Dinner at Apiary

East Village
Tasted Monday, February 27, 2012 by Matt Neel with 428 views

Introduction

A really excellent dinner on my birthday. With Seth, Ryan, and Ryan's girlfriend (Laura?).

Flight 1 (6 Notes)

  • 2006 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Transparent blood. Dusty cherry, rosy nose, a bit muted (perhaps from the air, but the air was certainly necessary). Licorice, violets, fennel, and more red pie cherry, maybe just a hint of game meat. Palate broad and tannic, but super pure and transparent. The tannins are as fine-grained as any I have ever experienced in young Nebbiolo, total cashmere, but certainly not without grip. Medium body. Mid-palate, a hot air balloon of rosyfresh aroma inflates. While not a term I use much, this wine is the dictionary entry for "spherically balanced," a portrait of elegance. Wonderful, though primary, length on the finish. Extremely Burgundian, really, perhaps a bit like a Volnay Champans. Absolutely fantastic, for my palate try again in 2021. (Poured out and back into the bottle and recorked 8 hours before drinking. It was ferociously intense on opening, and certainly benefitted from the air.)

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  • 2000 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru

    Palish blood. Right out of the gate, a huge nose of rosy, gutty joyeux; leather garden glove; oyster shells; a bucket brimming with cherries and oysters. Glorious balance on the palate, cherries, gouttey tobacco. Wonferful. Medium-light body. Terrific length. First rate, grand cru quality. Delicate, poised, and elegant. Brown sugar farewell. As it evolved, a touch of pleasing, complicating oxidation develops on the palate. Then, an hour+ in, the nose achieves real lift-off: full of beef broth, tangerines, mandarins; explosive cinnamon and baking spices; mandarin oranges and zest for days. Wow!

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  • 1979 Mount Eden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Dense, black blood; tiny bit of bricking. Classic aged Cali-CS nose: minty, leathery, licorice, vitamins, loads of baking chocolate; enticing. Palate generous, mellow, ready; cherry, embers. Medium bodied, good length. Absolutely delicious wine and drinking perfectly.

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  • 1974 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Mountain

    USA, California

    Lightly bricked black blood. Nose blooms full of eucalyptus and some asparagus, mint, cherry. Full of goodness. Tar and plums. Palate full and dense, licorice, dense plum; really rich, plush fruit. Medium-full bodied, delicious tangy length. Fantastic. Later, the nose really developed a funky, minty craziness. Nose umami. (From .375)

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  • 1969 Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery Barbera North Coast Counties

    USA, California, North Coast

    "Bold & Robust," it stated, and boy was it ever! Deepest blood. Any brick? Nose full of raisins, very California, plum jam, cracked black pepper, concrete; milk chocolate. Crazy good. Palate cedary, plenty of ripe fruit, and pretty zippy. Medium body. A bit short, but who cares? Warm and generous wine, but simple. As it should be. What a performance tonight!

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  • 1991 Domaine des Chezeaux Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

    Deep blood, no bricking (?). Very cool nose of mint, big time cucumber; cocoa; some mushroom; dirt, coffee. Much complexity. Palate soft, at first seemingly resolved, piney. Balanced strongly to tannin. Now, opening, pine needles, coffee, resin. Medium-full body, with much unresolved fruit density. Quite resinously long, almost creosote. A massive baby, now, wow. Masculine and very needful of food. Deep, deep, deep saline nose; a Marianas Trench of a nose. Sea dock, oysters, matchsticks (hello, Chambolle!), allspice. Boy did this ever evolve into something special! Quite a wine, thanks Seth.

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