Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Hedonism and Refinement at 60!
Joe and Kyla's Bar and Grill
Tasted May 14, 2021 - May 15, 2021 by Grinner with 166 views
Introduction
I sit here speechless. Outside of primary family stuff (you know: marriage, kids, etc...) these were the best 2 days of my life!
Reliving it here doing the notes was close!
Flight 1 - Day 1: "Hedonism" Opening Whites (2 notes)
Caviar apps with cuke and smoked salmon
White - Sparkling
1996 Duval-Leroy Champagne Femme de Champagne
96 points
Opening bottle to a RIDICULOUS weekend wine tasting. Light gold color with notes of green apple, white citrus, bread /toast, chalk and saline. A fine mousse and glorious texture!
White
2012 Evening Land Vineyards Chardonnay Summum Seven Springs Vineyard
95 points
Probably the best Chard I've had from Oregon! Nice cellar dive, dude! PNP, 45 degrees, and opens immediately. Layers of fruit and some savory notes: pear, pineapple, lemon, ginger, jasmine, and saline. I wanna be there when you open again in 5 years...
Flight 2 - Day 1: The Hedonistic Reds (4 notes)
Cheeses, Wagyu ribeye w/ duck fat frites
Red
2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia
97 points
My WOTN. This used to be an "Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove" type wine, but the tannins have settled / integrated. This leaves a velvety wine with flavors of black currant, blackberry liqueur, black plum, and mocha. Hints of mint and oak on the long smooth finish. I keep scoring it higher every 6 years! Now-2026.
2 people found this helpful
Comments (2)
Red
2009 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard
95 points
An anniversary wine for JKW, this bottle had modest C-funk and a trove of liqueurs, spice/anise, pepper and leather. Always fun! Now-2024.
Red
2010 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Exzellenz Sacrashe Vineyard
96 points
Brought as a preview for a Fall tasting, I would've scored it even higher but it was a bit hot. That etoh was overshadowed almost immediately by deep dark fruit including blackberry, plum and black cherry. Stone, loam, mocha and oak round things out on the big long structured finish. Now-2030.
Red
2013 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard
97 points
My 2nd WOTN. Like falling into a briar! Dense blackberry, tar, smoke, leather, wet stone and florals sloshing around in a luxurious texture. Long! Still grippy after a minute. now-2028.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 3 - Day 1: Dessert (1 note)
If they're "pasties" do I put them on my man-boobs?
Red - Fortified
1961 Cálem Porto Reserve Colheita
96 points
This bottle was a foreshadow of what was to come... all I cared about at the moment was having my second ever birth year wine (and first drinkable one!)! This wine is moderately sweet but decent acidity. Caramel, dried orange peel, burnt walnut, dates and baking spices go great with the Pasteis de Belem (who knew Kyla could make them as good as they are in Portugal?!?). I had seconds, then thirds, then... UBER!
Flight 4 - Day 2: "Refinement" (1 note)
We were forced to sign a non-compete clause / contract before they would reveal the dining room! WTF?!?
"No social indebtedness, no reciprocation, payment in kind, etc"
"it may not be good, but it will be old...very, very, very old."
More caviar...
White - Sparkling
1961 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
Can't score this VERY educational bottle. Cork crumbled. No bubbles. Maderized nose. First pour: light-medium gold color, surprisingly fresh green apple, lemon, burnt custard, caramel, and old rose hips. Second pour = light tea; third looked like the scary water coming out of the faucet in Dante's Peak! If the rest of these '61's are this interesting, we would've been happy. Instead, we were ecstatic!
Flight 5 - Day 2 Reds (6 notes)
CharCutie board, Italian summer truffles, seared duck breast, and Iberico pluma end loin
Red
1961 Bouchard Père et Fils Clos Vougeot
98 points
PNP. Soaked cork. My 2nd WOTN, this wine had a garnet bowl and clear meniscus. Ethereal nose! Balanced and elegant! Dark cherry, earth / loam, nutmeg and clove. Faded at 45' to tea and cola notes.
Red
1961 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia
91 points
Again, I would've been very happy if everything this night was this good! No sediment, as expected, this wine was "past brick" in color, someone said! Very mature nose with dried cherries, minerals, spice, dried tobacco, smoke and cedar. Better w/ food, than sipping.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1961 Giacomo Conterno Barolo
94 points
Only bottle decanted for more than a minute this evening (4 hrs)! Garnet bowl, clear rim. This truly spoke of its origin. Elegant but firm, there's dark cherry, leather, tar and rubber (Barolo Meets the Road!), then dried flowers. Acidic finish and some tannins! Glorious old wine for the old guy!
Red
1961 Château Lafite Rothschild
93 points
First good cork of the night. From 375ml: this bottle housed a wine that was all about elegance in a BDX package. Black cherry and dried currants, pencil and cigar box, finishing with floral and tea notes.
Red
1961 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
95 points
From 375: cork was soaked, but the wine was not! Darker fruit and fresher than the Lafite. Add some sweet plum to that note ("Black cherry and dried currants, pencil and cigar box, finishing with floral and tea notes") and we've got it. Notable glycerin added body and "sweetness" to the palate presence. Outstanding!
Red
1961 Château Palmer
100 points
WOTN, WOTW, WOTY and possibly WOML!
The cork was in fair shape, but the wine was perfect for a 60 year old! Open nose-gasm! Sexy perfume even after 2.5 hrs! Black and red fruits with tobacco, spice, graphite, truffle, and florals. Still has some obvious tannin! It was SO good we went after the last ounce in the bottle using a coffee filter (picture Joe sucking on the end of it...)! Great with the duck, which makes sense, when we realized it's 52% Merlot.
The cork was in fair shape, but the wine was perfect for a 60 year old! Open nose-gasm! Sexy perfume even after 2.5 hrs! Black and red fruits with tobacco, spice, graphite, truffle, and florals. Still has some obvious tannin! It was SO good we went after the last ounce in the bottle using a coffee filter (picture Joe sucking on the end of it...)! Great with the duck, which makes sense, when we realized it's 52% Merlot.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Flight 6 - Day 2 Dessert (2 notes)
Roquefort. Subtly sweet cookies. More fantastic Pasteis! Thanks Kyla!
White - Sweet/Dessert
1961 Château Climens
95 points
Another amazing 60 year old! Orange marmalade in color and taste with over-ripe tropical fruits, brown sugar, baking spices and nuts. Very rich and long.
Red - Fortified
1961 Cálem Porto Reserve Colheita
95 points
Can a '61 be drinkable on day 2? YEP! Slightly hot now but still rich with citrus rind, caramel, burnt nuts and spice that persist like a telemarketer!
Flight 7 - 2 Drunk Guys Head to the Cellar (1 note)
Red
2010 Clos Apalta
94 points
It's never really over until there's been a cellar dive...PNP, the previous wines made this 11 y/o look like an infant! Glass staining purple red color, it had an open nose, and an almost jammy texture. Black and blue fruit, stone and wet underbrush supported by serious tannins. If I only had a couple I'd wait or decant for a few hours. 2023-2030+.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Closing
Game changing tasting that can never be repaid (it's against the law!)!
Might as well switch to cocktails...