Incredible Wines at Private Wine Dinner at Collyer Catering

Second time our group has gotten together here and it was another fantastic time. Wines were top notch and the food was excellent. Here was the menu:

Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Citrus Reduction over Arugula
With a White Wine, Butter and Citrus Sauce

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Herb Rubbed Roasted Sirloin-served sliced with Red Wine & Wildmushrooms Crispy Potatoes and Onions

(Pic) https://www.facebook.com/CollyerCatering/photos/a.10152169635644979.1073741830.91525109978/10152261566509979/?type=1&theater

Wild Boar Loin with Whiskey Laced Apples
Wilted Greens

(Pic) https://www.facebook.com/CollyerCatering/photos/pcb.10152261576809979/10152261576639979/?type=1&theater

Artisan Cheese Course Specialty

Spiced Poached Pears in Puff Pastry with Lingonberry

This was a night where any one of the wines opened on there own would have been a special occasion but opened together it just made your head spin.

• 2004 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  We started off with this and it is just a beautiful Champagne! Very crisp and precise but has that extra body you find in higher quality Champagne. Nose had some nice aromas of toast and almond while the palate revealed more of the same but a tad of ginger. A great way to start off!

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• 2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  We moved onto the Dom next and I loved this the other time I had it. Get some more toast and almond on this nose but also a touch of citrus. The last time I had this is was more creamy, which I prefer in my Champagne, but this was more focused with interesting flavors of slate, mineral and toast. Ended with a beautiful finish. Tows the line between elegance and power.

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• 2003 Château Lynch-Bages 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Opened this at 7:30 AM, decanted at 3PM and served approximately at 8 PM. Tried some about 4:30 and it was really tight still. Was worried it would not come around it time but it ended up being ok. Got some blackberry, pencil, iron and flowers on the nose. The palate revealed some nice blackberry, iron, currant and mineral notes. Certainly a nice wine but definitely outclassed by the two other Bordeaux wines.

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• 2003 Château Cos d'Estournel 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  The Cos was opened for business from the get go. Fabulous nose of blackberry, pepper, dark cherry and iron. After some time in the glass started to get some match stick as well. This was a big wine with a lot of fruit and a long, long life ahead. Cherry, vanilla, blackberry and pepper. The finish on this last about 35-40 seconds. Beautifully balanced with no hard edges, this is a fabulous Bordeaux.

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• 2003 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Seemed like a lot of us were in agreement that this was the best Bordeaux of the night although for a while it was the Cos for me. This was served too cool to start but as it warmed up it really started to kick into high gear. Most interesting nose of the 3 Bordeaux's with kirsch, bell pepper, game and herb. Once the palate came around though this was really singing with flavors of cherry, iron, espresso, licorice and a hint of smoke. The finish was also about 35-40 seconds. By the time I was taking my last couple of sips they were by far the best. This is still a baby to be honest and will provide outstanding drinking for years to come.

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• 2008 Kapcsándy Family Winery Cabernet Sauvignon (Grand Vin) State Lane Vineyard 98 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville

  Was very excited to try this again! Got that typical Kapcsandy nose with the big vanilla, cherry, blackberry, rose and iron. The nose on these wines are simply amazing and consistent from vintage to vintage. It had flavors of cherry, blackberry, iron and vanilla. I actually still had some Bordeaux in my glasses at this point and I switched back between this, the Cos and the Pichon and it not only stood out above those two but I was able to drink the Grand Vin with those. In previous experiences the California wines obliterate the French wines. Guess they aren't kidding when they say they model themselves after the first growths. For how great this really was though, it was tough in the context of the next 2 wines. Believe I might have scored this higher if not for them.

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• 2005 Abreu Thorevilos 99 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Absolutely stunning wine. I could smell this all day and the nose just jumps from the glass. Aromas of vanilla, cherry, blackberry, smoke and espresso are vivid and compelling. The palate on this was so balanced it was staggering with extraordinary purity. Flavors of black cherry, plum, iron, and violets, among other lingering things coming in and out as I was drinking this. The finish on this sailed on for at least a minute. A very rich wine yet for everything it was it remained balanced and incredibly fresh. Probably a 100 point wine on any other day but this one but one things stuck out on the next wine that made me give it the nod over this.

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• 2005 Harlan Estate 100 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  My first time having Harlan Estate and it certainly was a mind blowing experience. Decanted about 4 hours before serving. Nose was really just jumping out of the glass on this with intense aromas of blackberry, kirsch, roses, smoke, game and truffle. The more I drank it the more I discovered. The power on this wine was simply amazing and definitely a super masculine wine. Thick and mouth coating, this had flavors of cherry, blackberry, iron, vanilla, herb and just a touch of earthiness. The flavors of simply intense and evolve as you drink it. The thing that separated this from the Abreu to me was the finish, which last well over a minute and seemed like it would never slow down. Certainly a hedonistic experience and one of the best, if not the best wine I have ever had. Simply unreal and the apogee of California Cabernet.

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• 2009 Sine Qua Non Syrah The Thrill of... 97 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Tough spot coming after the Harlan but this was a nice change of gears and held its own. Intoxicating nose of raspberry, cherry, blueberry, roses and white pepper. These SQN are always jumping out of the glass and enchanting. Flavors of raspberry, blueberry, cherry, earth and mineral. Beautiful wine with many layers of flavors and certainly a baby in my opinion.

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• 2007 Saxum James Berry Vineyard 100 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  My first time having Saxum and what a freaking wine! I thought it might be in a tough spot sandwiched in between 2 SQN's but this was actually better than both in my opinion. A strong statement because both were excellent wines but I theorize the blend might have made a difference in my opinion since both SQN wines were mainly Syrah. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, game, flowers and white pepper. Nose really was singing and intoxicating. Cherry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry steamroll you with their purity of flavor and vividness. The finish on this was also astonishing, lasting well over a minute. Certainly the best Rhone based wine I have ever had. I need to get on this list!

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• 2003 Sine Qua Non Syrah Papa 98 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Interesting contrast between this and the first two wines because of the difference in age. The nose on this was quite different with game, bacon fat, cherry, coffee and cigar. Almost like what you would think the "Thrill of" would evolve into. The palate on this again was mouth coating and extremely rich, with flavors of cherry, blueberry, raspberry, earth and spice. Finish sailed on this for about 45-50 seconds. Simply another tremendous wine.

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• 2001 Château Rieussec 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  By the time this wine came around I was almost tired from all of the extraordinary wines before it. My first impression on tasting this is that it really is young. Nose of honey. almond, pie crust and caramel. The palate showed some really vivid flavors of honey, mead, vanilla and Christmas cookie. Balanced with a very pronounced acidity. This needs 15-20 years to really be in the prime drinking window but then again I really enjoy my Sauternes with age on them.

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One of the things I came away from this tasting was tasting wines in context. The Kapcsandy I have had before and gave 100 points to but placing it next to the Abreau and Harlan made me score it in a different light, which was lower. If I tasted this on it's own, I could have possibly given it a higher score. I've seen this at lower price points with lesser tier wines but never at the top tier like this.