Pizza Making Wine Dinner

This was a great idea for a casual, Labor Day Weekend gathering--a pizza bake off, between two experienced and talented amateur pizza makers. I'm proud to have these talented guys in our midst. Jayaram hosted, the rest of us brought side dishes, salads and wine, and Jayaram and Jake traded off producing several handmade pizzas each. They were very different: Jayaram's were artistically arranged, lighter and vegetarian, while Jake's tended to the cheesier, meatier, more traditionally delicious style. Both were great. And the wines were good too. My favorite white was the '02 Pernot Les Folatieres, my Italian WOTN was the Aglianico, and my overal WOTN, easily, was the '76 Climens. Fun times!

• 2007 Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 91 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Light yellow color; stone fruit, peach nose; tasty, tart peach, nectarine, green and yellow apple palate with spritz; medium finish

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• 1999 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 77 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  Oxidized, hazelnut and sherry nose; oxidized, sherried palate; medium-plus finish

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• 2002 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Folatières 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Bright light yellow color; nice mineral, lemon, lemon peel nose; creamy textured lemon, mineral, ripe lemon, lemon zest palate; medium-plus finish

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• 2002 Domaine Matrot Meursault Les Chevalières 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Light medium butter yellow color; creamy sweet lemon nose; ripe, creamy textured, lemon, mineral, ripe grapefruit palate with good underlying acidity and glycerin; medium finish 91+ pts.

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• 1996 Domaine Prieuré Roch Vosne-Romanée Le Clos Goillotte 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  Cloudy, bricked, light medium brown red color; nice strawberry, cranberry nose; light bodied tart strawberry, cranberry palate, with a freshness that belies the mature-looking color; medium finish

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• 1993 Domaine Darviot-Perrin Volnay 1er Cru La Gigotte 86 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  Medium bricking red color with clear meniscus; nice mature nose of strawberry, tobacco, cranberry and sous bois; backward and tight on the palate in contrast to the giving nose, tart red fruit with high acidity; medium finish

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• 2002 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Vista Verde Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, San Benito County

  Medium red color with pale meniscus; rich cherry nose; tasty, ripe cherry, berry, caramel palate; medium finish 90+ pts.

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• 2003 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Coastlands Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; big cherry, berry, plum nose ripe cherry, berry, vanilla palate, a little tight yet; medium finish

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• 2005 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Bucher Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  Medium cherry red color with clear meniscus; big cherry, baked cherry, strawberry pie nose; ripe cherry, berry, cherry pie and rhubarb palate; medium finish

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Everything from Cesanese to Chianti to Brunello and Barolo, with an Aglianico del Vulture finish

• 2005 Campagnia di Ermes Cesanese di Olevano Romano 91 Points

  Italy, Latium, Cesanese di Olevano Romano

  Dark garnet red color with pale meniscus; tart berry, charcoal nose; very tart, light-medium bodied, red fruit, berry and charcoal palate; medium finish

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• 1997 Poderi di Stignano Chianti Classico San Vicenti 91 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Dark crimson bricking red color; dried cherry, berry, herb nose; same on palate, tasty, with sweet tannins; medium-plus finish

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• 2000 Fratelli Revello Barolo Vigna Conca 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Dark garnet red color with clarity; tart berry, herbal, red fruit nose; tight, tart cherry, dried cherry, red fruit and sage palate; medium-plus finish 90+ pts.

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• 1997 Casanuova delle Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Dark red violet color with pale meniscus; cassis, mint, berry nose; tasty, youthful, tart red fruit, cassis, charcoal, herbal palate; medium-plus finish

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• 1999 Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino 92 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  Dark red violet color with pale meniscus; cassis, currant, berry and tart plum nose; tight but good cassis and graphite palate with dusty tannins, needs several years; medium-plus finish

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• 1999 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico 90 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  Bricking dark tomato red color with pale meniscus; nice dried berry, berry, herb nose; silky textured, tart berry, cranberry palate with good acidity; medium finish 90+ pts.

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• 2001 Bisceglia Aglianico del Vulture Riserva 92 Points

  Italy, Basilicata, Aglianico del Vulture

  Dark red violet color; nice spicy cassis, berry, plum, sage and charcoal nose; tasty casis, berry, sage, charcoal palate, tight yet; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

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• 2004 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley

  Opaque dark red violet color; black fruit, berry, tar, licorice nose; big, tight, black fruit, berry, green peppercorn, chocolate, tar palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (needs five or more years)

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• 1976 Château Climens 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

  Bright medium orange color with red lights and clear meniscus; nice mature, VA, orange, hazelnut, vanilla, caramel and creme brulee nose; tasty, orange creme brulee, orange cream palate with good acidity; long finish 95+ pts.

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