Weekend in Westport
Westport, CT
Tasted August 25, 2021 - August 29, 2021 by MC2 Wines with 252 views
Introduction
Getting the gang back together again. This is a group many of whom we were together with right before the pandemic took off and then when it was starting to become ok to venture out again and now again as the world seems to be heading a bit in the wrong direction. Still, there is nothing wrong with a weekend filled with friends and laughter and good wine.
Flight 1 - Night 1 - settling in (4 notes)
First night in after fighting the NYC traffic and so we were looking for a quieter evening (plus working the next two days so didn't want to have a blowout). The wines were nice. I will say had hoped for a bit more from the Jamet which
Rosé
2019 Rôtie Cellars Rosé
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
First wine with dinner with some friends. One person called it a bit more white wine-esque than a rose and noted the strong body. It does have that although the acid has always balanced it more for me. It pours a very pale pink color. I'd say it drinks pretty well. I don't think we've had this rose with a bit of age (an extra year) and while I usually like roses a bit fresher this still worked.
White
2013 Xavier Gerard Condrieu Côte Chatillon
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Condrieu
There's a definite is it or isn't it with these wines - aka some of the bottles seem to be aged well beyond their years with sherry like notes and others are regular Condrieu. Maybe a touch closed down which can happen around this timing. It's still a nice Condrieu though.
Red
2000 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie Côte Brune
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
First time with this wine and I was pretty excited to get a chance to try these. It's meaty and gamey and black fruits and very enjoyable. It's drinking well which is nice. Was meant to pair with chicken but ended up being an after dinner sipper and it worked quite well for that.
Red
2011 Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône La Pialade
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
This wine never fails to delight (except perhaps in the price appreciation which has been rather extreme and makes it less of a 'case buying' enterprise than it once was). The Rayas elegance with a little bit more grit around the edges and perhaps less of the sweet fruits and more tea levels and potpourri.
Flight 2 - First 60th bash (6 notes)
Make-up dinner for a birthday that we missed last year because of unfortunate factors. Great to get to really celebrate and some great 1960 wines in the bunch.
Red
1986 Château Talbot
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
This was good although I think it got a bit overshadowed by some other wines at the dinner. It was drinking well in that nice aged Bordeaux style. A bit of cigar and leather and old library. In the window for sure.
Red
1960 Château Montrose
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
This might have been the surprise of the evening for me. It was drinking incredibly well given the quality of the year and the age. Still had some red fruit. Good backbone. I really enjoyed it. In the perfect spot in the drinking window.
Red
1960 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
Whenever thinking about a birth year wine in a difficult year Unico seems to be the answer and this was no different. What surprised me the most is it's still very very young. We opened and double decanted and rebottled for dinner. It continued to open up over the course of a few hours. Just wonderful.
Red
1958 Cappellano Barolo
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This might have been my WOTN which surprised me a bit. We decanted around noon and let it sit out for about 6 hours before rebottling and bringing to dinner. This continued to improve in the glass. Interestingly enough got a bit more elegant with time. Fresh and bright and beautiful. Will continue to keep an eye out for these.
Flight 3 - Sunset at the Beach (1 note)
Really beautiful wine
White
1999 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L'Orée
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Wine is often as much about time and place as it is about the wine. This was enjoyed with some good friends on the beach around sunset. Poured into a carafe and shared around. It's a bigger red wine. Honey and a bit unctuous but with a nice balance to it. Very enjoyable.
Flight 4 - New World Evening (6 notes)
Red
2008 BOND Pluribus
USA, California, Napa Valley
Opened and decanted and then drank over the course of 3-4 hours alongside some other new world wines. This is one of my favorite California producers. One of the bigger wines in that portfolio - from a vineyard higher up on Spring Mountain. This has the new world fruit for sure but there is more of a subtle side to it. It's still much too young to be drinking. More primary in style. Looking forward to our bottle in maybe 20 years.
Red
1984 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
This was really lovely. One of those Napa styles that can almost get mistaken as an old world. It's still quite vibrant and young - clearly has many years to go - but it is drinking well now (esp with some air). Drunk it over the course of two nights. Wasn't as much progression between the two days as I'd have expected. But it's lovely. A producer I will try to keep an eye out for going forward.
Red
2001 Hundred Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Kayli Morgan
USA, California, Napa Valley
This is one of those hedonistic wines that still somehow manages to keep some balance to it. Sad to see that we don't have any of these left since it certainly is still going strong and I would love to see it again in 10 or 20 years. It's not for the faint of heart, but still quite tasty.
Red
2003 Sine Qua Non Grenache The Inaugural Eleven Confessions Vineyard
USA, California
The first time we ever had an SQN we ended up decanting it overnight a bit by mistake and in retrospect it really added a ton of depth to the wine. This was drunk over the course of two nights and the second night it was really a gem. It's of course one of the more intense styles of wine but there is a lovely elegance to it.
Red
1997 Spring Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
This was really nice. Great old world style. Drinking in a pretty perfect spot at the moment. More secondary notes. Decent fruit. Clearly well liked as it was one of the bottles that got completely finished early.
Flight 5 - Afternoon bubbles (5 notes)
Getting the afternoon started with a collection of interesting (and some delicious) bubbles.
White - Sparkling
1988 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare
France, Champagne
Drank this side by side with the 1999 Rare from magnum. It's amazing the difference an extra 11 years makes. This wine just reinforces that aged champagne makes a difference. It's got a bit more interesting notes - more of the nuts and the slight lightly oxidized flavor. It's really enjoyable.
White - Sparkling
1999 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare
France, Champagne
From a magnum. Drank side by side with an '88 and it was interesting to see what the extra 11 years (and smaller wine bottle) does. This was very young tasting. Bright and fresh. A bit more one dimensional still, but it has room to grow into itself.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Guasti Vintners Extra Dry California Champagne
USA, California
This is not a wine to try because it's delicious - it's more a wine to try because how often do you get to drink a california champagne from the 60's or 70's? That being said, this was maybe my least favorite of the bottles. It's more obvious that sugar was added. Definite sweetness to it. Less sherry than other bottles.
Flight 6 - Rhone lunch (2 notes)
Pizza for lunch and while the Patrick Jasmin came out a bit later in the day seemed right to put these two together.
Red
1983 Alain Voge Cornas
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
Opened and decanted for sediment and then paired with pizza and while I'm not sure I would normally think of a Rhone for that it went very nicely with the meat pie. It's got a nice briny style to it. Enjoyable wine.
Red
2005 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
This wasn't quite where the other wines were, but it's a nice old school style wine and quite tasty.
Flight 7 - 80's Bordeaux (4 notes)
First point where a few of us sat down to try some wines back to back and do a compare and contrast.
Red
1989 Château Gruaud Larose
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Maybe my favorite of this flight (had with an 88 Ducru, 89 Canon, and 98 VCC - although I think the last will end up being the best with more time). This was a good Bordeaux from a very good year. It's again more secondary in style but drinks well.
Red
1989 Château Canon
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
This was a favorite of the crowd and so I went back to it a few times, but didn't quite get it. To me it was a totally fine aged Bordeaux, but not a wine that jumps out at me.
Red
1988 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Again it's a decent aged Bordeaux. I liked the '89 GL a bit more than this one, but this was nice and drank well.
Red
1998 Vieux Château Certan
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
This was one of the wines I was most excited to try especially because we have a few of them and are currently aging them. Needs a lot more years. We opened and decanted and drank over the course of a few hours. It's very tight but there's a lot to like there. Right now high tannins and some red fruits and yet still just generally tight. Give it a lot more time.
Flight 8 - Flight of the 82s (4 notes)
Fun to get to try these next to each other although super bummed on the Montrose as that's a favorite of mine.
Red
1982 Château Beychevelle
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
I was really hopeful for this wine since I'd had one maybe two months ago that was showing just about perfectly and was a contender of WOTN for me. This was not quite as fresh and bright as that one, but it was prob my favorite of the flight of 82s and a pretty good wine. Right in drinking window.
Red
1982 Château Léoville Las Cases
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
This was the group's favorite of the four (somewhat excluding Montrose which was unfortunately corked). For me it was a nice wine, but again didn't seem to quite talk to me the same way it did for others (seems to be a theme of the day). It's definitely saddle and tack room and all of that. Perfectly in the drinking window.
Red
1982 Château Léoville Poyferré
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Another solid aged Bordeaux. Was excited to try the line-up of 82s (also Las Cases, Montrose, and Beycheville). Prob the third wine in the group for me. Just a bit less life to it than the others although totally fine. In the drinking window.
Red
1982 Château Montrose
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Corked which was a bummer because this is a wine I was really looking forward to trying.
Flight 9 - Early courses bubbles and rose (5 notes)
We started dinner with two courses that were a bit lighter and so finished up our champagne/roses that were left.
Rosé
2020 Triennes Rosé
France, Provence, Mediterranée
From a magnum. It's a nice good rose - very light and fruit and easy to drink and goes nicely with food.
White - Sparkling
2000 Boizel Champagne Joyau de France
France, Champagne
I hadn't heard of this wine before but always love trying a new champagne. We paired this with the first few courses of the meal (a watermelon gazpacho and a shrimp/corn dish). This is on the younger side and for my taste could use a bit more time. Very bright.
Flight 10 - Main Attraction (10 notes)
This was maybe one of the best line-ups of wine I've ever had ever. Served with steak prepared with two different rubs. This was special.
Red
1961 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Unfortunately this ended up being corked. A real bummer since this is a producer I love and a wine I was very excited to try.
Red
1961 Château Mouton Rothschild
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
A real treat to get to try this wine. This was shared by a friend where it came from his father's cellar. Bottle and wine in general was in pretty good condition given the age. Wine was pretty spectacular.
Red
1949 Château Margaux
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
From a magnum. The fill on this wasn't the best, but you wouldn't know that to drink the bottle. Margaux is always one of the most elegant Bordeaux and this was no different. It's a pretty wine and was a really special treat to get to try.
Red
1989 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Wow - great wine. I was excited as I saw it and I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint. This was definitely something special. Elegance, lavender, brine, and just beautiful. Still quite young, but this is at least at a spot where it is drinking well.
Red
1966 Château Léoville Las Cases
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
This is a very good wine in a line-up of totally crazy wines. Good and drinking well, but this didn't stand out as some others.
Red
1966 Château Palmer
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
This was one of my most favorite of the evening. The fill wasn't necessarily great, but it didn't matter at all. There's a black fruit velvet nature to this. Really delicious wine.
Red
1956 Château Margaux
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
This wine continues to really impress me. It's in a perfect drinking window and so it is time to drink these down. Was clearly a favorite of the evening as even with a decent fill it was one of the bottles that finished early. Red velvet and really pretty.
Red
1961 Château Ausone
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Was a bit concerned as the last time we had one of these wines the bottle was not in perfect condition but this one did a good job making up for the last one. This is how this wine is meant to be. It was honestly almost young. Powerful. Really good.
Red
1949 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino Stravecchio
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This was a truly lovely wine. Decanted for sediment and this was the wine I found myself with 7 hours later at the very end of the evening. It's a nice light and elegant style of wine. I am not sure we gave this enough time to really open up in the glass originally but later it was quite nice. Tea leaves. Drinking well.
Red
2001 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Nice burgundy that was drinking well. Much lighter than the other wines in the flight but the 2001 seemed to have a pretty good set of power for a burgundy.
Flight 11 - Odds and ends (5 notes)
There were a few other wines we drank before dinner or late night bubbles and so figured we could combine those into one group.
Rosé
2019 Rôtie Cellars Rosé
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Opened on a hot summer afternoon. This is easy to drink. There's a touch more fruit and almost the hint of sweet to it. It goes down well.
Rosé
2019 Gramercy Cellars Rosé Olsen Vineyard
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Nice rose, drinks very well. A slightly darker style than the typical Provence version but that makes it more interesting. Served it extra cold so prob not as flavorful as it could have been, but still enjoyable.
Rosé
2018 Domaine de Marquiliani Corse Rosé Gris de Marquiliani
France, Corsica, Corse
Brought to be the afternoon sippers before things get going but when folks need something light and refreshing and this fits that. It's built up a bit more body then when it was first released (I'm unsure how I feel about that) but it's still a very light and easy wine. Reminds me almost a hint of saline water because there's that touch of saltiness to it.
Closing
A true embarrassment of riches so it seems almost unfair to pick favorites. (of course I say that and then here I go) I think the 58 Cappellano, 60 Unico, 66 Palmer, 89 La Mouline probably were top for me. The last flight on Saturday night was just a crazy one all around though and aside from the one corked bottle there wasn't a wine that didn't thoroughly impress in that group. Lots of big birthday celebrations with good friends. It was nice to get the time together.
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