| | BM generous offer to smoke a whole wagyu brisket. Five us got together to drink a bunch of nice wines.
The brisket was a master piece, so flavorful, smoky and tender!
 Selosse - N.V. Jacques Selosse V.O. Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Beautifully mature nose displaying succulent ripe yellow fruit, dry yellow peach, tarte tatin, marzipan, sweet spices, honey and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of succulent sweet yellow fruit, fine generous mousse, rich and deeply toned but also energetic and detailed, beautiful harmony and balance, perfect amount of acidity and limestone mineral, and a seamless long yellow fruit driven finish with sweet spices and sweet spices at the end. Not too oxidative. This opulent rich and complex Champagne is drinking perfectly. (96 pts.)
- N.V. Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Le Mesnil-sur-Oger Les Carelles - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Fully mature nose displaying rich slightly dry yellow fruit, caramel apple, apple cider, a hint of sherry, cream brulee, yeast, cinnamon and mineral. Excellent concentration, finely layered sweet yellow fruit, medium fine medium generous mousse, medium acidity and mineral, and a medium to long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with apple peel and cinnamon at the end. As rich as this is, the VO is even richer. It is also more oxidative. (94 pts.)
Riesling 
- 2013 Prager Riesling Smaragd Wachstum Bodenstein - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Medium expressive nose displaying ripe orchard yellow fruit, peach, peach cobbler, apricot, orange marmalade, saline, sweet spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, deeply toned sweet yellow fruit, rich and dense yet also precise and nicely balanced, good acidity and strong mineral, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with sea salt and sweet spices at the end. Much sweater and deeper impression than the CSH. (93 pts.)
- 2007 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune - France, Alsace
Beautifully perfumed youthful nose displaying concentrated cool yellow citrus fruit, lemon curd, apple, petrol, lanolin, honey, spicy spices, saline and crushed rose petal mixed with crushed rock. Excellent concentration, very finely layered cool citrus fruit, opulent yet very price and focused, perfect amount of acidity and unbelievable mineral, and an energetic long concentrated sweet yet cool citrus fruit driven finish with rose and limestone at the end. The palate is deceptively sweet yet the finish is completely dry, a text book Clos St Hune. A long life a head. (96 pts.)
Norther Rhone 
- 2007 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Expressive youthful nose displaying intense black fruit, crushed blackberry, black cherry, blackberry liqueur, liquid smoke, perfume, white pepper, rare charred steak, garrigue, perfume, Chinese herbal medicine and crushed rocks. Although clearly expressing Syrah, there is a hint of DRC like stem and Vosne spice. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, rich and dense but also pure and harmonious, bright acidity, strong rocky mineral, noticeable fine tannins, and a long intense concentrated black fruit driven finish with liquid smoke and white pepper at the end. This is the first time I noticed stem in La Las. This can easily improve for another decade or two. I would not be surprised if it develop like the 90 or 91. Excellent showing. (97 pts.)
- 1999 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Medium expressive nose displaying subtle black and red fruit, blackberry, cherry, caramel, soy, rare steak, tea and earth. Nicely integrated palate, nicely layered subtle black and red fruit, silky and polished, medium acidity, strong mineral, nicely integrated tannins and a seamless long subtle black fruit driven finish with soy at the end. This is a fully integrated example. It suffers next to the 05 which is bigger and more concentrated. Drinking well. (95 pts.)
- 2005 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Intense nose displaying incredibly concentrated black fruit, blackberry liqueur, crushed blackberry, black cherry, licorice, incense, caramel, white pepper, garrigue, cedar, dark spices and mineral. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, rich and dense yet also pure and polished, perfect amount of acidity and limestone mineral, noticeable but fine tannins, and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish with liquid smoke and dark spices at the end. Although it remains youthful and can improve for a couple more decades, this is drinking incredibly well. My educated guess is that this will easily surpass the 90. (99 pts.)
Red Burgundy - 2007 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Beautiful mature nose displaying sweet slightly dry red fruit, raspberry jam, strawberry, a hint sous bois, light caramel, mocha, sweet spices, tree bark and mineral. Medium concentration, finely layered sweet red fruit, silky and air, good acidity, medium mineral, noticeable but fine tannins and a seamless long subtle sweet red fruit driven finish with caramel and sous bois at the end. The mid-palate is lacking a bit. I find the 07 Red Burgundy similar to the 01, i.e. expressive nose and always open, medium body with slightly dry tannins. Really enjoyable wine. (95 pts.)
- 2010 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Youthful nose displaying sweet black and red fruit, strawberry, cherry, blackberry, cedar, caramel, Vosne spice, spicy spices and earth. Medium concentration, finely layered sweet red fruit, silky and polished, medium acidity, strong earthy mineral, fine tannins and a medium to long sweet red fruit driven finish with caramel and Vosne spice at the end. This can benefit from another decade of cellaring. (93 pts.)
- 2010 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Youthful expressive nose displaying concentrated ripe yet pure black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, caramel, lavender, and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of sweet black fruit, rich, generous and opulent, but also pure and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, a hint of sweet tannins, and a seamless long opulent black fruit driven finish with caramel at the end. Although very youthful, it is drinking beautifully with ample sweet black fruit. Excellent showing! (95 pts.)
Cuvee Constance 
- 1989 Domaine Huet Vouvray Cuvée Constance - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Beautiful bright amber. Hedonistic nose displaying opulent yellow fruit, apricot, apricot marmalade, peach, a hint of dry fig, red currant, dry orange peel, tea, spicy spices, copper, saline and limestone. Exceptional concentration, unbelievably layers decadent pure yellow fruit, intense yet sensual and weightless, bright acidity, strong steely mineral, and a seamless long decadent yellow fruit driven finish with tea and coopery mineral at the end. The palate is simply perfect. For my palate, one of the greatest wines! (99 pts.)
A great time was had by all! |
