Rhone Winetasting December B'day Dinner at Keith's

This group gets together periodically for theme tasting dinners, but I think it's pretty clear at this point that our favorite theme is Rhone. A Rhone feast therefore seemed a fitting way to celebrate the birthday month of several of our usual members this year. Keith hosted at his lovely place in the Potrero Hill area of San Francisco. As usual, we had a lot of excellent wine, and our potluck yielded impressive dishes, with the centerpiece being our delicious Flannery steaks. Our 8 flights included a white Rhone flight, Chateauneuf du Papes, Cote Roties, Hermitages and SQNs. The highlights of the evening for me, besides the great food, were the '90 Beaucastel (showing extremely well, in Christine's honor), the '00 Cuvée de mon Aïeul, the '05 SQN Atlantis, and our '66 Krohn Porto Colheita. We were plagued by probably more than our share of corked and flawed bottles, but there was still plenty of great vino to celebrate being another year older.

Delicious starters with this flight included some fabulous cheeses, pata negra from Los Gatos Gourmet, and a salad with smoked shrimp, arugula and dandelion greens.

• 2007 Alban Vineyards Viognier Alban Estate Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  Light medium canary yellow color; floral, white flower, pineapple and tropical fruit nose; tasty, creamy, stone fruit, mineral palate; medium-plus finish

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• 2005 E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu

  Light medium yellow color; floral, sage honey, clove and French vanilla nose; tasty, sage-infused minerally stone fruit, with light oily texture; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (great with our smoke shrimp salad)

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• 2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc La Crau 92 Points

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

  Light medium yellow color; lovely floral, hyacinth and lemon cream nose; concentrated, minerally, citrus and grapefruit palate; medium-plus finish

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Gary made pigs in a blanket, which were particularly tasty with the Maille mustard that Keith brings back in small crocks from Paris twice a year.

• 1990 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 96 Points

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

  From magnum - medium cherry red color with clarity and pale meniscus; gorgeous garrigue, liquid pepper, smokehouse smoke nose; great, youthful tart cherry, garrigue and white pepper palate, with depth and soul; medium-plus finish 96+ pts.

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• 1998 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac 93 Points

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

  From magnum - medium slightly bricking violet with light floating sediment; ripe, deep, black cherry, plum, berry, port and chocolate nose; good, tart berry, black fruit, tart cherry and garrigue palate with a touch of cola; medium-plus finish

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A good flight, with the exception of a terribly flawed Saint-Cosme, accompanied by Christine's delicious wild mushroom risotto.

• 1988 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Cloudy, bricking, medium raspberry red color with pale meniscus; bring, beef stew and brett nose, that changes to a mushroom and pepper nose after 30 minutes in the glass; smoky, roast beef and pepper palate; medium-plus finish

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• 1996 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Medium red color with pale meniscus; nice pepper, smoke and dried roast beef nose; youthful, balanced, tart black fruit, pepper and smoky meat jus palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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• 2005 Michel & Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Medium dark cherry red color; nice, herbaceous, olive and roasted meat nose; tasty, ripe, tart plum, berry, mineral, pepper and charcoal palate; medium finish 92+ pts.

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• 2003 Saint Cosme Côte-Rôtie 72 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Medium violet color with pale meniscus; big, baked watermelon, vinegar, tar and acetone nose; thin, raspberry vinegar, earthy, hopefully faulty

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Time for those Flannery rib eyes and NY steaks. The strongest in this flight, which was probably the weakest of our flights, was the Jaboulet.

• 1990 E. Guigal Hermitage 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Medium red color with pale meniscus; mature black fruit, mushroom and beef jus nose; dense, youthful, tart black fruit, berry and smoke palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.

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• 1985 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne 84 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Slightly bricking medium red color with clear meniscus; earthy, mushroom, mature nose; a little maderized, ripe plum and oak palate; medium finish

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• 1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage

  Dark red violet color; nice, mature, shitake mushroom and smoke nose; tasty, focused, tart, herbal, black fruit, sage and graphite palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

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• 1990 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Medium cherry red color with clear meniscus; ripe, sweet black fruit, plum and berry nose; nice tart black fruit, plum, berry, garrigue and lavender palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

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A good flight of younger CdP, but the Usseglio stood out.

• 2000 Domaine de Beaurenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Boisrenard 92 Points

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

  Dark red violet color; intriguing lavender and deep black fruit nose; deep, rich, but balanced black fruit, plum, graphite and liquid pepper palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

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• 2000 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul 94 Points

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

  Medium red violet color; earthy, garrigue, pepper, black fruit and graphite nose; tart, garrigue, tart black fruit and charcoal palate with high acidity; medium-plus finish 94+ pts.

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• 2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 Points

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

  From magnum - dark red violet color; smoky, high pitched, herbal and lavender nose; tasty, focused, smoky, garrigue, spicy black fruit and graphite palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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The SQN Papa was unfortunately badly corked, but the Atlantis was singing.

• 2005 Sine Qua Non Syrah Atlantis Fe2O3~1a, b & c 95 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Dark red violet color; very peppery, black fruit nose; tasty, concentrated, cold climate Syrah: deep, ripe black fruit and pepper palate; long finish

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• 2003 Sine Qua Non Syrah Papa Flawed

  USA, California, Central Coast

  Dark red violet color; corked nose and corked palate

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• 2007 Domaine Gramenon Côtes du Rhône Sierra du Sud 82 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Opaque black dark red violet; carbonic maceration, black fruit and herbal nose; carbonic maceration, herbal, black fruit palate, rather dull; medium finish

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• 2005 Saxum James Berry Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Dark red violet color; nice berry, licorice and herbal nose; very concentrated and deep black fruit and charcoal palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

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• 1966 Karthäuserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Sang Riesling Spätlese 89 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Bright medium canary yellow color; mature, mineral, grapefruit and herbal nose; sweet grapefruit and mineral palate; medium finish

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More treats with our hazelnut birthday cake from Patisserie Philippe.

• 1966 Krohn Porto Colheita 94 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Light medium brown color with pale meniscus; lovely coffee and toffee nose; rich, mature, coffee, toffee and caramel palate; long finish

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• 1995 M. Chapoutier Hermitage Vin de Paille 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Light orange color with clear meniscus; Loire-ish, brown sugar, botrytis nose; brown sugar, dried apricot, rounded, botrytis palate; long finish

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• 2003 Sine Qua Non Chardonnay Mr. K The Noble Man 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  Medium orange color with red and gold lights; tangerine, honey, mahogany and orange nose; concentrated, deep, tangerine, blood orange palate with low acidity; long finish

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This was such a delightful evening, I'm wondering if it should become an annual event. After all, I'm assuming Christine, Bill, Al and Keith plan to keep having birthdays. ;)