By: AJ McClellan
Saturday night we had Sharon Hage cater in a 5 course tasting meal for our members. The night was wonderful with a great selection of wines and excellent wine pairings. After the meal the members opened some exceptional bottles for the table and Sharon sat down with us to enjoy in the festivities.
NV Henriot – This is such a superb bottle for the price. The nose is of light yeast with big pear and light lemon zest. The palate was not overly aggressive with a light effervescence and a pleasant backing of minerality and stone fruits.
1989 Jadot Griotte Chambertin – This bottle is very unique. The nose shows barbeque pit with pulled pork ribs and a great black earth backing. The palate was bold, for a Burgundy, in body and flavor with a long finish.
1990 Vieux Certan – A wonderful bottle of Bordeaux. The nose showed rocky earth with a black fruit backing. The palate was very approachable but the tannins were still hard. This bottle drinks well now but needs another 10 years.
2007 Jones Family Cabernet – A great Cali Cab that delivers every time. The nose was sweet black and red fruits with spice rack and cedar. The palate was ripe blackberry, cherry, and black currants with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove on the finish.
1994 Colgin Herb Lamb – One of my favorite bottles of Cali Cab. Every time we open this bottle it shows an impressive array of ripe black fruits with a luscious velvety texture on the palate. This is a wonderful bottle of wine!
1982 Pichon Lalande – One of my all time favorite bottles of wine. The nose always has a distinct green note that normally I would not appreciate in my wine, but somehow, in the Pichon is just another lever of complexity that sets this part aside from all others.
1969 Remoissenet Les Combottes – As always this was a stunning bottle of wine. The nose was very expressive showing dry old fruits and a plethora of spices. The palate was soft but still crisp with a great acidity and long finish.
1996 Grange – Grange is such a great bottle of wine. The 96 was very approachable for a younger bottle of Grange. The nose was classic Grange with eucalyptus, plum, and wood spice. The palate, while massive, was round and very drinkable.
1971 Camile Giroud Clos de Vougeot – Soft on the nose and palate with old dusty cherry and big earthy notes of forest floor and garden compost. The palate was as light as the nose with an elegance and finesse that is difficult to find outside of Burgundy.
1992 Dujac Clos de la Roche – This bottle was the opposite of the Camile Giroud with a massive tannin backing and big bold earth and fruits on the nose and palate. We opened this bottle almost 8 hours before service and it was still massive in the glass. A great wine but it needs a lot more time in the bottle.