TN: A Typical Tuesday Night in Atlanta - Lamy-Caillat + Arnoux-Lachaux

WINE TALK
#1

Had a great time with a few of the crew. Broke out some cult bottles just to see how they were tasting and compare them to the hype.

  • 2009 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut Rosé - France, Champagne (1/24/2023)
    Opened 2 hours before. Very tight and unyielding at first. Developed an incredible body and mousse with air. Strawberry, raspberry juice and fruit with some brioche and lees notes that stood up to some great food. (95 points)
  • 1990 Pommery Champagne Cuvée Louise Brut - France, Champagne (1/24/2023)
    Stunning gold with layers and layers of depth. Everything you want in a vintage champagne. Lees and honeyed toast with a lingering finish that goes on and on. (94 points)
  • 2012 Lamy-Caillat Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (1/24/2023)
    PnP. Continued to develop depth with air in the glass. Incredible depth and concentration. Underappreciared vintage. Good acidity, full fruit and a nice finish. WOTF. (94 points)
  • 2018 Lamy-Caillat Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanée - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (1/24/2023)
    PnP. Deep concentration and purity. There's some special qualities to this wine that make it a joy to drink. Fully ripe but not cloying. Hints of spice with layers of interest. Transcends the vintage. (94 points)
  • 2018 Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (1/24/2023)
    PnP. Stunning nose. So much purity. Classic spearmint and chiseled fruit with a balanced mid-palate. Precision is the key here and there's so much more to enjoy over time. (93 points)
  • 1999 Frederic Esmonin Mazy-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru (1/24/2023)
    Double decant. Clear as day. Wonderful nose of lilac and red fruit. Light bodied and crisp with acid. Great drink, but not awe inspiring. (92 points)
  • 1999 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Domaine Louis Jadot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru (1/24/2023)
    Double decant. So much muscularity and power right out of the gate. Brawny nose with deep black fruit and a touch of spice. Depth of flavor on the palate that lingers and deepens over time in the glass. This was clearly WOTF with the '99s as it gathered more air and broadened. (94 points)
  • 2015 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru (1/24/2023)
    PnP. Lovely nose with roses and hoisin. Wonderful precision with great body and a finish that lingers. Special wine with tons of upside. (95 points)
  • 2015 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru (1/24/2023)
    PnP. Truly stunning. Precision and depth. Tons of purple fruit and spice with layers of interest. A wine for the cellar, but very enjoyable right now. WOTN by far. Sadly unobtainable at this point. (97 points)
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#2

Thank you @Andrew_K for these detailed notes, and for organizing an excellent dinner.

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Maybe it was a flower day, but for me it was the whites that stood out. The 18s were surprisingly fresh and balanced, defying expectations of the ripe vintage and the 12’ was as bright, mineral and crisp as you could ask for with tuna crudo. All three were stellar, but the Ramonet was my personal favorite.

Both of the bubbles were distinctive: the 09’ Roederer rose carried an almost tannic grip that made it a delicious food wine. I loved it and may have had more than was strictly my share…
The 90’ Pommery, which @Mike_Evans bought for aging when he was in middle school apparently, had that dark golden hue of real age and a lees-y, nutty theme that most of us punters rarely get to try. Another remarkable food wine that harmonized and elevated the food.

Were these generously-shared bubbles and white Burgs worth the hype? I have to say yes.
Can I afford or would I chase them in today’s market? Thats a no.
Hello Ployez Jacquemart, Niellon, Marc Morey, Fichet and yes, Walter Scott.
So many great options out there.

The 99s were a treat, but in many ways overshadowed I thought by the approachable pleasures of the 15s. But, to quote @TomHill ”I have the palate of a gerbil”, so what do I know?

Sharp-eyed observers will note the price tag still affixed to @Mike_Evans Clos de Beze which he purchased as a college freshman, back when the rest of us thought hearty Burgundy came by the gallon at Kroger.

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And last, but not least, the oft pursued but seldom seen Arnoux-Lachaux.
I only had a bottle to bring because in my feckless youth a French lady with a wine shop said “Mais oui, you should buy eet.” Reader, I bought it.

Were they good? Yeah, they were good, especially the Reignots.
Were they $1400 a bottle good? Even @dcornutt who generously shared this near-unicorn had to blink, and say “no”.

A memorable evening, made special by good company and good wine shared in a spirit of generosity and inquiry.

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#3

Thanks Andrew for setting it up and to everyone for their generosity. It was a wonderful night. I don’t have much to add on the wines, I thought everything was showing well and these are all very good wines. It was nice to be able to follow them over time and with a range of great dishes that helped illustrate different facets of the wines. I’m feeling the effects today but it’s definitely worth it.

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#4

Atlanta crew have been bringing the heat lately. Keep it up, gents

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#5

Great notes guys. A very fun evening. I have been priced out now on Arnoux-Lachaux.

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#6

I sold all mine right before our last dinner.

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#7

Y’all, I coulda brought a few DRC… ; )

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#8

Nice work Andrew.

#9

Next time, Brad! Unfortunately Lyla Lila had a big party that night and could only accommodate 5 or we would have made it a bigger event.

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