From a dinner with Jerry Hey about 15 years ago: last night saw trumpeter-oenophile-general bon vivant Jerry Hey arrange and conduct a veritable symphony of a tasting: 78 Burgundies, both red and white were represented. Jerry brought his wine-drinking trio from Palos Verdes where he was joined by several friends as well as Allen Meadows and me–we formed a septet to taste 14 wines around a presentation at Patina of hors d’oeuvres, a lovely 3 course dinner and a fromage plate and petits fours. Dinner consisted of a wonderful fish dish–loup de mer with crispy skin, matsutake mushrooms and mushroom consommé, Liberty Farms duck breast with olive/orange tapenade and honshimiji mushrooms, roasted breast of squab with a savory crouton and coffee-foie gras emulsion. Cheeses included an Epoisses and a Reblechon as well as three others that harmonized with Burgundy. Food was great, but let’s talk wine.
Three whites were the opening act and one almost stole the show. Ramonet Chassagne Montrachet Morgeot was a bit tired and a bit sherried, past its prime, going slowly downhill but it did still hum and kept time fairly well. Latour Batard Montrachet was definitely kicking, honeyed with hints of caramel, some pineapple, refined with some power, fairly intense and well-balanced, a very nice drink. Delagrange-Bachelet Batard arrived late but quickly got in synch and hit some great high notes–at first reticent and flowery, the wine gained in power as it aired, developed lovely coconut nuances, showing layers of sweet ripe fruit and spinning a head or two. I wish I had saved some for the cheese dish, as had a couple of the boys.
Four reds were then served–Groffier Amoureuses, Groffier Chambertin Clos de Beze, Roumier Amoureuses, and Gelin Chambertin Clos de Beze. The two Groffiers were a bit faded and past their prime, especially the CdB which was tiring and a bit bitter. The Amoureuses had a fair amount of sediment, some loveliness and hints of past glory, but faded fast. The Roumier version was astonishing wine. I had had one prior disappointing bottle, so this performance was quite surprising. Lovely Chambolle elegance and refinement were coupled with cherry and smoke nuances, a dreamy drink that could last another decade, buttressed by well-integrated acidity. The Gelin was also a pleasant surprise. It took a while to find its voice but hit some great notes, full of dark ripe fruit, also able to age another decade.
The next act showcased Henri Jayer Beaumonts, Vogue Musigny VV, and Dujac Clos St. Denis. Vogue was supposedly underperforming in 78, but you couldn’t prove it by this bottle. The wine had great color and a fabulous nose, lacey and very RSV-like, multilayered ribbons of fruit, good density and weight, all with a lovely well-integrated acidity. Dujac’s CSD was not outclassed, smelled a little of forest pine, some smoke and minerality, finished a bit short but had lovely red fruit and was fairly intense in the midpalate, a very nice drink. But Jayer’s Beaumont stole this performance. Very intense and dark in color, the fruit was black and dark, like a tapestry woven of many different dark threads, all coming together in unison to make the total picture come alive. This was beautiful Burgundy that belied its premier cru status.
As if it couldn’t get any better, the final act hit the stage and the crowd roared: DRC Grands Echezeaux, Romanee St. Vivant, Richebourg and La Tache. All of these wines had been bought on release (the La Tache cost the princely sum of $40), had been stored at 52 degrees and never before moved. They certainly moved us. They were perfect and beautiful. What did I like best? It depended on what I was drinking! They kept changing, evolving, developing. My favorite was the LT, but many that night preferred the RSV. The Grands was amazing as well, a bit harder than the others, great density, some pepper hints, soy, lovely fruit all balanced and refined. The Richebourg was more minerally and a little–to my surprise–less powerful than the Grands. The RSV was all about bouquet–lacy and lovely, with a great silky mouthfeel, smelling of roses and fruit, of course balanced and refined, with great length. The LT for me, though, turned everything up a notch or two in intensity and volume. This wine soared out of the glass and gently punched me in the nose and face (in a good way), displaying tremendous complexity and density, all with a lovely refinement and delicacy hard to express. I’ll never forget that bouquet.
While this performance was to be “one show only,” the crowd was on its feet at the end and demanded an encore. Reportedly it will one day happen–and Romanee Conti Romanee Conti as well as Jayer Cros Parantoux will be on stage. I’m running out of musical metaphors, but Jerry Hey and his friends can play this town anytime–as long as I have a ticket to the show.