WINE GUYS DINNER - Los Altos Grill (7/29/2009)
A few wine guys from work got together at Los Altos Grill. Some of the best smoked salmon you will taste is made on site at this restaurant and their beef ribs and prime rib is excellent.
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1999 De Meric Champagne Catherine de Médicis - France, Champagne, Aÿ, Champagne
Slight yeasty note on the nose. I suspect that this Champagne rested on the lees for quite some time prior to disgordgement. Flavors are clean and crisp with green apples and a touch of pears. Very nice. (91 pts.) -
2004 David Bruce Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
Dark red color with some ripe black cherries and a smoky overtone on the nose. Smooth and medium bodied with good length. This was matched with a smoked salmon appetizer and the result was probably one of the best food and wine matches I’ve had in quite some time. The smokiness in the wine nearly matched the smokiness in the salmon and together they made for a really nice experience. -
2003 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Showed very similar to my previous note from about 6 months ago. Perhaps a little less of a mocha / vanilla note this time around. Having been brought to the restaurant, it didn’t have a chance to be decanted and while it still showed very well, It would have been even better with a decant. This is certainly a wine that goes well with a big meaty meal. I would suggest lamb or a nice steak. I had it with a great piece of prime rib and it was awesome. (93 pts.) -
1963 Warre Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
All I can say about this is WOW. Ok, I guess I can elaborate on that a little bit. Opened and decanted into a magnum decanter to clear the sediment, of which there was plenty. The color has faded slightly to a light transparent red with slight bricking. On the nose this showed a bit of fig, a slight raisin note and some dark fruit. Initially, you could feel the alcohol in your nostrils a bit but with some air, this quickly went away. The attack on the palate is incredible with a wonderful smooth texture, excellent fruit and a ton of complexity that is really amazing. The finish is at least 45 seconds or more. The only flaw I could find in this Port is that it shows a touch of heat on the finish but even that seemed to fade after a while. A fantastic vintage port experience and a great way to end the evening. (98 pts.)
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