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Charleston Food & Wine Festival
Charleston, SC (various locations)
Tasted March 1, 2018 - March 3, 2018 by MC2 Wines with 395 views
Introduction
Our second annual trip and certainly not our last. This is prob more focused on the food than the wine if I'm honest, but there were some interesting pieces being poured and anyway just a fun weekend overall.
Flight 1 - Dinner w/friends (3 notes)
Always fun to see Scott and Pam and pop some corks. And on a Burg Thursday no less!
White - Sparkling
N.V. Jacques Selosse Champagne Grand Cru Lieux-dits Extra Brut Ambonnay Le Bout du Clos
This was excellent. First impression was fairly intense bubbles, but those eased up. What's amazing about this champagne is the complexity to it. It's so precise and interesting. Lots of herbal and spice cabinet notes. There's a sharpness to the acidity that fades a bit in the glass which helps. I actually liked it most when it was close to room temperature and able to really strut it's stuff. Tasty wine.
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Red
1985 Joseph Drouhin Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Roncières
I never feel like I totally appreciate Burgundy the way one should, but this was definitely a good wine. Lots more soy and umami flavors. Then a bit of forest floor. It was still going strong despite the age.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1975 Château d'Yquem
I think quite honestly I had this too hyped up in my mind. I always love D'Yquem, and then to get a bottle of one of the best vintages with some age is just such a treat. And it was incredibly enjoyable and very bright and expressive. There's that combination of lightness and flavor that goes on forever that you wonder how they make work. So one of the best dessert wines I've ever had. Not, however, wildly better than other D'Yquems from 'less good' vintages and so not sure about the mark-up on this. I'd say the '89 and '01 were 'wow's' for me. This reminded me more of the '98 level. Very very very good. But I can get that vintage for half of the price.
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Flight 2 - Perfect Score (4 notes)
Concept was wines which had (you guessed it) gotten 100 points. Three Napa producers came and were presented either by the family or the winemaker.
Some small nibbles from SNOB including a little quiche with bacon and cheese that was quite good and a cucumber with tuna which was nice, but perhaps not quite right with the wines.
Red
2013 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Exzellenz
Part of the Perfect Score event which was focused on Napa wines which had garnered 100 points. 100% CS. This wine is one of the first Hall vineyards (also part of the property that the Halls live on). Located in Rutherford, but up towards Howell Mtn near Auberge du Soleil so it's hillside fruit. Very dark black fruits, bit of cinnamon, touch of alcohol on the nose and at the end. It's incredibly young and supple and velvety. Oak comes through. Almost no acidity to speak of which makes it feel a bit over the top. Certainly a hedonistic wine. I preferred the Rainin although found both to be a bit too new world for me.
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Red
2013 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Rainin Vineyard
From Diamond mountain. This was loads of blueberries (Kathryn mentioned black cherry, but I really just get blueberry jam). It's got a hint of black pepper. A bit less intense and hedonistic than it's cousin the Exzellence although it's still very much in that intense new world mold. Some silkiness to the flavors. A bit herbal. More refined, but not really a refined wine. This comes from a vineyard that is surrounded by pine trees and red woods and I wonder a bit if maybe there's a touch more shade or something in that greenness and coolness that comes through in the wine here (just a touch).
Red
2010 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
By far my favorite of the tasting. This wine is just elegant. It's cooler climate, built to age. The fruit and minerals are almost equally present in the wine. More restrained. Almost a tar-like flavor in the mid-palate. Touch of cherry. Only 60% new oak, 40% old. Blend with CF and PV (not a ton though). More of a perfume flavor. This is still a total baby, but I see great things ahead (prob another 5-10 years before first bottle should really be popped). While it was just a tasting and we were running out to another one afterwards, I made sure to finish this glass.
Red
2013 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry
From the northern most point of Stags Leap. Soil is mostly granite. Replanted in 2005 via David Abreu and vines are still growing into themselves. It's prob the youngest tasting of the group of wines. Very tight. A drying tannin. Some freshness in there. Raspberry poking through too. I could be interested to see what it ends up being eventually although not sure it will ever quite hit the elegance level of the Spottswoode right before. Still - second favorite of tasting.
Flight 3 - Champagne Lunch @ Charleston Grill (9 notes)
This was one of the highlights of the trip for me. Perfectly paired set of food and just very fun to test grower versus big houses.
RECEPTION
Truffle Popcorn
Deviled Eggs
Oysters
Gogueres
Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs
CHILLED LOBSTER SALAD
umi butter brioche, celery, lemon, spring onions
Blanc de Blancs (Ruinart, Pierre Gimmonat)
SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN
cavatelli, madeira (meant to have morels, but passed on those)
Blanc de Noirs (LGD, Vilmart)
DUCK BREAST & FOIE GRAS DUMPLING
fennel, orange, pomegranate molasses
Roses (LP, J. Lassalle)
RICOTTA FRITTERS
strawberries, lemon curd
Demi Secs (Nectar, A. Margaine)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Champagne Le Mesnil Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut
QPR on this is really excellent. It's kindof got a sweet buttery goodness feeling to it. A bit more easy tasting. Some apple notes. Tasty wine that I'd prob keep an eye out for.
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White - Sparkling
2006 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
Deeper style of flavors. This reminds me of buttered popcorn. Good acidity. Some toast. It's still a very young champagne and I don't think ready to be drunk yet. Interesting because it showed much tighter and less interesting than the Pierre Gimonnat next to it.
White - Sparkling
2010 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Special Club Grands Terroirs de Chardonnay
Drank next to an '06 Ruinart for the side by side of blanc de blancs. This was a bit more peppery, a bit sweeter, some more depth. Get some caramel corn here. I liked it quite and esp for the price would definitely seek out.
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White - Sparkling
2006 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
Not sure this is totally fair - these wines young always taste a bit too 'easy' and almost basic in their initial years I think. Takes some time to put on a touch of weight and some of the more interesting flavors. It's green apple and decent bubbles and yet again doesn't quite live up to the interesting level of the Vilmart (which to be fair is a wine I'm quite keen on).
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White - Sparkling
2007 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée
This is a wine that makes you want to spend an entire evening savoring and watching how it involves rather than just one course (esp towards the end of the lunch when it's clear we're running late to our next event). It's spice and herbal and touch of fruit and flowers. Very good.
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Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Laurent-Perrier Champagne Cuvée Rosé Brut
For me this will always be a very safe and classic rose (similar to the Billecart Salmon). Strawberry and lemon and reasonable level of toast and the best description will always be pink bubbles, but who doesn't like pink bubbles?
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Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. J. Lassalle Champagne Premier Cru Brut Rosé
A wine I should prob seek out. Bright and fresh and wild strawberry and a light acidity and just something that kindof dances on the palate. Perhaps a bit less thoughtful than the LP served alongside, but I found myself quite enjoying this. It's a fun wine.
White - Sparkling
2013 Moët & Chandon Champagne Nectar Imperial
I've had this wine in the past and know someone for whom it was the pinnacle of all wine. In this setting it just comes across as overdone. Too sweet and a touch cloying and a glass that I didn't find it necessary to finish.
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White - Sparkling
N.V. A. Margaine Champagne Premier Cru Demi-Sec
Very nice wine and perhaps even helped by the comparison with the Nectar Imperial. This wine is more like a hint of sweet along with some more standard apple and light champagne flavors. It's not overdone. Could prob be paired pretty easily with some spicy Thai or similar and go very well. I quite enjoyed and for the price point would def seek out.
Flight 4 - Unicorn Wines @ Monarch (5 notes)
Perhaps not my favorite of the set. I was expecting to go through some odd varietals or wines from regions I was less familiar with. In fact most of the producers I knew already and the walking around structure worked (but would have been nice to know that was the format so we knew we didn't need to arrive on time).
Red
2014 Matthiasson Refosco Matthiasson Vineyard
The first corner of the Unicorn wines tasting. I've heard of the producer, but first time with this wine. I'd say it was more savory and almost older wine flavored despite being a relatively young vintage. Simple wine. Finish is ok. It doesn't jump out at you, but is totally passable.
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Red
2013 Arnot-Roberts Syrah Que Syrah Vineyard
A wine that I've wanted to try, but never gotten a chance before. This is pretty good. Very peppery. Some cigar. Keeps changing. I have the word interesting three times in my notes. I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, but I think would be one that I'd enjoy again in the future.
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Red
2016 J. Brix Carignan Rougarou McCormick Ranch Vineyard
There's a candied quality to this wine which surprised me a bit. Very easy drinker. The kindof wine that you want to drink now versus give too much time for despite being very young. Very nice young couple who makes the wine.
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Red
2016 J. Brix Syrah La Belle Reveuse Alamos Creek Vineyard
Bit more fruit forward than the Carignan. Think I might have liked the other a bit better though as there was some more intrigue to it. This is kindof a standard california syrah. Young, but prob right time to drink.
Red
2014 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
Had the older brother earlier in the morning so fun to finish out this tasting with the 2014. Different level than the other wines being poured. This one was just lovely. Again that old world style but new world fruit that I like so much. Bit more acid and structure. Bit more muted fruit although still very much there. It's accessible now, but feels like it has a long way to go.
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Flight 5 - Caviar & Champagne (2 notes)
What better snack during a decadent weekend is there than caviar and champagne? Last year when we did this event they had a tasting on Saturday morning. This year no such luck and so we made our own.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Ulysse Collin Champagne Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Les Maillons
No detailed notes. Meant to pair with some caviar that we got since how can one go to a store called Caviar & Bananas and not get some caviar? This was actually pretty perfect for that. There's a hint of sweetness in the wine that really works with the saline in the caviar. A bit of the toasty bubbles, but they get softer in the glass. Drank over the course of two days and I liked it maybe even a bit better on the second day (corked and stuck in fridge in between).
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Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Ulysse Collin Champagne Rosé de Saignée Extra Brut Les Maillons
Perhaps not exactly the right pairing with the caviar that we served it with, still this is a nice rose champagne. A bit more tart strawberry and maybe a bit of wound up, slightly unripe cranberry in there. A wine that again was better on the second day than the first (with a cork in it and kept overnight in the fridge). Enjoyable.
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Flight 6 - Oak Steakhouse Dinner w/Cliff Lede (4 notes)
Very well set-up. They did a quick 'here's what we're drinking and the history behind it' and then mostly let ppl get to know the others at their table and enjoy the wines. Food was excellent as well although by that point I was fairly well full.
BUTTER POACHED DUCK EGG
fingerling potato gnocchi, gruyere cream
POISSON BLANGE
poached oysters, crab, shrimp, fennel confit, herbsaint nage
ROASTED MOULARD DUCK BREAST
spring onion fricasse, cherries
50 DAY DRY AGED CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF NY STRIP
spinach puree, bone marrow bread pudding
White
2016 Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
Served as part of the passed apps and then also paired with the first course. It's a nice version of Napa SB. More honeysuckle and some lime. Less grassy. Enjoyable.
Red
2015 Cliff Lede Pinot Noir Anderson Valley
Nice, easy drinking Pinot. Paired with a rather delicious duck breast and as is classically the case this went just right. Could tell it was a touch cooler climate, but there was still the more intense california pinot character to this one. No detailed notes. I thought the cabs stole the show but this was a nice wine.
Red
2014 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Rock Block Series Scarlet Love
I liked this more than some others at my table. It's not got the elegance of the poetry, but there's a funness to this wine. It's meant to be drunk with a big hunk of meat (which we had) and good appreciation of fruit forward (not always my style, but that night I was appreciating it).
Red
2014 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Poetry
The highlight of the evening. Like most 2014's, more approachable than average for a young Napa wine. Lots of fruit. Felt like there was more acidity here than the Scarlet Love which kept it a bit more balanced. Reasonable Napa although not sure I see it for the price point.
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Flight 7 - Dinner @ FIG (2 notes)
Had heard a number of times that this is the best restaurant in Charleston and I believe it. The two dishes I got (truffle omelet, gnocchi) were some of the best I've ever had. The Butterscotch Pot de Creme was phenomenal. The Apple almond tarte was excellent. Overall a really well done meal. We will return. (oh - and the wine list wasn't so bad either with a lot of places where it's easy to want to geek out)
White
2015 Château Pierre-Bise Savennières Clos de Coulaine
Wow did I enjoy this. By the glass at FIG in Charleston. Apparently the producer allows a bit of botrytis to hit the vineyard before he starts picking. It leads to a fuller bodied wine which is not exactly sweet, but almost is hinting a touch at that. Lots of flavors (no detailed notes, but one of the pieces I appreciated was the complexity). This was an easy wine to geek out with.
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Red
2015 Antica Terra Pinot Noir Ceras
Ordered off a restaurant wine list. We'd had this a few months before at the winery and I was looking for something I knew would be good. Reasonable mark-up (by NYC standards so not saying much). This time around I got a bit more of the savory side of the wine. Perhaps because it was on the heels of a chenin and served with a truffle and pork gnocchi dishes. It worked exceptionally well with the truffle. Really brought out the flavor of that and the veal stock. I enjoyed it.
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Closing
I really enjoyed the Champagne tasting which was one of the first times I've done the big house versus grower in each category. Also appreciated the 2010 Spottswoode and the wines from FIG. Looking forward to next year already!