Tuesday Tucson Lunch Bunch - 03/28/17

Had another great lunch bunch session this afternoon with a nice mag of non-oxidized Chablis, two flights of fun blind reds, and some interesting spirits to sip on :slight_smile:. We were missing two peeps at this lunch – Brad couldn’t make it back in town (we miss you [drinkers.gif]) and Hank is recovering from a bad fall before being able to head back to Edmonton. We wish you a speedy recovery Hank and I hope the bubbles I brought you quenched your thirst [cheers.gif]!

First, there was a magnum of 2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos which was full of youthful citric tartness – like liking a limestone rock. Loads of acidity and piercing salinity – cleansing and went well with cheese. Anyways, I’ve been opening some ’04, ’05, and ’07 Fevre bottlings at home over the past couple of months with a 100% success rate.
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1st Blind Flight of three reds:

  1. First smell – everyone knew these were all Bordeaux… Slightly browner on the edges than the others in this flight. Seamless, elegant, soft perfumed fig fruit, perfumed touches of red berries, tar, and tobacco. Lovely stuff and my #1 and the groups #3 in this flight with 11pts. 1985 Château Figeac
  2. More structure here for sure but very similar to #1. Touches more savory acid also – longer finish with loads of cold fig fruit, daft touch of cedar and spice. This was my #3 in this flight and the groups #2 with 12pts. 1985 Château Canon
  3. Earthy funk to start – porcini, primary still but drinking great – stacked. Great middle palate and finish on this one – lots of spicy fruit and sandalwood characteristics. Black cherry and tobacco – lovely stuff. My #2 in this flight and the groups #1 with 13pts. 1985 Château Brane-Cantenac
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    2nd Blind Flight of three reds:
  4. Primary berries and plums to start with the cocoa/cedar starting to poke out toward the end. We knew that there were 1-2 of the bottlings from the first flight that could be the same but different vintage – Bill and Ted nailed it with Figeac. This ’89 is much more structured for sure. My #2 in this flight and the groups #3 with 9pts. 1989 Château Figeac
  5. Youthful wine here – touches of herbaceous roses – firm wine with flashes of chewy cassis and graphite in the background. Same with the other wines in this flight – the noses were restrictive to begin even after some time in the glass – everyone though each of these would have benefited nicely for a 10+hr decant. Anyways, my #3 in this flight and the groups #2 with 12pts. 1989 Château Cos d’Estournel
  6. Lots of dark plum, black currants, cedar, tar, and touches of blackberries for me. I also noted some really nicely integrated savory porcini and daft touches of pepper. Yummy and is still showing sooooo young and not “likable” because of this – note to self, I like my Bordeaux with at least 40+ years on it - lol. My #1 in this flight and the groups #1 with 15pts. 1989 Château Montrose
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    Really fun blind tasting and bringing back some good Bordeaux to the table. The vintage difference between 1985 and 1989 was very much apparent – ’85 generally being softer and ’89 more structured. 1989 is a fun vintage across France with many regions producing really age-worthy and fun wines.
    There were some spirits being passed around to sip on – I did – just a couple sips. First was 16yo Hirsch Reserve which was distilled in the spring of 1974 so bottled in 1990 if my math is correct. This was really smooth stuff! Next was some 1966 Calvados (see picture for details in next post) which was complex stuff with some fun tropical tinged orchard fruits and spicy caramel flavors – fun to sip on. A quick smell of some Monkey 47 Dry Gin in a proper glass with a clear ice ball to chill on the way out – this was the smoothest of them all.

Thanks for reading and CHEERS!

I can’t believe you guys ran out of Burgundy.

We had a great pasta dish as our main course for lunch - wild pheasant was the protein. Michael can elaborate on the recipe!
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16yo Hirsch pic
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1966 Calvados pic
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lol :p. I’ve actually been craving wines from the Rhone recently - I’m going to keep this going for a bit I think! Bordeaux keeps pulling be back in - I just wish all the Bordeaux would already be 40+ years old before drinking.

Who ran out of Burgundy? Not us!!! Well stored aged Bordeaux is one of the delights of wine collecting. Yes I am a die hard Burg fan, but non spoofed, un-parkerized Bordeaux is one of the great pleasures in the wine world. Great stuff Michael, Bill and Ted. Thanks!! [cheers.gif]

That’s just what I’d expect someone to say when they ran out of Burgundy.

Fun lunch! I hope Hank is ok.

Bordeaux keeps on pulling me back in as well. There seem to be many more bottles around with significant age that can be enjoyed while our 2005 premier and grand cru burgundy slowly comes around.

Honestly Craig…the odds of Favre running out of Burgundy?

Jon, thanks for sharing. Roger working? Pretty sure I remember a tasty Montrose…maybe a 90 during your 40th celebration?

Best wishes to Hank for a speedy recovery.

RT

Great tasting and lunch. The pheasant pappardelle was outstanding! Interesting comparison of the 85 and 89 vintages. 89’s certainly much more structured and have many more years ahead of them…at least in the few that we tasted. I especially liked the 85 Brane Cantenac. Richard, I can’t remember if we had the 90 Montrose…I still have several bottles and results have been variable…some quite bretty. The 89 was certainly the more structured of the 3 as expected and was quite good…it should benefit from more time in the cellar. The spirits at the end were special and quite rare…thanks to Michael for sharing .

Thanks for the notes, Jonathan - several on bottles I’ve been curious to open. And really jealous on the Calvados! I love old Calvados.

Great meeting you in NYC over Paulee weekend!

SK

You weren’t alone Jon, the 85 Figeac was my WOTL, doesn’t get much better than that in Bordeaux land. However in the 2nd flight I preferred the Cos. Your notes are spot on…Thanks!
Always enjoy the whites you select Ted- the Les Clos is no exception
Great lunch Michael, I think I can still taste that Calvados!

Same here Sarah! I bet you have a bottle of that Hirsch at home :slight_smile:?

Reading the notes with envy Thai had to miss this one, Paul.
Another week of and occupational in this rehab facility; followed by a long home based therapy.
Can’t say enough about the support from family and friends.

Hank

Hank,

I hope that they are starting your rehab with 4 ounce curls using wine glasses [cheers.gif]

Missed you Hank! Get up and moving my man - we still have lots of wine to share with each other [cheers.gif].

good to hear you are on the mend Hank.