DON’S 50 50TH BIRTHDAY BASH - Don’s house (7/30/2011)
A wonderful dinner to celebrate Don’t 50th birthday
Champagnes and whites
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N.V. Krug Champagne Grande Cuvée Brut - France, Champagne
It impresses me how consistent this wine is. The newer release version. Quite complex nose with yellow fruit, lemon, baked apples, cinnamon. It is still youthful but more rounder than the 96 Krug. (94 pts.) -
1996 Krug Champagne Brut - France, Champagne
This is very expressive bottle, granny smith, lemon, yellow fruit. Incredible precision and concentration. It is enjoyable now but will show much better in a decade and even better in two decades. Consistently impressive. (97 pts.) -
2005 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Pur Sang - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
This is a Wow! showing. Wet stone, wax, wet sox in extremely positive way, a hint artificial apple drink. Impressive core energy and concentration, like licking a block of salt, very fresh and long finish. (96 pts.) -
2009 Kongsgaard Viorous - USA, California, Napa Valley
If you like SQN whites, you may like this a lot more than me. Detergent note to start that is bothersome, flowers and ripe fruit. The noticeable alcohol and lack of acidity make the wine heavy and cloying. This will be a very controversial wine. (85 pts.) -
1992 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
This is the wine that I dearly love, a classic example of the best of the 92 white Burgundies, very ripe and rich but still delicate. Honey and yellow fruit. Unctuous palate. This was decanted for 30 minutes also. I highly recommend decanting the wine for an hour or more and store in refrigerator. It got fresh, as usual the color as well towards to the end of the evening four hours later. The last was the best sip that merits high 90s like 97. (93 pts.)
Reds
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2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Lorraine - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
As usual a big monster, blackberry liquor, fruitcake, very ripe fruit. 10W40 thickness and lacks acidity. The sweetness comes from the high alcohol. Impressive. (93 pts.) -
2000 Chris Ringland Shiraz - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Range
Smoked meat, heavy oak, tar, a hint of mint, crushed blackberries and VA. Bright acidity gives this wine a nice definition and balance. Obviously a big scale new world wine but neither cloying nor heavy. Very impressive and in optimal drinking windows. BTW, if you don’t care for VA stay away! (96 pts.) -
2006 Harlan Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
Well too young for sure but still very much enjoyable. I love the Harlan’s blue fruit expression. It clearly shows its pedigree displaying freshness, concentration and balance. This may be controversial but this is a step above Maybach and Sloan which to me show more red fruits. The palate shows excellent concentration, impeccable balance and long finish. Very impressive. (97 pts.) -
1959 Château Rauzan-Gassies - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Another great showing, sort of an oddball as the other reds were very young and massive wines. Very complex nose, tobacco, cedar, blood, a hint of balsamico. Very youthful and fresh. (95 pts.)
Stickies
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1999 Alois Kracher Chardonnay/Welschriesling Grande Cuvée TBA #6 Nouvelle Vague - Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee
Apricot galore! I always love the bright acidity in Kracher that gives clear lighter impression. (94 pts.) -
2001 Château d’Yquem - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Complex nose indeed, ginger, peaches, apricots, pineapples, perhaps a hint of fresh dill and etc. Such a precision and so light. However it has lost some baby fat and seems a bit more structured. Perhaps one of the greatest wines every made.
(97 pts.) -
1961 Krohn Porto Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Completely tertiary, dry fruits especially figs, toffee and coffee grounds. Very tasty but not terrribly complex. (92 pts.) -
1961 Massandra Madeira - Ukraine, Crimea
It is very similar to a vin jaune but lacks acidity. Wax, smoke, dry fruits. Interesting. (90 pts.)
It was a memorable evening. Once again happy 50th Don!
Posted from CellarTracker