Today was the 3rd annual Peter Pratt's Peter Lugeresque lunch. Peter Luger's has great steaks, but a horrible wine list and won't allow corkage. So every January 50-60 wine geeks gather at Peter Pratt's Inn, where they cook a bunch of porterhouses from Luger's retail outlet, along with sides of creamed spinach, fried onions, potatoes, and mushrooms. That's after about 6 different passed appetizers (mushroom quesadillas were my fave), caesar salad, and tomatoes with balsamic.
My table was originally Burgundy, but the Rhone table folded in as a second Cali table formed. Nice group of people at my table, and good to see old friends at many other tables. I'm especially grateful to John Belden, who brought me several samples from the Bdx table. But my heroes are Chris Kravitz and Aaron deMello, as I didn't have to drive!
The wines:
Whites from my table:
2002 R & V. Dauvissat "Vaillons" Chablis 1er
Good wine, but just a little dull, some chalk and mineral notes,someone said it showed better later but I didn't revisit. B
2004 W. Fevre Bougros "Cote de Bouguerots" Chablis GC
Wow, this showed nicely. I've had issues with Fevre's wood in the past, but any oak is in background here. Pear and citrus fruit, lots of mineral, great length. A-
2004 Moreau "Valmur" Chablis 1er
Clean, saline, good length. B+
1999 J. Drouhin "Clos des Mouches" Beaune blanc
No pre-ox here. Good acids, clean pear and grapefruit, a little oak. Holds well through day, and is very good with some of the cheeses. A-/B+
Whites from other tables:
2001 F.X. Pichler "Loibner Berg" Smaragd Riesling
Thanks Diane. Lovely minerally Riesling, some petrol too. Good on palate, but GREAT on nose. A-/B+
1993 Druid (Dujac) 'Limozin' Meursault
Tasted very late in day, but showing well. B+/B
Bubbly from my table
2002 Jose Dhondt Blanc de Blancs
Apple, spice,biscuits, nice. B+
Bubbly from another table:
1981 Lanson Brut Champagne (from Magnum)
Thanks Jay! A (pleasant) cheesy/leesy note over solid apple fruit with some lemon zest. Mature but not at all tired. B+
Reds from my table
1997 Grivot Clos Vougeot.
This was a table fave, but just didn't quite do it for me. A little oak, ripe red fruit, I (alone) thought short. B-
1998 Geantet Pansiot Charmes-Chambertin
This was one I was sceptical of stylistically, but it wasn't over the top. Ripe, full, a little oak. B/B+
1997 Jadot Charmes-Chambertin
A bit of ass in the glass. I thought it might blow off, but still there much later. Other than the brett, a ripe and easy wine. B
2003 Usseglio "Mon Aieul" Chateauneuf-du-Pape
A bit of a shocker in the middle of the Burgs. Huge, sweet, dense. Even with meat I didn't especially enjoy today, but with right accompanying wines and food this might go much higher than B/B-
1993 Damoy Chambertin-Clos de Beze
Dark fruit, good acids, some mocha and cinnamon. Youthful, really nice. A-/B+
1993 Gros Freres amd Souers Clos de Vougeot "Musigni"
Still showing some oak, some found too acidic, while I found it shockingly flat for a '93. Sweet, a bit empty, I brought it so can loudly proclaim it worst wine of table. C+
2000 J. Drouhin Griotte-Chambertin
Luckily, I brought this too, so I don't feel bad. Is this a great vintage of Drouhin Griotte? No, but it is a solid year that is drinking well right now (seems to be my theme re 2000 Burgs). Lovely middleweight, red plum and red cherry accented by cocoa and earth. Not the longest wine of the night, but tasty and elegant. A-/B+
2001 Comtes de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny
I think most people who really like Vogue might really like this wine. A little TOO exuberant/flashy for me, big sweet red fruit and exotic spices. Can't deny quality, but not my style. B
2001 Mugneret-Gibourg "Feusselotes" Chambolle-Musigny
Ay caramba! More my style. Higher acids, beautiful red cherry and berry fruit, some white pepper, tasty. I love 2001 Chambolles! A-/B+
2004 Comtes de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny
I wouldn't have guessed this was same wine as the 2001 in 100 guesses. Still sweet fruit, but with a big green/herbal note. I think many people would not like this, but I did. B+
Reds from other tables:
1993 Jadot "Amoureuses" Chambolle-Musigny
This was what I was hoping for from my '93, lovely balanced wine. A-/B+
1985 La Mission Haut Brion
Huge tobacco and earth nose, nice balance of fruit, tannins,and acid, B+/A-
1989 Angelus
Really wonderful nose of coffee and forest floor, but quite hard and ungenerous on the palate. Needs time, for now B.
1990 Angelus
Woo hoo, more like it. Similar nose to the '89, but here the palate is lush and giving. Maybe the '89 will equal in time, but for today the champ. A-
1990 Figeac
Apparently some thought this corked, but not to me. This wine always has some green, but it's a bit more in this bottle. Kind of herb meets uncured tobacco. I like, but not as much as some bottles of this. B+/B
1985 Leoville Las Cases (from mag)
Format shows, could use a little time. Ripe cassis fruit, lead pencil, damp forest floor. Fruit really leads, but without overwhelming the secondary elements. Nice wine! A-
1989 Leoville Las Cases
This is nice, but pales after the '85. Blackcurrant fruit, a little cedar, some tannins. B+
Dessert:
Moscato (d'Asti?) --producer unknown- John brought this over as a palate cleanser, unusual, a waxy note that made me guess sparkling Loire. No, Italian, so I got Moscato on guess 2. Not complex, but quite pleasing. B
1977 Dow Vintage Port
Pretty bottle, not so heavy, bright and lively. B+
1976 Taylor-Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Port
Burnt sugar/caramel, quince and dark berry, B+
There was also a 6 putts Tokay that I never saw bottle of, but thought good.
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.
