Boys nite II, fall 2010

Fantastic meal of seared ahi, jerk chicken, and braised oxtails.

• NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier Brut

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  This is a wine that I'm familiar with and a bottle that had a weak showing. The bottle lacked freshness and verve and seemed slightly dull overall. Interesting on CT how these NV notes go, obviously everyone is tasting different wines as the blends change every year though all the comments below imply we are all drinking the same wine... this has been in my cellar for at least 4 years so maybe this was just past its prime. 'Below average' wine tonight, a piece of data that I wouldn't use to support any conclusions about this wine in general.

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• 2007 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Clos du Bourg

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  Very tight and slightly neutral at the moment with plenty of minerals and depth of flavor. It is balanced with moderate length, good intensity, low complexity, great finesse, a firm, but fine texture, and very good expression of place. "Good" wine tonight with potential to be "excellent" based on what's in the glass as well as producer's track record.

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• 2003 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d'Abruzzo

  Italy, Abruzzi, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo

  This is a very unique wine... it has many red wine characteristics texturally from what was likely skin contact and oxidative handling... this is NOT a representative trebbiano and is a very 'natural' and distinctive wine that is not for everyone. Very balanced, great length, intensity, and complexity... has finesse, a very phenolic texture, and no real expression of place. I'd say an 'excellent' wine with tons of points for distinctiveness with the caveat that it is of a very particular style that not everyone will appreciate.

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• 2002 Jean-Claude Thévenet & Fils Viré-Clessé

  France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Viré-Clessé

  Extremely distinctive wine here... the wine is dark in color with hints of botrytis and barrique spice... highish alcohol, phenolic notes. Winemaking here is unique and this wine really bears little resemblance to the typical wine from the Maconnais, surprised it got through AOC tastings based on its lack of typicity. That being said this wine is killer... fantastic balance, great length, superb intensity and complexity... plenty of finesse, a very fresh/firm texture to hold it together, not the greatest expression of place. Loved this, easily 'outstanding' wine IMO.

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• 2008 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

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

  This wine was singing tonight after being in the decanter for a couple of hours... very aromatic, floral, fruity, primary with lovely depth and texture. Balanced wine with great length and intensity... good complexity at this young age... very good finesse, a very fine texture, great expression of place. Clearly an 'outstanding' wine that has a long life ahead of it.

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• 2005 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  This was a really lovely wine... still very young and charming in the 2005 Burgundy sort of way... showing loads of depth and clarity of flavor as well, starting to pick up some tertiary notes... great balance, very good length, great intensity and complexity... wonderful finesse and great texture being full and fresh and firm... great expression of place (on the elegant vs rustic side of NSG). Easily 'outstandin'g wine that will have loads of fans both novice and pro alike...

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• 2001 Caprili Brunello di Montalcino

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Definitely has a traditional vinification feel to it (red fruited without a lot of polish to it, savory and firmly textured on the palate)... certainly has some oak going on that didn't bother me as much as a couple of others... Balanced wine with decent length, good intensity and complexity... nice finesse, firmish texture, good expression of place. 'Very good' wine that hits a lot of notes correctly, but is nonetheless not inspiring by any means.

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• 1999 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  I think most of the notes are accurate below... a very nice Ducru that manages to have the friendliness of the 99 vintage in good balance with the earthy, elegant, St Julien thing... great balance,, good length, very good intensity and complexity... very nice finesse with a likably, but reasonably traditional claret texture, great expression of place. Hitting its stride, barely 'outstanding' wine for me that I very much enjoyed...

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• 1998 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau

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

  This bottle had much less brett than the last and no textural issues... however, I don't think that 1998 is a good vintage for this producer (and many others) as I find the flavors in this wine (and several other 1998s) to be very muddled and lacking clarity in their expression. I don't think it is as simple as ripeness, as this is less ripe than other vintages of VT that have aged much more gracefully... maybe many of the wines from this vintage should have been consumed younger... I don't know but there is a disconnect between the reported quality of this vintage and many of the wines at this point in their evolution IMO. 'Very good' wine at best... disappointing though.

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• NV El Maestro Sierra Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Oloroso 1/14

  Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry

  No signs of fading... this I bet will last for weeks or months in fridge. 'Outstanding' to 'extraordinary' wine.

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• 1970 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  With something like this there is so much bottle variability we all might as well be posting about different wines... this bottle drank very well and was very young, slightly hot, and wonderfully deep and expressive. Good balance, great length and intensity, superb complexity. Decent finesse, great texture, classic expression of place... easily 'outstanding' wine.

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