So Bob and I had decided to go dry over the weekend, just because, and then an email from Warren showed up. Mary Beth was out of town and he wasn't on call, so who could like to come over to try a "decades old" nebbiolo and a few other things.
DANG, had to go, and of course had to offer that I would also bring a "decades old" nebbiolo and make a black truffle and tomato mac n' cheese to go with these wines. Christo, Marc (who I met on this forum 15 years ago), Tim and Erik would also be there.
So we arrive and Warren has already poured this, which all present are enjoying with a superb tray of cheeses and charcuterie from Christo's deli:
1996 Jean Laurent Champagne Millésimé Blanc de Noirs Brut Pinot Noir
Superb, a treasure. Quoting him "Medium gold; the waning bead is still lively. The perfect mix of power, beauty and elegance. Nose of biscuit, acacia flower, brown butter, and much more. Luscious palate adds sweet orange and perfectly balanced. Explosive attack progresses to a long finish." It was his last bottle, and a fine send-off.
Then Warren poured this blind:
1996 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant Savennières-Coulée de Serrant Chenin Blanc
A very contemplative wine which had been decanted two hours. Color of 18K gold, strong and rich, requiring a few minutes for adequate palate adjustment to appreciate the notes of peach, loquat (a neighbor's yard fruit of my childhood not common today) and chestnut. Should have recognized this from Bill Spohn's '93 Savvy of last year, but my first guess was aged Marsanne. It was only the emerging note of lanolin that finally steered us in the right direction.
So I pulled this one out of my bag:
2010 Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis-sur-Loire Remus Plus Chenin Blanc
My wine. Very different from my last bottle two years ago--the oak's more evident and there's a new note some called 'pine'--which I didn't quite agree with but I don't remember what I thought it was instead. Tim's mention of "vanilla candle" was especially prescient. It's a great wine and still evolving, though it has lost the absolutely ethereal nose of jasmine, orange blossom and white nectarine that initially hypnotized me into buying it--definitely one of the most compelling chenin blancs I've ever had. A great match with Marc's delicious butter chicken.
In the meantime, the two nebbiolos were readied for pouring with the mac n' cheese.
1971 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva Nebbiolo
Warren's. Old Madeira-brown color, and a touch cloudy though it had been standing up for months and well-decanted. Lovely on the palate, though completely tertiary, with notes of date bar and dried citrus fruit. The last sip I had, after nearly three hours, was the best.
1979 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Gallina di Neive Nebbiolo
After noting the tea-ish color of Warren's 71 Barolo, I was ecstatic to find a youthful garnet red color in my Giacosa. Indeed, in looks and taste, the two nebbiolos seemed at least a generation vs. a mere eight years. Had all the usual suspects of fine nebbiolo aromas and flavors and a long, grand finish. Beautiful.
Now Erik pulls out a wine to go with something Warren readied earlier, and Warren grilled two Bryan Flannery hanger steaks. And god love 'em both, we have two Beaucastels. Coincidentally, I almost brought a '95 myself as a back-up bottle (but instead chose a 99 Jaboulet La Chapelle, which didn't get opened.) They were served blind and I nailed the vintage on both [proud look].
1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
Erik's. Stunning pairing with Warren's '01. Both perfect bottles, of which the '95 wins for me with it's grander display of tertiary qualities. I can only hope mine's this good.
2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
Warren's. And his description is spot-on: "A very clean Beau, decanted a few hours. Still young, it's just starting to show some tertiary notes. Raspberries and dark fruit, licorice, herbs. No horseshit, sweat nor other barnyard".
And now Marc's wine, also blind.
1996 Château Sociando-Mallet Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend
Back in the early 00's, I purchased six bottles of this and have not had a single good one. Apparently there's been much bottle variation which the descriptors "tamari-like, musty and medicinal" of the last bottle I opened about 18 months ago bears witness to. So was delighted to finally taste the classicism that should have been there instead: that green pepper of the Haut Medoc (that understandably had some thinking cab franc) with tobacco, ripe black cherry, cedar and loamy earth.
And then Warren decides we need one more thing, so he scampers off to the cellar and returns with:
NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 164eme Champagne Blend
Nothing quite gets to me like Krug. Exuberantly rich nose with lemon curd, almond, apple pie, biscuits hot from the oven, yeast, something vaguely floral and excellent underlying minerality. This is as perfect a young bottle as I've ever had, with only upside ahead.