Dinner with Friends

What a terrific evening! Format was simple yet brilliant. Each couple brings a course and two wines paired with their selection. The good doctors are always gracious hosts and are masters of putting interesting people, food, and wine together in a room and watching the sparks fly. This time was no exception. It's too easy to fill a room with cork dorks and the evenings conversations are highjacked by wine talk. Not this crowd, too many people with varying interests and insight to be pigeon holed. You can tell the night went well because everyone was laughing and nobody wanted to be the first to leave. Bravo.

The calm before the storm. A few of us tasted a couple of wines as the first course was prepared and others eagerly awaited the official start to a fantastic evening.

• 2002 Henri Goutorbe Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Color is light golden. Bubbles are medium/+ size and there is a foamy texture. The nose is like walking into a French bakery, very strong aromas of fresh baked bread. The bread flavor only intensifies when tasted but much more similar to sour dough. Mouthfeel and finish is light/medium.

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• 2006 St. Innocent Chardonnay Anden

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Good nose of citrus, very clean. Razor sharp acid from the attack to the finish, I like it. Fruit profile is lemon and lime zest. Mid palate shows a touch of oak which adds to the excellent complexity. Showing very youthful at this point, fresh as the day it was bottled. Nice wine.

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• 2006 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Special Selection Seven Springs Vineyard

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  This was the last wine of a long and enjoyable evening and I was chatting with friends more than paying attention to this wine. Overall, very nice. Lighter fruit profile than I expected and in the vein of a burg. I can understand the old guard really appreciating this wine. Age worthy.

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Wow, this wins for best presentation. A beautifully roasted squash, marcona almonds, burrata cheese, and drizzle of aged balsamic

• 2002 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Special Club Millesimé de Collection

  France, Champagne

  This was my favorite champer of the evening, very well balanced between green apple, bread notes, nimble mouthfeel, and medium plus elegant finish. Excellent.

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• 2004 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Another superb champagne, slightly preferred the Gimmonet. Baked pear and green apple notes, as FMIII mentions, not quite the vibrancy of the other. But that's really splitting hairs because both were delightful.

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Cooked shrimp on a bed of mixed greens, mushrooms, honey mustard dressing, all housed in an edible cheese basket

• 2010 Poe Wines Chardonnay Ferrington Vineyard

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Golden color. Sweet tree fruit nose. Palate shows classic California Chardonnay and lemon then wraps a fair amount of Carmel heading into the finish. Won't be confused for a Chablis, that's ok because it paired perfectly with the parmigiana bowl holding the salad. Awesome combination.

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• 2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Zest, tight, lemon, acid, clean, and fresh sums it up for me. Really nice. This was perfect with the delicate shrimp salad, really complimented and raised the game for both.

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Roasted squash in layers of bechamel, cheese, and pasta

• 2010 Bodegas Avancia Godello

  Spain, Galicia, Valdeorras

  Hey, sometimes you get it right. I picked this wine because I wanted something off the reservation for a group of knowledgeable wine friends. Glad this held its own with full flavor profile that seems to encompass multiple varietals although it's not a blend. Pear, apple, lemon, mixed roasted nut, and real weight on the palate. Fruit forward and doesn't let up through the finish. Definitely repurchase and great QPR.

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• 2007 Arcadian Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Vineyard

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands

  Similar to the previous tasting 5 months ago. Muted cherry and dark plum fruit. Didn't get any yummy funk nose, opened for a couple of hours before serving.
  
  

  Sunday, June 17, 2012 - Wine is coming along nicely. Beginning to add addition levels of complexity, primarily burg style characteristics such as a leather note on the finish and forest floor. It's quite approachable at this point in time with a 6 hour decant.

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Salmon swimming in dill, green onions, and herbs with mixed potatoes encrusted with herbs

• 2010 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir Hansel Family Vineyards

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  This was a good contrast to the Kite. Arguably more reserved but still dark fruit driven but not sloppy, there is enough acid to hold it all together. As mentioned, not the typical profile associated with Anderson Valley. I really enjoyed this wine.

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• 2009 Black Kite Pinot Noir Kite's Rest

  USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley

  Lots of moving parts here, nothing bashful regarding this wine. Dark fruit nose. Palate is dark cherry and spice. Medium finish.

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Large ravioli with homemade red sauce with sausage

• 1999 Domaine Michel Gaunoux Pommard 1er Cru Les Grands Épenots

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

  First thing that popped into my mind as I tasted was "feminine". That might be because these followed the Cali pinots. Muted dark fruit, some earth tones, and medium plus finish.

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• 2003 Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  Interesting, you'd probably never guess this as grand cru burg unles they told you the vintage. Very ripe plum but not quite prune. Dusty hints hiding in the background.

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Need I say anything... A picture is worth a thousand words.

• 2000 Turley Petite Syrah Hayne Vineyard Flawed

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  Whoa, lots of barnyard here. Severe case of brett. I'm calling the bottle flawed based on the very positive notes from other respected authors. Personally very disappointed as a PS lover and always wanting to try this wine.

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• 2005 Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Peterson Family Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Very tasty wine and another classic. Good PS fruit flavors, you can feel the power. A young buck at this point with the structure to make it last. Beautifully paired with a chocolate dessert, something about blue fruit and rich chocolate does the trick for me.

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A night to remember for the good people paired with nice food and wine.