A few of us got together for a quickly put together but well organized dinner on Long Island. The one doing the organizing wanted to drink some Chateauneuf du Papes. Not everyone had them in his cellar, so we included Hermitage and California Syrah in the mix.
Our starter was not a Rhone. We had the 2004 Aubert Ritchie Chardonnay. I got a honeysuckle nose with lemon lime flavors on the lingering finish. I detected a bit of oak that should integrate nicely with time. I'm not a lover of California chard, but I liked this one.
There was lots of discussion surrounding the 1997 Tardieu Laurent Hermitage. There were opinions of barnyard aromas where I got bacon fat. I found the barnyard more on the palate than on the nose. I thought it more of a Burgundian style, and a wine that truly needed food. The 1998 Jaboulet La Chapelle seemed to be more of a modern styled Hermitage. A brightness showing youth was the first thing I noticed in the glass. A sweetness in the fruit was followed by a long, spicy finish. Blind, I wouldn't have picked this as Hermitage.
Next up were the big Syrahs. The 2002 DuMol Ryan had a muted nose, but the palate was peppery and plummy with a moderate finish. The 2003 Carlisle was all about black cherries and chocolate - what could be bad? It's a huge wine, and has the stuffing to keep for several years.
The Chateauneufs - my favorite flight. The 2001 Pegau Cuvee Laurence with its nose of roses and spices showed tremendous texture with slightly drying tannins. Then up was the 2001 Beaurenard Boiserenard and this showed a most complex nose of espresso, cocoa, and toasted coconut. A thick, rich mouthfeel with hints of sweet ruby red grapefruit and this was my WOTN. Both CdPs were oh so young.
A fun Wednesday night.