Last weekend some of the boys kidnapped me for a bachelor party weekend filled with great wine and adventures. I didn’t take notes, but here are some impressions…
1990 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame: Very fine Champagne that is gracefully just starting to transition into maturity. Less primary than the last bottle I had three years ago.
1988 Louis Roederer Cristal Rose: My first time tasting a bottle of Cris (much less the Rose). I was a bit shocked by the sweetness in the palate, like a splash of FRV mixed in with a Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elizabeth. Decadent and captivating.
1990 Bollinger GA: My favorite Grande Annee of all time. While the La Grande Dame has gracefully changed like an ornament spinning in the light, this Bollinger continues to express itself all over the spectrum as it ages. Rich and bold.
2002 Arnaud Ente Meursault (Magnum): Feminine and easy to drink, this was excellent Chardonnay that wasn’t quite what I expected.
2002 Yves Boyer Martenot Meursault-Charmes: Sexy and full, this was perfect with our lunch of Lobster, mussels, oysters and chowdah.
2000 Mugnier Bonnes Mares: A bit of a letdown as compared to the 2000 Mugnier Musigny; this was a surprisingly sweet and resolved bottle. Enjoyable, and a hit with some of the non-wine geeks.
1988 G. Roumier Bonnes Mares: Robust tannin and a full palate.
1990 Leroy Chambertin: One of the most structured Burgundy I have tasted. This was still rigid, but amazing stuff.
1945 Berry Brothers and Rudd (Vosne Romanee? Chambertin?): I can’t remember which vineyard this was sourced from and there was no label in the bottle. Despite the humble negociant origins, this was a fresh and vibrant bottle. A touch of bacon fat and horse on the palate… excellent Syrah *wink*
1978 Giacosa Falletto (white label): Lovely. Lovely. Lovely. This Giacosa was singing at peak and tied with the Rayas for my WOTN. Silky tannin and even acidity carried the structure while rose petals and pomegranate wafted from the nose. Outstanding.
1978 Borgogno Riserva: More rustic than the Giacosa, this was still a great wine with bulkier tannin and a touch of iodine on the palate.
1985 R Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva: It was a tough lineup, but despite the pedigree of the other wines, the Tondonia fared extremely well. Other than the Rayas, it was the most aromatic wine on the table.
1986 Cos d’Estournel: I’ve really found myself (surprisingly) enjoying Cos d’Estournel. It has a bit of funk and good terroir that give it a bit more personality than some of the more vanillin producers.
1990 Chateau Rayas Reserve: Tied with the Giacosa as my wine of the night. I have only tasted Rayas in off vintages and, while enjoyed in the past, had no idea this was the full potential of the wine. Damn near perfect wine with a finish that wouldn’t quit.
1990 Chateau Beaucastel: Tasting this next to the Rayas was a great chance to see two of the best CdP next to each other, and contrast the mostly-Mourvèdre composition with the Grenache. Truly great wine, though the Rayas had an added dimension.
1998 Janasse "Chaupin": Tannic and robust, this has held up better than many of the other 1998 CdP over the past few years.
1990 Guigal Cote-Rotie “La Mouline“: The big disappointment of the night. Still very oaky and not very expressive. I’m not sure what the attraction is?
2005 Herve Souhaut Sainte Epire: Mike served this blind to us and entertained himself by pretending to reveal what the wine was, then yelling “Psych!” afterwards. Thankfully, one of the managers of the campground came by and asked him to use his “inside voice”. I guessed it to be a St. Joseph that was good, if a bit in-your-face.
1999 Juge Cuvee "C" Cornas: A touch outclassed by many of the wines, this was still an excellent bottle of Cornas and certainly was a bit nicer than the Guigal. Drinking very well right now, though five more years will only help things.
1993 Royal Tokaji Aszu Essencia: As always, a huge wine that redefines the idea of “sweet” wines. Viscous and rich, I could still taste it up through breakfast the next morning.
NV Osbourne AOS Amontillado: More interesting than enjoyable, this is a blockbuster Amontillado that beats up the palate (but in a good way).
Other highlights:
The dinner at Troquet Friday night was excellent. Chris was (as always) a serious but friendly host. The suckling pig is a must-eat.
White Water Rafting the Penobscot river (flipping the raft at one point).
Chauncey Creek Lobster Pound in Kittery is a great BYO in Southern Maine. The mussels and oysters are out of this world, and the lobsters are fresh.
I was ambushed at Platinum Plus in Portland and forced on to the stage where I was first graced with some lap dances, then spanked near death, then forced to dance. I think my polework was pretty good and I received two dollars stuffed down my pants.
*sigh*
Thank goodness this only happens once.
My sincere thanks to Joe Armano, Eric Sargent, Geremy Ayers, Mike Lawton, Trung Nguyen, Rey Fortney, PMAC, Josh Wertlieb and Tim Tanigawa. You guys are awesome.
Best,
Joe
