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Leo's Blind Tasting Group does dinner at Hearth

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Salil

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Leo's Blind Tasting Group does dinner at Hearth

by Salil » Mon Mar 25, 2013 12:57 pm

It was again my turn to host Leo's blind tasting group (after over a year), and we had a full table and a lot of wines at Hearth. These dinner are always a lot of fun to attend, but it's even more enjoyable putting together a lineup for the group, especially when so many of the wines show so well. No corked bottles, just one that was oxidized, and some excellent showings in most flights - I thought the Prum, Schmitt-Wagner, Hirtzberger, Levet, Karlsmuhle Eiswein and both Bordeaux all showed tremendously.

Aperitif/Welcome wine
  • 2002 Huët Vouvray Pétillant Brut - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray Pétillant
    Rather delicate and understated with fresh citrus, pear and quince fruit accented by mineral and yeasty notes with a gentle but persistent bead. There's just a faint hint of sweetness here, bright acids that keep it quite fresh and it's very nice, though still very youthful and rather undeveloped.
Sherry course
Smoked Marcona Almonds and Olives
  • NV Rey Fernando de Castilla Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Fino "Antique" - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
    A little dark in colour for a fino (apparently this is quite aged, though not to the point of an Amontillado) with savoury, smoky, briny and roasted almond notes framing the fresh lemony fruit. Very nice.
  • NV Valdespino Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Fino "Inocente" Macharnudo - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
    Not the most complex wine, but very pure and elegant with fresh citrus fruit up front that turns very saline and briny on the back end. Despite its alcohol, it feels very light on its feet with wonderful balance and textural finesse.
Salmon Belly Crudo
Winter Citrus, Hearts of Palm, Maché
  • 2007 Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Rotes Tor - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
    Beautiful aromatics that keep developing with air; peach and citrus fruits, white pepper and riper floral notes coming together into a lovely fragrance, and superb balance and finesse on the palate. Wish I had more of this.
  • 2002 Nikolaihof Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Im Weingebirge - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
    Leaner and a little more austere than the Hirtzberger with remarkably stony/minerally aromatics, leaner fruit on the palate accented by a little GV pepperiness, though not showing the depth and finesse I'd normally expect from Nikolaihof.
Foie Gras Terrine
Dates, Almonds, Orange, Brioche
  • 2004 Carl Schmitt-Wagner Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Absolutely stunning Riesling. This has it all; layers of youthful, fresh Mosel fruit, slatey minerality, maturing smokiness and petrol notes and higher toned floral and herbal elements that come together seamlessly on the nose and palate. This is classical, traditional Auslese with less sweetness than some modern Kabinett, and there's a sense of sheer lightness and drinkability that makes each glass disappear all too quickly.
  • 2002 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Drinking nicely now with the fruit still fresh and youthful but framed by some developing creaminess and savoury elements, but it's hard to really focus on this alongside the Schmitt-Wagner, which was absolutely stunning.
Butter Poached Snails
Hedgehog mushrooms, black garlic
  • 2007 Philippe Pacalet Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
    Yuck. Awkward, slightly vegetal, sour and funky. Gil says it tastes like a bad natural wine experiment - that pretty much nails it. To the dump bucket!
  • 2002 Larmandier-Bernier Coteaux Champenois Vertus Rouge Premier Cru - France, Champagne, Ambonnay, Coteaux Champenois
    High toned, herbal, slightly stemmy and earthy flavours dominate with rather lean, tart red fruits beneath. It's well balanced but more interesting than actually pleasurable.
Maccheroni
Pork Ragu, Riccota, Rosemary
  • 2007 Bernard Levet Côte-Rôtie La Chavaroche - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
    Fantastic, classic Cote-Rotie aromatics - meaty, peppery, earthy and gamey flavours around a core of incredibly pure red fruits and black olives. There's a remarkable sense of purity to the flavours and a very light, finessed palate presence, though showing plenty of fine grained tannin on the back end. I can't even imagine how good this will be when mature.
  • 2009 Edmunds St. John Syrah Wylie - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado County
    Comes across incredibly youthful, full of primary red and dark fruited flavours accented by some savoury earth and peppery spice. It's still quite tannic and structured, and really needs a lot more time as right now it's really all about potential.
Lesso Misto
Beef Cheek, Veal Tongue, Chicken Thigh, Cotechino
  • 1989 Château Meyney - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
    Drinking wonderfully now with the tannins fully resolved, and ripe mature Bordeaux fruit, cedar, graphite, tobacco and a faint hint of Cordier funk coming together on the nose and palate. Great stuff - I liked this a bit more than the Montrose.
  • 1988 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
    Not quite as richly fruited or leathery as the Meyney; this comes across a little leaner and more earthy on the palate, but it's also drinking very well with the tannins resolved and seems at peak.
Dessert Amuse
  • 1983 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Another stunner of a Riesling. Perfectly mature, so elegant, seamless and polished with the fruit still very fresh and vibrant, and framed by layers of mature smoky, creamy, herbal and minerally elements. There's an amazing sense of lightness here, yet remarkable presence and persistence to the flavours. Absolutely fantastic, and my favourite wine of the night.
  • 1983 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser Abtsberg Riesling Auslese #190 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Oxidized. A real shame.
Carrot Cake Sundae
Pecan caramel, cream cheese ice cream
  • 1998 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Sélection de Grains Nobles - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru AOC
    A little too heavy and botrytised for my tastes; dominated by honey, apricot and spicy elements and seems a touch cloying without the acidity I'd like to balance the immense sweetness. Good, but rather disappointing given my expectations.
  • 2007 Weingut Karlsmühle Lorenzhöfer Riesling Eiswein - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
    Fantastic. Lemon candy, nectarines and ripe tropical fruit tinged with honey and high toned spicy notes, with a blazing acid spine beneath that keeps it amazingly vibrant and energetic. A great way to end the night.
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Lou Kessler

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Re: Leo's Blind Tasting Group does dinner at Hearth

by Lou Kessler » Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:42 pm

Nice notes, sounds like a good evening with a fine mixed group of wines. How many people in the group? Curiosity what's the approximate tab for the evening. Have you worked out a reasonable way of paying for corkage?
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Salil

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Re: Leo's Blind Tasting Group does dinner at Hearth

by Salil » Mon Mar 25, 2013 8:19 pm

Lou,
This was a table of 14 people, though we managed fine on pours (even for the dessert wines, which were in half bottle - those were sweet enough that a little went a long way.)
Regarding corkage, I had contacted Paul Grieco at Hearth in advance for this dinner, and talked with him about the wines, flighting and menu - Paul had put together a prix fixe menu to include all the food/corkage/wine service for the evening.
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Dale Williams

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Re: Leo's Blind Tasting Group does dinner at Hearth

by Dale Williams » Tue Mar 26, 2013 10:53 am

Nice notes. Ws just eying a 2002 Huet petillant. Love that 89 Meyney. I've had mixed results with Pacalet.
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Jay Miller

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Re: Leo's Blind Tasting Group does dinner at Hearth

by Jay Miller » Tue Mar 26, 2013 7:42 pm

Dale Williams wrote:Nice notes. Ws just eying a 2002 Huet petillant.


Hold. After tasting this I'm burying mine.

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