Some wines with friends

My House In The South OC
Tasted Saturday, July 21, 2018 by Frank Murray III with 253 views

Introduction

Everyone took a course and then had to commit to wines of their choice. We had some real treasures in the mix last night, and with the ongoing friendship and warmth of this group, it was a terrific evening.

Flight 1 - Empenadas (2 Notes)

Flight 2 - Organic Dark Salad (Kale, Arugula, Mint and Cilantro) (2 Notes)

  • 2012 Famille Moussé Champagne Terre d'illite Blanc de Noirs

    France, Champagne

    Poured blind, was single blind for me as this bottle (and the Mon Village non-dose I paired with it) were both from my cellar, but I didn't know which bag held which wine. Knowing that this Terre d'Illite was 5 g/l and the Mon Village is non-dose, it made the distinction easy to identify the bottles. Disgorged 07/2017. Light brioche, black cherry, apple (Brig called it apple-sauce), lemon-lime with finishing with a stony note. I then just left the bottle out overnight, uncorked and at room temp of about 70f, re-tasting again with the last few ounces that are now still, no bubbles left. Aromatics of golden apple and crushed rock. The palate is squarely yellow apple at this point, and with a spiciness that it reflects too, along with the brioche quality, I can almost think about a liquefied apple pie. Finishes with a tangy, intense raspberry quality and the same stoniness of last night. Having now revisited this and seeing it revealed with this kind of air and uncloaked with the room temp, I really like this bottle. Will source a few more as it's pleasing, not as austere as the Mon Village, which should make the wine a good choice for those who aren't into the energy and edge of the Mon Village.

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  • NV Famille Moussé Champagne Blanc de Meuniers Premier Cru Brut Zéro Les Vignes de Mon Village

    France, Champagne

    Poured blind, a bottle from my cellar so I knew what was under the bag. Paired with the Terre d'Illite bottling too which was under the other bag in the pair I selected for the dinner. I left the remnants of the bottle sit out overnight on the counter, uncorked and at room temp (about 70f). Re-tasting now to see how my impressions match to last night, and worth noting the CO2 is nearly all dissipated, leaving a still wine. Disgorged 2/2017, zero dosage and 100% PM. Aromatics show very similar to my notes from last night, reflecting grapefruit and white pepper. Core of lemon and fresh cut green apple slices. Finishes with a mix of lemon peel, apple flesh and the same stoniness of the Terre d'Illite. I really enjoy the wines of Cedric Mousse and the more I drink of them, I appreciate what he is cranking out and value his philosophy of biodynamic care for the plots he is using for these cuvees. Lovely champagne.

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Flight 3 - Nordhoff Paella (3 Notes)

  • 2000 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche

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

    Opened about 5PM, served at 730PM. I have had only 2 occasions in the past to drink any of the DRC craft so I was eager to try this one. Aromas of spice, caramel and cracked spices. Strawberry, with what my notes say was 'balanced and weightless'. Spicy, with length and a cool, light red color, with no signs of bricking nor any aged character that I could find. 18 years old, simply a beautiful wine that is expressive and joyful to drink.

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  • 2016 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Vineyard

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Poured blind, paired with the 2016 Summa OV. These were single blind to me, as I bagged them with the intention of keeping them cloaked to me so I could get a truer sense as to the differences between the two. Showed aromatics of light tar, funk and some herb. Hard red fruit candy, smooth and lots od lovely strawberry. This is drinking with such a cool balance and polish right now, with a juicy finish that is smooth as glass. Excellent Summa and a treat to drink. My first of the 2016s and have been seeing a # of notes in CT about some of the 2016s being backward and not ready....this is squarely not one of them.

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  • 2016 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Summa Old Vines

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Poured blind, paired with the regular 2016 Summa. These were single blind to me, as I bagged them with the intention of keeping them cloaked to me so I could get a truer sense as to the differences between the two. Tasting these together, the Summa OV is much more youthful in tone, doesn't have the immediate enjoyment of the Summa regular. Graphite/pencil lead nose, spicy and lively with the true to site orange peel, dark strawberry and pine, along with a little of the funky/tarry note of the Summa regular. Finishes with some grip and clearly doing these side-by-side, the OV is going to be the longer ager.

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Flight 4 - Beef and Chicken from the BBQ (3 Notes)

  • 1985 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    From magnum. Man, this was good, and as good/pleasing in class as the 2000 La Tache that was in the preceding flight we did. It's hard for me to say that I liked this BV better but given that we had the mag to drink from, I got to taste this several times and it was in a word--amazing. Juicy and vibrant fruit, plenty of cherry with a dusty quality. The balance on this is impeccable and at 30+ years, it shows a freshness and regal quality. Beautiful.

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  • 1999 Ridge Monte Bello

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    The color on this is a reddish-purple and it portends the freshness of the wine. Nose of cedar and a touch of something volatile, maybe a little heat. Stuffed with intense dark fruit and charcoal. At the end of the night, I re-corked the bottle and left it on the counter. Re-tasting now to assess the final ounces from the leftovers. The volatile kind of thing I mentioned is gone and the cedary, herby note is bold and fragrant. Spicy and cedary, with bitter cocoa, dark cherry and supporting acidity that keeps it lively. Finishes with some grippy tannin so in terms of aging curve, and with the data point this has been open for 12 hours, I'd believe this will continue to age for much longer. And given the cedary, cherry quality that really comes through, I also believe this will be a Cab that will continue to put on and express all the older era tasting qualities that many people enjoy. There is a riper quality to the red fruit that also should please those looking for something that adds some of the modernity of the current era Napa cabs, too.

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  • 1964 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon

    USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

    Damn, this is older than me by just a year. Cool to think I am drinking fruit that preceded me. Aromatics of lacquer, with some at the table also using words like brown sugar and sherry. It has a lightly confected quality, too. Seeing this paired with the 1985 BV GdL and 1999 Monte Bello, it was a terrific flight.

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Flight 5 - Berry Cobbler (2 Notes)

  • 2016 Carlisle Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Grabbed spur of the moment to close a multi-course dinner and to find a wine to pair with a homemade berry cobbler. And worth noting for context here, I opened this last night and we splash decanted it and then returned it to bottle. All total, it has seen about 12 hours of air, I am re-tasting the remnants left in the bottle so it's good it got all of the additional, to create a complete impression. Floral and fragrant. There are 2 things here that I enjoy: the astringence and moderate grip, along with the juicy, less extracted quality. These marry up against what I'd expect from Palisades and Mike's touch, which are some blackberry and light chocolate. Yet, what is absent in this vintage is the staining color and weight, as the wine instead shows a juicy, medium weighted quality that is attractive to me. There is youth here in the tannin but in the end, I believe this will be terrific, middle-weighted version of Palisades that will be best to sample again in 3-4 years to see how the balance is coming along.

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  • 2010 Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Peterson Family Vineyard

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Splash decanted three times and returned to bottle, served as the anchor wine for the berry cobble dessert we paired with it. Re-tasting 12 hours later from the remnants left in the bottle from last night. In candor, I found the wine boozy last night and it turned me off. Listed at 16.1% on the bottle so I shouldn't be surprised. This is much better this AM, as the alcohol signature is far less present. Now, it shows a lot of chocolate, dark fruit, herb, and some tannin grip still present. Plush and packed with flavor. Decant this well if you drink now and enjoy. True SR PS here.

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