A nice group of 8 met at Riverpark restaurant last night for a few glasses of Burgundy. Nice restaurant, and convenient to the Bellevue mental wards. Thanks to Ramon for organizing. Food was very good, service well-intentioned and mostly fine, company was excellent.
We shared some bar food, an oyster taco being the star, but very good charcuterie and an ok empanada. I had a good sweetbread dish, though maybe should have gone for the squid ink chitarra, and then a very good chicken dish (I wanted duck with the PN, but the chocolate and pickled chiles scared me off). I think everyone was happy with the food (at least at my end).
1998 Domaine de Montille "le Cailleret" Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru
Lovely, mature but not fading, pear and butterscotch, minerally finish. B+
2000 Jean-Philippe Fichet "les Referts" Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru
White stone fruit, a little vanilla, running a bit flabby and beginning to show age a little (though not oxidized). B-
2005 Drouhin/Marquis de Laguiche Chassagne-Montrachet
There's oak there, but balanced and in background. Full and round without being flabby. I think I liked a bit more than table. B+/B
2009 Fontaine-Gagnard "les Caillerets" Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru
Beautiful long and deep. Very young, but I like a lot. B+/A-
a move to reds
2005 Jadot Beaune-Greves 1er Cru
More open than I would have expected, red fruit and smoke, quite elegant for young Beaune. B+/B
2005 F. Gaunoux "les Rugiens" Pommard 1er Cru
well, we escaped premOx this night, but not TCA. Sadly corked.
2002 Vincent Girardin "les Epenots" Pommard 1er Cru
Kirsch and candy/coughdrop, round and easy, but not my style. B-/C+
1999 d'Angerville "Champans" Volnay 1er Cru
Black cherry, full and deep, showing well, I really enjoyed, but could be cellared quite a while. B+
2001 d'Angerville "Champans "Volnay 1er Cru
Floral bright nose, a little spritziness, I enjoy nose but a little thin on palate. I know '01 was hail year in Volnay but not sure if I know exactly how that relates to this wine. I see I have one of these, not sure if I should open soon or not. B-
1976 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru
Wow, what a nice showing. Red fruit, sandalwood, forest floor. Not the least bit faded. Very nice, my WOTN (and I think for most at table), thanks Ramon. A-
1990 Drouhin "Clos des Mouches " Beaune 1er Cru
Some found this too tannic, I certainly felt the tannins, but enjoyed anyway. Young but to me open. Black cherries, smoke, damp earth. Full, long. A-/B+
with cheese we moved back to whites
2008 Hospices de Beaune (Faiveley) Corton-Charlemagne Cuvée François de Salins (this is a "Hospice Auction Group" bottling)
Lots of oak, but full-bodied and handles the oak well. Citrus, apple, and long. Will be very good with some time. B+
2006 Drouhin Corton-Charlemagne
Full, good acidity for an '06, but still running just a tad too fat for me. B
one non-Burgundian wine to finish, thanks Suzanne
1989 Domaine Cauhape "Quintessence du Petit Manseng" (Juracon)
Apricot, apricot pit, tropical notes, waxy notes that remind me of Chenin a little. Not overly sweet. I like this a lot. B+/A-
Fun night, fun wines, fun group.
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.
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