(if you want to skip my woes scroll to the Billecarte Salmon)
It was an eventful day. Crazy at work, took a break for prepping my 1983 La Chapelle. My Durand is out on loan, and I was in too much of a hurry. Jabbed ah-so in too quickly , cork went fully into bottle. Couldn't get out (no time to rig hook etc). So
1) I just decanted.
2) Wine smelled good, though likely a little dirtier than usual cradle decant (I was screwing around trying to move cork).
3) cleaned bottle, but quick try with lobster pick didn't work, so I returned it to an empty superT bottle. At that point I looked at emails and discovered the other La Chapelle wasn't coming, Cote Rotie flight emerging, so grabbed a 98 Rostaing Cote Blonde.
Then got on train, decided to switch seats, caught my pants on an armrest and split open. Really couldn’t go to dinner like that, so bought a pair of chinos I didn’t need at Banana Republic at Grand Central. Whew. Eventually made it to One Fifth, a newish Marc Forgione place where everyone was already passing around bottles.
2007 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois
Young tangy and bright, with green apple, pineapple, and citrus flavors. I liked more than some others. A-
1996 Dom Perignon
Rich bready with apples and quince, very long. I quite enjoyed but some were even more enthusiastic. B+/A-
20O7 Cristal
While this seemed nice (well better than nice) I just took a small pour, and it was a little warm, and took no notes. After time in ice bucket it didn’t make it back to me, but heard it was great as expected.
2006 Pierre Peters Chetillons
I think I have this, and have liked a lot in past. This had lovely Chardonnay fruit and a lot of attractive chalk and touch of hazelnut, but just a little unusual bitterness on finish. B+, but some liked much more
1996 Dom Ruinart
Young but somewhat sweet, with red delicious apple and sweet corn notes. Some others loved but this one didn’t sing for me. B-/B
Family style whole pig dinner
Chicken liver bruschetta with veggies, sourdough “Pillow” with ham, crudite with excellent bagna cauda puree
2018 Jaboulet Chevalier de Sterimberg Hermitage Blanc
Ripe peaches, pear, canned oranges. Seems a little heady, and riper than I like. But to be fair, not a big fan of Rhone whites. B-/C+
Pepperoni/njuda pizza, kale salad, shells with bolognese
2003 Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage
pretty over ripe, volatile, this is basically a hot mess, though there is some Rotie-ish bacon fat,. C/C+
1983 Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage (in an ‘86 Sangioveto bottle)
This waa the bottle with slid in cork, served from a SuperTuscan bottle. Brambly red and black fruits, grilled meats, cigarsmoke, excellent (though I had to keep telling people what is was). A-
2009 Grivot Aux Boudots Nuits St George 1er
OK I confess to being skeptical going in, I’ve had Grivot that I felt overextracted and 09 is certainly ripe. But this was truly lovely, ripe black cherry with incense/sandalwood, exotic herbs, long finish. A revelation A-/A
2009 M. Noellat Aux Boudots Nuits St George 1er
Lighter styled and less exotic, but lovely in a refined and balanced way. B+
2009 Roumier Clos De La Bussiere Morey St Denis 1er
Tighter than the NSGs, stolid. An odd note on nose but not corked. With so many wines running around I didn’t spend much time of this one. B-
1998 Michel Gaunoux Corton-Renardes
Bigger, just entering prime time, red and black cherries, campfire, autumn leaves/forest floor,. I liked more than some others. B+/A-
Whole pig (smoky!) with salsa verde, sauteed squash, polenta
1989 Guigal “La Turque” Cote-Rotie
Complex and complete nose with pepper and coffee over red fruits, lovely meat and fruit on palate, long firm finish. A-
1998 Guigal “La Turque” Cote-Rotie
Fun nose of dark berries, espresso, and a bit of wood, but on palate and finish wood more noticeable. B
1996 Chave Hermitage
Lovely midweight vintage of Chave, smoky and earthy with black cherry and raspberry. Some almost Bordeaux-like saddle leather, tasty but no hurry. A-/B+
1998 Rostaing Cuvee Blonde Cote Rotie
Sweet red fruit, some oak tones, spicy with a little bacon. If oak integrates will like more. B/B+
2009 Clape Cornas
Big, big , big but quite open. Lovely aromatics, long finish, B+
2010 Clape Cornas
Supposedly the better vintage, but right now tight and hard. Others praised it’s potential, will take their word for it. For dinking now B-
Cookies and gelato for dessert
Nice place, nice food, nice wines, nice people. Happily headed for train in my new pants
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.
