Our tasting group had their annual dinner last night. I didn't take formal notes, but most of the wines were sufficiently memorable.
We started with the Perrier-Jouet Rosé Champagne NV which was full of strawberry and tart cherry flavors. Quite nice.
The white wines being passed around included the 2002 Louis Latour Mersault which had some attractive pear and lemon flavors, but lacked any real distinctiveness. Much better was the 2005 Kerpen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese* which showed all the richness of the 2005 vintage, but also good structure for aging. It also came in the glass stopper type cork. Hooray!
As we rolled into the food courses the reds came out. There was an Italian wine I did not get the name of, but also the 1998 Pride Cabernet Sauvignon which always reminds me of Bordeaux. It has earthy cherry flavors and a green/tobacco/herbal element that reminds me very much of Sociando Mallet which is a personal favorite producer. The best red of the night came next with the 1994 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon served from magnum. Lots of fresh, primary fruit, but also very silky and rounded; a wine that has retained its youth while drinking as if it is well resolved. Fantastic!
Main course wines included the 1975 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon also served from magnum. This was in a great place with dusty red fruit, earth, cedar and spice all wrapped up in a soft, silken package. I've had the pleasure of many old vintages of Mayacamas, and this was right up there. I brought the 1995 Stag's Leap Petite Syrah (yes, that's how they spell it on the label) which was minty and earthy with lots of primary fruit, but not a ton of obvious tannin. it's drinking well now, but can likely hold for a long time with all that fruit.
Prior to being served our desserts we enjoyed the 1963 Sandeman Port which was vastly superior to other bottles of the same wine I have experienced in the past. A touch of alcoholic warmth blew off quickly to show candied cherries, sandalwood, almond, licorice and warm, dusty earth. A very fine '63 experience.
When all was done I handed my valet ticket over to the attendant to get my car. 45 minutes later I was on my way. After much "your car is coming right now" it was finally revealed that they had locked the key in my car & had to call to get the car unlocked. Whoever did the work of opening the vehicle was clearly good at their job because there were no obvious signs of "forced entry." Needless to say my parking was free.
