4 good geeks gathered Tuesday night at the Columbus Circle outpost of Maison Kayser. We shared salmon and duck rilletes, everyone got boeuf bourguignon for their main.
1995 Trimbach Clos Ste. Hune Riesling
Jay cracked me up with his statement “I’ll bring a Schrodingers white. It both is and is not premoxed until I open it.” I was guessing 2002 Loire, but when I saw the CSH it made even more sense. We hit the jackpot this time, lovely pristine bottle. Grapefruit, green apple, and a little tropical fruit, but this is driven by racy acids and mineral notes. Great tension- well-balanced, long, gorgeous. What a shame it’s like a lottery. A-/A
1985 Huet Le Mont Demi-Sec Vouvray
The sugar has integrated/faded enough this comes across more as a sec. Wax, wool, quince, and a (dry) honey note. Good acids, modest length. Tasty if not profound by Huet standards. B+
NV Camille Saves Rose Champagne
As always, lovely balanced pink bubbly. B+
On to the main event, a little vertical of a fave Graves producer
2001 Ch. Haut-Bailly
That rich sweet ‘01 fruit, Quite young but I think this is promising. Black plum fruit, tobacco, gunflint. B+
1989 Ch. Haut-Bailly
Rich, tertiary notes just emerging, will get even better. A-/B+
1988 Ch. Haut-Bailly
Pretty classic Graves, tobacco and earth over cassis fruit. Still some rather stern tannin, this is a steak wine. B+
1979 Ch. Haut-Bailly
Lovely nose of cigarbox over red and black currant, bright, full, those bright 79 acids. A-
1978 Ch. Haut-Bailly
Little bit of brett, leaner fruit than the 78, nicely balanced. B+
1971 Ch. Haut-Bailly
Corked. Too bad.
Fun night. With the exception of the ‘71 cursed by the Portugese Menace, every wine showed well.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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.