WTN: Many wines with Steve Edmunds et al @ Ciano

Steve Edmunds was in town,and Salil organized a nice group to greet him at Ciano last night. Food was very good, service attentive (though a few mixups), and company was grand.

Many many wines, I didn't take real notes but just quick impressions.

I loved these
1999 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne BdB
just like a bottle Jay poured a couple of weeks ago, elegant, deep and lovely.
1998 Fourrier "Combes aux Moines" Gevrey-Chambertin 1er
perfumed, a somewhat Volnayesque delicacy,lovely.
1966 Calon-Segur (St. Estephe)
Not as overtly young as a bottle couple of years ago, but in a really nice place, classic claret
2000 Edmunds St John "Los Robles Viejos"
Hey, if more Rhone blends tasted like this, I'd drink more Rhone blends
1986 Ch. Simone (Palette)
mushrooms, funk, earthy and complex, what a treat
2009 Bea Santa Chiara
fruit, honey and earth, complex and continually evolving

I liked these a lot
1995 Edmunds St John Zinfandel (Amador)
This quite surprised me, plenty of vim left, fleshy without being soft.
2010 Nikolaihof Neuburger
I thought this was Gruner before being corrected. Plush pit fruits, green pea, pepper.
2007 Texier Cote-Rotie
Really young, but I think this will be great.
2009 Monastero Suore Cistercensi "Coenobium'"
Fun wine- orange wine on training wheels

I liked these, but maybe hoped for more.
2000 Thomas-Labaille "Cuvee Buster" Sancerre
Some thought this "musty" I didn't get that, but thought it a little soft and a little tired. I actually liked it more after open for a couple hours, almost an upgrade.
2004 Verset Cornas
Again, like the Buster a bit more of a case of high expectations. Surprisingly resolved tannins, a bit of animal, I liked but didn't love
2007 Plouzeau "Ante Phylloxera" "Clos de Maulevrier" Touraine
Quite nice pleasant wine with raspberry fruit and lots of soil tones, but again a case of expectations (because I was told it was pre-phylloxera)

These didn't really float my boat
1985 Ceretto "Bricco Roche" Barolo
There's nothing really wrong here, just a mundane bottle of mature Nebbiolo.
2010 Cowan Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Blast of fruit, and not much else. I'm sure these will calm down, not opening any more for a while.
1998 Jamet Cote-Rotie
I thought thought this mute and uninspired, but better noses declare it corked, and I'll take their word for it.
1995 Gravner Ribolla Giala
Honeyed, vanilla, some tannin, not really fun,

I especially enjoyed the veal meatballs and the farro/pea accompaniment to my very good chicken. It was great to meet Steve after enjoying so many lovely bottles of his wines, and also to meet Michael and Gene. Of course always good to see Jay, Jeff, Rahsaan, and Salil, with special thanks to the latter for organizing.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Interesting that a few people liked the Bea so much. I actively disliked it and the Coenobium at the dinner, they were so sweet and simple. Especially the Bea which tasted like a sweet blast of sweetness. Damned 2009! But after several hours of air when I got home they had both calmed down and were much more interesting for my tastes. At that point I actively liked them, but for the moment I think I still prefer 2008.

Otherwise, I agree on the highlights, Tattinger, Fourrier, Simone, and Calon-Segur were all very special in their own unique ways, as wine should be!

And of course it was a great time, nice to see everyone in our party plus the Lyle and Jamie bonus.

That certainly was a lot of wine (I gave up on taking notes about halfway through). Lots of fun, great company, a nice setting and a fantastic evening.

Among the wines, the highlights for me were certainly the 66 Calon Segur (stunning, intoxicating aromatics and a beautiful, finessed palate presence) and the Taittinger.

I didn't find the Jamet corked (particularly in the Burg glass); good but not as explosively meaty and layered as another bottle Jeff had opened a year ago. Liked the Verset, though it was incredibly young. I was incredibly disappointed by the Texier - found it completely unyielding at first, and a touch lactic with time.

Other standouts were the Los Robles Viejos (drinking so, so well now and kicking myself for only buying one bottle from Steve's late-release offering), the Fourrier and the Nikolaihof Neuburger.

Really no shortage of good wines, and a really fun evening. Thanks all.

Liked the Verset, though it was incredibly young..

Interesting. Down at our end of the table we all thought it was showing more advanced than we might have expected for a 7 year old Verset. Perhaps a function of the vintage.

Wow

Liked the Verset, though it was incredibly young..

Interesting. Down at our end of the table we all thought it was showing more advanced than we might have expected for a 7 year old Verset. Perhaps a function of the vintage.

Perhaps a function of better company at your end of the table, Rahsaan!!!
Sound like a very fun evening.
Tom

Most unusual variety of wines that your friends brought. I better open the couple of Cerreto's I have that are from the late 90's. I have never been that well versed on Italian wine. Thank you for all your notes and must have been a great evening with Steve Edmunds.

Most unusual variety of wines that your friends brought.

??

Sure the fact that there were a whopping three wines from CA may have been a but unusual. But the guest of honor could take it and we enjoy a few from time to time.

Most unusual variety of wines that your friends brought.

??

Sure the fact that there were a whopping three wines from CA may have been a but unusual. But the guest of honor could take it and we enjoy a few from time to time.

I am glad everyone had a wonderful time. It may surprise you to know that I know of Steve Edmunds and his wine. The vintages I found as unusual together were wines from the 60's. 80"s. 90's, 00s, 10;s . Not every tasting has such a spectrum of wine. It had not donned on me that having California wine, let alone the Zin, would be unusual. The 66 Segur with the 07 Texier is a little unusual. Perhaps not in your circles. Wish I had been there. If I am writing these threads, I should review the way I communicate, so that I do not provide the wrong impression as my previous thread was not very clear on review.

No worries, I was probably being a little cheeky.

This crowd can be pretty eclectic with wines. (Although within certain parameters).