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The Greatest Pig Roast Ever??
Chicagoland
Tasted May 22, 2010 by MatthewF with 1,181 views
Introduction
A group of about 25 of us all met in the suburbs to celebrate a friends birthday with some roasted pig (among many other foods) and great wine.
Flight 1 - Some Whites to begin with and for the first and second courses. (10 notes)
Assorted Cheeses and Breads
Crab Cakes over Mixed Greens
Roasted Halibut with Citrus Salad
White - Sparkling
N.V. Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Tradition Brut
Toasty nose with lemon and ripe pear notes. Fine bubbles on the rich palate. Medium plus finish. A very nice Champagne.
White
2000 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet
From 6L Bottle. Yellow with a youthful green hue. Powerful aromatics of citrus, white flower, and mineral. Creamy lemon palate with beautiful minerality and great acid. Absolutely delicious and so very youthful.
White
1996 Pierre Morey Bâtard-Montrachet
From 1.5L Bottle. Started off somewhat oxidized, but after 20 min or so that went away. Juicy lime on both the nose and palate with some toasty nut notes as well. Lush, full bodied palate with a moderate plus finish and nice minerality. Very nice.
White
2006 Yves Boyer-Martenot Meursault 1er Cru Charmes
Ripe citrus notes on the nose with some peach as well. Lush lemon palate, medium bodied, moderate acidity and finish. Very pretty mineral notes throughout.
White
2002 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir
Crisp lemon, asian pear, and green apple on the nose with crushed stone. Mineral driven palate with the same fruits. Medium bodied with a lengthy finish. Very nice.
White
2007 Domaine Berthelemot Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc
Citrus/ripe peach on the nose with nut notes. Medium bodied, moderate finish. Some nice mineral notes. A nice wine, but got lost with the other whites.
White
2000 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard
Slight golden yellow color. Lemon custard, toasty nuts, and smoke on the nose and palate. Full bodied, creamy yellow fruit palate, long finish. Very nice, though I would like to see a bit more acidity.
White - Off-dry
2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese
Ripe apple and juicy peach nose with petrol notes and stone. Lush, ripe fruit on the palate with great mineral backbone. Medium plus bodied with a long finish. Delicious and very youthful.
White
2003 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc
From 1.5L Bottle. Ripe, waxy fruits on the nose with marzipan notes. Rich, oily, full bodied palate. Mineral backbone with a long finish.
White
2000 Sine Qua Non Roussanne The Hussy
From 1.5L Bottle. Orange marmalade nose with petrol, smoke, and vanilla. Waxy fruit on the palate. Full bodied and showing its alcohol; a bit out of balance. Medium finish.
Flight 2 - A "Birthyear Flight" (2 notes)
Red
1964 M. Chapoutier Hermitage
Aromatics of primarily dried red fruits, earth, and animal. Soft on the palate; tannins are gone, time to drink up. Fun to try.
Red
1964 Château Angélus
Dirt and dried red fruit on the nose. A touch of old leather. Some pretty fruit on the palte, but I felt it was a bit too dried out. Fun to try.
Flight 3 - 1st Burgundy Flight (3 notes)
Red
1998 Domaine Anne Gros Richebourg
Very pretty red raspberry nose with brown spice notes. Elegant and soft upfront on the palate with a good bit of grip on the finish. Medium plus body with a long finish. Much better than the last bottle I had.
Red
2001 Domaine Anne Gros Richebourg
Red raspberry, blue fruits, and dark spice on the nose. The same fruit on the firm, mineral driven palate. Great structure and still pretty young; great grip on the long finish.
Red
2007 Domaine Anne Gros Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui
Smokey, dark red/black cherry and plum with dark spice and earth notes. Firm fruit on the palate; medium plus body; medium plus finish. Firm tannins. I've had this about 3 times since my original barrel tasting and it keeps gaining weight each time. Very nice.
Flight 4 - 2nd Burgundy Flight (4 notes)
Red
2006 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots
Dark red/black fruits and earth on the nose. Powerful palate with chewy black fruits and earth. Nice weight; moderate finish. A very nice wine, but got overshadowed by the other wines surrounding it tonight.
Red
2007 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots
Pretty dark fruit aromatics. Lighter than the '06 served alongside. Some violet notes as well. Firm palate; medium bodied, medium finish. Firm mineral backbone. Nice, but was definitely overshadowed by the other wines tonight.
Red
2006 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles
Dense, sappy dark fruits, spice, and earth. The same elements on the palate as well. Medium plus body and finish. Lots of mineral and structure. As with the other Chevillon's tonight, a very good wine, but overshadowed.
Red
2007 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles
Sappy red fruits, spice, and some floral characteristics. Firm fruits on the palate, great spice throughout. Medium body and medium plus finish. Nice texture to the wine. Lots of backbone.
Flight 5 - The Impromptu Rousseau Flight (5 notes)
One of the guest who arrived late, brought the 90, 91, 98, so it was decided that a 99 was also needed.
And you can't have Beze without some Chambertin as well...
Red
1990 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Very aromatic. Sappy, primary red fruit nose with a touch of pretty earth and great spice. Powerful palate, nice grip on the long finish. Fantastic wine.
Red
1991 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Highly aromatic red fruits and forest floor nose with some spice in the background. The same on the palate. Great texture with no hard edges. Great acidity on the lengthy finish. Beautiful.
Red
1998 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Ripe dark fruit, spice, and game on the nose. Very firm on the palate, but somewhat giving with lush dark red berries and spice all throughout. Medium plus body and finish. Very youthful.
Red
1999 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Popped and poured. Dark berries, game, spice on the nose with a noticable dose of sulfur. Firm palate, huge mineral backbone, long finish with a good bit of grip. Great elements that have not come 100% together. Hope to see this again in about 10 years...
Red
2003 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin
Powerful dark red and blue fruit notes with some clove and other brown spice. Floral too. Ripe, fruit forward palate; great texture and a long gripping finish. Lots of structure. Gorgeous wine.
Flight 6 - Large Format Intermezzo (1 note)
Red
1976 Georges Lignier et Fils Clos St. Denis
From 3L Bottle. Cranberry, earth/ herbal notes on the nose. Very high acidity. Not enjoyable at all on the palate. Past its prime.
Flight 7 - The Bordeaux (3 notes)
Red
1996 Château Valandraud
From 1.5L Bottle. Smokey, dark plum and cocoa nose with a touch of wet tobacco. Lush fruits on the palate, Medium plus body, great texture, long gripping finish.
Red
1998 Château Ausone
From 1.5L Bottle. Very elegant dark plum and berry notes with some cocoa and floral notes as well. Medium plus body, great texture and fine tannins on the lengthy finish. Quite young, but drinking very well.
Red
1995 Château Léoville Las Cases
From 1.5L Bottle. Elegant red currant and plum nose with tobacco and graphite as well. Classic Bordeaux. Pretty, sweet fruits on the palate, mineral backbone, fine tannins on the long finish. Youthful and absolutely delicious.
Flight 8 - A Couple of California Cabs (2 notes)
Red
2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon 25th Anniversary SunSpot Vineyard
From 1.5L Bottle. Very ripe nose and palate of black currant and berry with tobacco, graphite, and oak notes. Full bodied with a tannic finish. Nice acidity to the wine.
Red
1996 Harlan Estate
From 1.5L Bottle. On the nose, sweet currants, plum, wet tobacco, vanilla. The same on the palate with some mineral notes. Full bodied with great texture. Long finish. Fine tannin. Quite nice.
Flight 9 - The "Big Time" Chateauneuf du Pape Flight (4 notes)
Red
2007 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Sanctus Sanctorum
From 1.5L Bottle. Powerful red and blue fruits on the nose with game and savory herb notes as well. Intense, full bodied palate of ripe (almost syrupy) fruits. Crushed rock as well. Long finish. Tannic, but very accessable. Very good and fun to try.
Red
2003 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina
From 1.5L Bottle. Intense dark red/almost black fruit nose. Savory herb, earth, crushed stone. Ripe palate, full bodied with lots of length. Showing its alcohol and perhaps a bit too ripe. Not my style of wine, but always fun to try.
Red
2000 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée da Capo
From 1.5L Bottle. Ripe dark red and blue fruits on the nose. Damp earth, game, savory herb and spice. Ripe palate as well, mineral notes, full bodied, long finish. Very nice and much better than a 750ml bottle a couple months ago.
Red
2000 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins
Meaty black cherries and blue berries with earth and savory herbs and spice. Good balance of fruit and earth on the palate with a moderate plus finish. Nice acidity as well. Very good wine.
Flight 10 - On to the Northern Rhone (2 notes)
Red
1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle
Faint dark fruit, meat and spice on the nose and palate. Medium body and finish. Seemed to lack structure and energy. Didn't really do much for me. Others thought this particular bottle to be over the hill.
Red
1998 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle
From 1.5L Bottle. Much more vibrant nose than the 90 served alongside. Firm, spicy dark fruit, roasted meat, and earth on the nose. Frim fruits on the palate as well with a great mineral component. A lot of backbone to the wine. Moderate plus finish. Young and quite good.
Flight 11 - Older Bordeaux (2 notes)
One of the guest mentioned not getting to try older Bordeaux that often, so voila! They appeared...
Red
1918 Château Cos d'Estournel
A brownish red color. Dirty, acidic palate. Unfortunately no life left to it.
Red
1961 Château Lynch-Bages
Brickish color. Dirty decaying fruit on the nose. Lean, acidic palate with no fruit. Too bad, as the others I've had over the past year have been pretty good.
Flight 12 - Because you can't end the reds on a sour note...and...there's always room for more Burgundy! (4 notes)
Red
1999 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
Firm dark red fruits on the nose with some floral notes. Shut down on the palate and only giving a glimpse of fruit. Huge backbone and gripping tannins. This will be great one day...
Red
2007 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses
Intense red/black berry and cherry on the nose. Dark floral notes as well. Expansive fruit on the palate. Has put on much more weight since the last time I had it. Lots of structure to the wine. Firm tannins with a long finish. Really great wine.
Red
2002 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny
Firm dark red cherries and raspberry with mineral on the nose. The palate was not very giving right now; some dark fruits and spice, but a firm backbone of minerality. Gripping tannin. Long finish. Great potential here.
Red
2002 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Musigny
Wow. Dark red/almost black berry fruit, plum, and spice (clove, cinnamon) on the nose. Expansive on the palate with a firm backbone to it. Very long finish with lots of grip. Amazingly good for just being popped and poured. Absolutely delicious. Definitely a strong contender for wine of the night.
Flight 13 - Sauternes Flight (4 notes)
To go with the cakes
White - Sweet/Dessert
1988 Château Climens
From 750ml. Slight golden color. Not overly powerful aromatics; baked lemon and peach with a touch of vanilla. Lush palate with a decent finish, but the acidity was a bit out of balance compared to the rest of the Sauternes flight. A nice wine, but not at the same level as the others.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1988 Château Rieussec
From 750ml. Golden yellow color. Much more depth on the nose than the 88 Climens served alongside. Baked apricot, peach, with a good dose of vanilla and honey. Lush and expansive on the palate. The same roasted/baked fruits and vanilla notes. Lots of body to the wine and nice acidity. Long lingering finish.
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White - Sweet/Dessert
1988 Château d'Yquem
From 750ml. Golden color. Honeyed tropical fruit and apricot on the nose. Vanilla creme brulee aromas. Very rich and expansive on the palate. Wonderful fruit and very good acidity. Extremely long finish. Easily the best of the 88 Sauternes flight.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2001 Château Rieussec
From 375ml. Very fresh on the nose. Honeysuckles, juicy ripe apricots, and orange peel. Vibrant fruits on the palate with great cleansing acidity and firm minerality. Lots of energy to this wine. Absolutely beautiful.
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Flight 14 - One More Sweet Wine... (1 note)
Red
1997 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cabernet Alzero
Very powerful aromatics of fig, dark plums, raisin and chocolate. Coats the entire palate. Full bodied with a long tanninc finish.
Closing
Without a doubt, an absolutely fantastic evening. Thank you to all who came, shared, drank, ate, and drank some more...