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Mostly Blind dinner - 88 Krug, 02 Boillot Monty, 02 Laurent CdB, 89 Palmer, 96 Yquem and etc.
Black Salt, Washington DC
Tasted July 9, 2015 by dcwino with 704 views
Introduction
David E organized another wonderful wine dinner for 8. This time, all wines except the MV Krug were served single blind. The sous Chef created a wonderful tasting menu that was perhaps the best I had at Black Salt.
Flight 1 - Champagne (3 notes)
Initially I preferred the MV which was one of the best versions of this wine I had. However the 88 Krug improved dramatically with air and flirted with perfection at the end of the night.
White - Sparkling
2002 Pommery Champagne Cuvée Louise Brut
93 points
Oh boy this is dry. My guess is a grower’s champagne with 0 dosage. The overall fruit expression reminds me the 02 Dom in some ways. Fresh nose displaying white fruits, apple, a hint of pear, lemon curd, white flowers and mineral. Very good concentration, fresh fruit driven palate impression, slightly coarse mousse, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity and bone dry finish. The finish is extremely dry and gives a bit of bitter impression. Really fresh and darn dry. Need a few more years of cellaring to soften but already very enjoyable.
White - Sparkling
1988 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
98 points
I can’t help but notice the Krug bottle shape. Pop and pour, very oxidative impression but not madeirized in anyways. A hint of Vin Jaune, brioche, smoke and tarte tatin. The overall impression seems a bit advanced. Quite full palate, warm and round, ripe sweet yellow fruit driven palate impression, fine mousse, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity and lovely long finish. It improves dramatically with air becoming more delicate and fresher. With two hours of air, complex and beguiling nose displaying sweeter yet fresher and more delicate yellow fruits, apricot, orange peel, lanoline, brioche, smoke, honey and sweet spices. The palate becomes incredibly silky and polished. The best is the last drop! I highly recommend giving an hour or two of air. This is a great example of fully mature Krug that needs a lot of air. It starts around 93 and gets up all the way to 98pts! My guess was 79 or 90.
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White - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée
96 points
I tried a bottle of 20+ year old MV, ie a 30 year old MV, a couple years ago and rated 97pts. This is another great example of a fully mature MV, demonstrating the benefit of cellaring them. Beautiful golden color that you get in a fully mature Champagne, foretelling what is to come. Beautiful fully mature yet very youthful nose displaying a hint of red currants, apricots, yellow peach, honey, ginger candy, toffee and brioche. Perfectly integrated overall palate impression, sweet yellow pit fruits and a hint of orange peel, round yet cool, good acidity and lovely clean sweet finish. It is fully mature yet without any oxidative notes. Compare to the 88 in the same flight, the palate is slightly less delicate and the nose is slightly less complex. Nevertheless, this is a very complete champagne with exceptional balance. I initially rate this higher than the 88. Just incredibly enjoyable.
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Flight 2 - Two whites (2 notes)
The Y seemed very tight. The Muscadet was really good, a serious wine.
White
2009 Y de Yquem
93 points
RJ has generously shared this a few times so I am able to make an educated guess. Based on the ripe expression I can also guess the vintage. However, this seems to shut down a bit, ie not as expressive and fruit driven, and showing noticeable heat which makes me to second guess myself. A bit coiled nose displaying banana, grapefruit, lemon peel candy, crème brulee, saline, mineral and noticeable alcohol. Excellent concentration, sweet yellow fruit driven palate impression, mineral, no noticeable acidity and slightly hot finish. This bottle is as expressive as the one from a couple months ago. Needs time. Keith L correctly guessed the wine.
White
2005 Chéreau-Carré Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie Cuvée des Ceps Centenaires Comte Leloup de Château de Chasseloir
93 points
Initially most folks are guessing Riesling. I am thinking possibly a GG as it is very mineral driven. The fruit is very secondary and hard to pinpoint, citrus, a hint of grapefruit, flint and wet stone. Very good balance, incredible mineral expression, bright acidity and long finish. Not terribly complex but very linear and precise. My final guess was Pieropan soave la rocca with a few years of age. Really enjoyable.
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Flight 3 - White Burgundy (3 notes)
The Lafon showed very well, quite complex for a village wine, the complexity can be attributed to slow aging. There is nothing like a nice mature WB. The 02 Montrachet was exceptional once again. The Dauvissat Clos underperformed for my palate but others liked it better.
White
2002 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
91 points
Not premoxed but very ripe and non-expressive. Sweet very ripe yellow fruit driven nose, apricot or yellow peach jam, a hint of flint, light caramel and flowers. Very good concentration, ripe yellow fruit and caramel driven palate impression, bright acidity and medium finish. I am thinking a mature 1er cru Meursault.
White
2002 Henri Boillot Montrachet
97 points
Alan has generously shared this with me a couple of times so I guess correctly. This is a textbook Montrachet, incredible intense yet almost weightless. Beautiful youthful and complex nose displaying lemon curd, yellow pit fruits, oyster shell, smoke, white pepper and sweet spices. Exceptional concentration, intense yet weightless palate, cool yellow fruit driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity and lovely long finish. The texture is to die for. It combines the ripe/intensity of Batard and subtlety/perfect balance of Chevalier. This is a truly profound noble wine displaying perfect balance. A long life ahead but so incredibly enjoyable on both hedonistic and intellectual levels.
White
1990 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Désirée
93 points
Recent auction purchase. IMO, Lafon made exceptional wines pre 1995. This batch is quite exceptional, ie so darn fresh/perfectly cellared. Beautiful mature WB nose of yellow fruits, lemon curd, a hint of petrol and sweet spices. Perfectly integrated harmonious palate, bright and clean fruit expression, good acidity and lovely clean medium finish. Just like the MV Krug, this is all about the importance of ideal cellaring which adds additional complexity. Lafon seems to be doing exceptional well again. Hopefully no premox. Amy correctly guessed as a Meursault but slightly off on the age.
Flight 4 - Red Burgundy (3 notes)
The Rouget was a bit angular. The Laurent showed really well. If you don't mind caramel/sweet Leroyesque expression, you outta give Laurent a chance.
Red
2001 Emmanuel Rouget Echezeaux
93 points
Amy mentions how great the 01 Rouget Cros Parantoux was showing recently. This on the other hand is still pretty structured and needs time. Medium expressive nose displaying mostly red fruits, raspberries and cherries, licorice, a hint of oak, sap, mushroom, tree bark, a hint of Vosne spices and earth. Excellent concentration, quite firm and structured, mostly cherry fruit driven palate impression, good acidity and long finish. David make a very good guess of Meo. I recommend another five to ten years of cellaring.
Red
2002 Dominique Laurent Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
95 points
Expressive nose displaying decadent sweet red fruits, raspberry jelly, cherry liqueur, caramel, truffle, stem, coffee, a hint of oak/cedar and sweet spices. Exceptional concentration, intense sweet rip red fruit driven palate impression, round and warm, bright acidity and lovely long sweet finish. Very Leroy like in ripeness and caramel note. This is a great wine with a long life ahead though certainly not pure and transparent. If you like bigger/riper style of Burgundy, this is the wine for you.
Red
1999 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes
93 points
Keith mentioned Bordeaux like and I am thinking CDP, being fully aware that it is a burgundy. Typical Ponsot style, ie very ripe and big. Very masculine nose displaying mostly black fruits, blueberry, blueberry jam, dark spices, tar, mushroom and earth. Exceptional concentration, sweet slightly dry black fruit driven palate impression, good acidity and structure and medium finish. This seems incredibly youthful and a bit angular. I would prefer to wait for five to ten more years.
Flight 5 - Red Burgundy and a ringer (2 notes)
Red
2008 Remoissenet Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin
93 points
Generous ripe black fruit driven nose, blackberries with a hint of raspberry jam, tree bark, noticeably earthy and dark spices. Excellent concentration, quite dense, warm and reach, bright acidity and long clean finish. This is very youthful and shows very good concentration for the vintage. My guess was a 1er crus Gevrey. Soild wine.
Red
2001 Arcadian Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Vineyard
93 points
Very sweet bright red fruits, red cherries and strawberry jam, a hint of stem, mineral, black pepper, flowers and earth. Very good concentration, sweet candied red fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity and good clean finish. This is very earthy and highly toned wine and my guess is 1er cru NSG from a very ripe year. Very good showing but didn’t expect a ringer.
Flight 6 - Bordeaux (3 notes)
The 89 Palmer showed incredibly well. The HB was surprisingly concentrated albeit not terribly complex. The 90 Beausejour was quite good but not great.
Red
1989 Château Palmer
97 points
Beautiful expressive nose displaying intense ripe blue fruits, creme de cassis, lead pencil, tobacco, ink, lavender and black spices. Exceptional concentration and intensity, unctuous yet precise, intense cassis driven palate impression, bright acidity, incredibly sweet tannins and seamless long cassis driven finish. My guess is the 82 Gruaud Larose as the fruit is intense, sweet and ripe. I also think RP 97 point or higher. Exceptional wine with a long life ahead. My rating is identical to the previous bottle.
Red
2002 Château Haut-Brion
94 points
Expressive nose displaying intense sweet black fruit, cassis, lead pencil, roasted coffee bean, ink and a hint of cedar. Excellent concentration, intense cassis fruit driven palate impression, quite chewy, bright acidity, nicely integrated tannins and clean medium finish. Exceptional concentration, bright acidity but the fruit expression is not terribly complex which I attribute to the vintage. Really impressive. My first guess was a ‘00 left bank big boy but not complex and polished enough so went with ‘03 St. Julien for the intensity. Chris B somehow nailed the wine and the vintage. Bravo! It is already very enjoyable but will improve for another ten years minimum.
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Red
1990 Château Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse)
94 points
Decadent black fruit driven nose, mint, black truffle, a hint of cedar and earth. Very balanced palate, subtle sweet dark fruit driven palate impression, fully integrated tannins and long sweet finish. Knowing RJ, I can make correct guess. Love to drink one over dinner. Not as expressive as the last bottle but still enjoyable.
Flight 7 - Yquem (2 notes)
For my palate, Yquem is all about weightless texture Both bottles were saying Yquem. The 86 was very precise, the 96 fat, opulent and hedonistic.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1986 Château d'Yquem
97 points
Once again the 86 is all about the precision. Beautiful precise nose displaying yellow and red fruits, apricot, peach, red currants, pear tart, red tea, ginger, crème brulee, honey and spicy spices. Very polished and precise palate, sweet subtle red fruit driven palate impression, perfect amount of acidity and lovely clean finish. Not the biggest or most intense D’Yquem but very precise and perfectly balance. Really enjoyable once again and perfectly ready.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1996 Château d'Yquem
96 points
This is a very pleasant surprise. Very intense and youthful nose displaying sweet yellow fruits, fresh apricot, banana, mango, papaya, custard and honey. Excellent concentration, unctuous yet airy and weightless, sweet banana/pineapple driven palate impression and lovely clean finish. This is very much sweet fruit driven D’Yuem rather than botrytis. Very opulent but not terribly complex. With D’Yquem, that can change with time. Very enjoyable already. I highly recommend as long as you don’t absolutely have to have botrytis.
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Closing
Another great night of sharing great wines with great friends.