Got the team together for a ‘not bad for a Monday’ dinner last night that included @bradkaplan @rob_klafter @Mike_Evans @Steve_McL @Billbell and more. It was a themed around duck- we kicked around the idea of an all duck dinner for some time, and then a script was written for La Tache and Gentaz and off we went.
The wines were all on point with some being really unexpectedly special. As always, I try to play scribe. I missed notes on the '11 Rinaldi, and '20 Boillot Mouchere and probably others. Oh jeez, there was a Muller, too, that escaped me. I wish got more pics of the food. The duck larb that is pictured was outstanding.
Always a good time with this group of generous and passionate wine folks who are also good friends and great company. Onward.
A GOOD MONDAY, VOL II: - (8/8/2023)
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2014 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Great nose. All the smells- Very Burgundy. Just too young right now. Has everything to be very good one day.
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2003 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru
Always special to drink LaTache. Nose is a treat: burgundian royalty, really. This is what great Burgundy smells like. Beautifully integration of fruit and body. It has some '03 ripeness, but so complex, yet seamless on the palate. Still youthful. Thanks, doc.
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1969 Faiveley Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
I'm borrowing Brad's note: Really incredible showing, especially with a bit of air. Impossibly young primary fruit and vibrant acidity, alongside tertiary depth, a tightrope walk. In amazing shape. Killer. Thanks, Randy.
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2009 Domaine Trapet (Jean et Jean-Louis) Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
I don't have a great read on this. Too many wines on the table. Great nose. It was a little lean, but also quite silky. Tasty, and seemed mostly ready for drinking after an hour decant.
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2000 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo - Italy, Abruzzi, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Somehow, on a table full of gems, aged Pepe always holds it own. Drinking beautifully, with no signs of fading. Warm earth tones, meat, some pepper and Roses and spring gardens. Lovely. Almost effervescent still on the palate. The wine is so incredibly fresh... Pepe wines are special.
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1991 Gentaz-Dervieux Côte-Rôtie Cuvée Réservée Côte Brune - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Unicorn sighting. Ethereal nose. Olive, animale, smoked meat, iron, and so on. Palate is silky, mostly resolved-ish. Elegant and pure. Integrated. Opened nicely with air. Excellent with the duck dishes. A real treat. Thanks, Mike.
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1955 Jean Bourdy Côtes du Jura Rouge - France, Jura, Côtes du Jura
Killer. Still vibrant. Wut? Acidity still prickly. Slightly dusty cherry fruit. Almost Burgundy, but different, in a good way. Tastes great on the palate. A treat.
Posted from CellarTracker
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An avalanche of amazing wine (and food). I think the Egon Muller was the 2011 Scharzhofberger Spatlese - in really nice shape, and a perfect complement to the bright herbal acidity in the duck laab (made with lime leaf, lemongrass, etc.).
I have zero recollection of the Trapet Chambertin!
Then there were two lovely dessert wines - the 1990 Huet Clos du Bourg, and the 2008 Orenga de Gaffory Muscat du Cap Corse - both of which were great alongside the lemon creme brûlée and the pistachio baklava variations. The Huet had a bit more heft and depth if I recall, the Gaffory a bit more bright notes, but then it was very late in a long and decadent evening!
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Ha-forgot the dessert wines! Who the hell thought we should open so many wines on a Monday? Thanks for the pic. The Huet was spectacular as was that creme brulee.
It was an incredible lineup, and one of those rare nights when all of the wines were on point. The Muller was the 2011 Scharzhofberger Spatlese and it was definitely ready to go with a lot of youthful energy.
The 2011 Giuseppe Rinaldi Tre Tine had a beautiful nose…still slightly tight, everything is there for long aging but it’s very enjoyable now.
2014 Accomasso Rocche Dell’Annunziata Vigna Rocchette - fantastic and will benefit from more age
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I should also say a thanks to Bill Bell for hosting a great night!
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One more- Steve’s 2020 Boillot Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchere was a real standout early in the evening…there were a lot of great wines open at that point and I feel like it got lost in the frenzy.
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It was a remarkable night where the food matched the level of the very special wines. On the food side, Dennis’s rilletes, Will’s laab, and Brad’s foie gras dirty rice cakes and cherry hazelnut salsa matcha with Bill’s expertly prepared duck breasts were all stars, though everything was delicious. I can’t really pick a wine of the night, as they were all so good in such different ways, though I was perhaps most impressed by how well the Pepe held up to very strong company.
I had very high expectations for Duckfest but the mix of wine, food, and friends surpassed them. I already look forward to our next gathering.
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Ha, all I had to do was cook some duck breasts and try not to be overwhelmed by the incredible generosity everyone showed.
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Holy smokes, Gentaz!!!
What a lineup!
Thanks for sharing, Dennis. Great notes. And pics.
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what a perfect night. Without starting a debate about the perfect time to drink a 2003 La Tache or a 1991 Gentaz, to me this is it. An assortment of gems, wonderful food and company that appreciate the wines. The label on the La Tache made this a never sell/never sellable bottle. One of my “flood bottles”, this wine was waiting to go on a night like this.
I have tried this before, and found the vintage signature in the past to be more pronounced. FWIW the wine is evolving into secondary stage. Seamless pure wine. Thank you Mike for bringing out the Gentaz. A true unicorn. While nothing alike, having both those wines side by side with a plate of duck breast and that cherry hazelnut salsa…sublime
The La Tache was deep and balanced and the fruit supported in a way that cannot be reproduced. I think this wine is starting to show what it can do. Amazing wine. The Gentaz was on a different plane. Quite alive and structured, It was beguiling. Really a complex beauty of smokiness and gaminess along with spice and a good acid spine. To me LT is able to get a score and I’d call it 97. Superb and clearly regally made. Not the complexity yet to approach true perfection Gentaz doesn’t pair with the world of numbers and ratings. On my bucket list next to the likes of Jayer and Truchot, this was a testament to the man who made it
That said winding down with 1950’s Jura and 1990 Huet. An equal compare and contrast.
and of course that Faiveley. I think I have finally had a NSG where the iron rusted out after 50 years. Subtle beautiful wine.
point is the more i think about it, the more I think about it. And that makes it a legendary dinner.
oh yeah that laab…
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60s Faiveley were stunning in early 2000s.
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Apparently the 69 is stunning in the 2023s. 
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That’s one cool line up of wines, at the very least. Enjoyed reading the notes.
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Awesome work everyone. I heard about the runup to Duckapalooza (the duck larb sounded like it was going to be scrumplicious) and saw a photo of most of the wines. Yes, surprised to read a lean note in a Trapet Chambertin, especially 09. And great to hear the 2000 Pepe was accessible. I love the most how wide an assortment you lot filtered into this. Again, well done and thanks for all the notes and impressions.
Skal
Mike
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You guys did it right.
I love Burgs from 1969. Not that I’ve had too many, still …
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Stunning. I opened the ‘55 Bourdy earlier this year for a family dinner and it was stunning
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This really resonates with me, as I’ve been thinking about it all day with different facets flashing at different times. You would think that with terrific bottles of La Tâche and Gentaz that the wine of the night would at worst be a tough two-way race, but almost every bottle was the wine of the night in its own way. I’m hard pressed to recall an evening when the selection of great wines was not only so diverse but also suited the food so well. I suspect we will be talking about Duckfest for years to come.
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It was a great night!