle, uni and Dungeness crab fondue
White
2007 Novy Family Wines Pinot Noir Blanc de Noir
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Mineral, floral, herbal and lime nose; tangy, lime, tart orange palate with green notes; medium finish (out of a black glass, tasted more like a Riesling Kabinett than a Pinot)
White
2005 Sine Qua Non The Petition
USA, California
Big, sweet, ripe, cream, orange creamsickle, orange blossom nose; mineral, floral, white flower, menthol and tart peach palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (37% Viognier, 33% Roussanne, 30% Chardonnay)
Flight 4 - Foie Gras Flight (2 notes)
Served with "Three Gold Balls with Queen Bee Jam": Foie Gras Dumplings with orange marmalade
2nd Foie Gras course
White - Sweet/Dessert
1975 Château d'Yquem
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Light medium orange color with red light and clear meniscus; nice orange, light apricot, orange marmalade and tart green fruit nose, with possible light touch of TCA; tasty, youthful, tart lime marmalade, lime, tart apricot palate with poise and medium high acidity; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1955 Château Sigalas Rabaud
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Medium dark amber red color with clear meniscus; coffee, mocha and burnt caramel nose (with "white birch," per Renee); tangy, tart apple butter, lemon marmalade, orange marmalade, kumquat and mocha notes; long finish
Flight 5 - Mature Blind Flight (2 notes)
Served with "Grilled Sneeze Sandwich": Epoise fondue, braised oxtail and toasted brioche
Red
1985 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru
Light medium red color with clarity and clear meniscus; bretty, barnyard nose, that cleans up some after 40 minutes or so, to more of a horseradish and dried red fruit nose; chlorine, brett, tart, mature cranberry and rosehips palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish 88+ pts.
Red
1947 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Bricking light orange red color with clear meniscus; earthy, dried mushroom, dried red fruit nose; tart, light-footed, dried red fruit, cranberry and tobacco palate with good lime acidity; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.
Flight 6 - "Hearty Burgundy" blind flight (5 notes)
Served with "Seagull Road Kill with Crushed Fritos": Roasted squab breast, confit squab leg
Red
1990 Domaine Jean Gros Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Clos des Réas
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Slightly cloudy, bricking, medium raspberry red color with pale meniscus; mature, truffled, sauteed green onion and roast lamb smoke nose; lovely, poised, tart red fruit, rosehips palate with depth; medium-plus finish
Red
2004 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Old Vines
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Medium dark cherry red color with clear meniscus; candied, ripe cherry, berry and cotton candy nose; ripe cherry, red fruit palate, maturing, with depth, green notes and good acidity; medium-plus finish
Red
2002 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Medium red color with clear meniscus; green, earthy, stemmy nose; tart, solid red fruit, herbal palate with fairly well integrated stems; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.
Red
2006 Rhys Pinot Noir Swan Terrace
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; ripe and tart berry, cherry, allspice and tart, baked cherry pie nose; solid, tart red fruit, cherry palate with depth; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.
Flight 7 - More Hearty Burgundy Blind flight (5 notes)
Served with "Monkey-cooked Goat with Mother Ant Jam in Weasel Juice": Sonoma lamb loin, ricotta gnocchi and fava beans (delicious dish)
Red
2002 Arcadian Pinot Noir Fiddlestix Vineyard
USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; ethereal, green, mineral, green pea and mint nose; tart red fruit, mineral palate with green notes, but solid; medium-plus finish
Red
2001 Domaine des Chezeaux Griotte-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru
Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; solid, tart berry, cherry, mushroom and mineral nose; tasty, poised, tart cherry, mineral, roses and rosehips palate; medium-plus finish
Red
1985 Domaine Trapet Latricières-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
Medium dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; funky, mature, animale nose; tart, chlorine, red fruit and mushroom palate with medium acidity; short-medium finish (dies out after 20-30 minutes)
Red
2000 Frédéric Magnien Chapelle-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
Medium red color with pale meniscus; nice tart smoky red fruit, dried cherry nose; tasty, tart red fruit, tart cherry palate with deep minerality and good acidity; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.
Red
1990 Frederic Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Dark cherry red color; stewed cherry, cherry compote and orange nose; tart cherry, orange, cranberry and spice palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.
Flight 8 - Old Diamonds in the Rough Blind flight (3 notes)
Served with "Mystery Meat Sandwich with Weasel Juice": Filet Mignon "French Dip" slider, with garlic aioli and truffle jus
Red
1984 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Lake
USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain
Very dark raspberry red color; mineral, black fruit and herbal nose; rich, tart boysenberry, cassis and menthol palate with depth; medium-plus finish 94+ pts.
Flight 9 - Someone found this old bottle (1 note)
Served with "On Top of Old Smokey, all Covered with Snow": frozen vanilla parfait and orange sorbet
Flight 10 - More blind wine (2 notes)
Served alongside "Hot Pile of Shit": Chocolate souffle, hazelnut brittle and Valrhona chocolate ganache
Red
2006 Sine Qua Non Syrah Raven Series
USA, California, Central Coast
Very dark red violet color; big, Cali Syrah, roasted black fruit and green herb nose; big, roasted black fruit, herbal palate with depth; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.
Red
2006 Sine Qua Non Grenache Raven Series
USA, California
Very dark red violet color; tart dried berry, black fruit, green, mint compote, plum and berry nose; big, tar, black fruit and clove palate; long finish 91+ pts.
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