| | Weekend visit to Whitefish with Joe and Katy hosting. Thai Yellow Curry with Alsatian Riesling Probably missed the pairing as the meal was more geared towards off dry Rieslings... - 1999 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune - France, Alsace (7/30/2020)
First bottle of Clos St Hune; the nose was excellent; baked apple, ginger, petrol, floral hints, mineral, candied lemon peel. The palate started feeling a little thin and bitter, maybe a bad pairing (Thai yellow curry); slowly opened and revealed riper stone fruits and developed better depth. Good, but not great.
- 2007 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Clos Windsbuhl - France, Alsace (7/30/2020)
This was good, not great. The nose showed honeysuckle, baked pear, red apple, lychee, and subtle minerality. The palate is rich and very tasty, maybe lacking a bit of freshness initially, but then slowly opens to reveal more. Overall this was enjoyable, but I've had better wines from Zind-Humbrecht.
Gougeres followed by rack of lamb with various wines Gougeres were fabulous; lamb was even better; wines were all great except the Beaucastel which didn't quite deliver on the hype. - 2010 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru (7/31/2020)
Aperitif while awaiting gougeres; lovely green apple, lemon zest, minerality; great energy and freshness, but not austere at all; open and inviting. A lovely wine that still has plenty of life, but is certainly drinking well now.
- 2007 Domaine Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru (7/31/2020)
First grand cru from Ponsot and it delivered very nicely; the nose was explosive and intense with beautiful red berry fruits, mineral and game notes, spice, and floral, with hints of damp earth. Very little in the way of secondary development. The palate was intense and concentrated, but really quite fresh; had more flesh than I thought it would for the vintage with a long finish. Excellent.
- 1981 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (7/31/2020)
Opened to celebrate our collective birth years; this was not a great bottle based on other reviews; certainly still enjoyable, but showed a little tired; the nose was smoky and had some slight brett funk; there was some spice and red fruits along with some iron and garrigue. Finish was a little short. Hoping for better things from the magnum I still have.
- 1994 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (7/31/2020)
Wow this bottle was great. The nose initially was a touch closed; started with some garden soil, fresh ripe tomato, cranberry, and lilac; with about 20 minutes of air this picked up weight, depth, and began to show ripe black cherry, raspberry, baking spices, and just a hint of forest floor. The palate developed a lovely intensity while staying elegant and essentially weightless. Need to try to find another bottle as this seemed to have lots of life left.
- 2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Clos du Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (7/31/2020)
Killer finish to the evening from a split; this was singing; classic Chenin blanc nose with earthy/hay/wool notes followed by rich baked apricot, honeyed peaches, poached pears, and white flowers. The palate was rich and unctuous, but had plenty of zippy acidity to keep it fresh and lead it into a long finish. Delicious.
Small plates with various wines Flight 1: 1998 Dom with Bruschetta
Flight 2: 1989 Baumard Clos Ste Catherine's with spicy shrimp
Flight 3: 1964 Fontanafredda Barolo and 1992 Heitz Martha's Vineyard cabernet with mushroom braised chicken thighs and roasted potatoes
Flight 4: 1979 Rieussec with sour cherry blondies and sour cherry sauce - 1998 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (8/1/2020)
This was a lovely bottle; the effervescence was certainly waning a bit, but still there; the color was a lovely golden and the nose showed lovely brioche, sweet spices, baked apple, some oxidative notes of honeyed walnuts. The palate was satiny and had a fabulous feel with a long finish. Excellent.
- 1989 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon (8/1/2020)
Paired with spicy shrimp; beautiful golden amber color with a nose of rich honeyed stone fruits, floral notes, dried sweet hay, a hint of chalkiness, beeswax, and lanolin. The palate was mature, but still plenty energetic; rich and sweet, yet still fresh. A treat to taste. Would like to explore this wine further.
- 1964 Fontanafredda Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (8/1/2020)
Wasn't sure what to expect here, very small cork (similar to '58 riserva had recently) the color was surprisingly garnet; the nose showed some evidence of port like notes, rich red fruit, some oxidative notes, and just a bit of orange peel, and dried floral notes. Enjoyable and still drinkable, but not necessarily recognizable as Barolo.
- 1992 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (8/1/2020)
This was excellent; the color was still quite a dark garnet; the nose was explosive and showed immediately the class of the wine; dark fruits, lots of mint and eucalyptus, hints of tobacco, leather, some spice, and earth. The palate showed quite a bit younger than anticipated and it was fabulous. Excellent concentration and depth, a long finish. Still with some tannins. This bottle at least could certainly have stood up to red meat. Would buy again if I can find it at a similar price.
- 1979 Château Rieussec - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (8/1/2020)
By far the oldest Sauternes I've tasted and it was fabulous; the color was a deep burnished gold; the nose was explosive and incredible; honeyed fruits, botrytis, candied floral notes, orange marmalade; the palate was rich and decadent, yet felt so silky it just disappeared. Wow this was good.
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