My buddy was on baby duty, so he invited a couple people over to pull some bottles from the cellar and have burgers delivered (the food delivery in Seattle is getting great. It wasn’t long ago that Pizza was the only deliverable food, now with Uber eats and several other delivery services, the options are wide open). Followed up a couple nights later with a proper meal of grilled steak and veg.
1994 Chave Hermitage - Initially the nose was very muted, actually silent. I wanted to gush over it, but there was really not much going on. The palate was astringent and tart. I was a little worried it was going to weaken the pedestal that Chave currently sits atop in my mind, but it came to life. The wine was simply too cold. As it approached room temperature the leather and cherry aromas started emerging and the body filled in. I usually like to drink reds at cellar temp and have never experienced such a transformation. It could have been the air contact as well, but I was attributing the difference to temperature. Anyway, drastic change for the better and very enjoyable.
2013 Chapoutier Cote Rote Mordoree - This is a tannic beast. Dark and packed full of black fruits and chaparral aromatics. Would like to try again in 10 years.
2012 Sadie Family Skurfberg Chenin Blanc South Africa - I’ve read about this winery for years, but never came across a bottle. Great aromatics of bright citrus fruit. lemon cake, wonderful acid with a incredibly long finish and no bitterness. Loved it.
1980 Chateau Margaux - Mature tobacco and herbal cassis. Nice acidity and finish. I’d put this in the drink now category. I thought it was awesome, but when the dominus started blowing up, it stole the show. I don’t drink 1st growth BDX all that often, so I didn’t let any go to waste.
1983 Dominus - the first vintage produced. Surprisingly intense nose of molasses, dense earth and sweet fruit. Totally integrated oak that comes off as baking spice. Perfectly aged cabernet and a great accompaniment to the steaks.
2005 Jonata El Alma de Jonata - I’m a bit of a cab-francophile and I think Jonata makes one of the most interesting examples in the US. This is a big wine! Tastes less like cab franc than the 2 prior cab sauv, but nonetheless delicious. It has a quality that I always get from Alban that I can only describe as ‘juiciness’ I haven’t been able to find context for a better descriptor, but it is like a sweet and viscous fruit nectar character. Very tasty and full bodied experience.
Good showings all around.