Lost Friday afternoon gathering – 08 Cristal and Dom, Raveneau, Rayas, Chevillon, Gouges and etc.

Five of us got together for another rendition of the lost Friday lunch. The new chef who worked for Bob Kinkead prepared a lot of great fish dishes as well as a couple meat courses.

The 08 Cristal showed incredibly well once again, one of the greatest young Champagnes of my life along with the 96 Krug and Salon. The 08 Dom was surprisingly elegant.

• 2008 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 99 Points

  France, Champagne

  Expressive nose displaying rich red and yellow fruit, per Bill red currant which I agree wholeheartedly, a hint of cinnamon apple, honeysuckle, candied lemon peel and strong limestone mineral. Already showing perfect balance and precision, mindbogglingly rich and decadent yet incredible energy and focus, very fine abundant mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a long rich red and yellow fruit driven finish. This is like a great Yquem or a great Batard, i.e. so rich yet airy and weightless. Although the 08 Dom is very special, this seems to be richer and more concentrated while remaining elegant and precise in this occasion. For my palate, Antonio is pretty much spot on for Champagne.

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• 2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne 97 Points

  France, Champagne

  Expressive yet surprisingly elegant nose displaying fresh white fruit, granny smith per RJ, pear, fresh lemon juice, a hint of white flower, rain water and limestone. Just like the 08 Cristal, already showing exceptional balance and harmony, very finely layered elegant white fruit, incredible focus and perfect precision, very fine mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long seamless fresh white fruit driven finish with limestone at the end. Although quite rich, not as rich as the 08 Cristal. This is surprisingly elegant and has no bitter end which I often get in young Doms. It has to be the most refined young Dom Perignon going back to the 90 vintage.

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The 08 Dauvissat Clos showed incredibly well, the best recent example that fulfilled the early promise.

• 2010 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Expressive nose displaying rich yellow fruit, lemon curd, candied lemon peel, a hint of granny smith, spicy spices, lanolin, rain water, honeysuckle, honey and wet stone. Excellent concentration, finely layered generous rich yellow fruit, good energy and focus, bright acidity, strong wet stone mineral and a long rich yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of lanolin and honeysuckle at the end. This has developed beautifully in the past two years, showing more yellow fruit and lanolin. Drinking beautifully.

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• 2008 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Very clean and precise nose displaying fresh citrus fruit, lemon, lemon zest, honey, cool mountain stream and wet stone. Fully integrated slightly lean palate, very finely layered citrus fruit, very energetic and focused, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long clean subtle citrus driven finish with strong wet stone at the end. The 08 Raveneau GCs and 1er Crus show less fruit and even greater focus than usual. I slightly prefer the generous ripe fruit of the 10 Butteaux.

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• 2008 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 97 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  The 08 Dauvissat Clos was one of the greatest young Chablis for me. Unfortunately, I have not had a great bottle that fulfill the early promise until now. Clearly paler than the previous three or four bottles, and the nose clearly reflects. Perfectly focused nose displaying coiled yellow citrus fruit with a hint of granny smith, beeswax, saline, honey and strong limestone. Exceptional concentration, coiled yellow citrus, perfectly precise and incredibly energetic, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long yellow citrus fruit driven finish with strong limestone at the end. This is a great classic Dauvissat. Unfortunately, the rate of success has been dismal.

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The 14 Vernay Condrieus were ripe, yet bright acidity and mineral provide reasonably good balance.

• 2014 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  Expressive nose displaying very ripe yellow fruit, lychee, mango, peach pie, ginger, spicy spices and medium mineral. Excellent concentration, opulent ripe yellow fruit, dense and deeply toned, good acidity and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of lychee at the end. Just like the last bottle, this is surprisingly rich.

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• 2014 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Les Chaillées de l'Enfer 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  Expressive nose displaying opulent yellow fruit, peach, lychee, orange blossom tea per Bill, candied orange peel, honey, spicy spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, nicely layered concentrated yellow fruit, rich and deeply toned, good acidity and mineral, and a long deeply toned yellow fruit driven finish with lychee and tea at the end. This seems more precise, i.e. more acidic and also opulent than the 14 Vernon at the moment.

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The Gouges was disappointing but the Chevillon was excellent.

• 1991 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  Very “Gouges” masculine expression of mineral, iron and earth. Mostly black fruit. Excellent concentration and structure but lacks finesse and charm for my palate. Everyone prefers more red fruit and purer expression of the 98 Chevillon LSG. It still doesn't show much sous bois. Not sure how this will evolve.

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• 1998 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Saint Georges 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  Beautifully mature nose displaying sweet red fruit, a hint of sous bois, sautéed cep, sweet spices and earth. Fully integrated palate, nicely layered sweet red fruit, silky and polished, good acidity and mineral, and a long sweet red fruit driven finish with noticeable sous bois at the end. Drinking beautifully.
  
  P.S. The CT ratings are mostly in the high 80s. I am not sure how to reconcile the difference as we all loved the bottle.

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The 98 Rayas showed really well, much better than the last bottle.

• 1998 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 97 Points

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

  Perfectly mature yet youthful nose displaying ripe red fruit, cherry, cherry liqueur, tobacco, garrigue, cigarette bud, sweet spices and mineral. Beautifully integrated palate, very finely layered subtle sweet red fruit, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long sweet cherry fruit driven finish with strong garrigue and cigarette bud at the end. Perhaps the best example of the 98 Rayas for me.

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• 1998 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Marie Beurrier 93 Points

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

  Classic old school “Bonneau”. Expressive nose displaying very ripe black fruit, blackberry jam, black cherry, garrigue, tapenade, tobacco, dark spices and earth. There is a hint of oxidative note which I often get from Bronneaus. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of intense very ripe black fruit, unctuous, very good acidity and earthy mineral and a long ripe black fruit driven finish. With air, better definition and more red fruit emerges. Good showing but all prefer the 98 Raya’s almost Burgundian finesse.

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Incredible precision and focus.

• 2004 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Johannisbrünnchen Riesling Eiswein 95 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Expressive nose displaying incredibly intense and coiled yellow and white fruit, key lime, slightly unripe kiwi, granny smith, pine needle, honey, spicy spices and mineral. Exceptional concentration, slightly coiled concentrated yellow fruit, perfect precision and focus, mouth puckering acidity, strong mineral and a long intense yellow fruit driven finish. Exceptional showing once again.

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Following the tradition, we moved to the main dining area as the diner crowd trickled in and shared the famous burgers. By the time we bid farewell, we solved most of the world problems!