Monday was cod in a miso glaze, with a red amaranth/sugarsnap/lettuce salad. Wine was the 2009 F. Cotat “Culs de Beaujeau” Sancerre. Big., powerful, ripe style of Sancerre but with good acids, flavors of sweet/honied citrus fruit and herbs, and a firm minerally finish. B+
Tuesday took the train to city and then subway to Chelsea, Franco welcomed our SOBER crew with some nice cheeses and charcuterie and the 1995 Henriot Cuvee des Enchanteleurs Champagne Brut. Lovely lovely showing, powerfull but elegant, lively acids, delicate mousse, tarte tatin, lemon peel, yeast rolls. Full, complex, long. A-/A
To table for the blind flights
Flight #1 (white)
Folks were immediately at Riesling, but we mostly guessed Alsace.
Wine #1- fresh, bright, gingery, nice length. 2011 Hirtzberger Hochrain Smaragd Riesling (4+ hour decant) B/B+
Wine #2 - seems oldest, tropical, some RS, a little flabby. 1983 Hirtzberger Hochrain Spatlese Riesling B-
Wine #3 - my fave, complex, hint of petrol, long. 1994 Hirtzberger Hochrain Smaragd Riesling. B+
First course was cold pea soup with crab salad,
Flight #2
First guesses were white Burg, though I thought possibly Chenin Blanc
Wine #1: Honied, rocks, citrus, good length. We’re shocked by age/grape. 1962 Domane Wachau Himmelsstiege Gruner Veltliner Spatlese B+/B
Wine #2 - Waxy, spice, yellow fruited, complex, long, my still white of the night. 1993 Nikolaihof Vinotek Gruner Veltliner. A-
Wine #3- corked, I neglected to note
Watermelon, feta, arugula, pine nuts
Flight #3
Wine #1 - there was an odd note on the nose, and then Dan said “paint” and we all agreed, though spirited debate of Benjamin Moore vs Sherwin-Williams. Fleshy, hint of sweetness, mature but not tired, odd. 1987 Stony Hill Riesling B-
Wine #2 - Sweet rich, full, nice length. 1993 Brundlmayer Alte Reben Riesling. A-/B+
Wine #3 - I apparently was too into the scallops to write anything down but grade, but thought this a nice mature Riesling. 1993 Hogl Smaragd Riesling (vineyard?)
curried carrots with coconut and seared scallops, followed by lamb chops and couscous
Flight #4
Wine #1 Young, higher acids, herby, a bit sharp, get rounder with air. 2001 Ausone B
Wine #2 - acids, cranberry and raspberry fruit, tart, showed better and better with air. 1985 Ausone (B+, but might have moved up with some air, showing very young)
Wine #3 - corked 1976 Ausone. (now that’s sad)
Then creme brulee was served with a 1949 Alblala PX Seleccion. Thick, toffee, fat, lots of interesting spice notes, nuts, fun to taste. B+?
Fun and interesting night
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.