Wrap-up dinner at Butterfield9

Washington DC
Tasted Friday, August 12, 2005 by Eric with 1,216 views

Introduction

After a remarkable day of tasting Beaucastel with Robert Parker, we spent the afternoon slowly sipping the leftovers in the lobby of the Latham Hotel. (Plus we ended up popping a 375ml of the 2003 Clos des Papes. Man oh man, this was my best taste yet, a full-throttled and fantastic yound wine). And somehow, miraculously, after 4 hours of this we found some appetite and headed out to our planned dinner at 9pm.

Flight 1 (1 Note)

Some bubbles to start...

Flight 2 (2 Notes)

And then a pair of Chave Blancs that was unfortunately cut in half by the cork monster.

Flight 3 (5 Notes)

Ahhh, now we're onto the great stuff, a series of Chaves and one La Chapelle. Fantastic!

  • 1983 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    This wine had an absolutely gorgeous, almost haunting, nose of smoky bacon and tar with some light floral notes. The palate was light, delicate and fully resolved with Nebbiolo-like notes of dried Rose petal and black cherry. Tart, lightly acidic and definitely drying out, I wouldn't sit on these for a long time. Very enjoyable!

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  • 1988 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Flawed

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Corked!

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  • 1990 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 100 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Wow, this was an utterly fantastic bottle of a truly special wine. I don't think I could ask for more in a Hermitage. I didn't bother to write down any descriptors, as I was simply enjoying this too much. Smoky perfection with loads of fruit, power, mineral and sophistication to spare. Perfect balance. An intellectual wine.

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  • 1995 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Dense, tarry and forbidding, this is very tight and not very expressive right now. With air and a LOT of swirling this did open up a bit to show a deep mass of fruit and a particularly aggressive vein of acidity. This is a WOW wine, but it seems to be at least 5 years from even being close to ready.

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  • 1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    This was a difficult showing for a great wine. Muddled, bloody but also dark and ungiving. Tough showing.

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Flight 4 (2 Notes)

We finished up with a pair of extra wines, and oh boy the last Beaucastel of the weekend may have been the best!

  • 1990 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin 100 Points

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

    Well it's a good day when you can have this wine TWICE in the same day! The first bottle was impressive, but this bottle was just off the charts, everything I could ever think to ask for in a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. What really blew me away about the bottle tonight was just how, open, complex an expressive it was, a crazy melange of spices, roasted meat, cherry, blood, all delivered in a rich, deep, chewy package that is loaded with fruit, structure, nice acidity and delineation. Man oh man, unreal!

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  • 2002 Sine Qua Non Grenache More Than a Number

    USA, California

    Sweet fruit, almost Aussie-like, yet this is just not a wine that could be enjoyed given its peer group. Any other day perhaps. Give this one a while, as it is just too primary and sweet right now.

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Closing

This was a great way to cap off a remarkable weekend.

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