Last night Andy hosted SOBER. Various events with this group have been astounding, but last night the bar was raised (actually, the bar disappeared into the sky). Mark and I splurged to share a car service, I
was really thrilled not to be spitting. Just an extraordinary lineup.
(I graded tougher than usual due to general high level)
With some canapes (trout I think) , the 1985 Krug. I generally say that I like the lighter styled house a la Taittinger more than the bigger, cereally, full styles like Krug. Yet this was my favorite Krug I remember- fullbodied, but amazingly fresh and sprightly. Great zippy acids, lots of yeasty/biscuity notes, chalky minerals on the finish. A-
At table,we started with a pair of whites, accompanied by a version of an Alsace tarte, along with endive and a little blue cheese. As usual wines were double blind, this night we all mostly flailed (in my case partly because I had seldom had wines of this age/quality)
White #1
Darker color, nose of honey and flowers, but on the palate it comes across as heavy and low-acid, alcoholic/hot, very mature. I'm thinking it's 20+ years old. 2003 Chapoutier "Le Meal" Ermitage blanc C+
White #2
lighter, brighter (someone guessed Coche, white Burg seemed a reasonable guess for me), fresh apple fruit with spice and an exotic bent. 2004 Chapoutier "Le Meal" Ermitage blanc B+/A-
Hard to believe they were same wine, one vintage apart
On to the first red flight (with duck confit and potato)
Red #1
Just an accent of barnyard, excellent depth and concentration, lots of complexity, but fruit is fairly young. I'm really loving this, guessing maybe 1978, but it's older. 1962 Rousseau Chambertin A-
Red #2
This has a madierized edge on the nose, though it's not apparent on palate, and fades a bit even on nose. Earth, forest floor, just a hint of caramel. 1962 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze. B
I think consensus was that this was more a bottle issue than any evidence the CdB was well behind the straight Chambertin.
I thought the next flight (especially number 3) was well-aged Merlot, something like a '64 Right Banker. Others went for old California, eventually someone decided on Rhone (correctly)
Red #3
Plummy ripe red fruit, still some grip, cedar and leather. I like a lot.
1961 Jaboulet "Les Jumelles" Cote Rotie B+/A-
Red #4
Mature red fruit, not quite as lively as its flightmate, a bit shorter. Andy says he's had much better bottles of the same, but this isn't a slouch. 1961 Jaboulet-Isnard Hermitage B/B+
Next flight was , um, memorable
Red #5
A bit more restrained than flightmate, solid dark fruit, lead pencil, resolved tannins, fairly fresh fruit, but nice tertiary notes of hummus and leather. 1959 Lafite Rothschild A-
Red #6
Big rich fruit, mint and eucalyptus, guesses centered around CA, though I though maybe herbier Right Bank Bordeaux (something like '82 Figeac). Ripe and concentrated, extraordinary length, aromas of earth, vanilla, and cigarbox. 1959 Mouton Rothschild A
OK, there were two wine I'll probably never taste again!
With the cheese course, a couple more reds made the rounds (unblind)
1974 Heitz Martha's Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Chosen because apparently it's been used to counterfeit the '59 Mouton before. Definite similarities- the same slight sense of exoticism, notes of herbs and spice, similar ripeness. There's sandalwood and coffee, big young ripe fruit, in the end different from the Mouton, but also a great wine. A
1982 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley)
OK, I've used the phrase "Silver Joke" before, but the joke's on me. This was a lively and youthful Cab, without the complexity of the preceding wines, but solid dark berry fruit and a little mocha note. Not fading at all. B+
1986 Ch. d'Yquem
Lovely bottle of Sauternes, tropical fruit and apricots Complex and dense, excellent length, fresh. A-
Even with tougher than normal grading, I still ended up with over half the wines at least partially As, and two solid As, something I've never done before in memory. Very grateful to our host for his generosity.
edited to rid Ermitage of an extra e!
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. 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.
