Holiday Dinner - Mostly Rhone

Bijan organized the annual holiday dinner, and for the first time, the theme was not Bordeaux. He did an excellent job coordinating the wines and organizing the flights. The dishes complemented the wines perfectly, and the wine service was flawless, as we have come to expect.

There was also a 2004 Krug, which I didn't have the chance to spend time with. The Soutiran was a pleasant surprise.

• 1999 Soutiran Champagne Grand Cru Collection Privée Brut 94 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Beautifully complex nose, generous yellow fruit, warm and round, fine generous mousse, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a medium to long finish. This is a pleasant surprise, excellent showing.

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• 2015 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  There is a hint of green, more bubbles than the night before. bright yellow fruit with a hint of green, lemon curd and granny smith. Generous medium fine mousse, bright acidity and strong mineral, and a medium long yellow fruit driven finish. This feels a bit disjoined. So far, the '15 Churchill has been inconsistent.

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I don't believe Chapoutier whites improve with age; at least, the risk is too great and the prices too high. The 2012 De L'Oree was too heavy, advanced, and dull. It seems that some of the Vernay Condrieus age more quickly. I'm not sure if this varies by vintage or by bottle. The 1989 and 1990 Sorrel bottles are often not clean, so caveat emptor.

• 2018 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  Expressive nose displaying rich yellow fruit, lychee, apricot, pineapple, lemon oil, beeswax, thyme, spicy spices and mineral. Very good concentration, generous yellow fruit, rich and oily, medium acidity and mineral, and a medium to long oily yellow fruit driven finish with a touch of lychee at the end. This is drinking beautifully. Hugh Johnson wrote in the world atlas of wine that Condrieu should be consumed with a year or two of release. Despite the producer, Georges Vernay, who makes Condrieu wines that age better, the exotic notes of lychee fruit and white flowers are beginning to subside. Nevertheless, it is drinking beautifully.

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• 2016 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon Flawed

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  The color is slightly darker than the other two. Not premoxed but a bit more advanced. Ripe yellow fruit, dry peach and peach marmalade, and caramel dominates. Rich, full and deeply toned. I enjoyed the ‘14 l'Enfer two years ago which had a similar color. Although it is drinkable, the nose is not as interesting as that bott. My rating would be high 80s. Based on the recent notes, this may be flawed, therefore no rating.

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• 2014 Domaine Georges Vernay Condrieu Coteau de Vernon 94 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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• 2012 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Golden color. Strong petrol. Very ripe concentrated yellow fruit. It is drinking a bit like Vin Jaune. I advise not to bid at auction even if super cheap.

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• 1990 Marc Sorrel Hermitage Blanc Les Rocoules Flawed

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  TAC/dirty damp cellar also brett. I have had a number of flawed bottles from the 89 and 90.

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All three expressed the house style. The 1989 Chave is a true classic. The Chapoutier was the most concentrated.

• 1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 98 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Fully mature super complex nose displaying slightly dry generous yet elegant red fruit, strawberry, dry cherry, grilled ribeye, smoke, licorice, tapenade, brown sugar, rose, garrigue, leather, dill and mint. Perfectly mature Burgundian palate, beautifully layered elegant red fruit, airy and fluid, excellent detail and precision, perfect amount of acidity and earthy mineral, and a seamless long elegant red fruit driven finish with smoke and leather at the end. It is deceptively elegant yet super expressive. This is a beautiful Chave that is drinking beautifully.

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• 1989 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 97 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Expressive nose displaying super concentrated red fruit with a hint of black, black cherry, cherry compote, rare steak, caramel, vanilla, sweet spices and mineral. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of rich concentrated black and red fruit, unctuous, rich and full, bright acidity, strong mineral, still noticeable tannins, and a long concentrated rich black and red fruit driven finish. This is a big scale concentrated wine that is built to age. Not as nuance driven at the 89 Chave but richer and more concentrated. Excellent showing.

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• 1989 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Expressive nose displaying ripe black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, fruitcake, roast beef, leather, chocolate, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, generous ripe black fruit, rich, warm and round, bright acidity, earthy mineral, still noticeable but not obtrusive tannins, and a long ripe black fruit driven finish with leather at the end. Although not as complex and detailed as the other two in the flight, it is still very enjoyable.

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They were all very impressive and pleasant surprises. I was really impressed with the 95 Le Pavillon.

• 1995 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 96 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Expressive nose displaying concentrated rich black fruit, blackberry jam, blackberry, cedar, a hint of leather, oak/vanilla, dark spices, mint, garrigue and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of perfectly ripe concentrated black fruit, rich and unctuous, bright acidity, earthy mineral, and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish. I am pleasantly surprised by how good this wine is. The wine to seek at auction.

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• 1995 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 98 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Super expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe, concentrated black fruit, blackberry concentrate, black cherry, licorice, tapenade, garrigue, a hint of oak, and crushed rocks. For my palate, the slight oak note is complementary rather than distracting. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated black fruit, unbelievably rich and opulent, perfect acidity and strong mineral. and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish. I found the wine a bit boring in 2017, but despite its modern style, I find this bottle to be exciting and hedonistic. I really need to open a bottle soon as it is showing incredibly.

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• 1996 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Similar to the 95, but not as concentrated. Rich black fruit, licorice, lavender, tapenade, garrigue, coffee bean, a hint of oak, dark spices and mineral. Very good concentration, nicely layered generous black fruit, rich and full, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long generous black fruit driven finish. Just like the 95, rich and modern.

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• 2001 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Expressive nose displaying very ripe black fruit, blackberry jam, black cherry, fruitcake, and licorice, a hint of iron, tapenade, pepper, dark spices, and minerals. Excellent concentration, generous ripe black fruit, rich, unctuous, and full, bright acidity, strong mineral, slightly coarse tannins, and a long very ripe black fruit driven finish, with a hint of bitterness at the end. This wine seems riper and coarser than the 1995 and 1996.

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Chave Hermitage is my favorite Rhône wine. Although the Chaves were very good, they were equal or less than the La Chapelle and Le Pavillon from the previous flight.

• 2001 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Expressive floral nose displaying concentrated red and black fruit, cherry compote, blackberry, black cherry, beef blood, iron, and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layered ripe black and red fruit, rich and chewy, bright acidity, medium mineral, and a medium to long ripe black and red fruit driven floral finish. This wine clearly expresses the floral note I associate with Chave Hermitage. It is less modern and less concentrated than the Le Pavillons from the previous flight.

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• 2004 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Expressive nose displaying pure red fruit with a hint of black, raspberry, cherry, black cherry, rose, rare steak, black pepper, dark spices and mineral. Very good concentration but not as concentrated as the 01 and the 12, nicely layered red and black fruit, rich yet silky and fluid, nice detail, medium acidity and mineral, and a medium to long sweet red fruit driven finish with a hint of rare steak at the end. This too is drinking nicely.

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• 2012 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Expressive nose displaying concentrated red and black fruit, cherry compote, blackberry, black cherry, tapenade, rose, thyme, dark spices and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated red and black fruit, rich and full, bright acidity, strong mineral, and a long concentrated black and red fruit driven finish with tapenade at the end. The most concentrated, ripe and youthful wine of the flight.

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I was looking forward to the 90 Rayas, but the Cuvee Centenaire stole the show.

• 1990 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire 98 Points

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

  Perfectly mature gorgeous nose displaying perfectly mature sweet red fruit, strawberry jam, cherry liqueur, garrigue, ash, caramel, rare steak, sweet spices and mineral. Perfectly integrated palate, layers upon layers of sweet red fruit, rich and fluid, perfect balance, bright acidity, strong mineral, and a seamless long perfectly ripe red fruit driven finish. Although fully mature and very Burgundian, there is ample fruit to last for a few more decades, becoming even more Burgundian.

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• 1990 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 93 Points

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

  Obviously, mostly anticipated wine of the evening. Medium to shy nose, subtle red fruit, cherry, dry cherry, fruitcake, anise, white pepper, tobacco, sweet spices and earth. Medium concentration, subtle red fruit, very Burgundian, perhaps slightly faded, medium acidity, earthy mineral, and a medium long subtle red fruit driven finish with tobacco and anise at the end. With air, the nose becomes a bit more expressive. The fruit seems to be past its prime. I don’t think it is worth chasing the 90 Rayas as I believe this is a reasonably correct bottle.

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• 2010 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin 96 Points

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

  Expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit, crushed blackberry, blackberry jam, crème de cassis, licorice, a hint of leather, lavender, dark spices and crushed rock. Exceptional concentration, very finely layers concentrated black fruit, rich and opulent, but also excellent balance and purity, bright acidity, strong mineral, very fine tannins, and a long intense black fruit driven finish. Although drinking nicely, it has not developed a lot of tertiary notes and can improve for a couple more decades.

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• 2016 Château d'Yquem 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Expressive nose displaying super concentrated yellow fruit, apricot marmalade, mango, pineapple, lychee, candied ginger, anise, honey, crème brulee, spicy spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of rich concentrated yellow fruit, very thick and opulent, bright acidity, strong mineral, and a long rich concentrated yellow fruit driven finish. This is a big scale concentrated Yquem which is not surprising.

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My sincere gratitude to Bijan for organizing this fun dinner!