My 2 favorite NJ events were combined this year, so I headed over to Paul and Sandy’s where Baconfest welcomed the annual Lechon event! Great assortment of food- mozzarella/proscuitto skewers, gazpacho, whole roasted pig, sigsig, BLTs (with several bread choices, my fave was the jalapeno/cheddar), my farro salad, potato salad, cole slaw, Swiss chard galette, many dips, many desserts, stuff I forgot.
The bubbles
2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rose (mag)
Lovely, elegant, cherries and citrus zest, good acids, elegant mousse, chalky finish. A-
2012 Bollinger Grand Annee Rose (mag)
Every time I have this I’m like “not really a Bollinger guy but…” Red fruit, blood orange, rye toast, long mineral/chalky finish, A-
2002 Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or
Pear and hazelnut, citrus zest, mature but not tired. B+/A-
2012 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs
I know I tried this and liked but didn’t write anything down.
There was a Dom Ruinart opened late, but seemed warm and not fair to judge
The whites
1999 Nigl Privat Riesling (mag)
Ripe nectarine, petrol, almond, seemed a bit advanced to me. B/B-
2005 Huet Clos Du Bourg Vouvray Demi-Sec
Honied, a little warm on the finish, softer acids than I expected. Someone suggested maybe not totally correct. But quite drinkable B
2017 Mayacamas Chardonnay
corked
2015 Trimbach Geisberg Riesling
Big and ripe, actually feels like a hint of RS - not the usual bone dry Trimbach, but there’s a lot of verve here and I like it. B+
The reds
2014 Jouan Clos Sorbe Morey-St-Denis 1er
Lovely, red plum and cherry, espresso, sandalwood. Delicious and crunchy. A-
1977 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (mag)
(double decanted about 3-4 hours before serving)
Elegant and classic, black fruits, chipotle pepper, herbs, dirt. Very long classic finish. A-
1986 Ch. Margaux
A pretty famous wine, and everyone excited to try it, but I think others liked more than I did (some were raving). Succulent cassis and black plum, vanillin oak, ripe and out there, but some pretty hard tannin. For me it was also marked by some sediment - it was popped and poured. I might have liked more decanted. B
‘
2002 Ch. Montelena Estate Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (mag)
Quite ripe, blackberry and blackcurrant, a cedary edge, B/B+
2014 Ch. Pradeaux Bandol ( mag)
Delicious, black raspberries, tree bark, smoke. Fresh and herby, good length. B+/A-
1996 Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage (mag)
This was quite odd, with soy and rubber notes, there’s some dark fruit underneath but I can’t get past the nose. C
And some sugar
2012 JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese Gold Capsule (375 ml)
Young and stunning, exotic with peaches and mango, citrus blossoms on the nose, lively acids, long finish. A-
2010 Foreau (Clos Naudin) Vouvray Moelleux
Quite dark (not unusual for Foreau Moelleux), apple and apricot, honey, at first seemed heavy and I wondered if correct, seemed to right itself with a bit of air and was a good if not great not super sweet sticky. B+/B
Quite the day, just regret I had to drive (was spitting , breathalyzer was 0.009).
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.
edited to remove an errant "p"