40th Birthday Bash
Heidi's, Minneapolis
Tasted Saturday, November 5, 2011 by Siggy with 891 views
Introduction
I had the honor of celebrating my 40th birthday with a wonderful group of friends and family. My wife Jennie organized an unforgettable evening at Heidi's in Minneapolis. Chef Stewart Woodman created a seven-course tasting menu for 20 people to match with an eclectic variety of wines, including the centerpiece of the evening, a 5-liter bottle of 1971 Cheval Blanc. I had never tasted a Bordeaux from my birth year, and while 1971 was not an especially heralded vintage in this region, the Cheval showed brilliantly. It was a special treat to be there with both my parents -- both of them turned 65 this year, and my Dad's own milestone birthday was the day after I turned 40. After dinner, Dad told the story of drinking a bottle of Cheval back on his 40th birthday -- so I was (unknowingly) perpetuating a family wine tradition on this evening. I am truly lucky to have such great parents and such great friends. Best of all, we'll be able to do this again in the future, because I have a second big bottle of '71 Cheval!
1998 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 92 Points
France, Champagne
Multiple bottles tasted with consistent notes. Very young, but loaded with crisp fruit and complex mineral/toast flavors. Lovely, fine-grained mousse. A delicious Champagne that should be even better with a few more years of bottle age.
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2005 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Similar to previous bottes. No premox (yet). Less severe in personality than the '04, with a slightly exotic/tropical flair to the mid-weight yellow fruit. Lovely saline mouthfeel and textbook Les Clos oyster shell minerality. Long finish.
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2009 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Brief notes, since I got a very small pour: Quite reserved overall, and a bit discombobulated at first; improved significantly with aeration. Once this settled down, it revealed intense citrus fruit, complex minerality, impressive verve and energy, and a long finish. Looking forward to trying this again when once it settles down.
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2007 Domaine Dujac Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
From magnum. Beautiful brick-red color. Telltale Dujac whole cluster/stemmy nose. A lovely spice bazaar character, which at this youthful stage is partially obscured by oak and stems. The palate shows light- to medium-weight, mellow, harmonious red cherry fruit, minerals, and leafy forest floor, with a beguiling spicy complexity that carries through to the moderately long finish. The Seysses family believes their 2007s have a lot in common with their 2000s, which I love. They didn't own any Malconsorts until 2005, so who knows, but the analogy seems pretty apt with this wine.
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2008 Albert Morot Beaune 1er Cru Teurons
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
Brief notes: Really enjoyed this after giving it lots of aeration -- still primary and showing a lot of energy. A bit stern at the moment, but like a lot of 2008s I've tasted so far, seems very promising.
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2002 Louis Jadot Latricières-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
Brief notes: Another very small pour by the time it reached my end of the table. Nice aromatics, dark fruit, a touch heavy and showing a lot of new oak. These should probably sleep for 5+ more years.
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2000 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 93 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
A nice upside surprise. I have been increasingly turned off by 2000 CDP, which seem to be growing worryingly pruny and alcoholic with age. Not this wine. Lovely mature red fruit, earth, garrigue -- just classic. Silky, fleshy texture with low acidity and lovely secondary flavors.
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2006 Sine Qua Non Syrah Raven Series
USA, California, Central Coast
Not tasted.
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1971 Château Cheval Blanc 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
What an experience -- my birth year wine and the first '71 Bordeaux I have tasted. A 5-liter bottle that I bought at auction. High shoulder fill. The cork and capsule were in decent shape when I picked up the bottle a few months prior, but in the course of driving to the restaurant on the day before our dinner, the cork slipped and nearly plunged into the bottle. This was a touch funky when first opened and decanted, but really woke up over the course of the evening. Lovely ruby/tea color, with considerable cloudiness. The palate is a beautiful, mellow, complex, still vigorous, yet fully realized Cheval at the peak of maturity. So many flavors -- cherries, minerals, spearmint, truffles, brown sugar -- dynamic and elegant, evoking wonderful memories of the 1921, 1955, 1962, and 1966 Cheval Blanc, which I had previously had the honor to share with friends who were present on this evening. While this lacks the fireworks and Zen-like sense of completeness of the best vintages of Cheval, it is a darn fine wine with more than a lot of life left.
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1985 Château Lynch-Bages
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Sadly, another small pour. Red fruit, pine needles, and rosemary. I didn't have time to really study this, but it seemed a little heavier and less elegant than other bottles from previous tastings over the past few years.
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2003 Château La Tour Blanche Sauternes 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Consistent with previous notes. A bit less baby fat, and more elegant acidity, than previous bottles, which is a good thing. Should hold at this level for several more years.
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1970 Dow Porto Vintage 93 Points
Portugal, Douro, Porto
A surprise bottle courtesy of my friends Anne and Neil, who had been saving this wine (from Neil's birth year) for 15 years. Lovely ruby/tan color; beautifully layered flavors of figs, red plums, nut skins, and raisins. Lovely balance; a long, rich finish. A fine, elegant Port and a real treat to taste.
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2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 94 Points
France, Champagne
A bonus bottle at the end of dinner, courtesy of Brad. Big, incredibly intense nose and palate. Underlying the sheer intensity and power lies primary red fruit and complex minerality. Really young, but I totally dug this for its brash, unrestrained personality.
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