Tuesday night wines…
A small Tuesday night affair turned into an after midnight bash with more than enough wine, threats about spilling wine on new carpet and me having my ass handed to me by Paul Faraci at ping pong… never play table games with folks that are actually enthused enough to have em set up in the house… Hat’s off the Paul David for playing with one hand holding the paddle and the other a glass of Auslese… and not spilling a drop!
Whites
- 2003 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Erdener Treppchen Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Lychee, honey and sweet fruit notes jump from the glass of this baby and lead into a medium bodied, textured palate. There’s a decent amount of sweetness but this is almost seamless and nary a hard edge to be found anywhere. Lacks a little verve and edge but delicious none the less.(88 pts.) - N.V. Jean Milan Champagne Cuvée Tendresse Sec - France, Champagne, Côte des Blancs, Champagne
Not sure what the dosage is on this but it certainly doesn’t come across as very sweet and shows lots of sour green apple, yeast and mineral aromas on the fairly expressive nose. The palate is medium bodied and while well balanced, seems soft and lacking in concentration. This improved with air.(86 pts.) - N.V. Launois Pere et Fils Champagne Mesnil Quartz Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
Outstanding with mineral, yeast and earth notes supported by ripe, rich fruit notes. Medium bodied with nice structure, this fleshed out with air and is well balanced and has a long finish.(90 pts.) - 2002 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Bressandes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
A fantastic white burg that shows copious amounts of rich apple and pear fruit mixed with smoke, toasted nut, earth and oak aromas on the blockbuster nose. The palate picks up where the aromas leave off and doesn’t disappoint. Medium bodied and concentrated, this has rich fruit, stunning precision, great balance and a long, clean finish. I’m a fan!(93 pts.)
Reds
- 2005 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Theurons - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
Just a gorgeous bottle of wine that has a classy nose of cherry and strawberry fruit, spice, minerals and vanilla laced oak. Smooth, rich and expressive. The palate is medium bodied with a tight, sappy texture, nice balance and a long, moderately tannic finish where serious mineral notes give the wine lift and a pleasant sourness.(91 pts.) - 2005 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Ribbon Ridge - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge
Dark and slightly rustic, this has an interesting nose of black cherry, cranberry, earth and herby stem notes. Medium bodied on the palate, this shows rich fruit, nice texture and a medium length finish.(88 pts.) - 2005 Merry Edwards Pinot Noir Tobias Glen - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
This has a ripe, heady nose of fuzzy red fruit, vanilla, spice and earth. This shows some slight VA as well but is still enjoyable. Better on the nose than the palate, it’s medium to full bodied and while it does have a lush, ripe texture, it’s devoid of any structure, edge or tannin and comes across as flabby and blousey.(82 pts.) - 1988 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
I’ve had better bottles of this and while it did improve with air, it never lost the herbacous notes nor gained the depth and richness of previous bottle. The nose shows mature dark fruit notes mixed with forest floor, green pepper, tobacco, spice and cedar. Medium bodied with a smooth texture, this is a really enjoyable, mature cali cab.(88 pts.) - 2002 Château de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Coudoulet de Beaucastel - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône
Corked NR (flawed) - 2000 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
A disappointing showing by this bottle and it lacked depth and concentration, at times coming across as borderline green with herbacous, leafy aromas. The nose is dark and earthy with cassis, lead pencil, tobacco and herb notes leading into a medium bodied palate. It’s well balanced and there is nice fruit that shows a streamlined texture and picks up noticeable tannins on the medium length finish.(88 pts.) - 1999 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Full bodied and lush for the vintage, this has gobs of raw meat, earth, leather and dark fruit notes supported by the tell tale Janasse lead pencil and smoke notes. The palate is full bodied with lush, mouthfilling fruit, admirable balance and nice length on the finish where is picks up roasted herb and cocoa power notes.(93 pts.) - 2004 Robert Foley Claret - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
While still young and borderline jammy, this possesses both beautiful power and an elegant, seamlessness that I love. The nose offers up full bore cassis and blackberry aromas that are supported by graphite and mineral notes. The palate is full bodied with a killer lush texture that’s backed up by stunning precision, nice acidity and plenty of underlying balancing structure. Just a stunning bottle of wine that is still a baby in terms of development.. but when it’s this good, I’m not sure I see any upside to waiting.(97 pts.)
And Dessert
- 2004 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Impressive with honey, floral and lycee aromas offset by beautiful acidity, plenty of sweetness, nice balance and a clean, long finish.(92 pts.)