The tradition of sharing great wines with the Chicago crew started in 2009 when Justin B organized his first SQN blowout charity dinner in DC. Since then there have been one or two annual gatherings every year. I was lucky enough to join the festivities since 2014. This time, four Chicagoans flew in and five DCWINOs hosted them.
The dinner was held at the Grill room of the Rosewood hotel. RJ was in charge of the restaurant logistics and it was over the top as expected. We ate copious amounts of caviar, a live king crab and a nice size white truffle. Jeff W and Ken K were the designated wine sheriffs. Two gentlemen did an excellent job handling the wines…. but more importantly handling us. The dishes were good.
Dead soldiers
1893 Yquem
Chinese caviar, very creamy but not too fruity.
Recently deceased crab
The first truffle of the season. Actually quite good.
Champagne
The 02 Dom is drinking incredibly well in a very youthful way. The 88 Salon is a great Champagne.
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1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
Slightly coiled and restrained nose displaying lemon curd, baked apple, honey, smoke, biscotti and limestone mineral. Very precise and focused palate, sweet rich yellow fruit driven palate impression, generous fine mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a long baked apple and lemon curd driven finish. This seems a bit tight. I wonder if the 96 Salon is shutting down again and morphing into the next stage of development, gaining more tertiary and oxidative notes like the 88. For my palate, I like how the youthful examples of the 96 Salon have been drinking for the past few years. As much as I appreciate and enjoy the 88, I prefer a very little oxidative note in Salon. (95 pts.) -
1988 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
Beautiful golden color. It seems fresh yet there is a hint of nutty oxidative note. Beautifully mature nose displaying lemon curd, baked apple, anise, white flowers, toffee, almond and mineral. The floral note is quite strong and attractive. Fully integrated harmonious palate, still showing generous very fine mousse, decadent yellow fruit that one expects from a thirty year old champagne yet the overall impression is light and precise, bright acidity and a long subtle yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of oxidative note at the end. Drinking beautifully. (97 pts.) -
1988 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
Beautiful mature rose nose displaying subtle red fruit, a hint of cranberry and soda, caramel, crème brulee, raw porcini, sweet spices and limestone. Beautiful rich yet refine palate, shy deeply toned red fruit mixed with yellow, still showing generous amount of fine mousse, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a long shy red and sweet yellow fruit driven finish. As they mature, Cristal and Cristal rose seem to converge, like “Pat”. (96 pts.) -
2002 Dom Perignon Champagne - France, Champagne
Another incredible showing. Incredibly energetic and fresh nose displaying cool clean white fruit, fresh lemon juicy, apple, pear, white flowers, ginger candy, perfume and crushed rocks. Exceptional concentration, beautifully layered fresh and pure white fruit, abundant very fine mousse, perfect amount of acidity, strong mineral and a long seamless white fruit driven finish with strong limestone mineral at the end. The ripeness that worried some folks are no longer there. The fruit expression is pure, energetic and refreshing. Excellent showing. (98 pts.) -
2005 Henriot Champagne Cuvée Hemera - France, Champagne
Although very ripe, there is a hint of pyrazine/green. Medium expressive nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, honey and mineral. Very good concentration, medium fine generous mousse, medium acidity and mineral, and a medium to long ripe yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of pyrazine at the end. (92 pts.)
Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru
The Perrieres seems to be a step above the Bouchères.
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2011 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Bouchères - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Perhaps due to my bias, the first note is a hint of pyrazine. Medium expressive nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, pineapple peach, apple, light honey, mint, smoke, lanoline and limestone. Very good concentration, rich ripe yellow fruit, medium acidity and mineral and a medium long pineapple and beeswax driven finish. Although enjoyable, it lacks energy and focus. (92 pts.) -
2012 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Rich and concentrated yet energetic and precise nose displaying succulent ripe yellow fruit with a hint of white, lemon curd, apple, honey, a hint of flint, lanoline and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layered dense white fruit, good freshness and precision, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a long sweet yellow fruit and mineral driven finish. Impressive scale yet beautifully balance and delicious. It is broader and more concentrated than Clos des Bouchères but not as expressive. Excellent showing. (97 pts.) -
2012 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Bouchères - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Expressive nose displaying ripe yet pure yellow fruit and a hint of white, lemon curd, fresh apple, a hint of flint, spicy spices, perfume and limestone dust. Excellent concentration, nicely layered concentrated yellow fruit, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a long sweet yellow fruit and spicy spices driven finish. Not as serious as the Perrieres but serious enough and delicious. Drinking beautifully. (94 pts.)
DRC
The 05 DRC Grand Echezeaux is showing beautifully. The 96 RSV is not as good as the best examples. The 93 seems slightly lean.
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1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Very tight and a bit awkward nose displaying subtle black fruit, a hint of green, noticeable stem, Vosne spice, ash, raw mushroom, tree bark and earthy mineral. Good concentration but feels slightly disjointed, subtle black fruit, lean, bright acidity, strong earthy mineral and a medium to long black fruit driven finish. The fruit is a bit lean and the overall expression is very masculine. Not as open and generous as the last two bottles. According to Al, needs a lot more air. Not a good showing. (93 pts.) -
1993 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Another tight nose displaying cranberry, raspberry, a hint of blackberry, ash, strong stem, caramel, Asian spices and earth. Good concentration, finely layered subtle red fruit, silky, slightly lean and precise, medium acidity, still noticeable fine tannnins and a medium to long subtle red fruit and stem driven finish with a hint of Asian spices at the end. (94 pts.) -
2005 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru
Explosive youthful nose displaying opulent rich red fruit, raspberry, strawberry, sap, caramel, sweet spices, a hint of sous bois, Vosne spice, tree bark and mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated red fruit, rich and dense yet silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity, strong mineral and a long concentrated red fruit and caramel driven finish. I doubt this will shutdown and can improve for another two decades or more. Drinking beautifully in a very youthful way. (97 pts.)
Bordeaux
These are three ideally stored bottles that beautiful expressed the chateau and the vintage characteristics.
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1982 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Explosive nose displaying intense cassis, roasted blueberry, a hint of lead pencil, caramel, cedar, dark flowers and earthy mineral. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of decadent yet pure blue fruit, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and strong mineral, still noticeable tannins and a long intense decadent blue fruit driven finish with a hint of lead pencil and dark flower at the end. Incredibly youthful example that is drinking perfectly. This is as good as Bordeaux can get. This bottle can still develop for a couple more decades becoming like the 59 or the 61. (100 pts.) -
1982 Château La Mission Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Expressive youthful nose displaying crème de cassis, crushed blueberry, the classic LMHB ash and scorched earth, a hint of green pepper, tobacco, perfume and earth. Beautifully integrated palate, very finely layered blue and black fruit, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity, strong scorched earth mineral, still noticeable but sweet tannins and a long cassis and wet tobacco driven finish. The fruit expression seems almost lean compare to the 82 Mouton and the 90 Margaux. However, it is showing more tertiary notes. Excellent showing but all of us prefer the other two wines in the flight. Very sophisticated wine. (97 pts.) -
1990 Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Perhaps the most decadent nose of the flight. Expressive nose displaying concentrated ripe black fruit, blackberry jam, crème de cassis, strong floral note, caramel, cedar and lead pencil. Incredibly concentrated, layers upon layers of explosive sweet black fruit, perhaps amount of acidity, strong mineral and a long intense black fruit driven finish with strong floral note at the end. I typically prefer the 90 Margaux to just about any Bordeaux but the 82 Mouton is ever so slightly better today. (99 pts.)
Barolo
Strong VA in the 61 Monfortino is a bit too much for me.
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1961 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino Speciale - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Fully mature nose that is dominated by VA. There is also shy dry cherry, caramel, leather, rusted iron, dark spices and tar. Fully resolved sweet palate, strong acidity and a long VA dominated finish. Alan mentions that the first nose was perfect. (92 pts.) -
1990 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Expressive nose displaying concentrated dry red fruit, dry cherry, cherry candy, fruitcake, strong iron, licorice, leather, tar, sweet spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, densely packed deeply toned dry red fruit, quite opulent yet silky and polished, bright acidity, strong iron mineral, still very noticeable but non obtrusive tannins and a long dry red fruit and fruit cake driven finish with sweet spices at the end. It remains very youthful and backward. (97 pts.)
SQN
These are two great SQNs.
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2012 Sine Qua Non Petite Sirah The Writing On The Wall - USA, California, Central Coast
It is a privilege to drink this rare wine. It is like a barrel sample. The nose displays equal parts of crushed blueberry, blueberry jam and blueberry liqueur. There is also a hint of lavender and ink. Incredibly concentrated, decadent yet pure blueberry, silky and linear, perfect amount of acidity and strong mineral, and a never ending finish with liquid smoke at the end.
The 70s Freemark Abbey Petite Sirahs drank ten to twenty years ago were still inky black and showed incredibly youthful. However, they hadn’t gained much complexity relating to development of tertiary notes. I suspect this will age similarly and don’t see it improving significantly. It is remarkable what Manfred was able to achieve, both in quality and desirability, with Petit Sirah. The style is distinctively SQN. (95 pts.)
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2005 Sine Qua Non Syrah The 17th Nail in My Cranium - USA, California
Expressive nose displaying intense jammy black fruit, blackberry liqueur, liquid smoke, anise, ink, dark milk chocolate, caramel, sweet spices, a hint of black pepper and earth. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, unctuous yet silky, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and an incredibly long opulent black fruit and sweet spices driven finish. Pretty much a sensory overload. It hasn’t budged much and remains incredibly youthful. This can easily last another fifty years or more. It will be fascinating to drink in another decade. It is certainly a very divisive wine. If you are a SQN fanatic, your score will be even higher. (97 pts.)
Yquem
1893 yquem was served blind. It still displays freshness due to bright acidity.
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1893 Château d’Yquem - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Served blind. The color indicates something really old. Intense nose that reminds me pedro ximenez 1927 a bit but not as nutty and caramelly. Expressive mostly tertiary nose displaying dry fig, raisin, a hint madeira and balsamico which is not unusual, caramel coated pecan and dark caramel. Excellent concentration, finely layered intense dry fruit, intense yet airy and weightless, mouth puckering acidity and a long intense dry fig and dark caramel driven finish. The strong acidity enables freshness and balance. Although I would have preferred a bit more apricot/youthful fruit, the freshness in palate is quite remarkable and enjoyable. A couple participants think it is perfect. Perhaps it should be served alone to be pondered and savored. (96 pts.) -
1959 Château d’Yquem - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Medium amber but clear and bright color. Intense complex nose displaying decadent yellow fruit with a hint of red, dry apricot, dry peach, candied orange peel, a hint of currant, tarte tatin, cinnamon, toffee and burnt sugar. Excellent concentration, perfectly precise and weightless, layers upon layers of dry yellow fruit, mouth puckering acidity and a long intense dry apricot and sweet spices driven finish. Although quite mature, no noticeable oxidation. Really intense Yquem. (97 pts.)
It was such a great time that when I left at 12:03, the party was just starting!
Posted from CellarTracker