Our local tasting group has not been meeting as frequently as we used to, but we were finally able to gather a couple of weekends ago, where our host put together a fabulous tasting menu style dinner. My notes are belated - and abbreviated - but capture my impressions.
(I might have the various courses and their timing misaligned)
Bubbly and pan seared Hokkaido scallops (in buttter/parsley/lemon) plus a Greek salad
A trio of Krug, including the the NV, rose, and the 2004. I enjoyed but didn’t take notes as I was doing my best to be a starfish scallop predator… I am happy/lucky that my sensory perception - when it comes to sparkling wines - can not distinguish between ‘good’ and ‘great’!
Whites and shrimp (in a red curry sauce)
2014 Maison Harbour ‘En Remilly’ 1er [Chassagne Montrachet] The label notes this is 13% abv with maybe 100 cs produced. It’s pretty good, with a ‘sweetish’ note to me. Old vines. Lots better than a 2014 Olivier Leflaive C-M I had some months ago! An American making Burgundy!
1981 Lopez de Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia’ blanco [Rioja] I missed whether this was the reserva or (possibly) the gran reserva. As always, this style is controversial. It has ginger and floral notes on the nose. But I always find them odd and more like a salty sherry than a true white wine. They have their fans (like Musar’s blancs) and are fun to have with wine enthusiasts to discuss.
Next up, our host had prepared slivered asparagus with a Hollandaise foam on top. I think this is an El Bulli styled intermezzo. It’s great, but beyond my skills!
2002 M. Chapoutier ‘de l’Oree’ blanc [Ermitage] I thought this was fabulous, with richness and depth that outshined the other whites. Others didn’t feel the same. We had the usual discussion of ‘Ermitage’ vs ‘Hemitage’ as well. I should like to nominate Michel Chapoutier for a Noble Laureate in Wine.
2001 Dominique Laurent ‘Grande Cuvee Vielles Vignes’ Grand Cru [Charmes Chambertin] This was super! It showed sweet raspberries on the palate then pipe smoke on the nose, along with a silky texture. A week later I had a crappy Bourgogne which only made this even more impressive in retrospective…
Then we moved to a fish course - macadamia crusted mahi mahi.
2005 La Rioja Alta ‘Gran Reserva 904’ [Rioja] I have not had this bottling in a long time, but I found this to be smooth texturally, with some coconut character. I bought LRA’s low production ‘Vina Arana’ in this vintage - current releases are now presented as a GR to the market - and it’s likely time to try it. It fits well with a Bordeaux night.
2002 Pichon Lalande [Pauillac] Usually a reliable house, but this seemed too tangy to me. It’s been at least a decade since I’ve tasted this vintage so I don’t have mental memory of its P-L. And, as a side note, for those who like this 2nd growth, consider CVNE Imperial Reserva - for my tastes that century bodega Rioja can offer similarity + quality.
Now the lamb shanks and risotto were brought out and the older Bordeaux were poured. (The risotto was made with a Rivers Marie ‘Sonoma Coast’ Chardonnay, which I also enjoyed, but it was not part of the official flights)
1981 Chateau Margaux [Margaux] This were getting blurry now, but I found it light and soft.
1987 Haut Brion [Pessac Leognan] Very smoky bouquet, palate depth is light. Kept improving with air.
1982 Lynch Bages [Pauillac] This bottle had been held since released by one of our group and never moved. It was superb! Balanced and rich.
We also had a Mouton Rothschild - I cannot determine from the picture if it was an 81 or 83 - but the cork collapsed into the bottle. It seemed off and was deemed lost. Sometimes that can happen when old bottles are stood up in the day/hours prior to serving and the wine is fine, but other times it happens long before.
The final course was cheese, crackers, bread and pate & charcuterie
1990 Raymond Lafon [Sauternes] This is an estate that is not seen much, but this year is a big full bodied dessert wine with honey and saffron attributes. It went wonderfully with both the pork pate and a ‘two milk’ brie.
As always it was great to see everyone, and try so many wonderful wines, and much gratitude to our host/chef and their sous. One can really see the difference between those who have hospitality training & experience versus the casual enthusiastic home cook!
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