Wine dinner at Blacksalt - Prévost, Krug, Pichler, Raveneau, Fevre, Grivot, LLC, Yquem & etc.

David E organized a nice wine dinner for eight of us. Blacksalt did an outstanding job creating a tasting menu that complemented the wines very well.

I really enjoyed the Prévost.

• NV J. Lassalle Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée Speciale Rosé 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Very light/pale pink version of Rose, as much succulent yellow fruit as red, apricot, lemon curd, tangerine, smoke and mineral. Good concentration, sweet yellow fruit driven palate impression with a hint of raspberry jelly, good acidity and lovely sweet medium finish. Very enjoyable pale and sweet style of rose champagne.

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• 2012 Jérôme Prévost La Closerie Fac-Simile 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Really interesting and unique champagne. It is like an exceptional pinot rose with bubbles. David W mentioned that it is 100% Pinot Meunier. Complete opposite to the Lassalle Rose, this is intensely red both in color and flavor. Expressive vinous nose displaying intense cool red fruits, mostly strawberry and a hint of raspberry, steel, slightly unripe pinot note which actually add complexity and good mineral expression. Good concentration, very pinot driven palate, cool succulent red fruit driven palate impression, good acidity and lovely cool clean finish. Not necessarily terribly complex but complex enough, really interesting and delicious stuff.

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Served single blind. Both were very enjoyable, some thought the vintage was MV based on the oxidative nose which was a mistake.

• 2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Served single blind with MV Krug. People often have misconception of the style of MV which can make this very challenging. My first impression was that MV was the vintage but quickly changed my mine. The vintage Krug, MV and CdM all have very distinct styles and quite different from each other. The vintages always display oxidative notes via brioche and more polished than MV, MV tends to be always ready, denser and fresher and the CdM combines complexity, freshness, precision and energy. Started very oxidative and mature but with air, gets fresher and gain weight as usual. Complex nose displaying yellow fruits, key lime pie, orange rind, apple pie, brioche, burnt sugar and sweet spices. Medium concentration, nicely layered sweet ripe yellow fruits, fine mousse, bright acidity and seamless sweet finish. It is fully mature and ready to go but this being a vintage Krug, I wouldn’t be surprised if it lasts for a few decades. It adheres to the Vintage style and very similar to how the recent 96s showed. It however slightly lacks the incredible concentration of the 96.

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• NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Served single blind with MV Krug. People often have misconception of the style of MV which can make this very challenging. My first impression was that MV was the vintage but quickly changed my mine. The vintage Krug, MV and CdM all have very distinct styles and quite different from each other. The vintages always display oxidative notes via brioche and more polished than MV, MV tends to be always ready, denser and fresher and the CdM combines complexity, freshness, precision and energy. Very youthful and fresh nose displaying sweet yellow fruits, lemon curd, spicy spice, smoke and mineral. Excellent concentration, sweet yellow fruit driven palate impression, a hint of white pepper, abundant medium mousse, bright acidity and clean sweet finish. Really enjoyable.

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The 99 rocked!

• 2000 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Kellerberg 91 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  This seems significantly further advanced than the 99 served in the flight. Dense sweet yellow fruit driven nose, apricot, pineapple, smoke and sweet spices. Very good concentration, sweet tropical fruit driven palate impression, chewy and waxy, a bit clumsy and medium finish. It got better with air but remained heavy and slightly dull especially compare to the 99.

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• 1999 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Ried Kellerberg 96 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

  Unbelievably youthful color and the flavors to match. Intense and exotic yet focused nose displaying dense white fruits, white peach, grapefruit, flint, smoke, anise, oregano and wet limestone. Exceptional concentration and freshness, unctuous, intense fresh white fruit driven palate impression, good acidity and lovely long finish. Really enjoyable, exceptional combination of intensity and precision. I highly recommend based on this bottle.

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Both Chablis were great. The Fevre was a pleasant surprise.

• 2000 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  Incredibly youthful nose displaying cool shy white fruits, pear, lemon, strong presence of saline and wet limestone, cool mountain stream and fresh white pepper. Medium concentration, cool white fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of mineral, good acidity and seamless clean sweet finish. Not the most concentration but very precise and fresh. Really enjoyable in very lean and mineral way but also displaying saline, mineral and oil which makes all Raveneau very special.

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• 2000 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Côte Bouguerots 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  I am not a big fan of Fevre as I believe the wines show a bit too much opulent fruits which often mask the mineral expression and precision of Chablis. Expressive nose displaying fresh white fruits, pear, granny smith, lemon juice, white flowers, smoke, flint and mineral. Beautifully balanced palate, very good concentration, fresh white fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of mineral, smoke, bright acidity and lovely long clean finish. Pleasant surprise, kind of reminds me very mineral/flint meursault. I would highly recommend if this wine was not affected by premox.

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• 1996 Domaine Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St. Jean 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  This bottle seems more advanced than the previous bottles. Fully mature nose, mostly yellow fruits and burnt sugar. A bit cloying.

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• 1998 Domaine Jean Grivot Richebourg 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

  For my palate, a lot of the 98s seem a bit disjointed, ie very ripe fruit combined with strong presence of slightly dry tannins. This is no exception. I served this blind. Amy initially guessed as either the 90 or 93 but ended up correctly guessing the vintage. I believe most were surprised as it showed a lot of concentration for the vintage but was a bit rustic. Masculine nose displaying very ripe red fruit, strawberry jam, sweet dark spices, dust, tree bark and mineral. Exceptional concentration, very ripe red fruit driven palate impression, good acidity and very noticeable slightly dry tannins. This still needs time to resolve the tannins and gain sous bois/complexity. It will need another ten years of cellaring to enter the peak drinking window.

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• 1991 Domaine Bruno Clavelier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru La Combe d'Orveau Vieilles Vignes 90 Points

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

  Amy informed that the vineyard is situated adjacent to Musigny. However the resemblance is not that strong other than noticeable iron presence. Medium nose displaying very ripe red fruit, cherry liqueur, a hint of flowers, mushroom, iron, mineral and earth. Good concentration, cherry liqueur driven palate impression, good acidity and medium long very ripe finish. This seems a bit advanced compare to the 96, not necessarily more tertiary notes but just more advanced. This will go well with grilled game meat.

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• 1996 Domaine Bruno Clavelier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru La Combe d'Orveau Vieilles Vignes 92 Points

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

  Amy informed that the vineyard is situated adjacent to Musigny. However the resemblance is not that strong other than noticeable iron presence. Very 96 combining ripe but fresh and crunch red fruits, bright acidity and strong presence of tannins. The nose displaying crunch sweet red fruits, cranberry, strawberry rhubarb tart, light caramel, iron, mushroom, a hint of sous bois and earth. Very good concentration, sweet crunch red fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity and lovely clean sweet finish. Perhaps need another five years but quite enjoyable now.

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• 1990 Château Léoville Las Cases Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  This seems slightly off/too advanced, especially considering this being LLC. I would rate this 90pts but this is not correct.

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• 2003 Château Léoville Las Cases 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  I like how the 03s are developing as the ripe roasted fruit note diminishes. Very ripe cassis driven nose, licorice, a hint of lead pencil, milk coffee and sweet caramel. Exceptional concentration, intense sweet cassis driven palate impression, bright acidity and nicely integrated tannins. This is very California cult cab like. It is already very enjoyable if you like the primary fruit driven expression but will reach the first stage of peak in ten to fifteen years.

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• 1988 Château d'Yquem 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  The 88 is a great D’Yquem but this bottle is a bit advanced. Very ripe yellow fruits, burnt sugar and sweet spices. Lacking the precision and airiness that I associate with the 88 D'Yquem.

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• 2003 Château d'Yquem 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  I am a big fan of the 03 D’Yquem. The nose displays intense sweet yellow fruits, apricot, pineapple, mango, sweet spices, ginger and creme brulee. Incredibly concentrated yet precise and airy due to strong presence of acidity, intense jammy yellow fruit driven palate impression and lovely long finish. The overall expression remains very sweet and intense but somehow still retains the precision and airiness. This will always be enjoyable but may take another fifty years to reach the peak. Relatively speaking, great QPR.

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Great time was had by all once again!