Annual gathering with Chicago winos in Chicago - Burgs, SQNs and Cult cabs

David Burke's Primehouse
Tasted Friday, May 20, 2016 by dcwino with 636 views

Introduction

It was the time for DCWINOS to travel to Chicago to hang with the Chicago gangs. Eight of us got together to drink some exceptional wines. We were situated at the private room of David Burke's Primehouse. The chef did an exceptional job creating a special tasting menu for us that was beyond typical steakhouse fare. The roasted baby vegetable was simple yet perfect. Matthew Bills, the sommelier and the crew’s wine service was one of the best in my life!

Flight 1 - Champagne (3 Notes)

The 02 Dom was a very clean and delicious Rose. As usual, the 96 Krug and Salon were singing.

  • 2002 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé 95 Points

    France, Champagne

    Very clean nose displaying cherry candy, fresh raspberry, strawberry and rhubarb pie, copper and mineral. Delicate palate, very fine airy mousse, candied red fruit driven palate impression, copper, medium acidity and lovely long clean finish. Quite fresh and youthful, easy to enjoy now in youthful way but will improve for another two decades by gaining complexity.

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  • 1996 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 97 Points

    France, Champagne

    Both the 96 Krug and Salon are drinking beautifully. Very precise and energetic palate, this particular example shows a lot of red fruits, sour cherry and cranberry, also orange, granny smith, honey, brioche and mineral. Exceptional concentration, very energetic and focused palate, good acidity and mineral and lovely long finish. It is vibrant, focused, energetic, decadent and beautifully balanced at the moment.

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  • 1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 98 Points

    France, Champagne

    Another incredibly youthful yet perfectly drinking example. Fresh concentrated white fruit, granny smith, citrus, white flowers, wet stone, white pepper and honey. Exceptional concentration, very fine generous mousse, coil sweet white fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, strong presence of mineral and seamless long clean finish. Excellent showing.

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Flight 2 - 2000 Chevalier Montrachet (4 Notes)

The vintage that should be perhaps avoided as they are ripe and often lack precision due to the low acidity. The Leflaive was really delicious however.

Flight 3 - La Tache (1 Note)

It is a wine to savour. It really needs gentle breathing as the wine will freshen up.

  • 1972 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru

    Sourced from a passive French cellar. With 2” ullage, excellent color and sound cork. Pop and pour, the nose seems a bit tired with mostly soy and a hint of sherry. With air, open up nicely, raspberry jam, soy, rose petal, a hint of vosne spice, tea, rusty nail and earth. Fully resolved palate, shy red fruit with a hint of soy and rust in the palate, medium acidity and good mineral presence and medium to long finish. The fruit got sweeter with air, the last drop being the best. I bet this would have showed better over a quite dinner for two.

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Flight 4 - Red Burgundy (3 Notes)

Perhaps the best flight despite the corked Cros Parantoux.

  • 1999 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux Flawed

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

    Ever so slightly corked. Such a shame as the wine is quite polished and beautifully balanced.

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  • 1999 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Richebourg 97 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

    This is very similar to the bottle drank in February but didn’t get to really focus for a couple hours. Incredibly youthful nose displaying intense black fruit, blackberry jelly, fresh button mushroom, a hint of vosne spice, baking spices, strong presence of mineral and earth. Exceptional concentration, beautifully layered fruits, quite chewy, good acidity, strong presence of mineral and lovely long finish. Really impressive young wine that will need another twenty years of cellaring to reach the peak.

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  • 1999 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 98 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

    Much better showing than then the last bottle from last year. Incredibly expressive and perfectly harmonious nose displaying concentrated blackberry, cranberry, rose, smoke and coffee. Exceptionally concentrated yet perfectly harmonious palate, beautifully layered airy fruit, silky and polished, good acidity, nicely integrated tannins and long intense black fruit driven finish that resonates. Very youthful but perfectly enjoyable. No noticeable tertiary development, no sous bois for sure. Need at least another decade but perhaps two to reach the peak. Incredible showing.

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Flight 5 - 08 DRC RSV (1 Note)

So exotic and nuance driven!

  • 2008 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 97 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

    You outta love the 08 DRCs as they are already showing so much complexity. I MO, the exotic/cannabis note is due to the stem inclusion. Expressive hedonistic nose displaying sweet succulent red fruits, red cherry, raspberry, stem, cannabis, mushroom, white pepper and mineral. Excellent concentration, very energetic and precise palate, bright sweet red fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity and lovely long pure red fruit driven finish. This is so incredibly hedonistic but will improve further. Very pure yet very kinky and exotic wine.

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Flight 6 - Cult cab - Flight 1 (3 Notes)

The Screaming Eagle didn't disappoint. The Bryants were BIG.

  • 2009 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

    I have not had too many SEs but I really appreciate the balance and finesse which are unique amongst the Cal cults. Expressive yet harmonious nose displaying fresh dark fruits, licorice, ink, lavender, perfume, bitter chocolate and limestone. Excellent concentration, silky and polished, fresh yet decadent black fruit driven palate impression, good acidity, strong presence of mineral and lovely long finish that ends with floral dark fruits. Excellent showing.

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  • 2007 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    This is a monstrous scale wine that is excessive in all aspects from the fruit, ripeness, spices, structure and concentration. Expressive nose displaying black and blue fruits, crème de cassis, blackberry liqueur, liquid smoke. Ink, licorice, bitter chocolate, baking spices, lavender and mineral. Incredibly concentrated, almost syrupy, crème de cassis driven palate impression and very long finish with noticeable alcohol at the end. Very impressive wine. If you love cult cab, your score will be at least a couple points higher in RP scale.

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  • 2005 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    It is very similar to the 07 but even more ripe and more heat so it is a bit disjointed. Extremely ripe black fruits, blackberry liqueur but no fresh fruit, cinnamon coming from alcohol, baking spices and lead pencil. Excellent concentration, really muddy overripe black fruit driven palate impression and the heat clips the finish. This wine reminds me quilceda creek a bit. So if you like the post 2000 QC, you will more than likely like this wine.

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Flight 7 - Cult cab - Flight 2 (3 Notes)

The Dana was really unique and interesting.

  • 2009 Bryant Family Vineyard Bettina 94 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    The fruit expression seems fresher and redder than the 05 & 07 cab. Expressive nose displaying blue and red fruits, blueberry liqueur, black cherry, lead pencil, ink, crushed rock and wild flowers. Excellent concentration, silky and polished, good mineral presence, highly toned and long clean finish ending with jammy blueberry.

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  • 2010 Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

    My first Dana and it is really fascinating. The overall expression is quite unique, it feels very cab driven with very noticeable slightly dry tannins. Cool suave yet very ripe black fruit driven nose, crushed blackberries, ink, cola/cinnamon from alcohol, exotic flowers and mineral. Excellent concentration, very silky and precise, very noticeable, slightly dry tannins and long inky finish. Extremely black inky fruit, impenetrable black color and strong tannin structure reminds me reminds me an old freemark abbey petite sirah from the 70s. Very interesting and unique.

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  • 2012 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 92 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Napa / Sonoma

    The context is very important as this seems a bit one dimensional compare to the other cabs. Generous nose of black cherry and blackberry, cherry liqueur, bitter chocolate and cinnamon/alcohol. Excellent concentration and alcohol clipping the finish. Really big something but almost nothing, perhaps a fruit bomb? Once again, if you like QC.....

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Flight 8 - SQN (4 Notes)

Good showing overall.

  • 1997 Sine Qua Non Impostor McCoy 95 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast

    It only had the wine soon after release. Still quite big but fully mature. Round and warm nose displaying blackberry jam, coffee ice cream, baking spices, tar, a hint of oak and ash. Good concentration, warm and round, fully resolved tannins and long finish. It has come together nicely but a big monolithic.

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  • 2004 Sine Qua Non Syrah Ode to E 96 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast

    This has not budged much from the last bottle drank in 2013. Expressive nose displaying concentrated black fruits, ben and jerry's blueberry cheesecake and raspberry swirl and baking spices. Excellent concentration, silky and polished balance and lovely long finish. Drinking really well.

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  • 2006 Sine Qua Non Syrah Raven Series 94 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast

    No longer showing opulent primary fruit yet still quite youthful nose displaying black and red fruits, crushed black pepper, black cherry, bitter chocolate, chocolate ice cream and dark spices. Excellent concentration, round, nicely layered fruits, good acidity and mineral presence and medium to long finish. Enjoyable.

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  • 2010 Sine Qua Non Grenache Stockholm Syndrome Eleven Confessions Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

    Still pretty primary nose displaying big scale black fruits, blackberry liqueur, crushed black cherry, incense, smoked meat and earth. Incredibly concentrated, unctuous, bright acidity and long finish. Very impressive big scale wine that may need a few more years to come together.

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Flight 9 - Sweet reds (2 Notes)

The Graham was very clean and still needed time.

  • 1970 Graham Porto Vintage 94 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    Really clean and mineral driven nose, strawberry and cherry candy, nutmeg, cinnamon and toffee. Medium concentration, clean red fruit driven palate impression, very polished and silky, strong presence of mineral and long finish with a hint of alcohol at the end. Very nice youthful port. I may be crazy but this needs another twenty years of cellaring to soften up like the 63 or 55 ports.

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  • 1997 Romano Dal Forno Recioto della Valpolicella 97 Points

    Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Recioto della Valpolicella

    I am a big fan of Dal Forno recioto for the intensity and precision. Intense slightly balsamic nose displaying sweet coiled black and red fruits, cherry liqueur, crème de cassis, fig marmalade and a hint of va. Excellent concentration, piercing acidity and incredibly long deeply toned finish that resonates. So intense yet perfectly precise. Always a very unique experience and really enjoyable.

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Flight 10 - Yquem (1 Note)

What a nice way to end the monumental dinner!

  • 1967 Château d'Yquem 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    Medium expressive nose displaying slightly dry yellow fruit, dry apricot, honey, sweetened tea, honey and sweet spices. Fully integrated palate, very clean, medium acidity and long finish. This bottle is correct but not exceptional as it lacks the opulence and airiness. Perhaps it is getting too late. I wish I like this wine a bit more.

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Closing

The Chicago crew did the perfect job setting up the event. It reminded me once again how lucky I am to share this crazy passion for wine with so many great kind hearted generous people.

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