Dinner in Chicago with new friends

Browntrout (Chicago, Il)
Tasted Thursday, September 18, 2014 by Seth Rosenberg with 473 views

Introduction

After my TN BBQ and Fried Chicken trip I had a few days left over, so I planned a leg to Chicago. Once planned, I contacted Tooch and he sprang into action - setting up this excellent BYO.

Flight 1 (9 Notes)

  • 2000 Henri Boillot Chevalier-Montrachet 94 Points

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

    My bottle. Had this sent from my locker, so it wasn't from the stash at my Dad's. Medium gold. Forward nose of smoke, iodine, lemon, salty, green apple. Sea spray (I was eating briny oysters), some brown wood, toasty. More showy and complex than the last time I opened it. After it cooled down more, another pour showed more powdered stone and flint. Big on the palate - rich, lemony, toasty, some oak, saline, stone. This has good acid as well, not enough to make it racy, but balanced. Good finish shows lemon and stone. Matt poured a taste of this at the end of the dinner which was even better - more cut, more racy and steely with great drive and minerality. Nose - 5-5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 17-17.5/20. (That last sip was definitely in 18/20 territory.)

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  • NV Ulysse Collin Champagne Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Pierrières 89 Points

    France, Champagne

    Disgorged 7/3/13. This sat in the glass for a bit before I got to it. Very focused and potent, verging on lean - spicy, ginger, brioche. Strong acidity on the palate with lime, ginger, lemon. Wicked, but not much mousse - almost still. Good, but not super. Nose - 4.5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4.5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 14.5/20.

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  • 1989 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 89 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

    Classic aged Cab Franc on the nose - green herbal, complex with breadth: meat and dark aspects and some sort of olive or herbal quality. Soy. Not as good on the palate - quite tart and a little thin compared to the nose: herbal, minty. Savory tart finish. Nose - 5/6, Palate - 4.5/6, Finish - 4/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 14.5/20.

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  • 2011 Domaine de la Pépière Vin de Pays de Loire-Atlantique Cuvée Granit 89 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Vin de Pays de Loire-Atlantique

    Brighter than that Raffault on the nose with some primary fruit - red cherry and pomegranate, along with some serious stemmy-brambly notes, sauvage. Palate is red cherry and pomegranate again - tart fruit, stems, spice, stones. This almost reminded me of Bojo is some aspects. Didn't get detailed score components, but I'd put this at 14.5-15/20.

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  • 2010 Vietti Barolo Castiglione 91 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    I picked up a bottle of this at Binny's to try - my first 2010 Barolo. PnP a bit and it was really nice - some red and dark fruit, spice, dusty tannins, leather, minerals. We decanted it and came back to it some hours later. Nose: dusty, cherry, tart, stones - really poised. a touch of heat. Palate shows tart berry and strawberry, spice, heat. This was better, to me, PnPed. Coffee. Still a really nice showing and bodes well for 2010. Probably 15.5-16/20.

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  • 1991 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 93 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Very young still. Nose shows good spice, some sweet oak, a beautiful strawberry fruit note, good acid, soy, meaty. Young and tart on the palate but the depth is in there - good acid, spice. Tart strawberry and stone finish. Nose - 5.5/6, Palate - 5+/6, Finish - 4.5+/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1.5/2 = 16.5+/20 (with 17.5/20 potential).

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  • 1995 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 91 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    I was looking forward to this but it wasn't a great showing - I did get to it towards the end of the bottle, with some sediment, but others weren't overwhelmed either. Nose of dark fruits, cool menthol and a bit of leather and herbs. Sweet on the palate with cassis fruit, blackberry, mint, big tannins, coffee. Dark finish. Very young still. Nose shows good spice, some sweet oak, a beautiful strawberry fruit note, good acid, soy, meaty. Young and tart on the palate but the depth is in there - good acid, spice. Tart strawberry and stone finish. Nose - 4.5/6, Palate - 5/6, Finish - 5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1/2 = 15.5/20.

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  • 2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Still some Prum spritz: spice, peach apricot, citrus. Good acid. The palate shows lime, apple and spice.

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  • 1990 Müller-Catoir Mußbacher Eselshaut Riesling Auslese

    Germany, Pfalz

    My bottle. Medium orange. The nose is quite mature showing dried peach-apricot, a creamy texture, exotic spices: tea, curry and maybe a little galanga? It is quite perfumed and light. Very poised with an energetic leanness. The palate is similar - not as sweet or rich as I was expecting, with dried apricot and peach fruit, serious spice, tea and orange peel. Serious acidity. The palate went back and forth for me: some sips were poised and beautiful, a few others lacked a bit of oompf.

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