RJ invited me to a gathering to eat some quack quack. Seven of us got together for an early Sunday dinner. RJ pre-ordered a copious amount of Lobster and Scallop dumplings. Most folks who are familiar with the restaurant know about great dim sum but they also have great American Chinese. IMO, their orange beef and pork fry rice are as good as any in DC.
Whites
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2006 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
This has developed beautifully. Shedding the opulent primary fruit has given better precision. Perfectly ripe yellow fruits, pineapple, honeysuckle, honey, lemon oil, a strong note of oyster shell and limestone. Excellent concentration, chewy yet fresh palate, bright acidity and long finish. A perfect complement to the lobster dumpling. (97 pts.) -
2004 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Ripe yellow fruits, lemon curt, cooked apple, a hint of oak and mineral. Good concentration, a hint of oak, intense ripe yellow fruit intensity and mouth puckering acidity. Sort of very dense wine but the acidity gives the freshness. (93 pts.) -
2009 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge - USA, California, Napa Valley
Butter popcorn, banana, pineapple, papaya and a hint of heat. Excellent concentration, bright acidity, excellent mineral expression and a bit of heat. Big hedonistic style of chardonnay that keeps a good definition. (96 pts.) -
2011 Bevan Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Very primary. White peach and pear driven nose, white flowers and a hint of limestone. Good concentration and fresh fruit expression. Although ripe and concentrated, very refreshing at the moment. There is no unripe pyrazine note. (92 pts.) -
2010 Paul Hobbs Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Yellow stone fruits, peach cobbler, a hint of oak and a hint of toast. Good concentration and good acidity. This is a good ripe style of domestic chardonnay. (94 pts.) -
2007 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
For me, Aubert Chardonnays have a lot of everything and this is no exception. Ripe yellow fruits, smoke, white pepper and sesame coming from oak. Excellent concentration, bright acidity, strong presence of mineral expression and long finish. (96 pts.) -
2010 Château Boswell Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
This seems to show more tropical quality than the other whites from the Ritche vineyard. Pineapple, mango and papaya. Good concentration, intense ripe yellow fruit palate impression and a hint of alcohol. (93 pts.)
Reds
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2006 Alban Vineyards Syrah Seymour’s Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
It is interesting to guess when a wine is served blind, especially in a casual dining setting. Your mind plays trick as the smell of sautéed garlic and the bottle shape make you think twice. Incredible intensity, a bit of lavender, dark jammy blue fruits and the ending ink note tells me a domestic Syrah, perhaps SQN or Saxum. RJ tells us that it is not SQN. Not that I am trying to cheat but the bottle shape is like Shafer HSS. I stick with domestic syrah but that’s about it. Big, blueberry liquor, baking spices, rock, coffee, lavender and smoke. Unctuous palate, intense sweet jammy fruit palate impression and sweet tannins a that are completely covered by the chewy sweet fruits. Still very primary and not showing any heat. Very impressive. (97 pts.) -
2007 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Edna Valley
I was initially served a glass of this and thought completely TCA tainted. I initially didn’t even pour but a couple of the guys said that it was not corked. I poured a glass and no sign of TCA. Big, ripe, more red fruits than the 06 Seymorr, licorice, caramel and coconut. Excellent concentration, silky palate and nicely integrated sweet tannins. I didn’t detect any heat. An impressive big scale Californian syrah. (96 pts.) -
2007 Kistler Pinot Noir Cuvée Elizabeth Bodega Headlands - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Freakishly big Pinot, big ripe blue fruits, blueberries, blueberry jam, sweet spices and a hint of heat. Exceptional concentration. You will either love or abhor this. Impressive but I don’t think I can have more than a glass. (94 pts.) -
2007 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Another big scale of Pinot that is showing typical Marcassin pinot profile. Big nose, ripe red fruits, cherry liquor, cinnamon, clove and root beer. Excellent concentration, intense ripe yet fresh palate impression. An impressive wine that is displaying youthful fruits. Most of you know whether you will love or hate. (95 pts.) -
2008 Bodega Numanthia Termes Toro Termanthia - Spain, Castilla y León, Toro
Big nose, dark fruits with a hint of red, oak, coconut, coffee, mocha, sweet spices and ink. Round silky palate, intense sweet dark fruit palate impression and a hint of dry tannins perhaps coming from the oak. (93 pts.) -
1995 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Expressive nose of dry black fruits, dry cherry, tapenade, smoked meat, tar and mineral. Excellent concentration, good acidity and nicely integrated tannins. This has reach the first stage of maturity where the fruits are still ample yet there is noticeable tapenade driven tertiary notes. Although it was difficult to taste, the intense tapenade note left me a pleasant impression. I would recommend to splash decant if served at home for not more than four or decant for an hour if a big gathering. Serve with a nice roast marinated in provencal herbs. (95 pts.)
Stickies
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1994 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Heimbourg Vendange Tardive - France, Alsace, Alsace AOC
I love extremely young ZH wines for their youthful vigor. As they age, some gets a bit to heavy and cloying showing a hint of alcohol. Also the beauty of a great desert wine is the airy/cotton candy like palate. This was an exceptional showing. Nicely focused nose displaying yellow peach, dry mango, apricot and sweeten ice tea. Lovely airy palate. The wine remains quite fresh and precise despite the dense fruit a la D’Yquem. Lovely showing.
I highly recommend. (95 pts.) -
2000 Disznókő Tokaji 6 Puttonyos - Hungary, Hegyalja, Tokaji
A hint of oxidative note, burnt sugar, orange peel, tea, plum and Japanese plum wine. Good concentration, sweet tea and orange peel palate impression and bright acidity as expected. (90 pts.)
As usual, a great time was had by all! The check was $150 per person that is almost unheard of, perhaps other than Bob’s crew.
Posted from CellarTracker
So in a way, my own is a bit of an experiment.
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