Bodacious Bootylicious Burgundies for a Birthday Boy

A small group of us gathered at Patina in downtown LA to celebrate our favorite eye surgeon's birthday. We feasted on some seafood and three gorgeous roasted chickens with truffle & foie. The chicken was incredible, filled to the brim with truffle with a savory dark sauce and a fat lobe of foie gras.. then topped with even more truffle. A killer line up of wine was poured. As always, the service at Patina was excellent. The new Somm at Patina, Martin Riese, provided excellent service throughout the night.

The 06 Liger Ech and 66 Leroy Corton were absolute standouts. The rest of the wines had their ups and downs. The acidity levels of 96 really showed tonight with the two wines going through big swings but the acidity always being very prominent and a bit tough to work through.

Started off with a couple of whites. Both wines were delicious but different. The coche was all power and Bouchard was all elegance. A fine contrast

• 1999 Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  yaaaassss finally a 99 that isn't shut down. Needed about 30 minutes to warm up but when it did it just became this dense mactruck of sweet lemon and floral notes. That nose was full of the typical CD toasty nuts and flint.

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• 2004 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  beautiful and elegant like I am on a warm spring day. Not a powerhouse like your typical montrachet but holds that Bouchard character of softness and complexity that unfolds slowly in layers. Delicate orchard fruit frames the palate. Hint of oak and vanilla on the nose, but not enough to detract from the wine

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Wine sat on its own as it didn't necessarily fit into a flight.

• 2006 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Echezeaux

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. THIS WINE HERE BOYS (and girls) THIS WINE. WHAT A NOSE WHAT A PALATE. THE NOSE WAS MORE COMPLEX AND FILLED THAN THE CORNUCOPIA IN THE 74TH HUNGER GAMES.
  
  In all seriousness. The nose is incredible on this wine, constantly changing throughout the night, filled with delicious spice and baked dark berries as it morphed into a bright clean smell that was similar to the ramonet mint. On the palate it was expanding constantly but that silky purity inherent in Liger Belair just sat there guiding all the flavors into the finish. What a wine! While it's open for business and taking walk in customers it still has much to give over time.

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The two 96s were going up and down, the rousseau was open from the get go but then shut down after a couple of hours. The dujac needed some time to open up, which it did, but the palate was never fully there. Both were a bit too acidic as the night went on.

• 1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  The palate was fresher than a kid from Philly who got in trouble on the bball court and was forced to live with his aunty and uncle in bel air. Full of zest and minerality, everything was just popping on the tongue. Needed about 30 minutes to settle down as it was a bit spritzy. But man this palate was so fresh and crunchy with bright bright fruit and just a touch of meatiness. Started to shut down after 2 hours, but those initial 2 hours were mmmm yoso

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• 1996 Domaine Dujac Clos St. Denis

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru

  Shy like 8th graders at a school dance, the nose and palate weren't showing much for the first 30-40 minutes. Then that dujac spice, oh that spice started to poke out as it filled the bowl of the glass. The finish was a bit clipped but the palate started to excel and build. A bit too acidic right now (as is typical of the vintage) but there's enough stuffing in there for a fine roast bird in a few more years.

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Noms. All I can say is noms.

• 1995 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  Have had this wine a number of times and was surprised how closed up it was on the nose. The palate was roaring like a proud lion after 30 seconds of love making but the nose just wasn't there. Fortunately the boldness and complexity of the earthy dark fruit pie of a palate made up for the lack of nose. Such density and weight and that typical rustic savage flavor from the early domaine leroys

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• 2001 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée Les Genaivrières

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  textbook leroy on the nose and the palate. Prime example of the heights the single vineyard village wines can achieve in Leroy. That spice bowl mix on the nose, lusty fruit on the palate. Not quite the intensity and depth of the higher vineyards but the profile is all there.

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• 1966 Maison Leroy Corton

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  Oh good, it only took 50 years for a Corton to be in its prime ;D. This wine is the front runner for WOTY in this early early race. Easily top 3 I've had in the past year or so.
  
  So expressive and uplifting on the nose. Filled to the brim with black sweet fruit and baking spice. Coming in at the end were a load of dried rose petals.
  
  The palate. Oh the palate. So pure and filled with grace. The wine just kept opening up over the course of the night and it gave more and more and lingered with a strong/long finish.
  
  The 66 Leroys have been incredible, but this one is at the top of the heap.
  
  Decanted and filtered.

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