With Miso salmon, duck fat potatoes
2014 Bize “les Perrieres” Bourgogne Blanc
Citrus, pear, rocky minerality, brisk acids, fine balance. B+
Saturday was one of the nicest “September in November” days I’ve ever seen; luckily that coincided with some old wine friends coming for dinner. 7 folks spread around patio (and beyond), tiki torches were lit, and much food and wine consumed. We got REALLY lucky with weather and wines (no corked bottles, everything showed well)
Cheese (couple each goat and cow) and charcuterie (coppa, smoked duck breast, sausages)
Grilled lobster
Lamb persillade with root vegetables (rutabaga, regular & sweet potatoes,parsnips), spinach
1985 Taittinger Collection (-Lichtenstein)
Certainly coolest looking bottle of the night. Just a gentle pop, but still some fine mousse, dark with tinges of caramel and cider, but really there’s a fine core here, and this is a nice old Champagne in the twilight of it’s days, but still graceful. B+
2019 Francois Cotat Culs de Beaujeu
Young, zippy, full B+
2008 Pascal Cotat La Grande Cote Sancerre
Ripe and a little tropical, slight cheesy/lactic note, but I liked. B/B+
2008 P. Cotat Les Monts Damnes Sancerre
Lemon, a Cheniny kind of wool note, ripe but vibrant acids. A-/B+
2008 Francois Cotat Les Monts Damnes Sancerre
Taut, delineated, wet rocks on a lemon backdrop, yowsa A-
2008 F. Cotat Les Culs de Beaujeu Sancerre
Young and a little tight at first, becomes rich and minerally. A-/B+
NV Calsac L’Échappée Belle Brut Champagne
Bright and tensile, a little bread dough, pit fruits and pear. Good length. B+/A-
2001 Carl Schmitt-Wagner Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Auslese #18
I didn’t try this till late, good ‘01 acids, nice gingery fruit, but not real complex. B
1988 Chevillon Nuits St George
Easily one of the 5 best village wines of my life. Ethereal, pretty, delicate yet without lacking weight. A-
1991 Jadot Bonnes Mares
This took a little while to come out of its shell, but lovely red and black cherry, some sandalwood and earth, good finish, still a bit of tannin. Showed well 2 nights later, B+/A-
1970 Magdelaine
This bottle showed a little flat and round, though some pretty ripe black cherry fruit and some earth. This was good but not the stunner this wine can be, B
(2 nights later it actually showed better!)
1975 Ducru-Beaucaillou
Really nice showing from this, pretty far from the stereotypical hard/brawny ‘75, there is some tannin, but comparatively silky. Black fruit, load of tobacco (someone immediately got St Julien, though initial guess was Beychevelle), forest floor, a beautiful balanced mature Medic. A-/B+
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1979 Ausone
After an off-bottle last year, this was a real treat. High toned, red fruited, this was bright, herby, and elegant. St Emilion meets Barolo. A-
1985 Ducru-Beaucaillou
This was just opened at dinner, and was a bit tight. You can sense the fruit underneath the long structure , but this could really use air. B+
1985 Magdelaine
Lovely, elegant, long A-
1978 Montrose
Pretty for a Montrose, leather and cedar, I liked but some loved, B+
2012 Cotat Cuvee Paul Sancerre
(it actually does have the appellation, though in small letters)This is a late harvest wine, successor to the Cuvee Speciale, but if was more sec-tendre than really sweet, Ripe and tropical, but with good acids. B+/B
Great night with great people
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.
