(pictures incoming : credit Steve)
We traveled to the mystic Orange County for night 2. Howard and Erick weren’t able to get their permits in time to travel to Orange County but we did pick up Matt, Alan, JY and Steve. We settled into the best Chinese Seafood restaurant in Orange County (all 3 of them) at Jzhou. We were given the large banquet room in the back for the ten of us, we had the miserable 2017 NBA all star Dunk Contest playing in the background and we cracked into some live shell fish of King Crab (three ways - egg custard head , wide rice noodles with crab drippings and steamed body/legs), Spot Prawns halved with roe drizzled with soy and garlic on a bed of cellophane noodles and wok fried lobster. Since man cannot survive on primarly shell fish alone, we had Pea shoot leaves with crab sauce, diced long green beans with pork, Filet Mignon french style, whole roasted squad (KILLER with red burg), fried rice with abalone sauce and a whole roast suckling pig.
Photo Cred Roger
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We centered dinner around Rousseau and Krug and an impromptu 96 horizontal appeared that was planned 20 minutes before dinner. Also A Wild Juge Appeared as Edson had never had it and has been asking to try this mystical beast.
3 way tie for WOTN for me between 89 Rousseau Beze, 93 Rousseau CSJ , 01 Rousseau Chambertin. Honorable Mentions to the 96 Krug and MV gold/red label Krug
Photo Cred Steve
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1996 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut - France, Champagne
One of the best examples of this wine I’ve had in a series of really great bottles of 96 Krug. Right now the nose is so aromatic and full of apple, bread and baking spice. Big boy wine right now, waves and waves of baked fruit and cream with loads of energetic acidity bouncing around on the palate. -
1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
flawed bottle. Complete flat on the palate. No nose, no palate. Some said corked, I do not dispute it. -
1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Oenothèque - France, Champagne
Delicious yet surprisingly youthful. Lots of bright citrus on the palate mixed with laser like acidity, more restrained less opulent than the prior bottles I’ve had. But the restraint doesn’t mean there’s a lack of complexity as the flavors of citrus and saline interplay and chill on the finish. -
NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée - France, Champagne
Old gold and red label krug, developed very nice. Expansive oxidized golden notes with hazelnut, intense apple fruit. So delicious.
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2003 Krug Champagne Clos du Mesnil - France, Champagne
while this wine had loads of opulent fruit in it, it was missing the acidity that I want from Mesnil. Even in 98/2000 where there was big fruit there was still acidity to cut through it. -
1986 Krug Champagne Clos du Mesnil - France, Champagne
Another 86 krug mesnil on back to back nights. Most people seemed to enjoy this second bottle more but I don’t think they had the chance to taste night 1’s bottle later on in the night. This second bottle while very good with beautiful soft oxidative fruit didn’t have nearly the acid backbone and structure of the bottle in night one. On its own a very delicious champagne, but compared to night 1 it’s a bit of a distant second -
1996 Krug Champagne Clos d’Ambonnay - France, Champagne
boy oh boy was I excited to try this. When we first opened it it wasn’t giving up much so I left it in the glass for a couple of hours. It started to build on weight more and more as the pinot fruit began to expose itself and develop complexity and richness. It had this flavor of red apple and strawberries with this interesting blue fruit that lingered on the finish that I’ve never really noticed in a champagne. The term “weightless” gets thrown around a lot but it’s a very apt descriptor of this wine, nothing was overwhelming and everything was in place. The only issue is it’s still really youthful. While it was fresh and delightful, I expected a bit more acidity and lift, seemed a little bit closed at the moment.
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1989 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
This wine is in a perfect spot and at its peak. Mushroom, earth, cherry and light acid intermingle as the palate is softened of any tannin long sweet fruit. Beautiful wine right now -
1993 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
This bottle is really closed down right now, wasn’t yielding much on the nose or the palate. I was surprised how little was coming out of the wine. Almost a little stripped on the palate. -
1993 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
totally outclassed the 93 beze next to it tonight. Gorgeous opulent round sweet fruit, full of flavor but its effortless and balanced on the palate. In the right spot and I’d suggest drinking now for maximum pleasure.
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2000 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
Absolutely trounces the 2000 Beze that was served next to it. Beautiful bouquet of fragrant flowers, potpourri and asian spice. Long, round and clean bright red fruit on the palate, fully integrated tannins, soft and silky. There’s this interplay of spice and earth lurking in the background that keeps things interesting. Goes down to easy. -
2000 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Powerful brutish wine on the palate. Full of dark concentrated fruit. It needs more time as there is still plenty of tannin on the back end. Classic meaty bloody red fruit on the nose but not nearly as expressive as the 00 chambertin next to it.
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2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
Piercing bright fresh fruit on the nose that explodes out of the glass. I just kept going back to it as the bouquet just grew more and more expressive. The palate was filled with crushed red berry fruit and earth/spice and piercingly long finish. So So good. It’s still very youthful and will develop for a long time, but no harm in trying one today -
2002 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
A little clunky right now but ooooozes potential. So much dense fruit right now on the palate but it’s reinforced by a decent amount of tannin that needs to work its way through. One of those wines you can absolutely taste the potential waiting to explode.
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2013 Marcel Juge Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
such a wild exotic nose that is definitively cornas. The palate is sweet and pure with an elegance that outshines the 2012 at this early stage. Needed about 3 hours to open up.