A spectacular evening- Part 5: 05` L`Evangile and 06` Vega Sicilia Unico

Our dinner group recently celebrated our 22nd annual Millennium dinner typically held in December of each year, but postponed last year due to COVID restrictions. This event compliments each year`s worth of weekly dinners by bringing top tier wines across the board and as has always been the case, we had many spectacular wines.

Our usual venue has been the private and wine themed Cork Room at one of our favorite local restaurants, bouchon; however, on this occasion, we sat outside up on an upper deck over looking the back secluded courtyard. The restaurant not only graced us with this regal like private deck, but assigned a dedicated server and their top somm to serve us and prepared a special prefix menu to pair with the wines. See photo.

I`m posting the notes for each flight separately.

We started off with 4 champagnes: {Part 1}

1996 KRUG BRUT
1998 TAITTINGER COMTES de CHAMPAGNE BLANC de BLANC
2007 TAITTINGER COMTES de CHAMPAGNE BLANC de BLANC
2000 DOM PERIGNON P2 PLENITUDE BRUT

Next up. 2 whites before moving into the reds: {Part 2}

2004 FE TRIMBACH CLOS STE HUNE RIESLING ALSACE
2008 PIERRE-YVES-COLIN-MOREY CORTON CHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU


Now 3 flights of reds: {1st flight Part 3, 2nd Part 4 and 3rd Part 5}

2004 DOMAINE LEROY VOSNE-ROMANEE
2002 DOMAINE MEO CAMUZET RICHEBOURG GRAND CRU

2008 GAJA CONTEISA LANGHE
1995 CHATEAU LA MISSION HAUT-BRION PESSAC-LEOGNAN
1998 HAUT-BRION PESSAC-LEOGNAN
1966 HAUT-BRION PESSAC-LEOGNAN #1
1966 HAUT-BRION PESSAC-LEOGNAN #2

2005 CHATEAU LEVANGILE POMEROL- 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc; its the first wine made in their brand new cuverie and it’s showing beautifully now; still very youthful in color and its fresh dark fruit profile, it gives up a lot of pleasure to be drunk early on, but to hold this for a couple more decades wold be a good choice; chocolate covered black raspberries dominate the aromas and early taste and are joined by plum and blueberry by mid palate; it’s super velvety mouthfeel and long, crescendoed finish kills it.

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2006 VEGA SICILIA UNICO RIBERO DEL DUERO- my one and only bottle of this gem and it was truly a gem and as it turned out, the WOTN; decanted about 3 hours ahead of serving, it showed its youthful exuberance from its vibrant dark red purple color and inviting nose of talc, wood spice and coconut laced blueberry; moving on, it gained momentum and the taste profile expended to include mint and cedar accented blackberry and a hint of cranberry; it’s big and complex and yet has a subtleness that serves to balance out a lot of its bigness; the smooth mouthfeel also helps to soften its immensity as it expands and brings it all together for a grand finish; on top of so many other wondrous wines, it was pretty easy for me to make the call for WOTN.

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Our fabulous evening culminated with 3 stellar dessert wines:

1989 CHATEAU d`YQUEM SAUTERNES
1998 ALOIS KRACHER WELCHRIESLING TROCHENBEERENAUSLESE NUMBER 11
1993 CHATEAU PAJCOS TOKAJI ESSENTIA

What a great night!. Everyone stepped up and then took another step to bring great stuff. The smiles around the table confirmed how much we all delighted in sampling one treasure after another and the last conversation was about our next Millennium dinner scheduled for December this year. Meanwhile, we continue to do our weekly thing and drink great wines, eat great cuisine and share great fellowship.

Cheers,
Blake

Great notes, Blake. I’ve got a bottle of '06 Unico that I got as a gift and you’re making it tough not to crack it.

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That’s one hell of a gift. [cheers.gif]

It’s not going to go anywhere soon Sean; so, you can use whatever patience you desire here. It was truly remarkable as to how much it stood out after so many incredible wines.

The wine has outlasted the relationship. neener