A night when all wines fired.
Good friends in town over the weekend, feeling celebratory so I pulled the 2008 Dom Perignon for a check-in. I’m no champagne expert, but this is a gorgeous wine that really does need more time. Starts fairly linear, taut, but powerful like an ocean surge (pardon, just went through a hurricane here). Big mousse present. Buttered croissant with a kiss of sea salt, some flinty-ness as well. Starts with some tart citrus fruits, lemons in particular, and as it fleshed out over several glasses, showed peaches, kiwis and a melange of other yellow and white fruits. Really seems like this wine will jump to another level with a few more years to it. Excellent. Paired deliciously with charcuterie, cheeses and Marconi almonds (94+ pts.)
Had a quick half-glass of the 2020 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre as we prepared to head to dinner. Leftover from last night. Really solid QPR, smoky, flinty, oyster shells and tart yellow fruits. Split a case with a buddy, an excellent house white. (92 pts.). Had the base 2020 Louis Michel Chablis as well, frankly not that far behind in quality. (90 pts.). I need a case of this as well as we are about to start stone crab clause season in Florida!
Decanted both reds for around 30 minutes while we got dinner started at the club. Just off the wafts from a swirled decanter, decided to go first with the 2000 Vieux Chateau Certain. A beautifully integrated, mature wine that is really hitting its stride, better than when I had it about 2-3 years ago. Rich, earthy, spicy nose, some truffles and dark chocolate. Great balance of ripe plummy fruits and crisp reds. Blind I might have thought 2001 given the red shine on this wine. Silky finish. (95 pts.)
Our friends just came back from Italy and had several cases shipped, including this Barolo that I never had before, 2000 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Prapò.. Beguiling nose of rose petals, earth, red licorice, dry earth, and I wanna say a hint of something like Iodine. Kept trying to draw that note out, then the drinking took over. Balance on this wine is impeccable. More acid-structured and lean than the VCC but still had some power to it. Paired really well with swordfish steak au poivre. (93 pts.)
Finished the evening with a few fingers of Elijiah Craig 18. I’m more of Scotch man myself, but this is an intoxicating Bourbon. Carmelized, toasted walnuts. I’ve been blowing through a bottle that I recently grabbed.
My buddy still got up at 6:30 to run 15, he’s got a marathon in 7 weeks. Dogs woke me, girls sleeping, so figured I’d write this up over a stiff coffee. Now I’m gonna go walk the beach, another gorgeous morning in Florida - early fall is here!
