Mike on Tour got off to a great start, and the bar is set pretty high. I was thrilled to join the OC gang for a night. Many thanks to Ramon Del Rosario for putting out the call and Juyuan for setting everything up. We were very sorry to miss Frank and Jill Murray, Leslie Goldstein, Jason Hagen and Curtis Chen…lots of good stuff indeed.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Yon Delighted Stenographer
Ramon Del Rosario
Juyuan Wei
Dennis Callahan
Rob Winn
Francine Haight
Gerry Frayer (who let HIM in?)
Jay Selman
Norma Callahan
2002 Dom Perignon
Light ginger and ginerale, a pleasant woodsy background too, to apple fruit. Very beautiful tonight, fully singing and stays so over 2 hours, lovely flow and “colour” with pear, apple and spice. Great feel, an exemplary bottle. My conversion to Champagne continues
2007 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis 1er Cru Valourents
Sniffs of apple and seaweed and certainly lemoncurd. Very consistently 07 in presentation, fresh and pure apple, mineral spine and nice gingerish sidebar with some seashell. It’s a tiny bit on the light side, but that suits its profile too. I love this producer for the value he delivers.
2012 Thierry & Pascale Matrot Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chalumeaux
Surprising amount of pear and peach cobbler—the sunniness of the vintage again? Likeable and sweet…were it not for the fact that it’s very slightly corked—at least for me. Jay thought so too, and I’ll be interested in what the others think. Dennis, who brought it, did find it somewhat flat. I think a correct bottle has some promise
1995 Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin Corked. Boo
2003 D’Auvenay Meursault Narvaux
This made up for it. A lot going on in the nuzzie—flowers, white and yellow fruit, touch of nutmeg maybe. Ooohh–luscious and elegant at the same time. This drinks like a Bond girl. So much verve and class at the same time. Pear, butter, edges of tropical fruit, absolutely in-line oak, it embraces and reigns over 2003. Easily the paragon for 2003 white burg for me so far, this is fantastic and, just by a bit, my WOTN
2011 Boillot Corton Charlemagne
Only hinting at what it can be. Some salt and pepper to accent the apple and light sweet herbs. Searing right now. Searing. Pure Corton. Mineral, salt, lemon, pear. But so coiled right now. Leave 9 years.
2008 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
I brought this Bordeaux Blanc. This has almost a mint/menthol thing going on in the aroma, lots of herbs, and real peach and nectarine notes. The DDC richness is definitely there on the palate, but balanced with the 2008 verve. It works—the almost glycerin flow melds with the freshness. Dee-lish, probably my #3
2008 Domaine de Lambrays Clos de Lambrays
Opens up and perks up with time in the glass (Juyuan opened this about an hour before). Dreadfully pure strawberry, raspberry and light herbs. The essence of good 2008 on the tongue—tremendous carry, but with the pure raspberry and currant fruit making the grade. Brilliant stuff that will only get better. #2
2008 Kenefick Ranch Pickett Road Red
I think Gerry said he Audouzed this at about 3 pm. Seductive bouquet of dill infused chocolate and luscious plum and black cherry. Even tobacco on a second sniff. Nice carry and feel, I can taste a bit of heat—15.7%? No, listed at 15.2%. But mostly would want to have different food with this, which I think would bring out an even more favourable showing. No lack of rich black fruit and velvety tannins. This is still really nice and gets my attention. #4
2012 Windy Oaks Terra Narro Pinot Noir
Cherry, strawberry, maybe tomato leaf. To taste, has a lot of earth—hint of chewiness and overlaid with cream and fruit. Like an accessible Rhys, I say to Gerry. I do like this, has an underlying silkiness to it. Solid Pinot.
1990 Paul Jaboulet Hermitage La Chappelle
Rather a controversial wine, and I see why. The scents are great—shoeleather, baked herbs, dark plum, nip of cinnamon. Mmm. Earth. Mmm. And chocolate-pepper combination to round it off. The problem for me is when it gets into the mouth, where I find it disjointed, with a bitter middle and end to chocolate plum flavours. Just doesn’t have the harmony or fulfill the promise of that bouquet.
2011 Swan Cuvee de Trois Pinot Noir
It’s Swan–raspberry coulee, hints of cocoa and herbs. Surprising in how bracing the cherry/raspberry is. Almost a saline note–or quinine maybe? Gerry does like this now, where for me I want to check back again in 2 or 3 years.
2012 Gros Ventre Cerise Vineyard Pinot Noir
Aromatics of dark cocoa, lots of earth (which I’ve always looked for in AV but Gerry says is becoming less prevalent)–Gerry pulled the cork on this at 3:30. Black raspberry, a touch of potpourri. Abrupt at first dans la bouche, but settles down with some plushness and sweet red fruit. Needs time to blend it all together.
Lots and lots of thanks for jump-starting this Tour so well.
Mike