The following wines were served at one sitting at Restaurant Cru in New York City (www.cru-nyc.com). Many were brought to the table by the restaurant owner Roy Welland, who joined us for the evening in Cru’s private cellar dining room. While these kinds of events are wonderful, they make tasting note taking almost impossible, so I apologize in advance for perhaps less than comprehensive notes in some wines’ regard. The notes are not in order of merit, but in the order in which the wines were poured. Further, as there are 20 or so wines, I have broken them into 4 volumes, with natural breaks, which I will post on consecutive days:
***++Bollinger, RD, Extra Brut, Ay, champagne, 1988: Roy is a champagne aficionado, and started us off with two wonderful vintage champagnes, the Bollinger RD 88 and the 81, from magnum. Both are lovely. I tended toward the newer vintage as it showed more of that yeasty richness that serves as the trademark for this house. Surprisingly youthful and vibrant (I believe this wine was disgorged in 2001), the wine shows off a wonderful mousse and fine, energetic bead. That thick yeastiness is accompanied by notes of zesty candied lemon, tropical nuts and wet stone. The palate offers wonderful, rich texture, more citrus, hazelnut and ginger and a fine, pronounced spicy, mineral finish. Super. Perhaps not as sophisticated and bold as the Sir Winston (my fave) but a great example of wonderful vintage champagne.
***Bollinger, RD, Extra Brut, Ay, champagne, 1981: Rather than post comprehensive notes on the 81, I will simply say that my notes were fairly consistent with two important differences: A clearly more malic, green apple profile, more of a mineral impression and a somewhat reduced palate and finish which makes me sense that the wine has peaked and should be enjoyed now and in the short term. Still, a wonderful glass of bubbly.
Wine of Merit: *****Trimbach, Clos St. Hune, Alsace, riesling, 1990: Breathtaking. Another Roy offering. I have to admit to being bowled over by this wine. Really. Even just conjuring up the sensations required to write these notes makes me a little misty. It’s just that I was nowhere near ready for how amazingly complex, nuanced, perfectly integrated, fresh and profound this wine was going to be. This wine is at once unctuous and gossamer, showing off perfumed notes of Anjou pear and perfect white peach, lily of the valley, orange blossom, a hint of delicate, Madagascar pink peppercorn, a light wafting of petrol. Just amazing. The palate coats and glides, viscous and fluid, perfectly weighted, perfect acid backbone, the perfect touch of lemon, lime, meringue. Perfect follow through. Long mineral finish. Ageless. Haunting. And perfectly paired with the most wonderful, butter-like, wafer thin sashimi I have ever had (kudos to the Cru Crew!). Available at $400 generally speaking at retail. Somehow a steal.
***+Marcassin, Zio Tony Ranch, Sonoma, chardonnay, 2003: I think this wine epitomizes the difficult relationship I have with Marcassin wines. On the one side the flavors are powerful and intense; a daring, vinous tour de force. A Corton Charlemagne on steroids, this wine assaults you with huge amounts of linseed, buttered popcorn, nutmeg, petrol, limoncello and powdered sugar. On the other hand I find the wines blousy and hot, in this case resulting in diminished, carmelized, candied fruit and a blurred, vague palate profile. It is almost like the winemaker can’t help but turn it up to eleven, even though a more dulcimer tone might actually do the fruit more justice. A fun wine to taste and appreciate, but a difficult wine to enjoy.
****Kongsgaard, Napa Valley, chardonnay, 2004: Betting more on balance is the Kongsgaard. Perhaps not as in your face, this wine (immediately a consistent favorite of mine) offers more focused characteristics and a much more integrated, balanced palate. No mistaking it for a Burgundy to be sure…simply a wonderful expression of Napa fruit with wonderful depth and excellent layering of flavors through to a spicy, long finish. I have posted on this wine before and the notes are consistent, though serving this wine with the Trimbach and the Blanchots Chablis perhaps brings it to earth a bit. Still – I am happy to cellar this and would still consider it the standard in California chardonnay.
Wine of Merit: *****Domaine Francois Raveneau, Blanchots, Grand Cru, Chablis, 1996: Here again, Roy serves a wine that sets the benchmark. What class. What stature. What purity. Drinking this wine makes me think of the first time I saw Michelangelo’s David; perfectly proportioned…chiseled perfection. This wine must clearly be at its peak, I cannot imagine it getting better – though it seems ageless and bright. High toned elements of white hibiscus, Asian pear, Meyer lemon, liquid minerals…the definition of Chablis. Somehow this wine is at once austere and welcoming. The palate has bracing acids but they are never off putting or hard-edged and the finish offers more long minerals and peppery lemon fruit. Wow. I have to say, Chablis still offers amazing value for what it delivers. I have invested heavily in 1996 grand cru Chablis (my boys’ birth year) and am glad of it.
***++Bollinger, RD, Extra Brut, Ay, champagne, 1988: Roy is a champagne aficionado, and started us off with two wonderful vintage champagnes, the Bollinger RD 88 and the 81, from magnum. Both are lovely. I tended toward the newer vintage as it showed more of that yeasty richness that serves as the trademark for this house. Surprisingly youthful and vibrant (I believe this wine was disgorged in 2001), the wine shows off a wonderful mousse and fine, energetic bead. That thick yeastiness is accompanied by notes of zesty candied lemon, tropical nuts and wet stone. The palate offers wonderful, rich texture, more citrus, hazelnut and ginger and a fine, pronounced spicy, mineral finish. Super. Perhaps not as sophisticated and bold as the Sir Winston (my fave) but a great example of wonderful vintage champagne.
***Bollinger, RD, Extra Brut, Ay, champagne, 1981: Rather than post comprehensive notes on the 81, I will simply say that my notes were fairly consistent with two important differences: A clearly more malic, green apple profile, more of a mineral impression and a somewhat reduced palate and finish which makes me sense that the wine has peaked and should be enjoyed now and in the short term. Still, a wonderful glass of bubbly.
Wine of Merit: *****Trimbach, Clos St. Hune, Alsace, riesling, 1990: Breathtaking. Another Roy offering. I have to admit to being bowled over by this wine. Really. Even just conjuring up the sensations required to write these notes makes me a little misty. It’s just that I was nowhere near ready for how amazingly complex, nuanced, perfectly integrated, fresh and profound this wine was going to be. This wine is at once unctuous and gossamer, showing off perfumed notes of Anjou pear and perfect white peach, lily of the valley, orange blossom, a hint of delicate, Madagascar pink peppercorn, a light wafting of petrol. Just amazing. The palate coats and glides, viscous and fluid, perfectly weighted, perfect acid backbone, the perfect touch of lemon, lime, meringue. Perfect follow through. Long mineral finish. Ageless. Haunting. And perfectly paired with the most wonderful, butter-like, wafer thin sashimi I have ever had (kudos to the Cru Crew!). Available at $400 generally speaking at retail. Somehow a steal.
***+Marcassin, Zio Tony Ranch, Sonoma, chardonnay, 2003: I think this wine epitomizes the difficult relationship I have with Marcassin wines. On the one side the flavors are powerful and intense; a daring, vinous tour de force. A Corton Charlemagne on steroids, this wine assaults you with huge amounts of linseed, buttered popcorn, nutmeg, petrol, limoncello and powdered sugar. On the other hand I find the wines blousy and hot, in this case resulting in diminished, carmelized, candied fruit and a blurred, vague palate profile. It is almost like the winemaker can’t help but turn it up to eleven, even though a more dulcimer tone might actually do the fruit more justice. A fun wine to taste and appreciate, but a difficult wine to enjoy.
****Kongsgaard, Napa Valley, chardonnay, 2004: Betting more on balance is the Kongsgaard. Perhaps not as in your face, this wine (immediately a consistent favorite of mine) offers more focused characteristics and a much more integrated, balanced palate. No mistaking it for a Burgundy to be sure…simply a wonderful expression of Napa fruit with wonderful depth and excellent layering of flavors through to a spicy, long finish. I have posted on this wine before and the notes are consistent, though serving this wine with the Trimbach and the Blanchots Chablis perhaps brings it to earth a bit. Still – I am happy to cellar this and would still consider it the standard in California chardonnay.
Wine of Merit: *****Domaine Francois Raveneau, Blanchots, Grand Cru, Chablis, 1996: Here again, Roy serves a wine that sets the benchmark. What class. What stature. What purity. Drinking this wine makes me think of the first time I saw Michelangelo’s David; perfectly proportioned…chiseled perfection. This wine must clearly be at its peak, I cannot imagine it getting better – though it seems ageless and bright. High toned elements of white hibiscus, Asian pear, Meyer lemon, liquid minerals…the definition of Chablis. Somehow this wine is at once austere and welcoming. The palate has bracing acids but they are never off putting or hard-edged and the finish offers more long minerals and peppery lemon fruit. Wow. I have to say, Chablis still offers amazing value for what it delivers. I have invested heavily in 1996 grand cru Chablis (my boys’ birth year) and am glad of it.
No comments:
Post a Comment