"To the pain!" Pig hearts, intestines, cartilage, and purple horseshoes.
1985 Charles Heidseck Brut: I usually find Heidseck a bit too harsh, but this bottle proved it just needs time and the right setting (I think I’ve had this before…) The nose was nice and toasty with hints of lemongrass. The palate was nicely balanced with acidity and fruit. Still very vivacious and clean.
N.V. Jacques Selosse Brut: My first Selosse. This was a moderately impressive showing. I liked the richness of this wine that came without being overly thick. The acidity was down a notch, but the complexity was quite enjoyable. Certainly an interesting take on Champagne and worth drinking.
"Chào ông!" Rey greets the other guests with honor.
1996 Pierre Moncuit Cuvée Millesimée Brut: Yeasty and young. Overshadowed by the company it was in.
1985 Salon: The fullest and most mature of the Champagne, this had notes of lemon meringue and sea salt complimenting the traditional nuances. Excellent stuff that’s in a different league of wines
1986 Nicolas Joly Coulee de Serrant: Just an example of how combative my palate is; here’s an oxidized wine that everyone loved and I only felt mildly moved by. Though this is in an oxidized mold, the wine certainly wasn’t overly oxidized and seemed like it still has development ahead. Others commented on the presence of tannin in the wine. I thought I picked up a strange chicken bullion note, but that might have been one of the many pig body parts that were parked in front of me, a la Fear Factor.
I think I still have some of this in the fridge...
2002 Jadot Batard Montrachet: Ooo, I like this. A touch musky on the nose, this was very powerful stuff that showed a lot of old oak as well as a bit of herbal and mineral notes. Quite nice.
Rey gets a photo op with the next NBA import, Trung "Yao" Ngyuen.
2000 Domaine Weinbach Cuvée Sainte Catherine " L'Inédit!”: I’ve had this a few times and skipped it due to the number of wines ahead.
1989 Trimbach Clos Sainte Hune Hors Choix: Life doesn’t get much better than this. Everything about this wine has a certain, inexplicable, rightness. It’s like the vinous equivalent of some great cosmic equinox when everything is aligned… the acidity, viscosity, sweet fruit, minerality, length and purity are all exactly where they should be. This is the second time I have tasted this wine and it remains one of my all time greatest bottles. I consider myself damn lucky.
Charles waits for his narcolepsy meds to kick in.
1983 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape: A bit over the hill, but still very nice.
1985 Bruno Giacosa Le Rocche del Falletto: It was obvious that this wine was only just beginning to enter a drinking window, and was a bit testy and reluctant in the glass. Youth aside, there was magnificent precision with the fruit, tannin and acidity.
Juliette prior to her glass harmonica presentation
1988 Laurent Roumier Bonnes Mares: I had some bad luck with this producer in the late 90’s (not Georges) but this was a very nice bottle. There were typical rose hips and cherries on the nose, with a bit of VA swirled in. Drink up.
1986 Domaine Clos Rougeard Foucault Chacé Cuvée les Poyeux : I’m not sure what the oak treatment is in this wine, but there were some definite wood-influenced notes. Again, this was another wine that tasted younger than you would believe based on the vintage. Evergreen, juniper and spices decorated the palate.
Mike: "Preposterous! There is no basement in the Alamo!"
Carla looks to bring back the Murphy Brown
1997 De Vogue Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses: Contrary to what you would think, the nose of this de Vogue was the most impressive aspect. Cedar and ripe cherries which were quite feminine wafted from the glass. The palate was very nice, but the acidity was a touch spiky.
1997 Domaine Armand Rousseau Clos de Beze: Earthier than the de Vogue, this wine had a touch of ash and fine tannin - like soft sand underfoot - firm, yet flowing.
Martha looks lovely as Trung prepares a Chloroformed rag
1997 Jadot Clos de Beze: Surprisingly, this seemed like the 97 Burgundy with the longest still to go. The palate was the most dense and the fruit was pretty aggressive. Not very expressive at the moment, but promising.
1993 Allegrini La Poja: This was a pendulum swing from the Burgs, showing sweeter fruit and higher alcohol. The palate was long, and there was a (not unpleasant) beet characteristic hiding behind the fruit.
"DAAAAAAAAAAH-ling!" Danielle shows some early high-maintenance warning flags.
1998 Artadi Grandes Anadas: An obviously well-made wine in a style I don’t usually care for. Too young to tell if this will become something special or simply more of the same.
1997 Foreau Vouvray Moelleux Reserve: Yum! This wine built like a crescendo on the palate; slowly at first, but gaining momentum as it passed. Seriously great stuff that carried sweetness with excellent acidity and hardly any distracting bitterness that the 95s have.
"I curse you, THINNER!"
1999 Erben von Beulwitz Kaseler Nies'chen BA GoldKap: After the Foreau this was rather mundanely sweet. It still passed as a crowd-pleaser, though.
Someone knows we watched the tape...
1977 Dow’s Vintage Port: A lovely way to end the evening, and everything you would expect from an excellent VP.
As always, my deepest thanks to Trung for welcoming us into his tradition and for everyone's generosity with terrific wines.
Best,
Joe
