My 2nd day in DC started with lunch with Alek Vey. He introduced me to Rasika (the D Street location). I am a strict judge when it comes to Indian food, but this gets gold stars and will be a must-stop for me on any return visit here. Many thanks for spending time with me, Alek!
2017 Louis Michel Chablis Montmains
We are both fans of the producer. I’m not saying this hits near the stellar Grenouilles, but it does have the hallmarks of Michel–clean and crisp and very fresh both in nuzzie and on the tongue. Apple and grapefruit have some play and this did work with a couple of the dishes–the daal and the appetizer crispy spinach dish.
2016 Kutch McDougall PN
I was happy to open this for Alek to try. Nose is still somewhat reticent, but some swirling coaxes out berries and crabapple. It’s sparky and tightly wound still, but there is ample fruit to buttress the experience and this should end up being an excellent example from here. I’d suggest leaving 2 years.
DINNER AT LA CHAUMIERE
My undying thanks to Howard Cooper for rallying the troops so that I could again get together with more friends I hadn’t seen in 4.5 years…or longer! With conversation swirling around tax laws, good-natured Duke vs. UNC basketball ribbing and the Battle of Cowpens and the role of Nathanael Greene (and Howard, please fill in the missing name that I knew I should have written down!), it was a very convivial evening with great food, service and wine. I was delighted that my very good friend Nick Christie could again join and, I believe, meet all these people for the first time.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Howard Cooper
Charles Stewart
Adelaide Kellar
Ken Brown
Nick Christie
Kenneth and Barbara Barr
Randy McFarlane
Yon Rapacious Recorder
2011 Cedric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne Cuvee Enfer
This was most people’s first champagne from this millesime, me included. Grapefruit and light raspberry is nosed. This is quite clean, with pink grapefruit replay and a backbreathe of apple skin. There’s plenty of demure complexity here.
Robert Moncutt Le Mesnil sur Oger Brut NV
I get croissant-like scents, almost matchstick. Clean and fresh in the mouth with salty citrus taking hold. I don’t think it gets to an extra level of wow for me, but it’s good and a little idiosyncratic. One can always want interesting and different wines!
2001 Trimbach CFE Ries
The thought of yellow plum crosses my mind on the bouquet, maybe almost some apricot and nectarine. Definitely still in good shape, a linchpin Alsatian Ries. Dash of lychee and even an almost botrytis taste and feel, but terrific attack and finish. Very nice.
2002 Zind-Humbrecht Brand Ries
This, too, is showing extremely well. Comes in at 14%. Lots of floral and light vanilla at first, later bits of mango and plantain show up in the aromatics. Plenty of tropical fruit tastes, but the sense is of a rich, rich wine yet one that handles that richness extremely well. This was one of the most enjoyable wines for me of the evening.
2010 Reinhold Haart Goldtropfchen Ries
I’ll tell you what I found here. Initial nose is a quick note of apple tart mixed with a bit of poached pear. When I tasted it, I did find pure and almost joyful fruit–apple, orange and citrus. It tasted like a 2010 for me, a vintage I really love. So this is all the more remarkable (or speaks to my declining/now-dead ability to detect this!) given that Charles, who knows the wines very well, called for slight cork and that this was definitely verified when Ken and others came back to sniff it later in the evening.
2001 Michel Gaunoux Pommard Les Rugiens Bas
Tant pis, this was very off—possibly oxidized. Drat.
I won’t re-state a note on the 2007 Dublere Corton Renardes from the day before, other than to say it did show still a little more expressiveness tonight.
1999 Chateau de la Charrieres Corton Renardes
Plum and cherry bouquet with nips of herbs and tomato leaf. Light but elegant, has a level of expressive cherry with light cocoa and a dip of lighter cinnamon, but you are left with the feeling that the wine has still more to give with time.
2001 Louis Latour Corton-Grancy
Cherry and plum liqueur and pie combination aromas. There is a hidden sense of class. This, to taste, is level with requisite red fruit but feels and seems reserved.
2005 Hospice de Beaune Cuvee Docteur Peste Corton
Charles brought this, out of a barrel he purchased with others. Porcheron did the elevage. I think this was my fave of this trio, it has some spine and a mix of red and black berries. Some tannins and oak presence, I enjoyed more of what I want in Corton in terms of structure here. Lots of time yet to go, Charles remarked that it showed almost like an older Cali Cab for pinot, which I can see.
2001 Domaine Leroy Chambolle Musigny Les Charmes
Core of dark red and black strawberry is accented by some chestnut and baking spices. This really is very lovely. Very full and elegant at the same time, raspberry and bilberry for me with balanced acidity. Very classy and complete. We had a fascinating discussion about whether Leroy wines express terroir or not. I have had far too few to weigh in, but I do think this expresses this vintage and its elegance extremely well. Close, but WOTN.
2002 Hudellot-Noellat Vosne Les Beaumonts
Medium-toned with bright fruit. Follows through on the palate. Finish is curled off, but it fits in with the overall presentation of this wine, which I find has a very nice bouquet-to-palate flow and consistency. #3 tonight.
2001 Suduiraut
This was my contribution, and my first try from a full in a very long time. This has what I want from this house–brown sugar, orange, orange blossoms and apricot with vanilla bean lurking in the background. It’s still not at peak, on the tongue poached peaches get added. I won’t say this is showing at the 99-100 level…yet…but it’s very solid with a long, long finish for me. #2
2012 Thomas Haag Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Ries Auslese Goldkapsel
Just a little shy aromas of apple and blossoms waft up the glass. I do like this, it is quite polished and very harmonious from front to back of mouth. It does have enough finish to be complete and the fruit is there, but with a bit of mystery.
2012 Willi Schaefer Graacher Himmelreich Ries Auslese
More intensity here, both in bouquet and on palate, than the Haag. Riper white and yellow fruit. Acidity is there, but there is more viscosity on the entry. And what I find is that there’s presence at the front and at the back of my mouth, but it’s disconnected. I liked this for what it showed, but I did prefer the Haag of these two.
Again, everyone—a huge thanks for coming together to make this a memorable evening and redressing a much-too-long absence.
Kwa Heri
Mike
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