Three Dinners

Craig Vanderah has arranged three great dinners recently with mostly the same group of people (including Siggy, Leo Sioris, Jimmy Sioris, and Dave McMahon, and me). I didn't really take notes, but thought I would put the list out for other attendees to comment on.

Jimmy cooked a beautiful grilled lamb dish that paired superbly with the CdP.

• NV Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Tradition Premier Cru 88 Points

  France, Champagne

  I was late and only got a small taste of this. It struck me as good, but fairly simple champagne. Hopefully others can add their thoughts.

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• 2008 Hubert Lamy Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly Blanc 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru

  I loved this. Awesome expressive nose with grapefruit and some burnt match stick. Medium weight with quite a bit of ripe fruit on the palate. Great length on the finish. Really beautiful.

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• 1984 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape 91 Points

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

  This was great from the moment it was opened. The nose gives tons of fresh fruit. A bit flat on the palate but very smooth and otherwise most enjoyable.

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• 1985 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 Points

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

  Great nose with dark fruit, dried herbs, expresso and a hint of brett (?). Expansive flavors on the palate. Very smooth but slightly drying on the otherwise nice finish. Still drinking really well.

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• 1992 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins 93 Points

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

  A beauty. Great nose featuring ripe black fruit, black olives, garrigue/herbs and brown sugar. The taste was equally thrilling with super ripe fruit (borderline raisin/prune) but with a great streak of iron/mineral. Great weight. Super smooth. Great length on the finish. These are drinking well now, but I wouldn't hold them much longer.

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• 2001 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Tradition 88 Points

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

  Siggy thought this bottle was off, but I didn't detect any obvious flaws. It struck me as a nice enough CdP that was upstaged by the other wines served. Based on this bottle these are ready to go and could even be in slow decline.

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• 2001 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chante Le Merle Vieilles Vignes 91 Points

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

  No notes taken, but I liked this far better than the basic bottle, mainly based on more depth of flavor and its fresher, red fruit flavor profile.

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• 2000 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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

  Clean red fruit flavors with no CdP funk. Elegant, understated demeanor. Similar overall to the 2001.

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• 2001 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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

  The nose gives a delightful expression of dark fruit and dried herbs. On the palate this shows tons of dense fruit yet also plenty of structure. Very well balanced. Drinking well now, but will likely improve with additional time in the bottle

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• 2005 Carmes de Rieussec 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Popped and poured. Great nose of fresh citrus. Bursting with flavor on the palate; sweetness is well balanced with acidity. Most impressive for a second wine.

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Chef Nita cooked a killer tasting menu that paired really well with the wines.

• NV Jean Lallement Champagne Grand Cru Brut

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  I only got a small taste of this, but really liked it. Reminded me of the NV Duval-Leroy with some yeast/dough aromas and a some great citrus flavors.

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• NV Carre-Guebels Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Réserve Brut

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  I've got no notes on this one. I recall liking it; hopefully others will fill in the details.

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• 2010 Perticaia Trebbiano Spoletino Umbria

  Italy, Umbria

  Pretty nose with citrus/lemon and floral notes. Medium weight and pleasant but with a relatively flat finish.

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• 2007 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  This was most enjoyable. Great light petrol aromas. Nice acidity. Long, satisfying finish.

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• 1999 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Black fruit, tar/expresso, and carmel/oak on the nose. Also shows just a hint of VA (I thought). A bit austere on the palate, with more dark fruit, tons of tannin, and nice length on the finish.

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• 1999 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Nose gives nice aromas of dark fruit with a faint whiff of burnt rubber. Very good on the palate with plenty of clean, dark fruit. Very enjoyable.

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• 2008 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru

  Burgundy was a bit out of place here, but this showed really, really well. The nose was quite expressive for a wine of this age, with red fruit, brown sugar, spice and orange/grand marnier. The taste was good, but fairly straightforward. There's plenty of fruit and some oak, but not much more. I'd guess time will help immensely.

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• 1985 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Perrières 93 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil

  Beautiful nose with great aromas of smoke and tobacco complimenting the fruit. Silky smooth on the palate and bursting with flavor. Full resolved tannin. Great length. Surprisingly good and a real joy to taste.

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• 1991 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Beautiful nose with red fruit, mineral/iron, and spearmint. Great on the palate with red fruit, coffee and carmel. Great texture and perfect balance. Nice finish. There's no hurry to drink these based on this bottle.

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• 1996 Château Latour Grand Vin 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Austere but thrilling nose of dark fruit, coffee and lead pencil. Very structured on the palate but also with tons of fresh fruit. Deep, expansive flavors build throughout the taste. Great balance. Great length on the finish. A joy to taste now, but this is perfectly set up to age for many, many years.

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• 2000 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  A bit austere on the nose with mostly red fruit. Much better on the palate, with sweet red fruit, tobacco and coffee. Surprisingly light and elegant but with tons of flavor. Still very tannic. Long finish. Most impressive for a second wine.

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• 1995 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 Points

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

  Opened and decanted. Served blind. Awesome nose with red fruit, iron and dried herbs. Smooth and elegant on the palate but still showing plenty of structure. Guesses were mostly towards Bordeaux, with nobody calling CdP. A great wine with plenty of years ahead of it.

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I grilled some steaks (Manlin style) and added a few side dishes.

• NV Michel Arnould & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Réserve

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  This is another one I took no notes on although I recall it as being most enjoyable and the bottle emptied pretty quickly.

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• NV Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Reservé Blanc des Blancs Brut

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  No notes of any kind on this one (I was busy getting the food ready).

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• 1991 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos St. Urbain 94 Points

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  Popped and poured. This was unbelievably fresh and enjoyable. Great nose with fresh fruit. Literally bursting with flavor on the palate. Excellent texture and balance. Nice acidity on the long finish. What a pleasant surprise.

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• 1992 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos St. Urbain 91 Points

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  Poured after the '91 and not nearly as good. Shows as slightly oxidized compared to the '91. Still rocking with great flavors, great balance and a long, satisfying finish.

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• 1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 Points

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

  This was absolutely rocking from the moment the cork was popped. Beautiful nose of dark fruit complimented by surprisingly clean and elegant aromas. Equally great in the mouth, with perfect balance and great texture. If this bottle is representative, then the '95 has finally entered a great, early drinking window.

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• 2001 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  This was rocking too. Showed with ripe, fresh fruit and nice floral notes. Great, complete wine in the mouth with expansive flavors, great balance and a really great finish. I hope Craig has more of these in the cellar; it would be fun to taste this with additional bottle age as it should continue to improve for years.

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• 2004 Isole e Olena Syrah Collezione de Marchi Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  This was flighted with the Beaucastel and Jamet and held its own. This was obviously much younger than the other two wines, and showed some oak/carmel. Good smoky flavors. Nice weight and balance.

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• 1996 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  I've got no notes on this one, but recall it being a bit closed down on the nose, but with a great taste. Still showing tons of structure leading me to believe that this will benefit from additional time in the cellar.

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• 2001 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Barbaresco Vürsù Vigneto Valeirano

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

  I didn't take notes on this, but recall it being very elegant.

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• 1966 Château Gruaud Larose 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  The cork came out in one piece and looked surprisingly good. The nose is surprisingly elegant, as is the wine in the mouth. This showed really well with no off flavors, but also somewhat simple. The Beycheville poured next to it, was just a little more interesting in every way

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• 1966 Château Beychevelle 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  I had quite a bit of trouble with this cork, and eventually resorted to pushing it into the bottle and decanting the wine through a fine mesh filter. Wow, did this show well with a captivating nose dominated by enticing tobacco/leather aromas. The taste was also great, with a silky, elegant texture, deep earthy flavors, totally resolved tannins and a great long finish. I'm shocked, but this was clearly better than the '66 Gruaud Larose.

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• 2001 Château Doisy-Daëne 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

  Popped and poured for sipping outside around the fire. Fresh and clean. Great balance. Drinking really well now and unlikely to improve.

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• 2001 Château Bastor-Lamontagne

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Popped when the Doisy-Daene ran out and this seemed more structured and less expressive. Probably the better bottle of the two for the long term, but could really use some more time in the cellar.

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All three dinners were a ton of fun. I can't wait for the next get-together.