TN: Lazy Sunday group Holiday dinner

WINE TALK
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LAZY SUNDAY GROUP HOLIDAY DINNER - The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown (12/22/2013)

This was our last lazy Sunday dinner of the year. Eight of the usual suspects got together to drink some great wines. Justin was able to source two 4.5 ounce white truffles which we generously sliced in a number of dishes. The chef was very accommodating and kindly prepared scrambled eggs, scallop carpaccio, cauliflower soup and risotto.

The dinner started at four but lasted until ten. We then proceeded to the roof deck and smoke cigars that Justin kindly brought.
Mostly Champagnes
It was my first time trying the VV Francaises. Although it was unique and exceptional I preferred the Salon.

  • 1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne
    The 96 has been showing beautifully lately. Gorgeous sweet nose, ripe sweet yellow fruits, lemon candy, flowers, lime stone and honey. This particular bottle, although very youthful, also displays sweet dense yellow fruits. Excellent concentration, fine mousse, good acidity and lovely sweet finish. It is interesting to compare the 96 Krug, Salon and Dom. This time, I slightly preferred the Salon. Nevertheless incredible showing. The great vintages of Dom need time to develop as demonstrated by the 90 and the 96. I have been also impressed with the 02 as did Antonio. For the current price, I highly recommend the 02 as well as the 96. (97 pts.)
  • 2004 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
    Cracker jack, caramel, ripe yellow fruits and good mineral presence. Dense palate, sweet yellow fruits, mineral, good acidity and noticeable alcohol. Your rating may be higher if you enjoy big scale domestic Chardonnays. (91 pts.)
  • 1996 Bollinger Champagne Vieilles Vignes Francaises - France, Champagne
    Very vinous nose, sweet red and ripe yellow fruits, sweet spices, mineral and brioche. Delicate yet decadent palate, intense yet airy, ripe fruits, brioche, good acidity and long finish. A quite unique champagne, especially the palate, that reminds me Selosse Substance although more delicate and not so oxidative. It seems more ready than the Salon and Dom. It definitely improved with air. (97 pts.)
  • 1996 Salon Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
    Stunning showing from the get go, incredibly fresh and precise. Citrus, green apple, honey and mineral. Intense, fresh and precise. This particular bottle is flirting with perfection. (99 pts.)

Montrachets
The 82 was a pleasant surprise.

  • 1982 Delagrange-Bachelet Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    I picked the lightest color bottle and it truly paid off. The color is as light as the 02 Boillot with only a hint of light gold. Smoke, seashell, saline, delicate yellow fruits and cream. Airy palate, weightless and creamy. Interesting to note the similarity with the 02 Boillot version. Not a big wine but quite complex. A lovely fully matured Le Montrachet. (98 pts.)
  • 2002 Henri Boillot Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru
    Still a youthful and big scale wine. Intense yet cool nose displaying lemon curd, lemon oil, white pepper and limestone. Intense yet airy palate with sweet yellow fruits, good acidity and long finish. Very impressive showing once again. (97 pts.)

Barolos
The Cavallotto rocked!

  • 1971 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    A stunner! Expressive nose of perfectly ripe cherries and strawberries, rose, tar, dry cherries, kirsch, raisin and baking spices. Excellent concentration, intense sweet yet cool fruit expression, silky palate and nicely integrated tannins. This is an opulent forward fruit driven wine with very clean palate. Still quite youthful but drinking perfectly. (98 pts.)
  • 1985 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
    Certainly displaying a lot of Monfortino typicity like iron, blood, leather and etc. There is a hint of oxidative note and the fruit is muted. Still displaying a lot of structure. It seems a bit advanced. (92 pts.)

Vogue Moose
It showed incredibly well.

  • 1991 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru
    This bottle is incredibly expressive. Intense bright red fruits, strawberry, raspberry, caramel, cream and truffle. Excellent concentration, intense sweet fruit palate expression, beautifully layered fruits and nicely integrated tannins. Generous opulent fruits. Expressive and hedonistic. (97 pts.)

Two great Bordeaux - not today
One a bit too advanced and the other, corked!

  • 1959 Château Latour Grand Vin - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    Seems a bit advanced. Although the fruit is sweet and displays complex notes like cedar and leather, it is slightly off. Noticeable brett and a hint of VA as well. Nevertheless it is quite enjoyable perhaps slightly too lean. This can be a monumental wine based on my past experiences.
  • 1982 Château La Mission Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
    Bummer! Slightly corked. Exceptional concentration and intense sweet fruits. A great wine based on my past experiences. NR (flawed)

Dujacs
Both were incredibly perfumed!

  • 2001 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru
    This must be a great Burgundy day as this is also showing so beautifully. Intense jammy red fruits, cherry fruits, sweet spices, flowers, mushroom and earth. Highly toned, nicely delineated and beautifully layered. This wine displays generous forward fruits. Drinking beautifully but will improve. (97 pts.)
  • 2001 Domaine Dujac Bonnes Mares - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru
    Mostly dark fruits, noticeably minty, cheery cola and earth. Excellent concentration and noticeable structure. This was mostly favored to the CDR and I was in the minority, preferring the CDR. (95 pts.)

Two great Bordeaux - incredible showing

  • 1990 Château Cheval Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
    Initially Cab Franc driven nose, ash, smoke and lead pencil. With air, intense ripe black fruits, flowers, mineral and earth. Excellent concentration, chewy, layered fruits and extremely long finish. This is an exotic and decadent wine that has a big upside potential. (98 pts.)
  • 1996 Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
    The 96 Margaux is a great wine, a classic claret with perfect balance and harmony. Expressive nose of black fruits, cassis, lead pencil, flowers and earth. Seamless from the beginning to the end, beautiful polished fruit expression, silk and sophisticated palate and nicely integrated tannins. Still quite primary yet all the components are in perfect harmony. One of the most sophisticated classic clarets that are consistently flirting with perfection. Perhaps the Chateau Margaux version of the 90 Latour. Long life ahead. (99 pts.)

Two rhones

  • 1990 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    Justin B mentioned that made in amarone style. Justin C initially thought possibly slightly corked. Very Amarone like with tar, sap and raisin. It masks 16.5% alcohol very well. Dry cherry, raisin, licorice, tar, leather, sap and tobacco. The palate is also very Amarone like, lots of dry impression. Very interesting wine. (94 pts.)
  • 1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
    The 90 la Chapelle pretty well be a 100 year wine! Extremely youthful, ripe slightly dry black fruits, licorice, tapenade, rare charred steak, tar and a hint of mint. Exceptional concentration, big scale, bright acidity and nicely integrated tannins. It will improve at least for another twenty years. Impressive wine. (98 pts.)

Two RSVs

  • 2010 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Romanée St. Vivant - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
    Wow! This is so incredibly perfumed. Fresh vibrant red fruits, raspberry and cherry, smoke, sweet spices, flowers and sap. Very precise clean palate, vibrant sweet fruits, lovely mineral expression and nicely integrated tannins. This is sort of wine that gives energy. Vibrant, energetic, precise, expressive, beguiling and harmonious. Wow! (98 pts.)
  • 2010 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
    I love drinking young DRC RSVs as they tend to show lovely caramel note, sap and a hint of Vosne spices even at the early stage. This particular bottle shows noticeable stem. Fresh bright red fruits, fresh crushed raspberries and blackberries, black cherries, stem, sap, mushroom and Vosne spices. Very polished, precise, complex, weightless, harmonious and seamless. Impressive showing. (98 pts.)

D’Yquem
We also had the 70 Fonseca which was wonderful.

  • 1967 Château d’Yquem - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
    A hint of oxidative note. Crème caramel, dry apricot, raisin, dark honey, cognac and a hint of sweet madeira. Lovely airy texture that is only found in D’Yquem. This seems slightly off. Nevertheless, lovely. (93 pts.)

Two big truffles, great dishes and great wines. A great time was had by all.
Posted from CellarTracker

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That’s one heck of a set of wines there, Kevin! Way to finish the year.

Especially appreciate the note on the H-N RSV. Looking forward to that one.

Cheers.

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One of the greatest Montrachets I have had, a fabulous wine, and exactly as you described it…

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Paul,
I almost rated 99. I still got three bottles left. I would love to taste from a magnum.

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That '10 DRC RSV is the best young RSV I have tasted Kevin. Thanks for the notes.
Cheers
Jeremy

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Nice group of wines. Never had a Cavallotto like that, but I keep hoping.

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If that’s what the wines were, what were the cigars? Pre-Castro Cubans?

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Great set of wines.

I have a friend that opens the 90 La Chapelle often. Every time I taste it I am amazed by how young it shows. Amazing wine for sure, but as you say, I’d like to try it after 20 years.

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Kevin, amazing group of wines, nice notes. Love those 1996 Champagnes!

Cheers, Howard

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Eric,
The 10 H. Noellat RSV is an incredible wine. I wish I have some.

Jeremy,
I also loved the 09 but they truly represent their respective vintages.

Gary,
The 78 is also incredible. They seem very youthful. Either, the producer has an extremely cold cellar or…… Great wines whatever they are.

John,
Justin C brought a couple dozens, they were double figuardo, I thought Montecristo, brown band, as I recall.

Ryan,
I am really curious as whether the 90 will ever closely resemble the 61, one of my top five wines.

Howard,
The 96 champagnes are indeed great, almost all top luxury cuvees. I personally think that the 02 Dom will be up there in another five to ten years.

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Kevin, thanks for the notes, which are, by the way, getting better and better. I thought your descriptions were generally spot on, particularly with the montrachet and bordeaux flights. And I couldn’t agree more that the monfo was slightly oxidized (maybe more than slightly as it definitely had a brown tinge versus the orange one expects). And the 71 Cavallotto was stunning. I am coming to believe that his older wines are about the best of that generation (i.e., 1961-1977); beginning with 1978, Giacosa and Conterno finally come into their own and surpass everything.

Only quibbles:

i) I thought the Salon wasn’t quite as good as you suggest, but maybe it is personal preference. Sometimes its famous sour green apple note gets a bit overwhelming for me in really strong vintages.
ii) I thought the Dujac BM was the better wine and probably would have flipped the scores with the CdLR. The BM certainly had more structure and will be around longer.

Otherwise, thanks to all for bringing these gems. It was fantastic.

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Great notes, Kevin.

Barry: I am with you in that I preferred the BM to the CdlR that night.

I cringed when I decided to bring the '10 H-N RSV, because I only had two bottles and was planning on forgetting about them for a decade or three, but man, was that a delicious young wine! Just layers of complexity of aroma and flavor. Everything I remember about loving it at La Paulee last year. This was my first experience with DRC RSV, and it was wonderful, but based on how good the Noellat was, I’m starting to wonder if DRC is worth the more than 2x markup.

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Barry and Scott,
It was a great evening. I think most folks preferred the BM. I found a hint of mint which is something I do not care for. I agree that BM is more structured and polished/sophisticated wine.

I love the singular expression in the 96 Salon and perhaps I am biased. What I loved about this particular bottle was that it was incredibly youthful which after 17 years is quite impressive.

I believe the 10 DRC RSV will become incredibly aromatic/ floral in ten to fifteen years. I was surprised by how stemmy it was. I have to profess that I love drinking great young Burgundy. They show the great complexity and always re-energize me. It is like sleeping with a highly intelligent incredibly attractive young co-ed, not that I will ever know.

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Although the restaurant is known for exceptional meat and potato type of dishes, they have done a great job improvising a number of dishes to complement the truffles.

4.5 oz each

Scrambled eggs

Cauliflower Soup

Scallop Carpaccio

Risotto

Ice Cream

Wines