Saturday a nice group gathered in a private room at Fabio Cucina Italiana to welcome Arv and Jenn, former New Yorkers in town for a visit. Arv was one of the founders of our Bordeaux group, but somehow in a free form offline not a single bottle from Bordeaux appeared!
John and Gio greeted us with Champagne
2004 Dom Ruinart BdB (mag)
I thought this was stunning, crisp and clean with citrus and mineral.I liked before, loved this one. A-
We had starters of burrata with tomato & pepper, as well as “crab cake” (not much binder, quite good)
2009 Niellon “Clos de la Maltroie”Chassagne-Montrachet
I really liked this, ripe but balanced, lovely and long. B+/A-
1995 Coulee de Serrant (Joly) Moelleux
Despite Moelleux designation this was only a little sweet, with apricot and lemon fruit, a little dank on finish. B
1998 Knoll “Loibenberg” Gruner Veltliner Federspiel
Not quite as vibrant as previous bottles, but good sweetpea and dry peach flavors, some pepper, good with the crab. B/B+
Then a trio of pastas - a pomodori sauce, a cheese tortellini, and my favorite a fettucine with sausage and truffle. I left my notes behind, but recreated most on train
1978 de Forville Barbaresco (mag)
Double-decanted (after standing for a week), pretty and clear. Fresh red fruits, floral and charming. Held up well for entire night, easily lightest of the Nebbiolos but with elegance and clarity. A-/B+
1978 Borgogno Barolo Riserva
Pretty volatile on the nose, a bit murky with some suspended sediment. There is some deep red cherry and raspberry fruit, and some tar. Just a bit harsh for me. I would have liked to revisit but there were just too many wines. B-/C+
(I’m not 100% sure I didn’t mix these 2 Corderos up, with some of the 750s I was sharing a pour with Betsy)
1978 Cordero di Montezemolo “Monfalletto” Barolo
Surprisingly plush, rounder red fruit, rose petals, leather. B+/A-
1982 Cordero di Montezemolo “Monfalletto” Barolo
Quite tannic, but nice tarry character, blacker fruit, Should have saved for the meat. B
1989 Scavino Barolo Bric del Fiasc (mag)
Very young , just a hint of oak, big ripe and powerful, but not pruney or overripe, liked a lot, just needs time. B+/A-
I liked my main of short ribs, Betsy’s veal in a mushroom/Barolo sauce was good not great,
From this point on wines were flying by so fast (and I wasn’t spitting enough) that takes are even shakier. From memory ascending order of preference
1995 Chapoutier Cote-Rotie
A touch pruney, a little ashtray, but I didn’t give it a chance to improve,.
1996 Ridge Lytton Springs (mag) ,
Brambly, red fruited. Nice, but didn’t grab me, others liked more.
2000 Vieux Telegraphe “Le Crau” Chateauneuf-du-Pape (mag).
Rpe and ready to go, some forest floor./
1997 Ornellaia
Surprised how much I liked, ripe red fruits, fat but not flabby, easy to like
1991 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon ( Mag)
I liked this, fresher than a 750 a few years ago, then saw note saying NP was bringing Montelena and thought I had mixed up. No, it actually WAS the Beringer, just much fresher from 1.5, Black cherry, herbs.
2001 Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape (mag)
I remember liking this, and that it was a tad animal, but no notes
Palate was shot, but passed around a Riesling. This was supposed to be an apertif, but delay due to spongy cork, strained into a water bottle and served as a pre-port palate cleanser (sitting in ice bath for 2 hours, too cold, better as it warmed)
2002 Leitz Rudesheimer Burg Roseneck Spatlese
Moderately sweet, creamy texture, apple and pit fruits with some quartzy mineral notes.
1985 Dow Vintage Port.
Not as brawny as I expected, coffee and spice over black fruit.
Fun night with a great crowd, nice to reconnect with a bunch of old friends as well as see “regulars”
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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.
