Two years ago, a local who frequents Wine Berserker, my favorite wine website and where I post wine notes, reached out and suggested meeting during one of my visits to Amsterdam. We enjoyed a fine evening out at a very special restaurant and shared some wines over dinner. An exceptional one of a kind dinner in Amsterdam with wines from Croatia, Germany and Champagne
A table next to us was occupied by 8 wine shop owners and wine reps/ importers and invited us over to finish off the evening with them. One of those folks gave me his contact info to connect when I return and when I did last year, the 3 of us had a wonderful dinner at another wine savvy restaurant where we took our own wines.
A few weeks prior to this visit, I let both of the guys know I was returning and the one who sells wine to the restaurant set up another wine dinner for us to share which occurred about 2 weeks into the stay. The restaurant chosen was Cafe Maurits, another wine savvy restaurant. We coordinated wines that each of us would bring plus having the option to order off of their fabulous wine list.
One asked me to bring an “older” Californian Cabernet and I gave him some choices and he selected 1992 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23. So, for the first time ever, I brought wine with me to Amsterdam.
I arrived after the others and after checking in our coats, we were seated at a small round table for 3. The owner came over and introduced himself to me as Vincent, as in Van Gogh he said. He offered his hand in a way that I thought he was asking for my wine bag on the floor and I placed it in his hand only to realize he was offering a hand shake. Too funny.
To add space for our plethora of wines and glasses, he added first one and then another bar stool next to our table and we shuffled everything around and made it work.
Here’s some notes on the wines:
2010 DOMAINE LES MONTE FOURNOIS COTE VERTUS EXTRA BRUT 1er Cru- bottled June 23, 2021, disgorged in October 2023 and dosed at 3.4 gpl; this 100% Chardonnay had a straw yellow color and initially offered aromas that suggested power and complexity which was confirmed once tasted; it evolved and expanded over the evening starting out more with citrus notes and moving on with mineral and chalky yellow apple, tangerine, apricot and bruised fruit which is probably due to its extended time on the lees stated to be about 10 years; it was super creamy and had some body adding weight to the mouthfeel; it most definitely served to prepare our palates for all to follow.
2014 ERIC MORGAT “FIDES” SAVENNIERES, LOIRE- the fruit for this wonderful Chennin Blanc was sourced from a parcel in the best known vineyard in the appellation, Roches aux Moines, as well as 3 other excellently situated parcels; following its medium yellow color came mild aromas of floral and mineral accented citrus fruit that was joined on the palate by lemongrass and honeysuckle; thankfully we had lots of time as this took off and kept evolving, getting bigger and bigger with more expressions while being delivered in a creamy smooth texture; after 2+ hours, it reached a level of magnificence and we were in awe and grateful.
2015 WEINGUT ENDERLE & MOLL BUNTSANDSTEIN BADEN PINOT NOIR- decanted at the table; this comes from a really good vintage and a highly regarded producer and the Buntsandstein, or colored sandstone, is sourced from prime parcels of vines around 60 years old; the color was a youthful red purple and the nose and taste profile included smoke and mineral laced savory red fruit with burnt red cherry, red and black currant most prominent; it was full bodied and sported a long, welcomed finish.
2020 WEINGUT WASENHAUS KANZEL BADEN PINOT NOIR- decanted at the table; the fruit for this wine was sourced from a vineyard that sits above Mohlin and is a blend of old-vine German clones and French plantings; some carbonic maceration occurs initially while about half of the whole clusters are maintained for fermentation; the color was a youthful red raspberry and the nose provided spicy red cherry aromas which continued on to be joined on the taste profile with smoke accented wild red berries, burnt cherry and black raspberry; it had a nice mouthfeel and fruity finish.
1957 CLOS LABARDE SAINT EMILION- this is a blend of mostly Merlot and since the vineyards are also planted tp Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, I’m assuming a small portion on one or both; the cork was removed via a Durand opener and it was seriously saturated throughout as was the label which was pretty much faded out; the color was transparent red; the nose offered some very approachable aromas of red fruit and the taste also had some metallic black currant; it was quite drinkable and a treat to sample while imagining where this came from; the one who bought it shared photos of this and other, more pristine bottles upon purchase.
1992 STAG’S LEAP WINE CELLARS CASK 23 CABERNET SAUVIGNON NAPA VALLEY- this was my bring as stated above being selected from a list of “older” Cabs; after initially opening it, I poured a small amount into a glass and immediately detected VA and a metallic note and after swirling a few times, it seemed to dissipate a bit; so, I suggested decanting it and unfortunately It didn’t help; it may have suffered from transit and being out of the cellar for 2+ weeks and/or it was just basically flawed and undrinkable beforehand; I’d just had another bottle from the same batch a few months ago and it was stellar; so, I was surprised and disappointed.
We were faced with a moment of decisions as to whether to order a bottle off the menu and I deferred to my colleagues who did not hesitate to order the previously suggested 2005 Lynch Bages.
2005 CHATEAU LYNCH BAGES PAUILLAC- 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot; this was atypically aged in 80% new oak; it was really good albeit with a lot of time to go before reaching its apogee; its dark, vibrant red purple color was followed by aromas of cedar, graphite and tobacco accented dark fruit which on the palate translated into black currant, black cherry and blackberry and there was a hint of chocolate truffle in the background; as big and fruity as it was, it was really pretty well balanced, especially evidenced later on with more time in the glass; it was very clear, the accolades bestowed upon this release are quite appropriate and I was happy to have had the exposure, plus we deserved it after the rank Cask 23.
It was a fun and reflective Uber ride back to my apartment as I thought of the evening and our triad and my brothers who share in the passion of all things wine as well as our fellowship. And, it was another opportunity for me to drink some wines that are way different from the usual when in the US.
Cheers,
Blake
