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Zachys Wine Vault II
Le Bernadin Prive
Tasted October 15, 2016 by MC2 Wines with 498 views
Introduction
My first auction of the fall season and a nice way to start off. This was built off a single collectors collection and thus there were clear categories that were cycled through. The first auction I've ever been at where I neither bid nor bought anything, but what can you do? It was a great day to be a seller.
Flight 1 - During the auction (14 notes)
There was also a red and white burg that I missed the names of so will add those notes later when I have them. Wine poured was a combination of Zachys and those that the table brought.
White - Sparkling
1993 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
As is often the case with CT drinking windows the one for this is much too short. It's definitely still going as a wine. More toasty than I usually associate with the LGD. Great acidity, but bubbles that are very fine. Blew a Pierre Peters Blanc de Blanc NV out of the water.
Red
1995 Château Cheval Blanc
Poured out of a 6L which meant this was more of a baby killing (lucky enough to have the same wine a few weeks ago out of a 750 and that one was much more ready for business). Reminds me of saddle leather and horse lather which I realize doesn't sound like the greatest, but was actually pretty delicious (perhaps reminiscent for me as I spent a lot of my childhood at the barn). Much enjoyed.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cuvée de Réserve
Just out of its league at this table where we started with a '93 LGD and had some '97 and '99 Salon later. Standard champagne - lemon and brioche. Just the bubbles were a bit coarser and nothing had the same level of elegance.
Red
2005 Château Pavie Macquin
Loved this - it was a wine I kept going back to throughout the day and it kept getting better. Had been opened the night before and then vacu-sealed and brought. We poured from the bottle, but I kept a glass out for a few hours and the transformation was quite impressive. Great herbal flavors, strong tannic backbone, it took hours for the fruit to poke through but it's there and hiding. Would love to see it again in 10+ years.
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Red
1991 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Ornellaia Vino da Tavola
This was on it's way out if we're honest. I liked the aged wine character, but it couldn't quite compete with a '98 Solaia (in a great window) and an '01 Solaia (still a baby) that it was drunk next to. A bit of uname almost in the wine.
White - Sparkling
1999 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
Salon for me is in a class by itself and that includes even 'off' years. This was poured from magnum. The bubbles were so fine they just melted in the mouth. Nice levels of toast. Missing some of the vanilla bean that I usually get in Salon (the '97 we had later in the day had it in spades), but still a beautiful champagne. Paired very well with a truffle seafood pasta dish from Le Bernadin.
White - Sparkling
1997 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
Drank on the heels of the '99 which I loved and this was even better. It's so very elegant and crisp and together. Nice light toast. Vanilla bean poking through (esp on the finish). Melts in the mouth.
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Red
2001 Antinori Solaia
Drank next to a '98 Solaia and a '91 Ornellaia. For most of the group this was the favorite, but I have to say I was partial to the '98 which was just a bit more nuanced and subtle. This had beautiful fruit and was lovely. It is prob early in the drinking window - I didn't even notice much of an evolution in the glass (whereas the '98 was shifting every time I went back to it). I think with a bit more time could even surpass the '98 today given just how good the fundamentals here are, but for today came out a bit more fruit focused.
Red
1998 Antinori Solaia
Drank next to an '01 Solaia and a '91 Ornellaia. This was my favorite of the bunch. It's definitely more vegetal - think kindof wet leaves in the beginning. But then that started to blow off and I saw a lot more nuance in there. Fruit has mostly faded so it's more a combination of leather and cigar and earth notes, but still very nice. I enjoyed. We have one of these - seems like we should be finding a good opportunity to open in the next few years.
Red
1982 Pétrus
From a 6L. Wow just wow. It's hard to say what a treat this was. I understand '82 was not the best year for the right bank and so the fruit is less pronounced, but I'm not sure that I didn't like that a bit better. There was lots of fruit there - I got mostly black cherry. It had a structure and elegance to it that belied the age (which I would not have guessed was 34 years if we didn't know what we were drinking). The stuffing there for a much longer life. Truly special wine.
Red
1992 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard
I keep waiting to be really blown away by this wine (the Araujo Eisele in general - this is my first time with the '92) and I keep coming up with the wine is very good, but maybe not great. At the very least, not sure it deserves the price tag and for that price there's wines I like better in Napa. Still, always a treat to have - this was also drunk on the heels of the '82 Petrus which was really a special treat. Heavier fruits - red currant, hints of an almost uname flavor. There was this feeling almost of coarseness in the wine which to me translated to the flesh of the fruit. Enjoyed.
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Red
1990 Château Cos d'Estournel
Shared be a fellow person at the auction and only had a few sips. Very nice. Suspect it had been open for a bit because it had come together quite well. Good fruit characteristics. A nice aged flavor. Enjoyed.
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Red
2002 Cayuse Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard
Here again the drinking window in CT is wildly off. This could definitely have gone for another 5+ years. It's a wonderful in the rocks Syrah. Almost a bit decadent and an interesting final wine at the auction before the port. Bandaids and stinky socks, but in the best possible way. Meaty.
Red - Fortified
1966 Caves Messias Porto Colheita
Really fabulous. Perhaps not one of the big names, but one of the most enjoyable ports that I've had. It had transformed into a nice caramel color. Was decanted and then poured and we prob drank over the course of an hour or two. Lots of caramel and raisin and this wonderful sweetness. Alcohol less pronounced than it sometimes is. I thought very enjoyable.
Flight 2 - After the auction (chez our apt) (5 notes)
A few friends came over and we continued the fun and conversation (with perhaps a stint for Big Blue Madness).
Red
2000 Château Monbousquet
First glass after a bit of a break post Zachys auction back at home. I really enjoyed this. It was a pnp I think. Darker fruit, nice leather, very smooth, tannins well integrated. Easy to drink.
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Red
2012 Footloose Cabernet Sauvignon
This continues to be an excellent go to for a broader crowd drinking. Incredibly quaffable and an amazing price.
Red
2007 Constant Claret Diamond Mountain Vineyard
Our last of 10 of these. Did not take detailed notes as this was later in a long day of drinking. Did enjoy this as always. I think it's still going (CT window has 2016 - but it has more years in it), but would say that the extra years haven't changed the wine much.
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Red
2011 Pride Mountain Vineyards Syrah
No detailed notes - drank later in what was a large wine day. Always enjoy these and feel like they're a pretty good value as well. More of the heavy fruits that you get from Napa mountain fruit.
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Red
2006 Cimarossa Cabernet Sauvignon Riva di Ponente Vineyard
We got these for such a steal at Park Ave Liquors - wish we'd purchased the whole set they had. Lovely wine. Not detailed notes (was drunk fairly late in the night), but bottle went quickly and was enjoyed by all.
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Closing
1982 Petrus was the WOTD, but that seems kindof obvious. Otherwise, I really liked the Pavie Macquin and also the Monbousquet and the '98 Solaia. And the '02 Cayuse which just felt young to me. Oh - and almost forgot the Salons which were stunning. So really a wonderful wine day with some good friends.