My sweetie's birthday day dinner with 2002 Cristal and 1997 Williams Selyem Hirsch Pinot Noir

WINE TALK
1

The dates of my trip 3 week trip to Amsterdam conflicted with my sweetie’s birthday which occurred a few days prior to Thanksgiving, the day I returned.

Before leaving, I made a reservation at our favorite place, The Stonehouse located on the lux San Ysidro Ranch property in Montecito, for the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

As per our usual MO, we took our own stemware and a nice champagne and a dear friend Burt Williams made Pinot Noir from the 1990s.

Also and as per usual, we were seated at our preferred table and served by one of our favorite servers while doing our own wine service and not having a time restriction.

When it came time to pull a champagne for this celebrative evening, it was an easy choice as Roelanda loves Cristal and I had a 2002 that I had been saving for my birthday in December and decided to just open it on this occasion:

2002 LOUIS ROEDERER CRISTAL BRUT- 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay; this bottle had been in the cellar for at least 8 years since being purchased from an importer; it’s gold color suggested some maturity and the nose confirmed it with distinct bruised apple and a mustiness, neither of which blew off over the 2 hours since being opened; the taste profile had more of the same with some caramel and honeyed yellow apple which tailed off leaving a distinct note of honeyed lemon as if to suggest, it was going back from where it started OR, this was the last hint of where it came from; the texture had some weight and viscosity and each sip seemed to be just bit different from those before it, but never devoid of those musty, bruised apple notes; I prefer most champagnes in their earlier stages, certainly prior to the advanced oxidative notes that show up in the form of caramel, butterscotch and nuttiness; our bottle seemed to be well short of its apogee, but it did not perform as I’d hoped.

IMG_5424
IMG_54241920×2662 383 KB

IMG_5426
IMG_54261920×2246 414 KB

1997 WILLIAMS SELYEM HIRSCH VINEYARD SONOMA COAST PINOT NOIR- this bottle was superlative; the fill was high neck and the color was a grainy red raspberry which perfectly announced the first note to be gleaned from the aromas that also included ripe blueberry and plum; the taste profile was mostly; red raspberry and blueberry with embellishing accents of cinnamon and spice which were the last notes throughout the finish; for over an hour in the glass, this held a steady and consistent course of splendidness and we verbally expressed our gratitude to Burt for yet another wonderful treat as was our evening.

IMG_5428
IMG_54281920×2436 359 KB

Cheers,
Blake

10 Likes
2

Sorry about the bad luck with the Cristal. I’ve had an underperforming 02 also, sadly, as it’s usually on the money.

1 Like
3

Love to my fellow Gondolier & to the Ranch. I am glad to see you two out & about and turning heads :raised_hands:.

1 Like
4

Beautiful belated celebration and thoughtful selection of wines, Blake. Too bad the Cristal fell a little short of the high expectations that you had. Bottles be bottles. . .
Happy Birthday and Cheers all around!

1 Like
5

Need to open the 02 from mag most likely; you don’t seem to like older champagnes so probably the 06, 08, 09, 12, and 13 would be more to your taste

6

I agree on all of those vintages. I’m thinking of opening another 2002 on my birthday this month and see about bottle variation as I really expected our bottle to be in its prime and extraordinary as almost all other 2002s from other houses have been of late. A 2004 was spectacular a few months ago.

7

I agree with you wholeheartedly. A friend brought a bottle to a dinner earlier this year. Pinot is usually not my preferred grape but this was a beautiful expression.

8

The last time I had the 02, it was really good, but definitely had more secondary notes; not sure if that’s your cup of tea.

9

02s seem to be heading that way pretty quickly. 02 DP was very tertiary this Fall. But they are 22 years old after all.

10

From the raving feedback from some of my trusted friends who post in this forum, I was under the impression 2002 Cristal was nearing its sweet spot and it well may be as one bottle can’t be representative for all others. Next bottle up.

11

I’m OK with secondary notes, it’s when Crsital becomes like Comtes or Dom or whatever when they are inundated dated with caramel, butterscotch and almonds that I’m not a fan.

Admittedly, my palate has become somewhat wimpy in the last 10 years and I’m much more in favor of grace, elegance, charm and nice balanced.

12

I feel like if you’re getting butterscotch/sherried notes in a 2002 then it’s likely past prime more likely related to the bottle; the 2002s I’ve had recently haven’t had that; I value freshness above all things for champagne and generally pour out most things that lack freshness; I don’t think the 02 Cristal bottles I’ve had fall into that category, whereas a lot of 96s from different producers have.

13

Did the mustiness get worse over time? You brought your own stems, so I assume they were clean and free of odors.

14

The mustiness stayed the same and was always there, not dominating, but not desired. Yes, I took may own very clean stems- good thought.