DINNER W KURTZMAN: HEBRART, VILMART, MARC COLIN, MON AIEUL, GRAILLOT, MUY VIEJO - San Francisco, CA (12/18/2008)
Last night Traci and I, along with our friends Tina and Glenn joined Ed & Michelle for dinner at their newish house in the Haight. Ed and Michelle prepared a terrific dinner that included a lovely salad with edible flowers, braised short ribs with fingerling potatoes, a terrific cheese course, followed by pumpkin cheesecake! Lots of fun conversation before we wished them happy holidays and a safe trip to Paris and Brussels and before we head to Austin to visit Traci's family.
These notes are brief impressions since the evening was all about food and fun...Happy Holidays Ed, Michelle, Tina and Glenn!!!! Look forward to catching up with everyone in the New Year
* N.V. Marc Hébrart Champagne Sélection Brut - France, Champagne
Got the party started with this terrific bubbly. Apples, citrus, limestone, nice acidity and nice body on the Champers. Really enjoyable and would definitely purchase again.
* N.V. Vilmart Champagne Rosé Rubis - France, Champagne
Ed says, hoo...I have some bubbles too and pulls out the Vilmart. Pretty color, lots of strawberries on the nose and in the mouth. Very moussy/effervescent in midpalate. Nice crispness lingering after the moussy mid...fun Champagne.
* 2001 Marc Colin et Fils Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
To accompany the beautiful salad of wild greens, edible flowers including lavendar, and pomegranate seeds. this was beautiful from the get go showing honey, roasted hazelnuts, some white chocolate, and a little tropical fruit. Reminded me of an Aubert Chardonnay in many ways. Nice mid weight...not a blockbuster but at the low end of outstanding...91-92 pts if I had to award it any.
* 2000 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Popped this and then consumed 1-2 hours after opening. Terrific Chateauneuf du Pape. Plums, blackberries, herbs/spiciness, smoke/game, along with some cedar. nice acidity, medium to full bodied with terrific palate presence. Absolutely terrific and glad to have a few more of these to drink over the next few years!
* 2006 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage
Knocked out this youngster as well...thanks Ed! Much lighter on its feet than the Mon Aieul and much more floral on the nose and in the palate. Pretty cherry fruit, flowers/lavendar, juicy acidity with some underbrush that reminds me there may be some stem inclusion in the wine. This is terrific but really is built to drink with food with all the acidity. A very nice wine to drink!
* 1998 Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Faset - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Ed then grabbed this to accompany the cheese course. Popped and poured this still needs some time. It has that classic nebbiolo profile of cherries/strawberries,rose petal, tobacco, licorice but its still dominated by acid and some tannins. Very good with the cheese and fine wine that would have benefitted from some decanting time.
* N.V. Gonzalez-Byass Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Noé - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
I am guessing this is the wine. I forgot to get the producer but the label was Muy Viejo Noe "30" which of course prompted some laughs which I then carried too far by declaring that Traci was mi vieja...she took it well.
Terrific way to finish the evening with a little pumpkin cheesecake from Citizen Cake. Rich, molasses, figs, caramel...yummy wine that you can only take in small amounts...terrific though.