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UCD wine group
Denver, CO
Tasted July 15, 2008 by thomaskeil with 507 views
Introduction
We had Holger, the two Larrys and Roy at this gathering. The 'theme' if there was one was to compare similar, but contrasting wine pairs.
Flight 1 - Starter (1 note)
We had this while I was trying to get my act together.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuis
90 points
Pale yellow. Yeasty melon and citrus on the nose. Nice palate walking the line between creamy and zesty. Good mineral component as well. I was running around with dinner prep so the note is a bit scant.
Flight 2 - 2002 French Whites (2 notes)
Steamed mussels followed by 'stacked' tomato (basil, garlic, anchovy coulis and fresh goat cheese).
White
2002 Didier Dagueneau Silex
95 points
Glowing pale yellow in color. Nose of tropical fruits, apricot, flint/mineral, and flowers and the intensity of these clear but complex aromas grew as the wine warmed. This has as crazy wonderful palate that was round, elegant, deep and with just right acidity. The finish is long and slightly flinty. Is this really a Sauvignon Blanc?
White
2002 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
94 points
Pale with hint of yellow. Nose of sea air, lemony citrus and crushed stones. Palate enters with zesty acidity featuring citrus but as it warms and reaches the back of the mouth an amazing buttery weightiness emerges and leads to a stony, rich persistent finish.
Flight 3 - 2000 Pisoni Vineyard (2 notes)
Seered scallops with pork tenderloin medallions and sweet corn.
Red
2000 Arcadian Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard
90 points
Decanted 2 hours. Light strawberry red. Nose is somewhat reticent but has clear strawberry, some asian spice and a hint of pine. Palate is medium weight, is not overly complex and feels more like cherry than the strawberry on the nose. It has nice lifting acidity letting it pair nicely with food. This was less exciting than the bottle from last year.
Red
2000 Pisoni Pinot Noir Estate
92 points
Decanted 2 hours. Violet red. Evocative nose of cherries, blackberries, forest floor and peppery spice. Really pleasing palate with weighty fruit and focusing acidity and bit of flinty tannin. This was very fun to ‘nose’ as well as drink.
Flight 4 - 89/90 Pichons (2 notes)
Duck leg confit on creamed parsnips.
Red
1989 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
92 points
Nearly identical impression as from last July. This time we decanted 3 hours, but this was ‘open for business’ on opening. Light violet red with only slight browning. Again this had cassis, tobacco, tar and a touch of licorice on the nose Elegantly weighted palate with good acidity and resolving tannins.
Red
1990 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
95 points
Decanted 3 hours (and needed it to open up). Deep red violet. The nose evokes the power and the weight of the fruit – cassis, blackberries, cedar, licorice and dried spice. This has a wonderfully balanced palate with deep complex fruit and stony tannin that lights up the entire palate.
Flight 5 - Rieussec x 2 (2 notes)
Blue cheese, pears and almonds.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1990 Château Rieussec
93 points
Light caramel color. Gorgeous nose of toffee, apricot and orange preserves, and crushed flowers. Unctuous fruit on the palate but nicely balanced by acidity. Lovely complex aftertaste.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2003 Château Rieussec
92 points
Pale yellow. Honeyed melon, apricots, vanilla and floral notes on nose. Big and sweet on the palate and was noticeably less complex and less bright than its ’90 older sib served along side.
Closing
Luckily, none of the wines showed poorly and a few were stunningly good. For me the Silex was eye-popping good with a startlingly intriguing style. It was a really fun night and I was pleased that we got two quick volunteers to host the next couple of gatherings. Nancy was a huge help in making the proceedings proceed.