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New Years 2009
Chicago, IL
Tasted December 31, 2009 by psmith with 713 views
Introduction
New Year's dinner with friends.
Flight 1 (1 note)
Canapes
White - Sparkling
N.V. Ruinart Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
Bold but firm, focused flavors. Crisp apple notes. Very young. Enjoyable.
Flight 2 (2 notes)
Chilean Sea Bass with Cheese Agnolotti, Zucchini, Baby Artichoke, and Cream
White
2006 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre
Clean, crisp young citrus flavors. Not quite the mineral component I'd expect. Firm, with some green notes on the finish. Nice clarity. Solid showing.
White
2004 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bourgogne Blanc
Fat for an '04, with none of the green character the vintage sometimes has. Some orange notes. Somewhat front and fruit-heavy, but enjoyable and a very good pairing.
Flight 3 (2 notes)
Escargots with Garlic, Parsley, and Butter
Red
1990 Thibault Liger-Belair Richebourg
flawed
Some red fruits and iron notes, but muted. Consensus was slightly corked.
Red
2001 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brûlées
Deep, sappy plum and dark fruit notes with a great spice component. Forward, precise flavors. Well structured; firm finish. Very nice.
Flight 4 (2 notes)
Earthshine Farms Organic Heirloom Chicken
Red
2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux
Really pretty, sappy, sexy red and black fruits. Forward and surprisingly open; firm structure, but somewhat in the background with young, open fruit the most dominant component. Very good DRC Ech.
Red
2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux
More stuffing but much more restrained than the '01 Echezeaux. Darker, more masculine styling. Firmer, grainier tannins; with more evident oak. Clearly a lot in reserve and some very nice components, but needs time.
Flight 5 (1 note)
Soy and Balsamic Glazed Quail with Frisee and Baby Greens
Red
2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche
High-pitched red and orange fruits - spice and floral perfume notes. Big, complex aromatics. Patrician styling. Showing less on the palate - fruit up front but angular, and quickly gives way to a firm, tense structure. Great components. Should really be special with time.
Flight 6 (5 notes)
Puff Pastry Encrusted Beef Tenderloin with Goose and Duck Liver Mousse, and Black Winter Truffle
Red
1989 Château Mouton Rothschild
flawed
Dark fruits and tobacco, medium body and resolving, but some cork taint clearly evident.
Red
1995 Château Mouton Rothschild
Red fruits, coffee grounds. Medium bodied, but big, firm structure takes over quickly. Opened up dramatically after an hour or so - more bold, darker, characteristic Mouton flavors. Very nice.
Red
1996 Château Mouton Rothschild
Dark fruits, tobacco, coffee notes. Finer tannins but very nice balance and clearly capable of much improvement. Medium bodied. Very nice wine.
Red
1999 Château Mouton Rothschild
Big, forward coffee grounds with red fruit undertones. Surprisingly open. More background structure. Maybe not the promise of the '95/'96, but very nice now.
Red
2004 Château Mouton Rothschild
Some young grapey notes. Coffee grounds. Forward fruits; firm, crisp, but not unyielding structure. Classic styling. Very nice.
Flight 7 (1 note)
New Year's Champagne
White - Sparkling
1990 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
Bold, rich baked apple and citrus. Yeasty. Big wine. Firm and focused flavors. Characteristic Krug richness. Deep and complex. Well balanced mousse. Great precision. Really good.
Flight 8 (1 note)
One more
Red
2001 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny
Strawberry and spice, with woodsy (not woody) undertones. Streamlined, medium bodied, and well-balanced throughout. Elegant. Really nice.
Closing
Expertly prepared meal with wonderful hosts and guests - really great time and end to '09!