As usual, this post is going up in parts.
So, we started this weekend slightly differently than the usual Charleston weekend, as night 1 was at Perrone’s in Pawleys Island (just south of Myrtle Beach). Thanks to @John_Davila to setting everything up!
The food was absolutely phenomenal and knocked out of the park. Special highlights were the sous vide butter poached lobster, 28 day dry aged smoked salmon, and roasted squab.
Pregame:
2015 Hubert Lamy En Remilly:
Showing exceptionally well, this had wonderful beautiful stone fruits and a hint of hay, with ample racy acidity and a lithe, beautiful palate. Finish was long and beautiful. Great way to start things off.
Flight 1:
2013 Cristal Brut
Wide open and ready for business, this was beautiful and drinking wonderfully. Lemon curd on the nose with some lightly toasted brioche built into a wonderful palate of more lovely fruit and crisp acidity, expanding into a wonderfully long finish.
2013 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne
I’m still a huge fan of the 2013 Comtes and this was wonderful. We did a 2012-2013 side by side in February with @John_Davila and @Karl_K who were also here tonight and they and my wife were all favoring the 2012. Tonight the 2013 showed even better with some Coche-like struck match reduction, beautiful lemon zest, and lovely transparent fruits. A very interesting counterpoint to the Cristal, the Comtes was definitely a more extreme wine than the Cristal but also held its own.
Flight 2:
2015 PYCM Corton Charlemagne
This was lovely again, round, but also detailed, with some exotic fruits on the nose and a pretty palate presence with lush acidity and an opulent finish.
2016 PYCM Corton Charlemagne
Very unusual for a 2016 with great precision and crisper acidity. We were all quite impressed and surprised. Many preferred the 16 here, although I think the 15 edged it out.
2017 Leflaive Batard-Montrachet
This was just stunning. Meyer lemon, flint, and a hint of struck match on the nose with a slightly rounder palate presence but still precise and lithe with a core of acidity and incredibly long finish. This was perfectly paired with sous vide butter poached lobster.
2017 Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet
I’ve had this wine a few times and this has to me,
always been an archetypical white burgundy and this was no exception. Just a lightning bolt of acidity and super pure transparent fruit. Initially seeming lighter bodied with surprising depth and density. Purest Meyer lemon and granite notes. Wow. Thanks to @Steve_McL for bringing this beautiful flight.
Flight 3:
1996 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche
Bonkers aromatics, with ripe plum and wild garrique. Crisp acidity and lovely palate. This showed less rustic than the last bottle we opened last year. The finish was long, but this faded a bit after an hour in the glass, still a beautiful wine.
2008 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche
In a lovely Goldilocks place compared to the 96 and young 18-19s, the 08 was superb. Amazing aromatics with ripe red cherry fruit and earth, and more acidity than the 96 with cartoonishly long finish, this was beautifully paired with roast squab.
2018 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche
I opened this in large part from @A_So’s gushing note, and it didn’t at all disappoint. People were shocked that this was an 18, as it wasn’t at all overdone, beautiful pure fruits and ample acidity with only a hint of roundness. This wasn’t at all overripe and has a lovely future ahead of it.
2019 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche
This was everything the 18 was, with another extra gear. Just stunning fruit, with lush opulence and transparency. Absolutely everything you want in a young burgundy wrapped up in a hedonistic package. Obviously too young but so much potential.
Flight 4:
This was a really cool flight as I haven’t had much experience with Chapelle. Thanks to @Karl_K for the lovely vertical.
2015 Perrot Minot Chapelle Chambertin
Stunning with beautiful red and dark fruits and earth, just beautiful aromatics. The palate was elegant and lifted and the finish was long.
2016 Perrot Minot Chapelle Chambertin
More structure than the 15, and a little more reticent, but a bit more punch on the finish, this may be one for the long haul.
2017 Perrot Minot Chapelle Chambertin
This was so generous and giving, with lush fruits, beautiful aromatics, and really enjoyable mid palate presence. Beautiful.
Flight 5:
2010 Le Ragnaie Brunello
Pretty fruit on the nose with a lot of power on the palate and a lovely finish.
2010 Albatreti Brunello
More elegant, with a bit lighter touch, this was a very easy drink. Some herbal notes, with oregano.
2010 MastroJanni Brunello
Deeper and darker than the first two with quite a bit more structure. Amazing quality. Lovely fruit and length.
2010 Argiano Brunello
One of my favorite producers with both power and elegance, this one had it all!
Flight 6:
1986 Chateau d’Yquem
Much rounder with more sweetness than the 88. Palate was a bit less elegant but the finish had more power and length. Not the best Yquem but very enjoyable.
1988 Chateau d’Yquem
This is benchmark Yquem, with lovely acidity, passion fruit and crème catalane. Palate was lovely and the finish was ever lasting.
