During the pandemic Mark put together a weekly Zoom group. We sourced 8+ bottles of each wine, with only a few Mondays missed. Last night most of us and a couple extra friends got together in person for the first time. On a hot humid night we took over a table for 12 at MP Taverna in Irvington, with a nice view of the Palisades. Food was quite good- Meze (feta, eggplant dip, tzaziki, sausage, more) Shrimp in tomato with feta, Greek salad, tomato/feta salad, broccoli, grilled whole seabass, 24 hour leg of lamb., braised pork butt. Only misfire was the too early tomatoes, though the last preps of the lamb and pork (latter with chipotle ) were a bit spicy for wines. Especially happy that Betsy joined us (as she often said hi on the Zooms)
2007 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Brut Rose (mag)
Drinking beautifully, red fruits accented with citrus zest and brioche. Balanced, lively, lovely. A-
2006 Philipponnat Le Leon Extra Brut Blanc de Noirs
Tart after the Comtes rose, but with food lovely. Pear, bread, spice. Good length. B+
Neal had brought along a couple of bottles from his winery (Elysabeth , in Millbrook). The rose was okay, but the 2017 “Alsatian blend” was really interesting- a clean and crisp Edelzwicker with just a hint of Gewurz spice but a minerally finish I wouldn’t expect from Hudson Valley. He also brought a Pinot Noir but I never tried it.
2008 Mt. Eden Chardonnay Reserve
Peach, honey,apple, ok but not as exciting as some other Mt Eden reserves. B/B-
1985 Laville Haut Brion
Lovely bottle, a pointe. Fresh yet with developed notes of coconut and wax on top of fresh apple and pear fruit. Lovely acids, long, delightful. A-
2011 Fevre Les Clos Chablis Grand Cru
This was supposed to be my backup to the Laville HB, but all the dry whites were consumed by time sea bass came out (out of expected order), so I opened. Grapefruit and lemon, seashell, good length. B+
2001 Licht-Bergweiler Brauneberger Mandelgraben Riesling Spatlese
Heavy on the petrol, brisk ‘01 acids, pit fruits, fun. B
2019 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese
Citrus, white flesh plum, floral. Bright and energetic. B+/A-
2019 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese GK
Superrich, fruit salad, light tropical notes, apricot. A bit much for the food, and for now prefer the regular Auslese, but this will be great.
1999 Jamet Cote-Rotie (mag)
Young and lovely. Elegant yet with some N. Rhone meatiness. Smoke, bacon, black fruits, balanced acids. My WOTN. A/A-
2005 Jasmin Cote-Rotie (mag)
Black fruit, smoke, vanilla, plush texture, very good but hard to follow the Jamet. B+/B
2004 Henri Bonneau Reserve des Celestins Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Plump, slightly roasted texture, some cigarbox/ashtray, quite mature. Sound bottle? B-
2016 Trapet Chambertin
Very young, initially too cold, as it warms lovely baby emerges. Rich, balanced, give it a decade or two. B for now, A potential.
1990 Hudelot-Noellat Clos Vougeot
Light barnyard, round fruit with a little prune edge,some question of corkiness, I didn’t get, fully mature. B-
1996 Hudelot-Noellat Clos Vougeot
I think I liked more than table, high acids, modest tannins, good red fruit and good length. B/B+
1971 Trotanoy
Double-decanted before we left home.Fully mature but not tired, tannins resolved, acids balanced, black cherries with mushrooms, forest floor, leather, and cigarbox. Long complex finish. Really in a nice place. A-
1988 Vieux Chateau Certan
OK, big debate on this one. A few included it among their wines of the night, and there is certainly a fine wine underneath, but to me this is slightly corked.
Really wonderful evening with old friends, Zoom friends who are now in-person friends, and new friends. Life is real again.
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.