My Friday started with the 1993 Opus One that Mike F wanted to toast the beginning of his weekend with. Incredibly complex bouquet of forest floor, wet earth, cedar, black cherries, blackcurrant with undertones of savory, dried herbs and baking spice led to a palate that was pure elegance and refinement. Silky-textured, medium-bodied, fresh acidity that kept the wine’s finish going. Bottle age has really done this wine a lot of good developing such flavor complexity and beautiful texture that is dazzling. This is in a great drinking window now.
Keith F was in this Friday as well and didn’t waste any time in chilling a split of Krug Grande Cuvee for Jean Ann. We’ve opened many a half bottles of this fizz but this one bottle showed more toasty richness and a flavor intensity more reminiscent of a vintage Champagne. Nutty, butterscotch notes along with acacia, pear and white peach and very fine, persistent bubbles… I was in bubbly heaven.
Up next was a 1996 Bernard Dugat-Py Gevrey-Chambertin ‘Couer du Roy’ that was flamboyant and showy on the first pour. Deep minerality, spice, plums, black cherries and subtle forest floor-dried leaves notes were consistent on the nose and palate. This was a fuller-bodied, denser rendition of Pinot Noir that was drinking younger than its age suggested and certainly punching way beyond its Villages quality designation. This wine’s structure and flavor concentration further suggest its suitability for more aging.
Our resident expert on California wines, Ivan F, walked in next, arms heavy with current releases of Relic Wines. We tasted the 2010 The Prior, a blend of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Malbec from Napa Valley. This is very primary right now showcasing ripe and luscious black raspberries, black cherries, sweet vanilla, cocoa powder and toasty oak aromas and flavors. Rich textured and velvety mid-palate… a big wine but well-balanced. This is The Prior’s inaugural vintage and what an effort from Mike Hirby! Next up from the Relic line-up was the 2009 The Archive Cabernet Sauvignon which showed intense aromas of crème de cassis, black cherry, nutmeg, toasted oak and mocha. The flavor intensity was echoed on the broad, smooth-textured, rich palate. The well-managed, softer tannins and ripe fruit make this wine a great pop-and-pour deal and certainly offers drinking pleasure now.
DD’s 1995 Leoville Las Cases was shared around the table next. This wine’s firmer structure and subtle cedar and gravel components made this a fantastic contrast to the more seductive and hedonistic style of the Relic wines. Next to the California reds, the 1995 Las Cases was noticeably compact and burly but after half an hour in the glass, this blossomed into a magnificent wine revealing complex and richer blackcurrant notes along with coffee, cedar and licorice. Incredible flavor intensity and depth and what finish! Decant for at least an hour if you insist on drinking it now or I would revisit it in another five years.
Scott F followed up with 1990 La Dominique. I was initially impressed by the wine’s beautiful perfume (wild raspberry, tobacco, tea leaves, leather) and silken texture but this, unfortunately, fell apart as the night progressed; the fruit started fading and an overwhelming damp earth component began to take over. Hollow mid-palate, slightly thinned out finish with the acidity taking center stage.
Keith F next (generously) handed me a taste of the 2006 SQN A Shot in the Dark Syrah… blackberry/blueberry jam were the first words out of my mouth! Full-bodied with mouth-coating richness on the palate, big tannins but ripe and velvety, concentrated with gobs of blackberry, blueberry, black cherries, baking spices and cocoa. No doubt a powerful and structured wine but kudos to Manfred Krankl whose able hands are somehow able to achieve balance in this monster! This wine is part of SQN’s Extended Barrel-Aged (EBA) program composed of dry reds aged that see about 40 months of oak aging.
The party was already in full swing and I was feeling palate fatigue from all the big reds I was drinking when Simon handed me a glass of white… nice, Simon…. This showed mature notes of almonds, butterscotch, toasty/buttered popcorn with a touch of yellow plums and tropical fruits. On the palate, the wine was creamy and rich but with a zesty acidity that kept the wine juicy and fresh. Fragrant lime blossom note on the finish. With all that flavor intensity and concentration on the palate, I expected a bit more on the finish. A good wine nonetheless. Simon revealed this was a 1999 Williams-Selyem Chardonnay ‘Hawk Hill Vineyard’.
I noticed Simon commiserating with a few members around the bar so I sauntered over to see what was going on… a 1992 Hudelot-Noellat Romanee-St-Vivant was what was going on. As I put my nose to the glass that was handed to me, this wine just exploded with raspberries, cherries, currants, clove, floral and nutmeg. The palate was equally sumptuous with its velvety texture and lively acidity packed with that Vosne spice that is simply stunning.
Mary F followed with a stellar bottle of 1987 Joseph Drouhin Musigny which was remarkable in its freshness, complexity and elegance. High-toned red cherries, wild strawberries, red currants and hibiscus with the subtlest of sweet sage and dried mushrooms in the background. Impressively elegant on the palate, silky and vibrant. Hibiscus/red currant finish. This wine was definitely on and open for business. By the time I left, the crowd was thinning out and getting ready to get their post-Graileys party started.