Blind tasting for my group. All of the wines were opened (but not decanted) 90 minutes before the start of the tasting. Given that it was still summer temp in the house (74 F) I kept the opened reds in the wine cellar until shortly before service. That was ultimately a great idea, especially for the two Pahlmeyer wines which were pretty heavy (in more ways than one) to begin with.
Notes are in order of service:
Champagne Marguet Shaman Grand Cru “18”
Laura and I had previously opened a bottle of the corresponding Rose and were not all that interested in it. This Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend was a more interesting wine, both aromatically and on the palate. Not sure it’s our style though. Well chilled prior to opening, it also basically exploded when I opened it. Thankfully I was right next to the sink, so I was the only victim. Lost about four ounces of wine in the process. Anyway…lots of apple and pear fruit on the nose, and also a surprising baking spice aroma (cinnamon/nutmeg). Has pumpkin spice invaded Champagne?!? Austere but not severe, I would be more than happy to drink a glass of this, but still not sure it’s something I would seek out. I do have one more bottle, so we will see what a little extra cellar time does. Group average score 17.3/20. My score 15.5/20.
2018 Ramey Chardonnay Fort Ross-Seaview/Sonoma Coast
Served side-by-side with the 2019 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, this was the brighter of the two, and also with the extra year of bottle age it had a touch more complexity, while still be extremely youthful. A touch of spice on top of lemon accented green apple fruit with brisk acidity, it seemed like it would trade off its entry and mid-palate for a fully satisfying drink. What was more impressive was the long finish that had a really surprising depth. It was not quite at the level of the Ramey single-vineyard bottlings, but it was darned close. Group average score 17/20. My score 16.5/20.
2019 Ramey Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Compared to the Fort Ross-Seaview this was slightly rounder, and a bit richer, but the real distinction was that it still felt a little unformed, like it needed that extra year of bottle age to better express itself. It also didn’t need its big brother casting a shadow over it. A lovely wine, but hard to capture the same level of attention. Group average score 16.3/20. My score 15.5/20.
1996 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon “Cinq Cepages” Sonoma County
The “legendary” Wine Spectator Wine of the Year for 1999.
By the time we got to this it had been about two hours since I opened it. That was a good thing. When first opened it was not in any way dead or past it, just kind of muted or a bit tired. Once we poured it around there was a lot more going on, with spicy, dark red fruit, and a very suave palate presence. Fully mature for sure and dressed up for a night on the town. Not much in the way of structure left, so drink up if you have it, but be prepared for a fun evening. From my dad’s cellar. Group average score 17.4/20. My score 17.5/20.
1996 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon “Private Reserve” Napa Valley
But don’t go to the same club as this wine, or you will get shown up. Wow was this good. Darker in fruit expression than the Cinq Cepages, with some of the structure still hanging in to provide a framework, this still managed to have a more integrated, and much more complex palate presence, as well as a longer finish. The Cinq Cepages strolled into the room in a very nice suit, while the Beringer had on a perfectly fitted dinner jacket. From my dad’s cellar. Group average score 19.0/20. My score 18.5/20.
2001 Pahlmeyer Merlot Napa Valley
First things first – thank goodness I lift weights. The Pahlmeyer bottles were freakishly heavy. One guy in the group guessed Argentinian Malbec before he even tried the wines, just because of the bottles.
As for the wine, still a very deep, dark red, verging on purple. The aromas were blackberry, oak, and a hint of vanilla. Didn’t verge all the way into blueberry milkshake territory, but it was touch and go for a while. The more air, the smoother this became. Never took that turn into extreme, but it’s not for fans of the classics. The biggest thing was how young it seemed. Plenty of runway for some kind of aromatic/palate development. What that would look like I have no idea. Fun to try this wine from my dad’s cellar, even if it's not my thing. Group average score 16.4/20. My score 15.5/20.
2001 Pahlmeyer Red Wine Napa Valley
Like the Merlot, purchased on release back when my parents were on the mailing list. Stored in his cellar from then until I brought it my house in March, so excellent provenance all the way, and it showed. Also very youthful, with a deep reddish-purple hue, this had more aromatic complexity than the Merlot, and also conveyed greater structure. Still a bit of a bruiser, just really well dressed for the fight. Rather than in a tasting, this would be best served with a well-marbled steak. Group average score 16.2/20. My score 15.5/20. The commentary around the table was more positive for this wine, but the scores were slightly lower.
2003 J. J. Prum Riesling Auslese Bernkasteler Badstube Mosel – Germany
I served this same wine to the group many years ago when it had just been released. Back then it was a massive, sugary, beerenauslese wanna-be. Twenty years post-harvest it’s hard to believe that it was from the much-maligned 2003 vintage. The wine slimmed down by about a third. I almost thought I had mistakenly opened the Spatlese for a second. The fruit had not picked up any aged honey character. It was as if the wine had just undergone some transformation, rather than aging. Pretty remarkable. Still not exactly an electric example of Riesling, it had “enough” acidity to balance the slimmed down frame. No worries about aging it further or drinking it right now. Highly enjoyable surprise from 2003. Group average score 18.1/20. My score 17.5/20.
2003 Willi Schaefer Riesling Auslese Graacher Himmelreich Mosel – Germany
Then there was this. The Prum was really good. This was a notable step up. Brighter than the Badstube Auslese, this didn’t seem like a 2003 at all, and also did not seem like it had become something other than an Auslese. It just showed the grace, purity, and freshness that almost all Willi Schaefer wines show. This, along with the Beringer, was the wine I wanted to just sit with for a while, and enjoy it for what it was, and listen to what it wanted to say. Sadly, I had to share it, and at the end of the night, this was the one bottle that was completely empty. Thankfully I have another bottle. Group average score 18.4/20. My score 18.5/20.