LdC 4th Annual Truffle Dinner

Primehouse
Tasted Friday, January 9, 2009 by winefool with 1,231 views

Introduction

Our fourth annual white truffle extravaganza wasn't scheduled until January this year due to difficulties getting a date that worked in the fall. Alas, we basically missed the bulk of truffle season and so there was some last minute scrambling and drama on the truffle front. As it ended up we found some decent white truffle (not great) but about half the courses were black truffle instead.

As usual, it was a stunning lineup of wines, many of which showed very well. But to me, there was just something slightly 'off' for the evening (root day?) with an unusually high percentage of bad bottles and some that should have showed better than they did.

Still fun as always, just not quite to the same level of hedonism and excitement of the past.

We started with several high-end champagnes (Krug, etc) but I didn't grab notes on them.

Flight 1 - Scallops a la Joseph - sweet pea puree, mushrooms, white truffle foam (4 Notes)

Unfortunately the L'Oree wines were served first and were not quite chilled enough so an already 'warm' wine showed even warmer....

  • 1994 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée 91 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Full yellow color. Full nose of straw yellow fruit and mineral. Big yellow fruit with butterscotch and spice notes. Maybe a nut oil note? 91-2 pts.

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  • 1995 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée 90 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Full golden color. Big rich sweet perfume with an apple pie note. Full glycerin palate with a warm butterscotch note and a bitter finish. Odd that this showed so much worse than the more recent tasting from mag. These were also served a bit warm which probably didn't help.

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  • 1999 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Full yellow color. Forward note of yellow fruit and lanolin iwth zingy tea-like notes. Lovely balanced sweet yellow fruit wtih a hint of anise. Nice complexity and balance. The best of this mini-vertical.

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  • 2000 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée 92 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Medium yellow color. Rich nose of floral perfume with a hint of sweet - great complexity. More restrained tight spicy yellow fruit with a prickly perfume note on the finish.

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Flight 2 - Root Vegetable "Minestrone" Soup - white truffle dumplings (4 Notes)

  • 1994 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand 94 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    Full golden color. Rich big round petrol nose with sweetness. Mmmn, big juicy mature reilsing notes with petrol hints. A touch of orange. Very nice.

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  • 1999 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand 93 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    Full electric yellow color. Lovely round petrol yellow fruit nose with perfume notes. Nice sweetish rich palate with tight butterscotch notes.

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  • 2000 Marcel Deiss Altenberg de Bergheim 92 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    Full golden color. Full psicy nose of caramel yellow fruit with a hint of orange. Rich mouthfeel with tight orange peel notes. Some sweetness with a hint of bitter on the finish.

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  • 2000 Marcel Deiss Schoenenbourg 91 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    Medium golden color. Medim clean nose with a hint of perfume and banana. Big forward sweet somewhat tight palate with an orange tint. 91-92 pts.

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Flight 3 - Lobster Ragout - white truffle polenta, brussel sprout leaves, brown butter, chestnuts (5 Notes)

  • 2000 Marc Colin et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

    Full yellow color with green hints. Full spicy tight nose of yellow fruit and forest fern. Nice rich sweet yellow fruit with a long tight finish. Nice.

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  • 1996 Michel Colin-Deléger et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

    Medium yellow color. Huge nose of oaky rich yellow fruit with a hint of spice. Nice tight zingy yellow fruit with good acidity and a nutmeg note.

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  • 1996 Michel Colin-Deléger et Fils Bâtard-Montrachet 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

    Full yellow color. Full nose of butterscotch and mineral. Almost tight yellow fruit with good extract and acidity, just a step behind the Chevy...

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  • 1976 Louis Latour Montrachet 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

    Pale golden copper color. Medium nose of bright zingy mature yellow fruit. Wow - oozing complexity with notes of butterscotch and a long finsih with good earth and mineral.

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  • 1939 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet 96 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

    Hand carried from the cellars at Bouchard by KM, this was a singular wine to taste! Full golden color with very little darkening at all. Beguiling subtle nose of white truffle and mushroom. Mmmn, soft full thick moutfeel with round sweet(!?) fruit on a medium finish. A really lovely that wine that shone even brighter with the food.

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Flight 4 - Thumper & Babe - rabbit loin spring roll, celery root slaw, white truffles, cripy pork belly, applesauce, white truffles (2 Notes)

Flight 5 - Seared Foie Gras - prosciutto, pears, red wine syrup, arugula, black truffles (3 Notes)

Flight 6 - Cavetelli Pasta - rich quail ragout, black truffles (2 Notes)

  • 1961 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Soft crimson red color. Nice mature PLL nose with sour cherry and some sous bois. Medium sharp red fruit on the palate with a note of iodine. This bottle was good, not great.

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  • 1961 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Soft crimson color. Full nose of red cherry and barnyard with a nice spiciness. Lovely floral red currant palate with a firm long finish remaining. Nice. 94+ pts.

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Flight 7 - Smoked Ahi Tuna Rossini - cured foie gras, stewed vegetables, black truffle (3 Notes)

Flight 8 - Venison Loin - potato mushroom hash, green been salad, black truffle (2 Notes)

Flight 9 - Cheese with accoutrements (2 Notes)

  • 1994 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único 93 Points

    Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

    Opaque deep red color. Brighter redder fruit with a bright slightly hot note on the nose. Big tight black fruit with coffee and spice notes and bright acidity. Still a baby. 93-94 pts.

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  • 1970 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único 94 Points

    Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

    Full cherry red color. Beguiling nose of cola spice red fruit with bright black fruit notes as well. Lovely spicey red and black fruit on the palate with great complexity. This one is drinking a point. 94-95 pts.

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Flight 10 - Extra Wines (2 Notes)

  • 1959 Château Brane-Cantenac 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Medium garnet color. Lovely rich spicy earthy mineral nose. Lovely red fruit and spice with good structure - nice. 93-94 pts.

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  • 1978 Quinta do Noval Porto Vintage Nacional 95 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    Pale crimson color. Nice nose of rose red fruit and porty heat with chocolate notes. Mmmn, wow. Lovely round sweet red spicy structured sour cherry on the palate. Perfectly balanced - nice.

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