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DIY BYO Dinner - Notes from another taster
Amali, NYC
Tasted January 27, 2017 by retired_and_roving with 568 views
Introduction
The second in a series of DIY - BYO dinners held in NYC, although this is the first we were able to attend. A great evening of fine wines, good food and great company in the private dining room upstairs at Amali, NYC. Got to try lots of different excellent wines any of which would have made for a great evening. In a very tough field of competitors, my two favorites of the night were the 2008 Blankiet Proprietary Red and the 2007 Spottswoode. My husband's favorites were 20007 Spottswoode and 1990 Palmer. Please refer to MC2 wines tasting story for a comprehensive writeup of the menu and festivities. https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=34205
There were also a number of wines at the event that I never got around to tasting including:
1994 Weingut Licht Bergweiler Erben Brauneberger Mosel Auslese
2013 Aubert UV-SL Chardonnay
1992 Dalle Valle Cabernet
Flight 1 (22 notes)
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé
Enjoyable and consistent as always, bright strawberry notes, medium acidity and fine bubbles. A clean and enjoyable aperitif to kick off the wine dinner.
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White - Sparkling
2011 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Millésimé Blanc de Noirs Les Ursules
Big fan of the Cedric Bouchard line up and this wine was no exception. Bright and energetic, yet with a bit of weight and depth from the pinot noir. Relatively small pour so did not get to see how this evolved in the glass, but very enjoyable.
Red
2008 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Cincuenta y Cinco
Served partially blind from magnum, we were told it was Pinot Noir from 2008, but no information on the region. Tart cherry with some spiciness and a nice finish. The juicy quality led me to believe new world, but the fact that it was served blind hinted at perhaps some more obscure origin. Having recently been to Patagonia, it is indeed cool climate and I found this to be an interesting example of the broad range of wines being made in Argentina.
White - Sparkling
2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
Following on the heels of the Billecart Salmon Rose and the Cedric Bouchard Les Ursules, this is definitely more in the yeasty, nutty brioche style. Lemon curd and yellow apple with rising bread dough - very nice. Perhaps not as rich as the 2004 vintage which I recently had, but still lovely.
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Red
2004 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
The sole burgundy at a line up of 30ish different wines. The nose was a bit shut down when I tried this poured directly from bottle. It was a small pour and I did not have a chance to sit with it to see if it would open more over time. On the palate, this was typical burgundian style, more feminine with lighter red fruits and a lot of earth. A bit of astringency on the finish.
Red
1990 Château Palmer
My first experience with Palmer, so was not really sure what to expect. From magnum. Cork was somewhat saturated but able to be retrieved in one piece. Decanted and poured fairly quickly. The aromatics on this one smelled exactly like a well used baseball glove to me - broken in and well oiled leather. The palate was a bit more restrained, and I believe in need of a much longer decant. Mature but still lively black and red fruits, leather and and a bit of a green note. I liked it quite a bit but wasn't really wowed. I think this needs more air and will probably continue to hold in the cellar.
Red
2012 Cayuse Wallah Wallah Special #4
From magnum, wow the nose of this is really distinctive - funky, stinky barnyard but in a really good way. This glass was not labeled, and with six pours in front of me, I kept forgetting what was in there until I took a sniff - amazing. Quite young still with black fruits, meaty, savory, black olives - very delicious. I enjoyed following this one in my glass over a couple of hours.
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Red
2008 Blankiet Estate Proprietary Red Wine Paradise Hills Vineyard
This one was tied for WOTN for me, and I was psyched to realize that I have 3 slumbering away in the cellar. No mistaking this is Napa cab, but seemed to be a more elegant and feminine expression of ripe Napa fruit. Red and black fruits, very balanced and velvety in the mouth with a super long finish. Would have been happy to sip on this all night. Just delicious!
Red
1995 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard
My note taking was more minimal on this one. I thought the nose was nice and expressive with dark fruits and leather. Found it to drink very elegantly more in an old world style. Very enjoyable.
Red
1989 Ridge Monte Bello
The nose on this reminded me of cotton candy for some reason - some sweet perfumed almost confected aromas. On the palate not sweet at all however with more mature blackberry and black raspberry, wrapped in loamy earth. Very enjoyable to drink but this one didn't capture my one of top spots as it did for many of the other tasters at the dinner.
Red
2000 Antinori Solaia
On the nose, lots of smoky black fruit. Smells like an italian wine too me after a grouping of Napa cabs. On the palate I am tasting dark black fruits, grippy tannins and a finish that keeps hanging in there. Still quite youthful and suspect this has a ways to go before full maturity. Very nice.
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Red
2005 Ovid Red Wine
This is still very youthful with black and red fruits and bramble. Definitely more new world in style with a full mouthful of fruit, yet it is still achieves a balance with the fruit, tannin and acid. Another lovely wine in a lineup tonight that just doesn't quit.
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Red
2007 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
My second WOTN tonight, tied with the Blankiet '08. This is also a more feminine styled Napa wine to me, elegant and balanced with no hard edges, but lots of layered flavors. Only worked off a small pour but this was a standout in a line up of terrific wines.
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Red
2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
This is the oldest vintage I have ever had of the QC and I definitely think that it has benefited from time in the cellar, taming some of the big fruit and oak tannins that are often present when young. This was drinking very nicely tonight, well balanced with a nice finish.
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Red
1970 Château Mouton-Baronne-Philippe
Initially tasted upon pouring and felt this was pretty expressive with lots of leather, cigar box and fully mature fruit. Definitely an aged wine, but with lots of enjoyment left. After more than an hour in my glass though, it began to fade quite a bit. I would avoid giving this too much air for the best experience.
Red
2000 Château Cos d'Estournel
My notes say, very, very young. The fruit is still very forward and primary even a bit candied at this point. The underlying structure is there though and with time I think this will come together nicely, but would advise holding off for a few years.
White - Sparkling
1984 Chateau St. Jean Brut
Served blind, very challenging to guess what this one was. Only slight effervescence, some sweetness and quite a bit of acid. For me this definitely more in the interesting camp, than the delicious camp - but what fun to taste a US sparkler that is 33 years old.
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Red - Sweet/Dessert
1983 Giacomo Montresor Recioto della Valpolicella
This was decanted for approx 2 + hours at the time of my pour. I really found this very interesting. Fruit has a raisinated taste, but with lots of acidity to back it up so very balanced. Velvety and rich in the mouth with complex layers of flavors - nice!
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Red
2009 Cerbaiona (Molinari) Brunello di Montalcino
Minimal notes on this as tried forward the end of night. Poured from magnum. Still on the youthful side with dark fruits and quite a bit of grippy tannin, some earth and mineral notes on the back side. Good but less of an impression given it place in the line up for me.
Red
1990 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino
Tasted at the end of a long wine dinner, but suspect this bottle may have flawed.
Red
1989 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Napa / Sonoma
Tried this bottle later in the evening and think that it may have been either over the hill or flawed.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2001 Château Suduiraut
Last wine tasted and a welcome respite to the palate after a long lineup of serious reds. Tasting of honey, some caramel, honeysuckle and lemon zest. It was tasting a bit on the sweeter side and could have benefited from a touch more acid for balance but still very nice.
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