Farewell Dinner for Colin at Joe and Bonnie's

Bonnie and Joe's Home, Amalfi Drive, Los Angeles
Tasted Saturday, October 18, 2008 by rjonwine@gmail.com with 605 views

Introduction

This was a delightful dinner at Joe and Bonnie's beautiful home, featuring Bonnie's stunning cooking and some rather exotic wines. The wine exotica was a fitting tribute to Colin, to whom we were wishing bon voyage (he's off to Taiwan and points east for 6 months), as Colin is a pretty exotic and unusual young wine expert. What I count as a little exotic included an '02 Baron de L de Ladoucette (Colin poured it blind and I took it as a mature Dagueneau); the Chateau Palmer XIX Historical blend, with Syrah; a 1962 L'Heritier-Guyot Chambertin Le Chambertin (which I could find no other notes about anywhere), and our 1895 Blandy's Verdelho LU. Our delicious meal included two helpings of soft-boiled egg, creme fraiche and caviar, double servings of foie gras, tempura with uni, and delicious braised ox tails. Yum!
Bonnie and Colin (photo by Joseph Wong):
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Flight 1 - Champagne flight (2 Notes)

These were both terrific Champagnes (and I had just tasted over 55 Champagnes at K&L that afternoon). The Bollinger LD had a little more complexity and minerality for my taste.
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Martin, David and Carol:
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Flight 2 - White flight (3 Notes)

I had never had the Baron de L before, so that was a great treat, ,although it needs a couple more years to really show everything it hints at. The Batard-Montrachet, on the other hand, is drinking well now.
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Flight 3 - Bordeaux Flight (2 Notes)

Very youthful but tasty wines. The Kirwan is the best I've had from that Chateau.
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  • 2002 Château Margaux 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Dark red violet color; lavender, cassis and plum nose; tasty, black fruit and lavender palate; medium finish 92+ pts.

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  • 2005 Château Kirwan 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Dark red violet color; tart plum, berry and French vanilla nose; ripe, rich plum, blackberry and black fruit palate; medium finish

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Flight 4 - Sauternes and Foie Gras (1 Note)

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A great Climens, drinkable now but with a long way to go.

  • 1990 Château Climens 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

    Medium apricot color; tart apricot and kumquat nose; rich apricot, kumquat palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 94+ pts.

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Flight 5 - Unusual Reds (4 Notes)

A very fun flight. The Palmer blend with Hermitage is a baby, but very tasty now. The '62 Chambertin was holding up well for its 46 years. The '95 Ausone was elegant and deep. The oxtails were a great pairing.
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  • NV Château Palmer Historical XIXth Century Blend L.20.04. 93 Points

    France, Vin de Table Français

    Crimson red color; rich, redolent, sexy cassis nose with a sense of Rutherford dust; rich cassis and plum palate; medium-plus finish (blend of 85% 2004 Palmer fruit and 15% Hermitage Syrah)

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  • 2001 Chapelle d'Ausone 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Dark red violet color; black fruit and herbal nose; tart black fruit and coffee palate; medium finish

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  • 1962 L'Heritier-Guyot Chambertin 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

    Bricking red violet with pale meniscus; mature red fruit and shitake mushroom nose; rich, chaptalized tart raspberry, berry, mushroom and black fruit palate; medium-plus finish

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  • 1995 Château Ausone 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Dark red violet color; rich, gorgeous cassis, plum and black fruit nose; lovely, elegant, tart cassis, black fruit and herbal palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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Flight 6 - Vintage Madeira (1 Note)

Martin and I had enjoyed half of this bottle with our Saturday lunch gang. Many thanks to Sid Greenberg who generously brought it to lunch, and let me hang on to the bottle to savor further at the end of this lovely dinner. I still don't know what the "LU" designation on this bottle means. I've never seen it before. Any suggestions are welcome. This was a classic and near perfect, tart vintage Verdelho.
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  • 1893 Blandy's Madeira Verdelho Lù 96 Points

    Portugal, Madeira

    Medium dark orange color with yellow meniscus and red lights; big tea and carmelized lemon nose with VA; wonderfully dry and very deep, tart lemon, preserved lemon, tart blood orange and tart clementine palate; long finish (excellent Verdelho; odd designation on white painted "label" is "LU")

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Closing

Many thanks for a memorable time to our generous hosts--Chef Bonnie and Joe:
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