My wife and I hosted a small dinner party for another couple a little while back and we collectively decided to feature some Spanish selections with the main course (Charlie Trotter short ribs). Below are the tasting notes from a lovely evening.
With starters and appetizers:
1979 Deutz Champagne Brut. This was a real treat and a great kick-off to the evening. This sparkler is a deep yellow color in the glass. The bubbles are very, very tiny and rise ever so slowly. There are pretty aromas of honey, butterscotch and bread dough on the nose, along with an intriguing note of fresh ground nutmeg. Later glasses brought in more of a Clementine orange peel scent. It is soft and generous in the mouth, with just a perfect little nick of acidity. The flavor profile includes poached pears, delicious apples and dark ginger ale. The finish is rounded and quite pleasing. A nice showing.
2003 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard. The color is cloudy yellow-green. The bouquet sports wet stones, lemon tea, butterscotch, crème brulee, and an interesting fern note. There is a nice explosion of yellow fruits, spices and lemon oil in the mouth, but it is the leesy complexity that I really like, along with the broad oily texture. There is a sharp cut of acidity running through the wine, as well, and the whole package displays fine length. The classy finish is bright and tinged with spicy oak. Our guests hadn’t ever had the pleasure of an Aubert Chardonnay, but they kept commenting on how it reminded them of the Peter Michael Chards they have been drinking for years. I’ve not had any of the Peter Michael, so we have the easy makings of a future side-by-side tasting.
With the main course:
1996 Remirez de Ganuza Rioja. The nose on this Rioja is somewhat claret-like, with graphite, cedar, aloe and some sweet red currant and blackberry fruit. It is silky-textured, multi-layered, nicely balanced and juicy with plenty of red fruits. It feels modern and dynamic and holds up quite well over the course of the dinner. The finish has some drying wood still yet to resolve.
1997 Rotllan Torra Priorat Amadis. Made from a blend of 40% Grenache, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Carignane, 10% Syrah and 5% Merlot, this is not as purple-colored as the other 2 Priorats. The nose is also much more savory-oriented, with grilled bread, turned earth, spice and leafy compost to go with red raspberry fruit. It is medium to full-bodied in the mouth with tangy, warm berries and a moderately silky texture. I think I was expecting something bigger and burlier based on some reviews I had read ahead of time. It actually feels pretty restrained at this stage in its evolution.
2001 Vall Llach Priorat Vall Llach. This Priorato is made from a blend of 50% Carignane, 35% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has just an amazingly sweet nose of ripe plum, strong blueberry, clove and something a couple of us decided was dried blood. In the mouth, it has a nice open, approachable texture and sports lots of blue fruits. It is full-bodied and plushly-textured—offering immediate pleasure. I'd really like to try this again in 7-10 years, but very good now.
2001 Bodegas Aalto Ribera del Duero PS. This wine took a while to open up, but then found the right gear and really hit the gas. On the nose, there is sweet incense, creosote, blueberry and blackberry jam and soft cedar. It is big-bodied, ripe and rich on the palate, with a faintly dusty, chalky note to the texture. The tannins are big and plush and grow increasingly apparent as the night goes on. There is a very nice hint of sweet barbecue smoke on the good-length finish. It is pretty clear that this wine has very big upside over the next several years.
1998 Clos Erasmus Priorat. The ’98 Erasmus really took my breath away. Right off the bat, there is a pure essence of violets on the nose. From there, the nose grows even more intoxicating with rich, sweet plump blueberries, exotic spices and a big blast of incense. There is just so much depth to the nose, it’s amazing. I was like a drug addict with this one. In the mouth, it is intensely dense with seemingly huge extract, yet never feeling anything but balanced. It is not even close to over-done—it is just very intense and persistent, with a seamlessly smooth texture and very fine tannins. It should hold for quite a while, but would be hard to resist if I owned any—a very impressive performance!
With our chocolaty dessert:
NV Trevor Jones Shiraz AA160 Tawny. 375 ml. 18.5% abv. To begin, I’m not sure why this is labeled a Non-vintage, when it says quite clearly on the back label that all the grapes are from the 1982 vintage. It also says it was aged 15 years, so I am guessing this was released some time over the last ten years or so. The color is a golden toffee-brown. The nose features pistachio nuts, dark butterscotch and a sharp whiff of spirits. On the palate, it is unctuous, with a syrupy texture, yet it feels light on its feet. The flavors are gorgeous, with warmed cashews and dark toffee most prevalent. The finish is a bit too warmly alcoholic for me, but the overall package is very pleasing.
2003 Les Clos de Paulilles Banyuls Rimage. 375 ml. 16% abv. Quite simply, not up to par. I can remember several successful Banyuls meets Chocolate marriages in the past, but this sure wasn’t one of them. And it wasn’t the chocolate’s fault. This opens with beet salad, bicycle tire and herbs on the nose. In the mouth, it is thin and feels diluted, and gives off a nasty medicinal note. It integrates a bit more with time, but it never reaches any level of excitement or pleasure.
-Michael