Six of us got together for another rendition of the lost Friday lunch. The chef prepared a lot of great fish dishes that reminded me Chef Bob Kinkead’s dishes as he used to work for him.
Champagne
The Krug was exceptional, incredibly focused and perfectly precise. However, I ever so slightly prefer the Churchill which was richer and more complex.
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NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 164eme - France, Champagne
Very precise energetic nose displaying delicate yet sweet and succulent yellow fruit, fresh apple, lemon and clementine juice, a hint of brioche and limestone. Beautifully integrate youthful palate, very finely layered fresh sweet yellow fruit, very precise, focused and detailed, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long refreshing clean yellow fruit driven finish with limestone and brioche at the end. This is very youthful and fresh yet also showing exceptional harmony and balance. Excellent showing. (96 pts.) -
2002 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill - France, Champagne
Expressive youthful nose displaying rich yellow fruit with a hint of red, sour apple, fresh apple juice, a hint of raspberry soda, brioche, smoke, honey and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated rich yellow fruit, fine abundant mousse, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and a long rich yellow fruit driven finish. This clearly expresses the ripe and concentrated vintage character. Drinking beautifully but can improve. (96 pts.)
08 Batard
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2008 Domaine Michel Niellon Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Golden yellow, not completely gone but premoxed. NR (flawed) -
2008 Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Incredibly rich yet focused nose displaying concentrated yellow fruit, lemon curd, pineapple, pine needle, honey, beeswax, spicy spices and limestone mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated slightly coiled yellow fruit, dense and oily, also good precision, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral and an incredibly long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with beeswax and spicy spices at the end. This youthful concentrated yet precise wine is drinking beautifully. Excellent showing. (96 pts.)
Blind - White
Rhys was good but seem too ripe to be white Brugndy.
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2010 Domaine Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Served blind. Medium expressive nose displaying subtle yellow fruit, lemon curd, yellow peach, butterscotch, honey and steely mineral. Subtle fully integrated palate, delicate yellow fruit, very fluid and slightly lean, good acidity, steely mineral and a medium to long subtle yellow fruit driven finish. My guess is mature Robert Ampeau Meursault. It is surprisingly lean and subtle for the vintage and the producer. (93 pts.) -
2005 Daniel-Etienne Defaix Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Medium expressive nose displaying ever so slightly oxidized green apple, fresh lemon, light caramel, almond paste and steely mineral. Medium concentration, good acidity, steely mineral and a medium to long yellow fruit driven finish. The first quick impression is Chenin like then natural/biodynamic wine. This really reminds me Stoney Hill chardonnay. Apparently it was kept over 11 years in stainless steel tank. (90 pts.) -
2012 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Medium expressive nose displaying ripe yellow fruit, pineapple, apple, burnt sugar, spicy spices, and steely mineral. Very good concentration, ripe yellow fruit driven palate impression, ripe yet slightly lean, good acidity and mineral and a medium to long ripe yellow fruit driven finish. My guess is a Domestic Chardonnay, perhaps Linden hardscrabble. (92 pts.)
Red Burgundy
Both perfectly expressed the terroirs.
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2001 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Absolutely gorgeous nose displaying pure sweet red fruit, raspberry, red cherry, cranberry juice, rose, perfume, sap and limestone. Perfectly integrated youthful palate, very finely layered pure red fruit, silky and weightless, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, nicely integrated tannins and a seamless long pure red fruit driven finish with perfume and sap at the end. Really pretty, drinking incredibly well. (97 pts.) -
1999 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
Expressive youthful nose displaying intense ripe black fruit with a hint of red, blackberry, black cherry, strawberry and rhubarb tart, stewed tomato, cedar, dark spices, cola and strong earthy mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of slightly stewed ripe black and red fruit, dense and chewy, bright acidity, strong earthy mineral and a long ripe black fruit driven finish with cedar and dark spices at the end. This is a big scale, slightly masculine wine. This can easily improve for another two decades or more. (95 pts.)
Blind - Red
Single blind but since I brought the Les Roziers and the Grandes Places, it was not blind for me. The Chave was the unanimous favorite.
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1988 Domaine de Vallouit Côte-Rôtie Les Roziers - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Expressive youthful nose displaying intense black fruit, blackberry, kirschwasser, strong tapenade, cedar, charred steak, tar, black pepper, garrigue and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, unctuous yet silky and precise, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long intense black fruit driven finish with tapenade and ash at the end. This is a classic Cote Rotie that is still very youthful. The nose reminds me the 88 Gentaz a bit. (95 pts.) -
1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Expressive youthful yet complex nose displaying classic Chave nose, sweet red fruit, cherry, strawberry, cherry liqueur, strong mint, garrigue, tapenade, cinnamon, rare steak, ash and limestone. Beautifully integrated palate, very finely layered exquisite red fruit, silky and fluid, perfect amount of acidity and strong mineral, and a long seamless red fruit driven finish with garrigue and tapenade at the end. Excellent showing. (97 pts.) -
1991 Clusel-Roch Côte-Rôtie Les Grandes Places - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Expressive nose displaying opulent black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, caramel, truffle, a hint of oak, dark spices and limestone. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of rich black fruit, silky and polished, good acidity and mineral and a long sweet black fruit driven finish. This is drinking beautifully. (95 pts.)
Blind - Bonus Red
Roland generously served this blind.
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1997 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Expressive youthful nose displaying ripe black fruit, black cherry, blackberry jam, a hint of toasted oak, dark spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated sweet black fruit, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish with a hint of oak at the end. My guess is a high end modern Cornas. This is incredibly young and needs another decade to lessen the oak. (95 pts.)
Sweet
The Trimbach was incredibly delicious.
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2000 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles Hors Choix - France, Alsace
Stunning beautiful hedonistic nose displaying pure decadent yellow fruit, apricot, peach marmalade, lychee, candied orange zest, honey, caramel, rosemary and mineral. Perfectly harmonious palate, very finely layered opulent yet pure yellow fruit, airy and weightless, very precise and detailed, and a long sweet yellow fruit driven finish with caramel and lychee at the end. This is a great dessert wine. I am not a big fan of Gewurztraminer but this is incredibly
delicious. (98 pts.) -
1997 Château Tirecul La Gravière Monbazillac Cuvée Madame - France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Monbazillac
Expressive nose displaying incredibly concentrated yellow fruit, apricot, apricot preserve, peach cobbler, butter scotch and honey. Exceptional concentration, concentrated slightly dry yellow fruit, 10W-40 yet fluid, lacking acidity and mineral, and a long opulent yellow fruit driven finish. Very modern concentrated style that reminds me SQN stickies. (93 pts.)
Roulot
We were having so much fun that we decide to order the famous burger, fried ipswich clam and calamari.
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2014 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Tillets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
I have been pretty disappointed by Domaine Roulot wines. Fortunately, this is singing! Expressive energetic nose displaying perfectly ripe pure yellow and white fruit, lemon curd, pear, strong flint, spicy spices, beeswax and limestone. Perfectly harmonious energetic palate, finely layered fresh white fruit, very precise and focused, bright acidity, strong mineral and a long clean white fruit driven finish with a hint of Coche flint at the end. Excellent showing. (94 pts.)
A great time was had by all.
Posted from CellarTracker