WTN: Champers,.PN, Gamay, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc

A rare lunch at friends, lobster abounded. I had small glasses of three Champagnes

2006 Dom Perignon Brut Champagne
I liked this more before, it was very good in a full bodied style, but seemed to lack a bit of snap. B+

2002 Piper-Heidsieck “Rare” Brut Champagne
Now this is snappy and full, apple and lemon, just baked bread, great length. A-

NV Louis Roederer Premier Brut Champagne
Next is a NV that was cellared for several years. Ripe apple, buttered brioche, lively. B+

With chicken paprikash on egg noodles, snow peas, salad
2007 Scherrer Pinot Noir (RRV)
Black cherry with a little mocha. I like this, but the alcohol clashed a bit with the paprikash (Betsy used 2 parts sweet to 1 part hot, so not real hot, but just enough to make the wine to seem hot).
B

2005 Chevillon Bourgogne
Cherry, with a little blood orange and some damp earth. Medium bodied, good acids, just a touch of tannin. In a good place. B+/B

Fish tacos (with cabbage, chipotle sour cream, guacamole, salsa crudo, etc)
2014 du Collier Saumur blanc
Full-bodied but racy, pear and wax, nice chalky finish. This seems young but delicious. B+/A-

2010 Drouhin “Folatieres” Puligny-Montrachet 1er
Quite advanced, pear laced with sherry, too bad. C+


With salmon crudo, the 2014 Servin “Le Clos” Chablis Grand Cru. This is pretty good Chardonnay, but maybe a disappointment for a ‘14 Clos. Clean grapefruit and lemon, touch of beeswax, maybe a little light in midpalate. B

Sausage and white bean stew, sauteed spinach, and salad
2009 Domaine des Billards Saint-Amour Reserve Caveau
This shows the big ripe style of the vintage, but is not the least bit ungainly. Rich red fruit, smoke, and mineral. Quite long. B+/A-

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.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for the Chevillon note. I still have one left.

What's your paprikash recipe?

She used NYT recipe. Saute thighs in butter to crisp skin, then saute onion, add paprika (2 Tb sweet Hungarian, 1 Tb hot) and flour, cook a bit, add tomatoes and broth, return thighs, put in oven to finish cooking. Add sour cream at end.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks. I have the NYT food subscription. Will look it up.

I just had an 02 Rare recently and wow, that is a killer bubbly. Our notes align well on it.

[Jenise]

I've had the '02 Rare twice since December. The first was a bit ripe and blowsy, in a way we weren't sure was as-intended or storage related. It was good but a bit disappointing when compared with an '04 Krug at the same event. It had been a fairly recent purchase for the guy who brought it. Another friend's bottle a month later was crisper with a lot more tension, though of course still quite "full" as you say. Very very impressive.