John's 70th B-Day Blowout

Celebrating a good friend's 70th birthday. It was a special tasting amongst good friends with great wines served double blind and delicious food.

• NV Henri Giraud Champagne Code Noir Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Amber hue; good depth, autolysis, apple, lemon, nutty; very good.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2005 Domaine Gabriel & Paul Jouard Bâtard-Montrachet 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Darker deeper yellow gold; screams rich Old World Chardonnay, good French oak is still there but well integrated, lemon, sage, mint, spice, an awe-inspiring nose, limestone, chalky, crystalline, grainy minerality, incredible mid-palate, high toned, very noble; delicious, one of the few whites our group has voted WOTN.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2012 Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 90 Points

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

  Steely yellow; honey, slight wool, grain, kumquat; acidity is more gentle, apple, pear, white rock mineral; hard to follow the Batard but this was very tasty.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2002 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  More golden color with a fine bead; yeasty bread dough, hint of vanilla, rich apple, lemon zest, some pencil lead; rich on the palate, broad shouldered, compact but giving lots of enjoyment today; delicious, good now or you could wait 'til age 20 and beyond.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

We were spoiled with some of the best short ribs I've ever had. Dark and intense jous, these ribs were seared and then cooked over 2 days, served over delicious polenta, and a delicious side salad. The Cote Rotie was delicious with it.

• 2006 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Beautiful reddish violet showing good clarity; smoky, berry, violets, black olive, greenish, black pepper, granite; softer palate, smokiness continues, black olive, some briar on the finish; less Burgundian than ones in the past so I called Cote Brune,; delicious with the short ribs.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

All wines were done double blind (as were all the others tonight). The Michelot Narvaux was served as a palate refresher to break up all of the reds. I liked this format and think we should do that more often.

• 1996 San Leonardo San Leonardo 91 Points

  Italy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Trentino, Vallagarina IGT

  Dark garnet decent clarity with not much color variation in the rim; mean and green nose, dusty, currant, tobacco, some age; palate is tasty showing less of the herabaceousness than the nose, very Bordeaux-like flavors, cigar, tobacco, dark chocolate, green pepper, boxwood, softer mid-palate, a bit of brine on the finish was the only hint at the age; this was very youthful; tasty but not as much my style with such dominant green notes on the nose; called Don Melchor because I swore it was Chilean- fooled me again.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2001 Poderi Luigi Einaudi Barolo Cannubi 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Maroon core with lighter rim, some sediment; classic nose of roses, pure red cherry, Barolo, good fat, licorice, leather, pleasant tannin wrap; in a good spot, the least linear bottle of Nei Cannubi I've ever had; great stuff; oh yeah I nailed it exactly.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 1995 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 92 Points

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

  Mine; light garnet deep maroon core with lighter rim; fig, classic, no mistaking this one, raspberry, very solid, liquor soaked cherries, light garrigue, some tea; still good structure, stewed cherry and raspberry, herbs de Provence, great balance; so unevolved I was a little disappointed, after reveal it was a revelation but before it almost seemed pedestrian; hate to say it but the bottle we had needed more time, others guessed 2005.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2009 M. Marengo Barolo Brunate 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Beautiful see through rose crimson; cinnamon, rose, red cherry, sweaty, deep, menthol; palate says it is younger, sweet tart cherry, tannic, slightly less balance but makes up for it in nobility; give this some time as I think it will reward 5 years of cellaring.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2004 Querciabella Camartina 89 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  Dark, very extracted dark core; nutty, autumnal, plum and red apple skin, almost seems apassimento, dark chocolate, rich, ripe; very tannic on the palate, green pepper, plum, sour berry, low acid, a bit harsh; was probably better than I rated but the harsh tannin and weird volatility of almost dried grapes was not doing it for me tonight.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2010 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 Points

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

  Garnet core with lighter brighter rim; sweet cherry and raspberry, baked, sweet, spice; red and darker fruit on the palate, solid, great balance; delicious, good now and for many years, the aesthetics make this seem like an incredible wine 95+ but the mid-palate just lacks a bit to knock it down to 2nd/3rd tier CdP.

  Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

• 2008 Domaine Michelot Meursault Les Narvaux 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  My 2nd; amber yellow; bright apple, yeast, yummy nose, good French oak, caramel, slight nuttiness; long finish, good focus, bright and persistent, apple, corn, very mineral on finish making it seem dry; interesting and delicious.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2009 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Corton-Perrières 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  Darker maroon, good clarity; roses, rich cherry, sour, awesome nose, lots of mineral not all white rock, fresh and deep; less bright on the palate, unctuous Pinot, limestone, ripe; great though not as bright and expressive than the one tasted at 2013 SB.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

• 2004 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT

  Pretty crimson color, slightly cloudy showing some sediment; dusty, aged, some soy and caraway, dried cherry, orange oil; richer cherry on the palate, mahogany, leather, orange oil, still showing good structure; very good.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

Chocolate and cream cake roll. Not sure of the name. It was delicious but I preferred to eat it separately from the Yquem.

• 2003 Château d'Yquem 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  From 375mL; paler gold; vanilla cream, brighter orange marmalade; rich polished, pastry, peach preserves, fatter but still great acid lift; delicious.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

The results:
#1- 2005 Jouard Batard Montrachet; I love that a white finally got voted first. It was really deserving. Intensely complex and had so much gravitas.
#2- 2001 Einaudi Nei Cannubi
#3- Tie between 1995 Janasse VV CdP & 2009 Meo Camuzet Corton Perrieres

I personally thought the 2002 Bollinger Grande Anne was deserving of placing.