LA offline, PDH...LA style

Kudos for Charlie Fu for organizing an offline at the Peking Duck house, for the low low price of $30.00 a person

Wines:

2001 Arcadian Sleepy Hollow, Chardonay
some distinct fruit here, did not “wow” me

2007 Herman Weimer Dry Riesling
nice and crisp, ample fruit and freshness

2000 Kistler McCrea Vineyard, Chardonay
Great balance of fruit and acid, a winner in my book

2001 Kistler Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir
Excellent aromas and great fruit as well. Kept smelling
it all night

2007 Rivers Marie, Occidental, Pinot Noir
Too young for me, copious amounts of fruit

2005 Peter Michael Le Moulin Rouge, Pinot
Another fruit bomb, IMO.

2006 Kosta Browne, Keefer Ranch, RRV
Not as fruity as I thought it would be, elegant very
different than the 2005

1999 Garaudet Beaune Clos de Mouches
this was stellar, after an hour or so it turned into a
beauty another winner

2006 Kistler, Cuvee Elizabeth, Pinot
no notes

2005 Sine Qua Non, “The Noble man”
Great color, aromas of almonds and toffee, great
sticky

2006 Chasseur, Sonoma Coast, Pinot
no notes

Did not try these wines:
2006 Copain “En Bas” Pinot
2006 Mosby - Sagrantino
2005 Inman Family Russian River Valley Late Harvest Pinot
Gris

Food:
Three ducks, Eel with sticky rice, eggplant, chicken feet, Some amazing fish that I forgot the name of, BBcue ribs and chicken

the 01 kistler was really stellar, I was not expecting that at all! The burg also opened up beautifully around a hour in

  • 1999 Domaine Jean Garaudet Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over 0.3 hours –
    Medium-light bodied; garnet core with slight bricking throughout; kind of muddy/funk on the nose, but gentle and elegant on the palate, with a nice earth/fruit balance. Seemed a bit lost to me, although my pour came shortly after the bottle was opened – others at the table said it really came together after some air time.
  • 2000 Kistler Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over a couple hours –
    Initially tight bouquet showed a bit underbrushy, but opened up beautifully about an hour after opening to reveal a lush, yet minerally, wine. Rich golden yellow color. Very dry on the palate; minerally; full palate; not alcoholic. Give this some air before drinking. Drinks well now; seems to have the goods to get better with time. Stunning.
  • 2001 Arcadian Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over 1 hour –
    NOSE: rich, butterscotch bouquet; a bit leesy; gentle oxidative note starting to creep in.
    BODY: medium-full bodied; rich browning-yellow color.
    TASTE: rich; full palate; hint of oak; buttery, but not in way young over-oaked Chards are; hint of saline; moderately alcoholic; very nice.
  • 2001 Kistler Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over 0.5 hours –
    Medium-light bodied. Mint really stood-out on the bouquet; Up-front red fruits on the palate. Solid, maybe even very good, but not memorable.
  • 2005 Peter Michael Pinot Noir Le Moulin Rouge - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over 0.5 hours –
    Deep bouquet of raspberry and red licorice. Dark ruby color; medium bodied. Excellent wine - fruity, with late-gripping tannins; beautiful acidity; not oaky; 14.5% alcohol does come through on the finish, but I don’t care because this stuff is so damn tasty. My co-red-WOTN.
  • 2005 Sine Qua Non Chardonnay Mr. K The Noble Man - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over 0.75 hours –
    – 100% Chardonnay –
    Ginger and clove bouquet; rich brown-golden yellow color; full bodied. Sweet golden raisins on the palate; a bit fat, but I don’t mind b/c I prefer my stickies a bit on the fat side of well-balanced. Very tasty stuff, but for the money I’d first turn to France, Hungary or Germany for my desert wine needs.
  • 2006 Kistler Pinot Noir Cuvée Elizabeth Bodega Headlands - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind for about 0.5 hours, approx. 1 hour after bottle was opened –
    Man!, I am dissapointed I don’t have better notes for this wine because it was one of my favorites of the evening. (From memory): gorgeous red fruits nose, with great depth and breadth; great acid on the palate; not hot; a bit underbrushy with striking clarity. My co-red-WOTN. Awesome.
  • 2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over 0.25 hours –
    This garnet colored wine had a spicy bouquet that struck me as being too oaky. On the palate, straight red fruits and spice dominate … although I was grateful for the opportunity to try this, it struck me as boring … perhaps it was merely overshadowed by some of the other wines on the table.
  • 2007 Hermann J. Wiemer Riesling Dry - USA, New York, Finger Lakes (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over a couple hours –
    Beautiful, lightly tropical nose with a moderate amount of mineraly petrol. Pale yellow color; medium bodied. On the palate, this is sweet, but without the r.s. impression of non-trockens; flint; light tropical flavors; medium finish; 12% alcohol not noticeable at all. I am very impressed with this wine, and could easily make this a daily drinker. This is a top-notch Riesling, that could easily stand with, and probably even beat, many of its German brethren.
  • 2007 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Occidental Ridge Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (8/23/2009)
    – popped and poured –
    – tasted non-blind over 0.5 hours –
    Very spicy bouquet, with enough oak to give me worry. Medium-light bodied. Nice up-front fruit on the palate (raspberry and cherry); not as oaky as the bouquet led me to believe. I like this.

Posted from CellarTracker

I did not taste the other wines on the table.

had the 06 kistler cuvee next day…one glass left. it was drinking amazingly good.

Thanks, folks! Nice tasting.

Any impressions to share on the Inman “Blonde” Late Harvest Pinot Gris? I think I have 2 bottles left, having drunk through about 8 others over the years. But I haven’t checked in for over a year and a half.

-Michael

I’ll post full notes tonight but this really surprised me. I thought it beat the SQN dessert wine about the heads and shoulders. Showed much better balance and a more deft touch. I’m sure it will age easily but it didn’t strike me as a wine that needs to age.