Arthur kindly invited me to a cost share dinner to drink '06 Romanee Conti and '06 DRC Montrachet off Proof’s wine list.
I had no clue that the entire Chinatown would be blocked for the game five. It took me over thirty minutes to walk a block to the restaurant which is situated in between two jumbotrons, i.e. epicenter.
Carrying two bottles of wine in the sea of reds, most already into a few cans of beer, was very challenging. The restaurant was barricaded and the bouncer/staff let me through.
Champagne
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2002 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Initially a hint of oxidized apple. With air, complex nose displaying peach, lemon curd, a hint of red currant, sweet spices, almond paste, brioche and mineral. Beautifully integrated palate, sweet yellow driven palate impression, deeply toned but fresh, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a long decadent yellow fruit and sweet spices driven finish. The nutty expression and deeply toned fruit remind me the 10 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Terre de Vertus a bit. (94 pts.) -
1998 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut - France, Champagne
Classic yeasty slightly oxidized Krug nose, tarte tatin, brioche, sweet spices and mineral. Medium concentration, generous amount of fine mousse, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a medium to long subtle sweet yellow fruit and brioche driven finish. This is a mid-weight Krug that is drinking beautifully. (94 pts.) -
2002 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut - France, Champagne
Delightful nose displaying fresh white fruit, cool mountain stream, a hint of mint, white flowers and crushed rocks. Medium concentration, fresh and energetic subtle but sweet yellow fruit, medium abundant very fine mousse, perfect amount of acidity and a long fresh white fruit and mineral driven finish. If the 98 Krug is the 96 Krug lite, this is the 96 Salon lite. Not as precise and focused as the 96 Salon but simply delicious and delightful. (95 pts.) -
2002 Gosset Champagne Celebris Brut - France, Champagne
The nose is similar to Krug but not as complex. Medium expressive nose displaying baked apple, brioche and sweet spices. Medium concentration, rich and sweet, good acidity, medium mineral and a medium long baked apple and sweet spices driven finish. (92 pts.)
2006 DRC Montrachet
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2006 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
IMO, DRC Montrachet is the most exotic and ripe white Burgundy. Expressive nose displaying big concentration ripe yellow fruit, peach, clementine, pineapple, crème brulee, cedar, burnt sugar, a hint of botrytis and petrol, sweet spices, beeswax and wet stone/mineral. There is a hint of oxidative note and heat/alcohol. Incredibly rich and concentrated palate, oily and unctuous, medium acidity, very good mineral presence and a long extremely sweet and ripe yellow fruit driven finish with botrytis and petrol at the end. Combining the 06 vintage, i.e. ripe and lacking acidity, and the DRC Montrachet style, big, opulent and exotic, this pushes the envelope. I would love to serve it blind next to the top none oxidized Le Moines. If you really want to experience DRC Montrachet, the 08 is the way to go. Needs to be drunk up. (94 pts.)
Selosse Substance
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NV Jacques Selosse Substance Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
More oxidize/sherry than the last few bottles. Very complex Amaretti and Fino dominating nose, a hint of lemon, strong yeast and dark spices. Fully integrated palate, subtle citrus and oxidized apple peel driven palate impression, bright acidity, medium abundant fine mousse, earthy mineral and a medium to long Fino and Amaretti driven finish. (94 pts.)
White Burgundy
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2012 Coche-Dury Meursault - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Initially thinking that it is ever so slightly corked but no one agrees. Having had two great bottles last year, this seems to be very muted. Perhaps really reduced.?? NR (flawed) -
1997 Domaine Vincent et Francois Jouard Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Mostly tertiary and slightly oxidized. Mint, menthol, animal, mushroom and roasted nuts. Rich and acidity palate with noticeable oxidation. Past prime. (84 pts.) -
2001 Louis Latour Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
A bit too simple for a Montrachet. The palate is pretty rich and dense. The life was sucked out of it. Really a shame. (90 pts.) -
1995 Marquis de Laguiche (Joseph Drouhin) Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
Oxidized/premoxed. NR (flawed) -
2015 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Charmes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Very primary nose displaying white fruit, pear, apple, lemon, a hint of Cochesque match stick, honeysuckle, saline and strong limestone. Very precise and energetic, intense slightly coiled white fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, strong mineral presence and a long clean refreshing white fruit driven finish with limestone and flint at the end. Excellent showing. Lafon is on fire since 2009! (94 pts.)
Red Burgundy
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2006 Domaine & Selection Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
Bright and sweet nose displaying candied red fruit, cherry, strawberry jam, sweet spices, cedar, mushroom and earth. Excellent concentration, nicely layered candied red fruit, bright acidity, good earthy mineral, noticeable slightly coarse tannins and a short to medium long finish. There is a strange bitterness that clips the finish. Without the bitterness, around 93pts. (91 pts.) -
2010 Domaine Jean Grivot Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Expressive youthful nose displaying rich round red fruit, raspberry, cherry, light caramel, sweet spices and earth. Already showing exceptional harmony and balance, very good concentration, rich and round sweet red fruit, bright acidity, good earthy mineral, still noticeable but fine tannins and a long sweet red fruit driven mineral finish. Needs another ten years to rich the youthful peak. Excellent showing. (95 pts.) -
2001 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
I typically get a hint of oxidized fruit in 2001 and this is no exception. Beautiful nose displaying slightly dry red and black fruit, raspberry candy, blackberry, black cherry, soy, mushroom, a hint of sou bois and earth. The oxidize fruit dissipate and no longer noticeable with air. Fully integrated palate, silky and polished, nicely integrated tannins and a medium to long blackberry and soy driven finish. Drinking beautifully but can improve further by gaining tertiary notes. (93 pts.)
2006 Romanee Conti
I and a couple others suggest that we serve the Romanee Conti first but we were over ruled.
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2006 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru
Expressive complex nose displaying rich red fruit, raspberry jam, a hint of cherry, cinnamon and nutmeg, Vosne spices and earth. Excellent concentration, very finely layered subtle yet decadent red fruit, unctuous yet silky, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long rich sweet red fruit driven finish. It has reach the first stage of the youthful peak. (97 pts.)
More Red Burgundy
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2011 Domaine Dujac Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
I had this from barrel in 2011. Still green/stem/pyrazine dominates. Will the stem/pyrazine dissipate? (88 pts.) -
2006 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
Medium expressive nose displaying subtle red and black fruit, blackberry, cherry candy, Asian spices, lavender and earth. Fully integrated sensual palate, fluid and weightless, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long subtle black fruit driven finish. Excellent showing. (95 pts.) -
1996 Hospices de Beaune Corton-Cuvée Charlotte Dumay Domaine Roux Père et Fils - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Beautifully mature nose displaying generous earthy red fruit, cherry dominates, mushroom, leather, sweet spices, tree bark and earth. Fully integrated palate, excellent concentration, bright acidity, strong earthy mineral and a long earthy red fruit driven finish. Surprisingly nice, very enjoyable. (93 pts.) -
2002 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Beautiful nose displaying generous sweet black fruit, blackberry, black cherry, rose, a hint of dark spices, caramel and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of decadent black fruit, silky and polished, medium acidity, earthy mineral and a long decadent black fruit driven finish. Still showing plenty of generous sweet black fruit. Drinking beautifully but can improve. (95 pts.) -
2001 Domaine Dujac Clos St. Denis - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos St. Denis Grand Cru
Absolutely gorgeous nose displaying decadent red and black fruit, blackberry, raspberry, black cherry, a hint of dark caramel and spices and earth. Excellent concentration, nicely layered generous cherry fruit, perfect amount of acidity and earthy mineral, and a long seamless sweet red and black fruit driven finish. Drinking magnificently but there is ample fruit to improve further. (96 pts.)
Two DRC Echezeaux
Arthur generously opens these.
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1964 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
At some point, the party must stop, even for me. Too much soy in the glass. However almost empty glass smells hauntingly beautiful, almost yellow fruit, light caramel, Vosne spices, truffle and sous bois. Should be served in small pours, needs plenty of air. -
1994 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
Beautiful nose displaying sweet black fruit, blackberry jam, sous bois, Vosne spices and tree bark. Medium concentration, silky and polished, medium acidity and earthy mineral and a medium long black fruit driven finish. It is slightly hollow in the middle. Nevertheless, drinking beautifully. Truly a pleasant surprise and a great way to end the evening. (94 pts.)
It was a surreal experience. The crowd cleared around 1 and I finally got to uber home.
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