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New Years Eve 2021
Kevin and Vicki's house
Tasted December 31, 2021 by galewskj with 159 views
Introduction
There was great food and friends at this event to celebrate the New Year. Kevin's beef tenderloin was a food highlight. For wines, what's not to love about 3 fantastic champagnes, 1 really good champagne, some aged CDP and a knockout SQN?
Flight 1 (5 notes)
White - Sparkling
1999 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart
93 points
Doughy, lemon, brioche, slight bitterness, honeyed marzipan, quite complex.
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White - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 164eme
93 points
Toasty nice. Vibrant acidity, almost tart on the palate. Very showy.
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White - Sparkling
2009 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
94 points
On the palate, chaulk, minerality, vibrant acidity, lemon curd and tangerine.
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Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Cuvée Rubis
91 points
This suffered slightly because it was the New Years toasting wine that had been preceded by 2009 Cristal, Krug 164 and 1999 Billecart Salmon Nicolas Francois. It still did well and is a great champagne. Light red fruit on this, brioche, nuts, and good complexity.
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White
2006 Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons
89 points
Pop and pour. Butterscotch, slight oxidation, saline, semi-tangy acid, slight mushroom.
Flight 2 (6 notes)
Red
1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
95 points
A quick decant. Red fruit, funk, violets, anise, pepper, leather. This started out a bit rustic with the anise but it smoothed out over 45 minutes. Smoked meats, really nice.
Red
1999 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
94 points
Pop and pour. Pink flowers, black to red fruit, anise, spice, mushroom, damp earth. I didn't know what to expect here and this was a fantastic well-aged CDP.
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Red
2005 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
92 points
Almost too much fruit here, at least compared to some older CDP's from this lineup. Smoke, dark black fruits, some floral components but less than I'm used to with Beaucastel. There was a raisined quality to the fruit that bothered me a bit, it didn't seem to bother others.
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Red
2007 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
91 points
Baking spice, red fruit, garrigue, kirsch. This was drinking fine but previous bottles have been better. I'm not sure when I'll open one of mine, maybe 5 years?
Red
2007 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
93 points
The funk builds but it is not excessive at all. Lots of earth, pleasant floral and red fruit components. It was surprising that this was the favorite of the group compared to 2005 and 2007 Beaucastel, including me.
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Red
2005 Sine Qua Non Syrah Atlantis Fe2O3~1a, b & c
95 points
First off, this wine is BIG and impressive. Big, dark, deep, meaty, the palate has a shit ton of fruit and way more acid than I was expecting. I feel like the fruit takes me past my comfort zone and then the acid brings me back on the finish.
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Flight 3 (1 note)
White - Sweet/Dessert
1989 Château Suduiraut
93 points
Pop and pour. Definitely mature given the color and the complexity. Classic aged Sauternes. Orange rind, baking spices, good acidity.
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