TN: Burgundy vs. California Chards and Pinot Blindtasting Dinner - 29 wines

WINE TALK
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BURGUNDY VS. CALIFORNIA CHARDS AND PINOT BLINDTASTING DINNER - The Plumed Horse Restaurant, Saratoga, California (9/3/2009)


Another David Niederauer production at one of our favorite venues, with ten participants and 29 wines. This time, our flights either featured half Cali and half Burgundy, or were all Cali or all Burgundy. Everything was poured blind. My WOTN was the '72 Remy Clos de la Roche, which was a much better bottle than one I tried earlier in the year. The best overall flight, not surprisingly, was the Grand Cru red Burgundy flight, closely followed by the younger Cali Chard and white Burg flight. Chef Peter Armellino and his staff did a stupendous job, as usual, on the food. Delicious company, great food and lovely wines.
Brain Teaser Opening Flight

While David was getting the rest of our blind flights ready, he had us taste through this flight and gave us a few clues. We were guessing Chardonnay (although a few of us had our doubts about the varietal on a couple of them), and we were guessing California, but having trouble getting correct answers that were more specific than that. The Mount Carmels seemed a lot weaker to me than the Sweeney Canyons, and I confess I did not pick up any of the “liqueur of rocks-like component reminiscent of a Chassagne-Montrachet grand cru,” that Mr. Parker, in the latest issue of WA, alleges can be found in the '07 Brewer-Clifton Mount Carmel.

  • 2001 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Sweeney Canyon - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills
    Light golden yellow color; butter, butterscotch, baked lemon, pineapple nose; tight, spicy, tart lemon, quince and tart pineapple palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
  • 2005 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Sweeney Canyon - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills
    Light medium gold color; nice floral, clarified butter, lime and mineral nose; sweet, tight, ripe lemon, ripe pineapple palate with grip; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)
  • 2003 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Mount Carmel - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills
    Light medium gold color; jasmine, ginger, orange cream nose with a touch of VA; low acid, dull, tart orange and tangerine palate that fades quickly; short finish (86 pts.)
  • 2005 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Mount Carmel - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills
    Light medium gold color; maple, oily, a little oxidized on nose; more mature, balanced, oaky, tart lemon, vanilla palate; medium finish (89 pts.)

Tweener Whackage
While we were still waiting to start our first official blind flight, George Kautzman–(in)famous for his huge stash of old California whites, most of which date back to the '70s–offered up a curiosity made by Joseph Swan’s Rod Berglund from a field blend of white grapes grown on Angelo Frati’s old hillside vineyard.

  • 1990 Trenton Cellars Angelo’s Old Vine White - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
    Medium dark apricot color; hazelnut, oxidized, smoke, VA and smoke almonds nose; oxidized, sweet and nutty on palate; short-medium finish (aged in French oak 6 mos.) (83 pts.)

Older White Burgs & Cali Chards

The '05 Chablis somehow crept in, when it was supposed to be in flight 4. Maybe it sensed the presence of the oyster, which has such natural affinity for Chablis. I think the group’s favorite below was the Mount Eden, which was very good. Several of us properly identified the Chablis as Chablis, and Mischa guessed Les Clos. The '85 Montrachet was dead as a doornail, which was particularly sad because Jeff and Mischa reported having had a really good bottle of it earlier in the year.
Kumomoto oyster w/ pressed caviar mignonette

Younger White Burgs & Cali Chards
This was a really lovely flight. The Rhys showed the best for me, closely followed by the Clair Corton-Charlemagne. The Kistler had an odd nose, and was tight, but otherwise very good.


black pepper & parmesan souffle, uni and Dungeness crab fondue

  • 1998 Domaine Bruno Clair Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
    Light-medium golden yellow color; focused, tart white cheese, mineral nose; tasty, tart lemon, citrus, apple and mineral palate; long finish (93 pts.)
  • 2000 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
    Light canary yellow color; reduction on nose at first, but that dissipates and opens to vanilla, tart lemon nose; tightly coiled, tart lemon, vanilla, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.)
  • 2006 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Light canary yellow color; bright citrus, lemon, tasty, balanced, tart pineapple, poised; medium finish (93 pts.)
  • 2005 Kistler Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard Parmelee-Hill - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
    Light medium yellow color; floral, artichoke water nose; tight, ripe lemon, lemon cream, mineral palate with good acidity; long finish (92 pts.)

Red Burgs - 1er Cru
The Groffier Les Amoureuses really stood out in this flight, and I properly guessed that it was a Chambolle. It was a lucky happenstance that we got to taste the two Aux Malconsorts side by side.

artisan foie gras on last-of-season Olson’s cherries, duck and Riesling jus and walnuts

Cali Pinot pre-'99
In another fortuitous happenstance, we ended up with three '98 Rochiolis and a WS Riverblock in this flight. The group’s WOTF was the '98 West Block, and the group’s 2nd WOTF was the '97 WS Riverblock. The brett on both the West Block and East Block put me off a little, and I preferred the Little Hill. The '98 Testarossa may have been faulty, but was not in good shape.

Columbia River sturgeon and beef cheeks, with arugula, truffled olive cream and braised salsify

  • 1997 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Riverblock Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
    Medium cherry red color with clear meniscus; berry, mint nose, with depth; tart raspberry, cherry, mint palate; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (group’s 2nd WOTF) (91 pts.)
  • 1998 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir West Block - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
    Slightly cloudy dark raspberry red color with pale meniscus; berry, cranberry, brett nose with green notes; brett, tart red fruit, tart cherry and mineral palate; medium finish (group’s WOTF) (91 pts.)
  • 1998 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir Little Hill Block - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
    Medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; black cherry, berry, cola nose; ripe cherry, oak, tart cherry palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)
  • 1998 J. Rochioli Pinot Noir East Block - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
    Opaque dark cherry red color with pale meniscus; spicy orange, tangerine nose; touch of brett, tart cherry, orange and tangerine palate; medium-plus finish (91 pts.)
  • 1998 Testarossa Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
    Medium cherry red color with clear meniscus; iodine, VA, tart berry nose; tart berry, cherry, oak palate; medium finish (“messed up”) (82 pts.)

Grand Cru Red Burg
Such a lovely flight! The '98 Remoissenet Grands-Ech was sadly corked, but the rest of the flight was quite strong.
South Texas antelope loin end, vanilla scented sweet potato with padrone pepper

  • 2006 Domaine Robert Groffier Bonnes Mares - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
    Medium garnet red color with pale meniscus; roses, tart red fruit, mineral nose; gorgeous roses, tart red fruit, mineral palate; medium-plus finish (93 pts.)
  • 1998 Christian Remoissenet Grands-Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru
    Corked NR (flawed)
  • 1990 Domaine Jean Gros Richebourg - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru
    Cloudy, bricking, medium red color with pale meniscus; tart cherry, red fruit, mineral nose; tasty, tart red fruit, cherry, mineral, vanilla oak, youthful palate, with depth; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.)
  • 1980 Camus Pere & Fils Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
    Bricked light medium red color with clear meniscus; reduction at first on nose, and a touch of brett; musty, tart red fruit, mineral palate; medium finish 91+ pts. (91 pts.)
  • 1972 Domaine Louis Remy Clos de la Roche - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
    Bricking light medium red color with pale meniscus and light sediment; savory, gorgonzola, eel skin and smoke nose; nice, savory, tart cherry, mineral, roses palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish (Larry properly guessed Clos de la Roche) (95 pts.)
  • 2006 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
    Bright medium cherry red color with pale meniscus; cherry, roses, mineral, VA nose; tight, tart red fruit, roses, hibiscus palate; medium finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.)

Sweet Finish
The Massandra was not as stunning as many Massandras I’ve had, possibly because it was decanted too early. The '76 Baumard QdC VT was quite fascinating, and not at all as sweet as I would have expected.

“Baked California”: meringue with creme fraiche ice cream, peach sorbet and California framboise and raspberry coulis

  • 1923 Massandra Madeira Kuchuk-Uzen - Ukraine, Crimea
    Cloudy orange color with red lights and clear meniscus; orange, tawny port, raspberry, white chocolate nose; tart red fruit, apricot, white chocolate palate; medium-plus finish (92 pts.)
  • 1976 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Vendage Tardives - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume
    Dark golden brown color with red lights and clear meniscus; mild tobacco, mushroom, smoke and chocolate nose; sweet tobacco, mint, Long Island Ice Tea, caramel, apricot palate; long finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.)

Mischa, Jeff, Chef Peter and Jayaram

Kim, Sandy and David

Posted from CellarTracker

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Great notes Richard, thanks. Looks like a great event. I’ll have to check out that restaurant.

3

Really impressive looking dinner and writeup.

Interesting to see the mix of Ca chard and chablis among others. Very different tastes and flavors.

It sounds like the Groffiers showed well. How was the oak on them? I have often found it a bit overdone for my palate.

Thx again for the notes.

Al Fenster

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Richard,

Would you say that the 05 B-C Sweeney Chardonnay was a point or should I wait a while longer yet?

Thanks

Dan

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Beautiful night. Thank you for sharing. I suspected the Rhys would hold its own.

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tremendous write-up~

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Thanks for the kind words on the write up.

Al,
I didn’t get any obtrusive oak on either of our Groffiers. I know that Groffier has had that reputation in the past, and I’ve experienced it in the past. The '01 Les Amoureuses, if it was showing more oak in its youth, is now well integrated per the bottle we had. I think Groffier, like Girardin, has substantially dialed back the new oak in recent vintages, and our '06 Bonnes Mares was not showing any obtrusive oak at all, IMO.

Dan,
Our '05 B-C Sweeney Canyon was a little tight compared to the '05 Mount Carmel, which was starting to show a touch of oxidation. From our experience, I think you can safely hang on to the Sweeney Canyon for another one to three years.