A group of locals gathered to welcome the VLM back to North Carolina at this stop on his drive from CA to Raleigh:
With an assortment of cheeses and crackers, and, radicchio wrapped marinated goat cheese:
2002 Gravner, Ribolla Amfora (magnum):
An unusual nose – mint, pine, cooked white fruit, unripe pineapple, forest floor, warm stones and some smoky accents – very complex and also very difficult to put into words; smooth, tannic and equally complex in the mouth with density and potent flavors; very long. As others have noted, had I not seen the wine was white, I would have guessed it red. Not a wine for everyone but absolutely one of my favorites – what character!
Well matched to the cheeses.
With grilled NY strips with corn and baked potato salad:
1997 Jaboulet, Hermitage La Chapelle (magnum):
Decanted 6 hours and, IMO, much the better for it; leather, stone and deep syrah fruit on the nose with hints of cinnamon, bacon and cold stream water; medium weight on the palate but intense and integrated, flavors follow the nose, pretty balance and the impression of latent power; quite long and clean on the finish. I tasted this when first opened and the decant helped immeasurably. Showing very well but clearly has lots of time in the cellar left.
Devine with the steaks.
Throughout the evening we also opened:
1996 Gouges, Nuits-St.-Georges Les Pruliers:
Others liked this better – I found it still fairly closed and ungenerous. A good wine but not one that touched me.
1993 Leroy, St. Aubin (rouge):
OTOH, this wine had a bottle bouquet nose that was almost enough to carry me away; not quite as fine in the mouth with the tannin just a little outsized for the concentration but still a lovely wine and delicious with food.
1994 LaJota, Cabernet Franc:
Served blind and most folks guessed nebbiolo – and I can see why. These old LaJota francs are intriguing and not something one would recognize without seeing the label. Not yet fully resolved.
Nice with the steak.
2001 Sella, Lessona:
Ah yes, real nebbiolo that can not be mistaken for anything else; medium weight, of its place and drinking very well today.
Best, Jim