My 40th B-day Year - Join In :)! Now - Mon-3/3 dinner w/friends (post #198)

WINE TALK
#1

May as well start it now! My 40th b-day is next week - the celebration has started and will continue for the entire year [cheers.gif]. I plan on sharing a lot of wine this year and will update this thread with new notes as the year putters on. I hope to share wine with as many old and new friends as possible in 2014 so let me know if you want to join in grouphug.

Brad has been in town since Sunday so we’ve shared a few things during the work week at my house and at a local steak house: 2001 Podere San Luigi Val di Cornia Fidenzio which was quite good with some pasta, 2002 Hospices de Beaune Beaune 1er Cru Cuvée Maurice Drouhin Joseph Drouhin that really opened up in the decanter, 2007 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve that can really cut a steak, 2005 Henri Boillot Volnay 1er Cru Les Chevrets which is very young/spicy, and 2001 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrayswhich has closed down a wee bit but is still a pleasure!

We had a great Lunch Bunch 2002 red burgundy outing today with fabulous food! The first course was Warm Mushroom Salad - Polenta Croutons, Grape Tomatoes, Broccolini, Arugula and Manchego Cheese. 2nd was Sous Vide Pheasant Breast - Tarragon Corn Pudding, Sweet Potato Straw and Chocolate Beurre Rouge. 3rd was Marinated NY Steak and Peking Style Pork Belly - Steamed Bun, Crispy Rice Rolls, and Cherry Sauce. Pictures below:
1st course.png
2nd Course.png
3rd Course.png
The wines turned out great except for one corker out of nine wines!
2002 Serafin Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers: This was quite nice to tell you the truth - very Gevrey in style. Full mouth of earthy minerality, lots of red fruits, and airy soft cherry - smoke. Quite persistent on the palate also - enjoyable and got 4th place overall.

2002 Nicolas Potel Charmes-Chambertin: Touches of VA on the nose - several others agreed. High toned raspberries, viscous rich mouthfeel, and good levels of acidity here. A good enough wine but just didn’t do it for me - 6th place overall.

2002 Domaine Dujac Charmes-Chambertin: One can sense the depth here if you spent time looking for it. Complex flavors of creamy cherry and flashy raspberry - the fruit here is supported by plenty of structure. Touches of stem spices which is liked! In the end, wasn’t very distinguished which is a shame. 5th place overall.

2002 Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds: I really thought this had the most up front nose in this flight for sure - creamy scents of spiced cherries and ripe plums. Savory acidity throughout but just didn’t grab me like the last time I had this for whatever reason. This one got 8th place overall.

2002 Nicolas Potel Echezeaux: I got darker aromas and flavors here when compared to the previous wines - black plum and earth driven sappy berries. This one seemed AOK but it just couldn’t distinguish itself like a good wine should - maybe to young??? Oh well - 7th place overall.

2002 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Clos Vougeot: Corked - bummer!

2002 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru: I immediately start to look for nice crunchy chambolle creamy fruit when I drink a Vogue aoc or 1er - this one had nice levels which seem to be evening out a bit. A balanced wine for sure - creamy black cherry with nice licks of acidity. Loved the texture here! This one got 2nd place overall.

2002 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Brulees: Always a pleasure drinking one of these Leroy bottles. Balanced acidity with a satin laced nose of spiced cherries, touches of medium roast coffee, and other lovely pinot fruit. I liked this very much like this one - got 3rd place overall.

2002 Jacques Prieur Musigny: Still very young at this point but was still giving enough to take the #1 ranking. I fell in love with the '06 version of this one last year and I’m slowly becoming a fan of this wine. Balanced wine throughout - roses, perfumed spices, touches of savory plum fruit. Loved the levels of minerality here which bodes well for the future. Loved it!

1963 Warre Porto Vintage: A nicie thrown in to finish out the lunch. Touches of citrus rind, caramel, fresh plum fruit, lots of savory acidity and lovely texture.

CHEERS

#2

The Table.jpg

#3

Happy Birthday.

#4

Can’t wait for the 74 Heitz Martha’s note/s!! [dance-clap.gif]

Hope to join in on some of this excess! [drinkers.gif] happy bday Jon! champagne.gif

#5

sounds like a great lunch. looking forward to this weekend

#6

Too bad the start of your bday weekend is valentines :stuck_out_tongue: have fun!!

#7

Happy Birthday to you Jon! Keep these coming. I have some 2006 Prieur Musigny that I have been sitting on. I tried it early and it was really shut down.
Might have to pop one in the near future to check. Cheers.

#8

Happy birthday

#9

Happy birthday! Looking forward to some good reading.

#10

I love 2002 Burgs! Thanks for sharing.

Happy birthday!

#11

Thanks for posting the notes and photos, Jon.

This turned out to be a broad tasting from the 2002 vintage, with some interesting comparisons.

A few observations :

Most definitely the Jacques Prieur Musigny was my choice for the wine of the tasting. The final flight included this wine, together with the Compte de Vogue 1er Cru and the Leroy Vosne-Romanee Les Brulees. The Musigny was broader on the palate, and rounder than the 1er Cru, moved well into the mid-palate, and extended out into a long finish that featured the fruit. I also very much liked the 1er Cru from Vogue - spice and ripe berry fruit - excellent acidity.

The Leroy Vosne-Romanee did not reflect its sense of place, and was hardly a typical example of the best of Vosne-Romanee. If I was to characterize this wine it would be more “house style”, and not my preference. It showed a wider amber rim; lightest of the three in colour; detected a slight off putting vegetal element; good mid-palate, however, with some caramel note in the finish. This wine did not make my top 6 in the tasting.

I did like the style exhibited by both wines from Nicolas Potel, which were primarily fruit driven. The Echezeaux was better than the Charmes-Chambertin. I have not previously drank many Potel wines.

The Dujac Charmes did not make my top 6…felt it didn’t display sufficient follow through, although I did like the bouquet.

The Clos de Vougeot, which Jon noted as “corked”, was interesting. David announced that it was corked, after smelling the wine in his glass, but he didn’t completely come to that conclusion when he opened the wine earlier. There was definitely something amiss with the wine, but I am uncertain as to whether it was afflicted with TCA. It lacked a cohesive finish, and was somewhat dry on the palate, even though the fruit carried quite well. Those are not typical characteristics which I normally associate with corked wines. Anyway, it wasn’t going to make the top 6 wines. [basic-smile.gif]

The choice of food courses matched well with the wines.

Brad opened a bottle of the 1963 Warre’s Vintage Port to toast Jon’s birthday. This was exceptional ! …fully integrated and delicious, with an extremely long finish. Thanks, Brad.

Hank [cheers.gif]

#12

It sounds like the 2002 wines were overall somewhat disappointing compared to how one might have expected wines of this caliber to show. I have had similar experiences with a couple of 2002 tastings we have done over the past year. Does anyone think that the wines at 11-12 years are just going through a phase, or do you think the vintage is just not turning out to be as good as initially thought?

#13

Happy Birthday J!
We must find a way to visit AZ [cheers.gif]

#14

Happy birthday Jon!

#15

Happy B-day! champagne.gif

#16

Nice opener Jon. We’re headed your way soon, currently acclimating in Scottsdale. Unbelievable weather contrast to the Northeast. It’s going to be an amazing weekend!

RT

#17

I think they still haven’t really opened up. I feel like almost every 02 I open is still just closed enough that it’s not truly an enjoyable drink

#18

If only you could switch weekends and make the 3.0 celebration [snort.gif]?!?!?!?

#19

neener flirtysmile

#20

The '06 Prieur Musigny stood up well in a flight of top notch '06 Musigny bottlings not to long ago. Young and stacked IMHO.