WINE - Red, White, or Other - Discussed Here!

[The new erato]

A string of very fine Rieslings last night with the usual gang enjoyed with some hors d'oeuvrees and cheeses:

Trimbach Cuvee Frederich Emile 1999 (slightly starting to bloom, but this is one tough vintage)
Dr Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Auslese 1994 (opulent and spicy, starting to loose its sweetness)
Wittmann Westhofener Morstein Riesling Großes Gewächs 2007 (very fine, floral and long, fine fruit on top of a rather tight vintage)
Prager Wachsstum Bodenstein 2001 (a small parcel in the superb Achleiten, long and ethereal)
Dønnhoff Hermannshøhle Spætlese 2005 (slight sweetness, utterly complex and fascinating)

Somehow and by accident we managed to cover all the major quality Riesling areas.

And some other fine stuff, Raveneau Chablis Mont de Tonnere 2004, Louis Michel Chablis Grand Cru Grenouilles 2002, Produttori Barbaresco Riserva Ovello 1996, Cavalotto Barolo Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe 1999, Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Chaignots 1999, Luis Pato Vinas Velhas 1990, Chinard Fleurie Moriers 2011 and a Billecart-Salmon of some sort....good thing it's a couple of weeks till the next time.

[Sergeant Rock]

A string of very fine Rieslings last night...And some other fine stuff

And lived to tell the tale    Once again a tasting that we mere mortals can only dream about. The Dr. Loosen Auslese reminds me that I still have few bottles of Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Auslese from the 1990 vintage. I should open one soon.

Sarge

[The new erato]

You should. A fine estate.

We are a circle of around a dozen or more friends, most of us collectors since the last 20-25 years. 8 present last night, I was hosting and cooking and providing 6 of the bottles.

[The new erato]

One of the guys just had his 60th birthday, so 5 of us gathered for dinner with the wives and pulled out the stops:

Dom Perignon 85 - fine and mature (but Krug it aint't):

Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet 2008- extremely linear and focused and endlessly complex:

d'Angerville Volnay Clos des Ducs 1993 - meaty, redfruited and extremely long, still lots of power left:

Matrot Blagny La Piece Sous les Bois 2002 from magnum - friendly,accessible and very Volnay, cherries:

Borgogno Barolo Riserva 1958 -fully mature but still some power left, tar and roses, classic Nebbiolo, and
Badia a Coltibuono Sangioveto 1990; sweet, slightly rustic and complex Sangiovese, very fine:


There were more stuff, some Meursault 2007, Selbach-Oster 2001 etc; the table gets pretty crowded by hardware as the evening moves on:

[The new erato]

All sobered up and ready for tonights Bordeaux tasting in our local wineclub (which I chair):

La Conseillante 2006, Pomerol
Figeac 2006, St Emilion
Troplong-Mondot 2006, St Emilion
Dom Chevalier2006, Graves
Haut-Bailly 2001, Graves
Brane-Cantenac 2001, Margaux 
Langoa Barton 2001, Saint-Julien
Pichon Comtesse 1989, Pauillac
Gruaud Larose 1989, Saint-Julien
Branaire-Ducru 1989, Saint-Julien
Leoville-Barton 1989, Saint-Julien
Leoville-Las-Cases 1989 , Saint-Julien

I've worked for two years putting the list together and collecting the wines.

[Sergeant Rock]

I don't even have a response to these last two posts. I'm just in awe...and supremely envious.

Sarge

[SonicMan46]

I don't even have a response to these last two posts. I'm just in awe...and supremely envious.

Same here - I use to have some of those 'aged' wines and even a few 'young' Dom Perignons in my younger years, but one as old as the monk himself - no way!  Wish that I could have been there as a 'guest' as least - must have been a great experience.  Congrats!  Dave

[Bogey]

1958!? Wow!

[The new erato]

I don't even have a response to these last two posts. I'm just in awe...and supremely envious.

Sarge

Well, you dont have to get up at 6.15 on Monday to go to work.....

Same here - I use to have some of those 'aged' wines and even a few 'young' Dom Perignons in my younger years, but one as old as the monk himself - no way!  Wish that I could have been there as a 'guest' as least - must have been a great experience.  Congrats!  Dave

Thanks!

One of the guys even brought a Latour 1971 as a special treat, drinking fine now:

[The new erato]

1958!? Wow!

Aged Barolo has amazing staying power. I've been lucky enough to have had about 40 wines from between the 1941 to 1968 vintages and all except a small handful have been intact, though of course being in some cases very aged, but with still discernible fruit and Nebbiolo characteristics.



And a smattering of very old Madeira as well:





The Things we do here in the far north to keep the winter at bay.......

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

If you're ever on the California Central coast (near Santa Cruz), stop into Bonny Doon. I LOVE these wines--the reds (inspired by Rhone wines) are very earthy, robust, complex and make perfect accompaniment to spicy foods, grilled meats, Italian, etc.

The owner, Randall Graham, is a prolific and erudite writer with a penchant for neglected varietals, and an obsession with the Rhone law prohibiting flying saucers (Cigare Volant) from landing in vineyards. They are growing grapes FROM SEED in one of their vineyards.

https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com

Drive up the road (Highway 1) five minutes for the best berries, jam, and pies on the planet: http://www.swantonberryfarm.com

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Also:

Now accepting recommendations for Chianti Classico and other Tuscan wines made with Sangiovese.

AND

Madiera (I've never had it).

(Please keep recommendations affordable--I haven't lied, stolen, bribed, and defrauded my way into upper management yet.)

[jlaurson]

Also:

Now accepting recommendations for Chianti Classico and other Tuscan wines made with Sangiovese.
(Please keep recommendations affordable--I haven't lied, stolen, bribed, and defrauded my way into upper management yet.)

Marchesi de' Frescobaldi makes very, very good wines. In fact, some of the best new ones I have had from that region, although I should add that I also don't know that region nearly as well as others, especially not in that price segment which isn't 'upper management' expensive, but also not exactly bargain territory, either.
http://en.frescobaldi.com/our-wines/ricerca-vini/?filtro_tipologia=128

[The new erato]

Marchesi de' Frescobaldi makes very, very good wines. In fact, some of the best new ones I have had from that region, although I should add that I also don't know that region nearly as well as others, especially not in that price segment which isn't 'upper management' expensive, but also not exactly bargain territory, either.
http://en.frescobaldi.com/our-wines/ricerca-vini/?filtro_tipologia=128

Felsina, Fontodi and Castel in Villa's basic Sangiovese and Riservas are good buys IMO. The Riservas usually benefits from 3-4 years in bottle before consumption.

And re basic Madeira's; I don't know much about what is available in a younger style, though I tend to prefer Sercials and Verdelhos when it comes to grapes. The price of real old Madeiras (as in older than 100 years) has shot throught the roof in recent years. I have been lucky enough to taste widely (at least 30 bottles older than about 1900) from bottles bought by friends and collectors about 20 years ago when many of these could be had for a relative "song", many of these currently are about 20x the price they were bought for. Real old Madeira is an amazing drink that currently are totally out of range pricewize - just happy I know these guys!

This is probably the most amazing wine I've ever had (my handwritten notes underneath the wine):



though it has stiff competition from various Krugs Clos des Mesnils, La Tache 78, Chave Hermitage 78 and a smattering of older Bordeaux (La Mission Haut Brion 66 and Haut Brion 89 coming to mind).

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Thanks for the recommendations guys.

And, hey, you live in Bergen? Wonderful city. I had a couple of great dinners at the Altona Vinbar (Hotel Augustin, where I stayed). Do you ever eat there? I was on a business trip, but want to return with my wife for vacation some day. (I did do the "Norway in a Nutshell" trip).

[The new erato]

I've been to Altona though a pretty long time ago. The restaurant scene in Bergen have picked up the last decade. If you ever return, give me a PM.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Thanks, will do. Ireland is next on the list however...

[SonicMan46]

If you're ever on the California Central coast (near Santa Cruz), stop into Bonny Doon. I LOVE these wines--the reds (inspired by Rhone wines) are very earthy, robust, complex and make perfect accompaniment to spicy foods, grilled meats, Italian, etc.

The owner, Randall Graham, is a prolific and erudite writer with a penchant for neglected varietals, and an obsession with the Rhone law prohibiting flying saucers (Cigare Volant) from landing in vineyards. They are growing grapes FROM SEED in one of their vineyards.

https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com

Drive up the road (Highway 1) five minutes for the best berries, jam, and pies on the planet: http://www.swantonberryfarm.com

Yep - love those mountains south of San Fran - been to Bonny Doon a couple of times but has been a while - also miss visiting the Monterey Peninsula - Dave

[Sergeant Rock]

One of the guys even brought a Latour 1971 as a special treat, drinking fine now:

Now you're just rubbing it in...cruel, dude, cruel 

Sarge

[The new erato]

In that case I won't mention that we finished the above dinner with a delicious Dow 1970  port which I simply forgot to mention. 

Tough weekend.