Another Pinot Noir evening
Posted: Thu Nov 07, 2013 1:16 pmIn Nomad, the hot new restaurant in NYC where the flavors are big, the portions are small and the ambiance is rocking.
Flight 1:
Flight 2:
Flight 3:
WOTN:
1. 1990 Ampeau Volnay Santenots (my #3)
2. Vougeraie Musigny (my #2)
3. Maillard Aloxe Corton (my #1)
Ok, so the food was good but I left really hungry as I didn't want to eat any bread. The place is too chic for anyone over 40, the sommelier looked at the most half my age, the first two flights were good but I hated the third one. The evening would have been a wash except for that delicious Maillard Aloxe-Corton which made up for all the bad things in life, The Musigny and the Volnay were not too shabby either.
Flight 1:
- 1978 Domaine Maillard Père & Fils Aloxe-Corton - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Aloxe-Corton (11/7/2013)
Pale ruby color, bricking at the rim. Intoxicating nose of earth, pinot noir fruit, cherries and blackberries, nice complexity, long finish. Terrific for a 35 year old Village wine! Stayed strong and kept developing throughout the evening. (93 pts.)
- 1990 Domaine Potinet-Ampeau Volnay 1er Cru Santenots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (11/7/2013)
Red purple color, nice nose of cherries and violets, a little funk quickly blows away. On the palate, a few dusty tannins and a good earthy Burgundy. What it lacks in seductiveness the wine makes up in complexity. Good long finish. (91 pts.)
Flight 2:
- 2002 Domaine de la Vougeraie Musigny - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru (11/7/2013)
Beautiful vibrant ruby color, clean nose of pinot berries (whatever those are). On the palate, the tannins still linger but the wine is complex and layered, it is razor sharp in its focus and has the usual Musigny elegance. The finish is long. This wine will improve over the next two decades, a shame to open it now. (93 pts.)
- 2002 Louis Jadot Chapelle-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru (11/7/2013)
A very dark almost black color, nose is very fruity and elegant, the balance is there, the fruit is there, the finish is nice and long, but the wine is a little monolithic and doesn't do much for me. A very nice wine but not worth the price and probably one of the more disappointing Grand Crus I've had lately. (90 pts.)
Flight 3:
- 2006 Kistler Pinot Noir Cuvée Elizabeth Bodega Headlands - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (11/7/2013)
Shiny dark color, cola on the nose, a little liquorice, on the palate, the texture is elegant but the finish is a bit too sweet for me. It's all about the fruit and there's not a lot of complexity but there is enough acidity to help the wine combine with good food. (88 pts.)
- 2004 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills (11/7/2013)
This comes out all guns blazing! Shiny dark impenetrable color, strong nose of alcohol. This frankly could be anything- Syrah, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Malbec... When the product is so manipulated who cares what it is as long as it tastes of sweet concentrated fruit. No balance or complexity, it calms down a little after about 20 minutes or so but still a lot of alcohol and heat on the finish. Not my type but hey, whatever floats your boat.
WOTN:
1. 1990 Ampeau Volnay Santenots (my #3)
2. Vougeraie Musigny (my #2)
3. Maillard Aloxe Corton (my #1)
Ok, so the food was good but I left really hungry as I didn't want to eat any bread. The place is too chic for anyone over 40, the sommelier looked at the most half my age, the first two flights were good but I hated the third one. The evening would have been a wash except for that delicious Maillard Aloxe-Corton which made up for all the bad things in life, The Musigny and the Volnay were not too shabby either.