A few of us got to together at Sai Cafe for a special " off the menu" sushi dinner. Robert did a really excellent job of putting this together with Jimmy the owner. Throw in ( I believe) 3 bottles of Sake and you get the TN on the DP(see below) which I scribed @ midnight the night of- ( I stand by the note! with some amendments) The food was outrageously good!!
( In reverse order)
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2006 Cayuse Syrah Cailloux Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (4/15/2011)
Took this to a tasting as a backup bottle and ended up popping it. Really didn’t get much air or time to open it up
and get the funky funk kicking. Dark fruits, tapenade, and leather on a nose which was, not surprisingly, very tight.
Mouthfeel is right there though with that trademark Cayuse explosive mix of ripe fruit and earthy goodness. This
is a wine that needs tons of air and time to enjoy all of which were in short supply at this fun tasting event… (92 pts.) -
2009 Sojourn Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (4/15/2011)
Big ripe fruit on the nose along with blueberry pie, raspberries,spicy oak and vanilla.
Huge mouthfeel with tons of ripe fruit, a little oak, and some underlying minerality. Very ripe and
modern but well made may need time… (87 pts.) -
2004 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (4/15/2011)
Nice Cali Chard. Nose is kicking tons of stones, grapefruit, lemons, with a touch of oak.
Nice mouthfeel- creamy especially after a couple ( of chablis in the flight) tons of lemon and
really nice minerals as well. Great finish… (92 pts.) -
2004 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume Vignoble de Vaulorent - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru (4/15/2011)
Rocks,chalk,green fruits, and citrus on the nose, clean sea shells and minerality.
This is a clean Chablis with a nice cleansing acidity and great finish. This came across as more
traditional than the 06 Les Clos GC and is showing really well. (92 pts.) -
2006 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru (4/15/2011)
Chalk,lemon,rocks,white florals on the nose. The palate is creamier than one would expect almost Cali-Like but not.
Ripper and fatter fruit, minerals, lemon, with a rich and long finish. This was not in favor with the traditionalists( due to a lack of backbone)
at the table but I found it balanced and enjoyable. 92+ (92 pts.) -
2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (4/15/2011)
Great nose of peaches,apricots,petrol,honeysuckle. The palate is right there with the nose
but it is still quite young-nice backbone, honey and white fruits and fluttering minerality. Long finish.
Killer (93 pts.) -
1998 L. Aubry Fils Champagne Aubry de Humbert 1er Cru - France, Champagne (4/15/2011)
Very yeasty-doughy nose with granny apples it had great acidity and a tart apple finish.
This is drinking really well. (92 pts.) -
1994 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese #5 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (4/15/2011)
Lovely wine in a great place right now- dried apricots, honey,river stone, slight petrol and lemon.
Full mouthfeel with tons of depth and nice backbone. This is drinking great now and will go for
several more years without falling off. (93 pts.) -
1998 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (4/8/2011)
Meh- I don’t know if this is simply shut down or what. Whatever the case me no likey. No backbone, no mid-palate, and very little finish. Tight
as a nun’s buns this… (86 pts.)
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