Brad's Belated Big 6-0 Birthday Celebration

Brad & Marcia's Place, St. Paul, MN
Tasted Saturday, September 18, 2021 by rocknroller with 122 views

Introduction

This was the slightly overdue Big 6-0 Birthday Celebration for Brad. Leave it to Brad to plan and make the entire meal for his own party. Most of us wouldn't attempt this high wire act. But Brad relishes the moment and does it really well. Brad also requested pairings based on his menu. The pairings turned out quite well too. There was a nice group of 12 on hand to celebrate the milestone (Brad, Marcia, Jim, Michelene, Candace, Dave, David, Lonny, Matt, Craig, Siggy, Kevin). Thanks to Brad for hosting his own party and cooking up a storm for all of us. And thanks to everyone for contributing a great and fun group of wines worthy of this celebration.

Flight 1 - Welcome Wine (1 Note)

  • 2002 Brice Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé 92 Points

    France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

    Light gold color. Small glass over 20 minutes. Wasn't taking any notes at this point, but I found this very nice. More to pear fruit and even handed with a classy style and the elegance of the '02 vintage. 91+ to 92pts.

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Flight 2 - Champagne Flight (2 Notes)

  • 1995 Duval-Leroy Champagne Femme de Champagne 92 Points

    France, Champagne

    Medium gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. Mature and seasoned, baked pear and apricots, a touch of kumquat, modestly oxidative, full bodied and rich, sourdough, mulled apple, buttery with some spice. My impression is this is on the downward trajectory and probably largely representative stylistically. Still a good drink .

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  • 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 96 Points

    France, Champagne

    Light gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. Wow, simply amazing again. So precise and vibrant, just bursting with sea air and fresh ocean aromas, caramel cream, pear and sweet white flowers, almond cream, toasted and nutty. Nuance, elegance and grace - just a beauty. 96+ to 97pts.

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Flight 3 - Riesling Flight (2 Notes)

Flight 4 - White Burg Flight (2 Notes)

  • 1995 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

    Medium gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. Cedary with straw, tart Tatin, pear, Meyer lemon, and stone. The palate shows some pretty maturity, lemon oil, Meyer lemon, with some stark minerality coming through on the back end. 92+ to 93pts.

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  • 2014 Domaine Roulot Meursault Clos du Haut Tesson À Mon Plaisir 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

    Light gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. Wow, brilliant, oozes fresh air and ocean breezes and salinity, dry stone minerality and notes of gunflint and anise. The palate delivers with purity and precision, pristine citrus, wonderful balance, freshness, minerality and salinity. This just reverberates across the senses. Masterful.

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Flight 5 - Piemonte Flight (2 Notes)

  • 2001 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Dark red color. Double decanted for 2 hours and filtered through cheese cloth. I think this had the most sediment of any wine I've ever had - unbelievable really. The nose is the star here showing Black cherry, mint, cherry cough syrup, dried earth, cedarbox, rose hips, roasted meat, and celery seed. The palate does hold the same nuance as the nose. The fruit is dark and brooding and comes off on the port-like and almost stewy side. Baked blackcherry, plum, blackberry, dark chocolate, tar, wood and fine grained tannins. Love the nose, but I will take the purity of the Giacosa all day long.

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  • 2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili 95 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Medium dark red color. Drank a glass over an hour. This was lovely and all about the purity. Wet earth, red berries, roses, perfumed, really earthy. This has that weightlessness and transparent beauty, medium body, strawberry, tart, dried spice, lifted, ripe cherry and blissful tannins. Loved it. 94+ to 95pts.

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Flight 6 - Bordeaux Flight (2 Notes)

  • 1961 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Dark red color with a 3mm transitional margin. Splash double decanted and vacuumed. Drank a glass over an hour. This was another real treat and the fourth time I have the privilege to drink this beautiful wine. With the exception of one bottle that was simply ok, all the rest have been utterly profound. Beautiful, blissful pencil, cigar ash, red fruits, deep red berries, cured meats, funk, leather integrated tannins. This has a medium plus weight, great length and grace and you would certainly never peg it for 60 years old. Thanks to Steve for again sharing this gem. 97+ to 98pts.

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  • 1983 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Very dark red color. Splash double decanted, drank a glass over an hour. Still a bit reticent on the nose, dried herbs, cigar, black raspberry, cassis. The palate is bigger and keeps building, deep and layered with cassis, dark berries, bold wood spices and minerality, dense and full bodied. 93+pts.

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Flight 7 - Beaucastel CdP Flight (2 Notes)

  • 1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 96 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    Medium dark red color with a 1.5cm transitional bricked margin. PNP, drank a glass over 45 minutes. Its been four and a half years since I last had this. It hasn't lost a beat. Perfectly integrated and showing as Chablis28 says, Burg weightlessness. Pretty raspberry fruit, raspberry coulis, strawberry liqueur, fine garrigue, leather, roasted game, dried Provencal herbs, very tangy and blissful.

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  • 1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 92 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    Dark red color. I believe this got a quick splash for sediment. Drank a glass over 45 minutes next to a beautiful '89. This was a fair bit bigger, very spicy, strong garrigue notes, bold with some more stewed plum notes to go with the cassis and black cherry. Showing a little heat too. Not quite up to some past bottles.

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Flight 8 - Dessert Flight (2 Notes)

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