Last week, we had a phenomenal event hosting California’s winemaking royal bloodline: Tim and Carlo Mondavi. Tim and Carlo generously showcased 2008, 2010 and 2012 vintages of their rightfully named, Pritchard Hill project: Continuum. The 2010 Continuum has a beautiful nose with vibrant fruit seeping from the glass. The palate offered a more serious structure with gorgeous flavors of wild red and black fruit, dark spice and deep minerality. The 2008 had the most dimensions with a hedonistic layer after layer of juicy black fruit, wild herbs, plush flowers, crushed cocoa, espresso and deep earth. But the crowd favorite was the 2012… it’s sexy, refined, powerful, graceful, generous yet focused all in one glass. Red and black currants were fresh and tart with vibrant layers of baking spices, creamy vanilla, fresh turned soil and violets with hints of menthol that brightened up the wine. Overall, the Continuum lineup was smoking!!
While enjoying the Continuum, we had to open some bottles for Tim and Carlo so we turned to France to blow their minds. First to bat was the 2011 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne Romanee- a beautiful, young red Burgundy with bright red cherries upfront and fresh compost and mushrooms in the mid-palate. It was a very, very good bottle of red indeed. This was a great start for the night, but just quite didn’t hit the spot for this occasion. Next on deck: 2011 Jean Louis Chave Hermitage- a mere baby but a powerful one, with a triple splash decant, the aromatics opened up with dark black fruit, crushed slate, savory herbs, wild flowers, spice box and smoke. The structure was massive with more savory tones of deep licorice, smoke, wild game and tar. This was an absolutely stunning bottle, but I was challenged for the exceptional and the third time was the charm with a bottle of the 1966 Morey Saint Denis Cuvee Confrerie des Chevalieres du Tastevin Cuvee Leroy. Wow…!! Perfectly preserved red and black cherries, dried plums and dusty spice. The aged flavors blossomed in the palate with dried petals, wild fennel, roasted mushrooms, dried compost and hints of soft leather, charred sage and vintage barn. The finish was long and haunting. This was a memorable bottle of wine that blew our minds.
When you throw down an exceptional wine for the table, Simon always retaliates and we sure aren’t complaining! Simon came back with a 1978 Remoissenet Vosne Romanee Les Beaumonts that hit a home run! Not as expansive as the ’66 Leroy in the mid, but ultra sexy in a good ole dirty Burg kind of way. The fruit was more luscious with giving red fruit, mellowed dried spice and super silky tannins that easily swam around the mouth. The finish was extended with more earthy tones of dried cinnamon and nutmeg, rich earth, dried orange rind and tart red fruit. A beautiful finish to the night of stellar wines.
