Dinner with Brad England and Steve Sigmond

The plan was for a simple dinner at JPs American Bistro. Monday night is half-price wine night, so I though we would order a white from the list and then each bring a bottle of red for dinner. However, things never seem to turn out the way I plan them when Brad is involved. Chris and Craig (the instigators for this particular dinner) were unfortunately unable to attend. Jeff Samuelson managed to show up while we were eating our main course and helped us finish off all the wine.

It was great to get back together. It's been quite awhile since we have gotten together and we had plenty to catch up on. Steve had been in France touring the Rhone for the last few weeks, and Brad had been in London. I can't wait to read Steve's notes on the wines he tasted during his visit. Brad brought three bottles picked up at the Steve Verlin auction, and really shamed the rest of us in the bottles we brought -- so what's new. However, it was comical seeing him push the cork into two bottles in a row.

The food at JPs is very good, and generally wine friendly. Service was acceptable in that they brought us plenty of stems, but I would hardly call it attentive. However, it's hard to complain about paying $15 in corkage on eight bottles of wine and we were obviously more focused on the wine than the food/service.

Wines are listed in the approximate order served.

• 1996 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 89 Points

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

  Purchased by Steve four hours before the dinner. Popped and poured. The color is a pure but very deep gold. The nose was extremely reticent at first, but opened up nicely over the course of the dinner. Aromas included honey, orange, nut, and mineral. Slightly sense of being oxidized. After sitting in the glass awhile it developed a melon note. Steve thought cantelope, but it was a strong pumpkin for me. This faded in time. On the palate this is thick and syrupy with very low acidity. More nuts and honey. Decent length on the finish. A nice enough wine, but not one to stock up on.

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• 1980 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux 98 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

  Brad's bottle. We were very worried when the cork fell into the bottle in reponse to the slightest pressure from the corkscrew. However, one smell eliminated all concerns. This is awesome. The hue is dark ruby, but this is a little thin and turns light pink at the rim. The smell is divine. I get dark cherry, spice, herbs, earth, tea, and plenty more. I could have smelled this all night. The taste delivered what the nose promised -- an incredibly smooth and elegant mouthfeel giving more cherry, tobacco, and earth. The balance is great with just enough acidity to keep things lively. The finish is long and expressive. Thanks Brad. Your generosity with bottles like this one is unmatched.

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• 1955 Domaine Jaboulet-Vercherre Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes Flawed

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  Brad purchased this recently at auction. It was a beat up old bottle with a wire mesh around it. The cork pushed through into the bottle with the slightest pressure from the corkscrew. The nose was very oxidized. The taste was fine giving a simple red cherry with little in the way of secondary notes. Too bad.

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• 1983 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Flawed

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

  Corked.

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• 1988 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne 97 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Brad's backup bottle. A recent Verlin auction acquisition. The color is a dark, opaque red. Another amazing nose -- more intense but not as nuanced as the DRC. Smells of dark fruit and a grilled meat dominate, but there is also some spice and minerality. Excellent. On the palate this gives extremely concentrated dark fruit with good minerality. Very structured. Mouth coating and delicious. This is still extremely tannic. The finish is long and expressive. Not nearly as smooth and sexy as the 1988 Guigal Mouline tasted recently, but equally exciting. Thanks Brad.

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• 1996 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  The color is a deep red. The nose is wild and not in any way delineated. Mushroom smells dominate the dark fruit. There is also a hint of band aid that is distracting to me. The nose reminds me a bit of the 1989 Chapelle tasted recently -- interesting, but in a wild way that is hard to pin down. The taste was very solid. Plenty of dark fruit and mineral in a nicely structured wine. Tastes very normal next to the super-exotic Landonne. There is plenty of tannin present. The finish is excellent. I would guess this is in an early drinking window, but should continue to develop for many, many years.

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• 2003 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche / La Péroline

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Steve brought this bottle back from his recent tour of the Rhone. It was too warm when we arrived, so Steve put it in an ice bucket for an hour or so. Too cold! This took about an hour to rise to the proper serving temperature after pouring. Boy did this seem youthful compared to the other wines served. The color is black with purple hues. The nose is very typical of the 2003 Rhones with piercing ripeness. However, this also showed dark fruit, espresso, and a big floral component. Too young, but promising. Concentrated dark (almost roasted) fruit dominates the taste. Plenty of structure. Very tannic. This was enjoyable now, but should be a great wine at its peak in the distant future. I would rate this as 93-95 after a few years of bottle age. Thanks Steve.

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• 2000 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées 93 Points

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

  Dark ruby red color. The nose is an expressive but rather straightforward expression of red fruit, spice, mineral and oak. The taste is much more interesting -- giving concentrated red fruit and oak complimented with mushroom, earth and mineral. This is well structured, and a bit closed at the moment, but the raw materials are impressive. Opened up a bit with time in the glass. The finish is excellent. Drinking well now, but really needs at least a few more years in bottle before it will hit full stride. Thanks Jeff.

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WOTN for me was the DRC, and it wasn't even close. The Guigal Landonne was compelling, but the DRC was spectacular. My guess, based on this bottle, is that this is drinking at peak. Thanks to all for a very enjoyable evening.