This event was the brain child of Paul David (with the help of Rob Gardner) and was a roaring success. In attendance was Cellertrackers own, Eric LeVine, Uncle Rico, Rob Gardner, Sean O’Leary, Steve and Kathy Carpenter, Paul David and Susan (the amazing chef of the evening), Mark, Paul Faraci, Harry, Ben Weinberg and myself. All wines were servered non-blind and pours averaged around 1.5 to 2 ounces. The majority of bottles were slow oxed and then decanted.
The full menu (prepared by Susan) was as follows:

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A TOUR OF THE RIBERO DEL DUERO

A MID SUMMER’S NIGHT’S DREAM
AUGUST 24, 2008

Good afternoon and evening. Thank you all for getting together to float down the Duero River in a glass. We will start our wine journey through the D.O. area of Ribero Del Duero with dishes from just outside the Catalan region of Priorat and then we will travel west to the next O Porto. I will count on the troops to list all the beautiful wines of the region that will sail down the table. For the food, we will travel all over Spain and pick the best from north, east, west and south. Go home and hide if you are a vegan. The dinner will be in the time honored tradition of Tapas; little appetizers whose origins date back to King Alfonso the Wise of Castile (1117 AD). There is such an inquisitive crowd here tonight that I have included brain food about our choice of Spanish specialties Tickle all your senses.

Champagne Courses:

Bacalao ahumado: Cod is king in Spain and Portugal. They eat it fresh, salted and roll a big one to smoke it. This lightly smoked cod is served on bread dipped in olive oil and toasted and topped with hand crafted smoky pimientos.

Brandade: Bacalao: Continuing in the cod tradition, this dish is found all over the Mediterranean. Salt cod is refreshed and then steeped in milk. The fish is flaked and churned into an unctuous mixture with potato, olive oil and spices. Served on home made olive oil crisp slices of homey bread and topped with a dash of black olive earthy tapenade.

Camaron Con Salsa Fruta: This one is for Steve who is not fond of cold soup. So we deconstructed a fruity gazpacho into its component parts and created this shrimp salsa with Rocky Ford cantelope, home grown cucumber, mint, spices, sherry vinegar and the best Spanish olive oil. The shrimp are dipped in the famous and fiery Piment du Pays Basque imported from Bayonne before grilling for an extra and contrasting bite.

Xato Fly east from the Duero and indulge in this typical Catalan dish of bitter greens served with Anchovy, Olive Oil packed Tuna and Bacalao. Add a few fresh slices of radish and oil cured salty olives. The tuna is the outstanding Oritz Bonito del Norte Reserva. The salad is finished with a dressing made of toasted almond, sweet pepper and wine.

Pincho De Langostino Y Huevo: Bread, egg, anchovy and a touch of fish roe; top it off with a couple of sweet small rock shrimp, we continue to hover in the north, moving through the Basque region. But that’s okay since we are close to France and one step closer to Champagne, our current drink of choice. This is a typical tapa (also known as a pincho or pintxo in Basque). But the Spanish don’t often have it with such a wonderful spirit.

Cameron Y Jamon Parillada: An ubiquitous dish throughout Spain. Fresh large and briny shrimp wrapped in cured thin cut ham and grilled until crisp.

Marisco en Aceto: Everyone can translate this wonderful dish of mixed seafood slowly cooked in olive oil. Add herbs, pimenton, capers and a twist of lemon. Served in endive cups

Jamon Iberico: A cured ham produced only in Spain and Portugal (where it is known as presunto). The meat is from the cerdo negro (Black Iberian Pig) who feed on acorns. The Cerdo Negro naturally lives in the south west of Spain in provinces such as Salamanca, Ciudad Real, and Seville. The hams are labeled according to the pig’s diet: Jamon Iberico de Ballota (the finest hams from pigs fed acorns). Jamon Iberico de Recedo (from pigs who eat a mixture of grasses, roots and acorns in the pasture) Jamon Iberico Pienso (pigs fed grains). Because of the pig’s diet of acorns, much of the jamón’s fat is oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. Tonight we will serve two types of Jamon Iberico de Ballota and a Jamon Iberico de Recedo. See what appeals to you.

White Wine Courses

Atun con Anchova: A subtle and simple dish found in most Tapas bars in San Sebastian; Use a reserva tuna, oil packed and carefully stored until is becomes meltingly tender. Add the best anchovies from Spain to decorate this wonderful dish. Just grilled bread, olive oil preserved tuna and an anchovy on top. You find yourself ordering just one more and one more.

Tortilla De Patata Jose Luis: Jose Luis is a famous Tapas bar in Madrid that has served customers for decades. This is a classic in all bars but this recipe is named after the famous bar in Madrid. Fry thin slices of potato with onions and add rich eggs to cook into a multilayered omelet usually served at room temperature.

Piquillo Peppers from Lodosa paired with Ventresca: The name piquillo means little beak. Traditionally piquillo peppers are grown in the north of Spain, primarily in the Navarra region. They are hand picked and roasted over a wood burning fire, peeled by hand and packed. They have a spicy sweet flavor. The peppers are a beautiful match to Venetresca which is the belly of the tuna. The term comes from the Italian word ventre (belly) the most succulent part and known in Japan as “toro”. Drizzle a bit of olive oil and served straight up into la boca.

Lomo: A national staple like Jamon but very loved in the Rioja region. Pork tenderloin that is brine cured and hot smoked. It is meaty and tender with almost no fat. We made our own for dinner tonight. Brined and cured for 2 days and then smoked slowly with loving care.

Pincho Moruno: Pork marinated in a variety of spices reflects its Moorish origin. The Moors probably used lamb but today this tapa is often made with pork. The spices are warm, cinnamon and allspice with pungent cumin and paprika. The Moors were people of Berber and Arabic origin who came from North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula which they named An Andalus. Actually the term Moors has no ethnological value. The Moors came to be associated with Muslim but the people predate Islam. The people and name come from the small Numidian Kingdom of Maure, dating to the 3rd century BC in the area that is now north central and west Algeria and northern Morocco

Mollejas de Ternera: Tender veal sweetbread sautéed and finished with a touch of veal glace and a grand sherry vinegar; Rerserva Molino Real

Red Wine Courses

Albóndigas de Carne de Cerdo: Another simple but seductive dish of the beloved cerdo. Ground pork mixed with spices and herbs, coated with home made bread crumbs and baked with a drizzle of olive oil. Served with Salsa de Pimientos (sweet red pepper sauce).

Chorizo Y Moricilla Asado a la Parrilla: These are two national dishes. The carne served tonight was imported from Spain. Chorizo is a flavored cured sausage seasoned with paprika and garlic. Every region of Spain has its own interpretation of Chorizo even though it has its origin in Castilla. The morcilla comes from Asturias: black blood sausage with onion, with a heady taste of mole; both grilled and ready to eat.

Judias Con Chorizo: Judiones are oversized dried beans grown and prized in Castilla and especially the Segovia and Avila provinces. In Rioja they are called ponchas. This is a hearty bean dish that has surprisingly few variations in central Spain.

Pato Y Codomiz: Heady smoked duck and quail. Not common fare but dearly enjoyed in Spain. Served with grilled black mission figs in Spanish Heather Honey and topped with roasted hazelnuts.

Pastel Mallorquin De Carne: Very similar to British Mawbry pie with fragrant spices in a short crust. These little pies are often served in Palma de Mallorca’s pastry shops.

Lengua de Carne de Vaca Agridulce: I will keep this in Spanish for Steve. A wonderful dish served in the region of La Mancha. An entertaining combination of sweet and sour combining oranges, beef and sherry vinegar.

Pincho de Cordero: Lamb grilled with Moorish Spices served with smoky eggplant salsa.

Rabo De Toro AL Estilo Pedro Romero: Another Moorish treat of braised oxtail and chickpeas with exotic spices in a thick and rich sauce.

Dulces
Maestro Obrador: Confiteria Y Pasteleria La Estepena confections. Something between a cookie and a candy; spiced with warm cinnamon and cloves

Rabitos Royale: Chocolate covered and filled black mission figs

Avellana e Higo Ake: Hazelnut and fig cake filled with a light lemon pastry cream

Porto, Porto, Porto

Selección de Los Quesos: An exquisite cheese tray with all produce hailing from Spain. No other countries invited.

Pan a casa hecho:
Rustic Country Loaf
Fig and Rosemary Bread
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And now onto the wines!

Champagne

The funny thing was that we thought 2 mags would be too much… These were sucked down in record time causing us to get our wine pairings completely jacked up. Both were excellent.

• N.V. Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé - France, Champagne
  From mag and showing well. Rich and ripe fruit, orange rind and mineral notes are backed up by a medium to full bodied palate. Structure, young and excellent. (91 pts.)
• N.V. Pierre Peters Champagne Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
  From mag and while it started out tight and closed on the palate, really blossomed with air. Clean and crisp with a nice steely, mineral driven character, this picks up weight in the glass and shows a classy finish. (91 pts.)

Whites

All of these were excellent with the 2006 Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes Rías Baixas Albariño D Fefiñanes standing out due to its balance and straight drinkability. The 2006 Do Ferreiro Albariño Rías Baixas Cepas Vellas is produced from 200 year old vines and easily had the most heft of the three. Given more air time, this might have shown even better.

• 2005 Do Ferreiro Albariño Rías Baixas - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas
  This is rich and floral with sweet fruit, medium body and tangy acidity that leads into a long finish. (89 pts.)
• 2006 Bodegas del Palacio de Fefiñanes Rías Baixas Albariño D Fefiñanes - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas
  Rich and well balanced, this shows flowers and spice aromas mixed with sweet fruit and mineral notes. Silky smooth, the balance of the wine really sets it apart and the acidity keeps it interesting. (91 pts.)
• 2006 Do Ferreiro Albariño Rías Baixas Cepas Vellas - Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas
  A big, rich wine, this needed some air to show well and over the course, gained both balancing acidity and more intensity on the nose with lemon pledge, wax and mineral showing up. Medium bodied with a rich, oily texture; this is well balanced and long. (91 pts.)

Reds 1

A great flight and the 1994 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero kicked things off with a bang. Very impressive stuff. The 1995 Hacienda Monasterio Ribera del Duero was a grenache look alike and would easily have fooled me in a blind tasting.

• 1994 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  Very dark and rich with gobs of spicy oak aromas mixed with sweet black cherries, resin, earth and new leather. Medium to full bodied with a fantastic texture and a long finish with boat loads of ripe tannins. Lots of oak but enough fruit to handle it. (94 pts.)
• 1995 Hacienda Monasterio Ribera del Duero - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  With mature aromas of roasted meat, spice, and sweet cherries mixed with beautiful lavender and graphite notes, this would be a dead ringer for a southern rhone. The palate is medium to full bodied with a rich, lush texture that carries into a long, ripe, tannic finish. (93 pts.)

Reds 2

The stellar 1994 Bodegas Ismael Arroyo Ribera del Duero Gran Reserva Val Sotillo was slow oxed and not decanted and in hind sight, might have benefited from some more air. Concentrated and rich, this opened up in the glass. The 1995 Bodegas Reyes Ribera del Duero Teofilo Reyes started off our cork woes..We smelled and tasted (and not just me) every one of these damn thing in advance and not a one showed a hint of cork.. Pour em at the table.. and bam, hello TCA… bastard.

• 1994 Bodegas Ismael Arroyo Ribera del Duero Gran Reserva Val Sotillo - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  This started out tight but opened up in the glass with earthy dark fruits, smoke, cedar and coffee grind aromas. Medium bodied on the palate with concentrated fruit and a compact, dense character. Despite the slightly backwards character, I really like the balance and structure. (93 pts.)
• 1995 Bodegas Reyes Ribera del Duero Teofilo Reyes - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  Corked. NR (flawed)

Reds 3 - Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena

All in all, these were a disappointment to me and lacked that extra dimension and depth that you’d like to see at this price point.. Certainly good, and the 1998 is very good, but not worthy of the price or prestige. I believe that others were more enamored with the 1986 than me.

• 1986 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena 5° - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  Just starting to show some maturity, this has a slightly muted nose of dark, earthy fruit, menthol, spice and cedar. The palate is better than the nose and kicks things up a notch with a lush, rich texture, medium body and impressive balance. Trails off on the medium length finish. (90 pts.)
• 1992 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena 5° - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  Green, chalky and herbal on the nose at first, this improved with air, gaining weight and losing a smidge of the greenness. The palate lacks some flesh but overall, has nice fruit and a long finish. (87 pts.)
• 1998 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena 5° - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  This is a bright raspberry, cherry and chocolate ganacha filled wine that’s medium bodied, rich, ripe and long. Shows ripe tannins on the finish. Primary, piercing and young… but damn good. (92+ pts.)

Reds 4 - Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Unico

The 1989 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único is beautifully consistent and a solid, stunning wine. N.V. Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Unico Reserva Especial Lot 009/98… a blend of 81 and 90… TCA sucks.

• 1989 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  Another stunning showing by this wine. While it was structured and compact right out of the gate, it fleshed out in the glass and is serious stuff. The nose gives up rich blackberry and black cherry, spice, ash and lead pencil aromas that lead into a structured, dense palate. Textured, balanced, concentrated and long. (95 pts.)
• N.V. Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Unico Reserva Especial Lot 009/98 - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  Corked. NR (flawed)

Reds 5 - Alejandro Fernandez Janus Gran Reserva

Hello Beautiful.. Aside from the funky, questionable 94 (and I’ve had a killer bottle of this.. just not this bottle), these wines rock. Complex, rich, interesting and with real depth and texture.

• 1982 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Janus Gran Reserva Pesquera - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  Really fantastic and close to the wine of the night. Still young, this hints at maturity with earth and subtle leather aromas, spiced meat, black cherry and sweet, exuberant spice notes on the nose. Complex and interesting. The palate is a rock star with sweet fruit, medium body, impeccable balance and a stunning silky smooth texture leading into a long finish. (95 pts.)
• 1991 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Janus Gran Reserva Pesquera - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  While not as integrated and showing a firmer edge than the 82, this possesses an earthy, chocolaty nose with rich dark fruit, resin and spice. Young and still tight, this is medium bodied, balanced, concentrated and long. (93 pts.)
• 1994 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Janus Gran Reserva Pesquera - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  Big and rich with buttered popcorn, cedar, spice, oak and coffee aromas sitting on top of dark, earthy fruit. The wood really comes out on the palate, giving an overall harsh, slightly astringent feel to the wine. There is ample background fruit but it’s playing second fiddle to the oak.

Reds 6 - Emilio Moro

Emilio Moro.. never heard of em and thought this would be a let down after the previous big name flights… and I couldn’t have been more wrong. These are big, rich and decadent wines that are stunning with serious fruit, structure, depth and length. Yes, they’re modern and do show a big oak profile, but they have so much fruit and texture that they’re a joy to drink and these were some of my favorites of the night.

• 1999 Bodegas Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero Malleolus - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  On the nose, this shows boat loads of dark fruit, espresso and dark chocolate aromas and has a decidedly modern profile. The palate is full bodied, rich and integrated with fairly low acidity and a long finish. (93 pts.)
• 2001 Bodegas Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero Malleolus - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
  A big, serious wine, this has fantastic aromatics of dark, decadent fruit, espresso and dark chocolate that lead into a full bodied palate that has riveting acidity to go along with concentrated, rich fruit, sweet tannins and a long finish.  (94+ pts.)

1977 Ports

Of course TCA would raise its evil hand on our last flight.. The 1977 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage was easy to love. Big, upfront and perfumed, it was mouthfilling, balanced and complex. The 1977 Fonseca Porto Vintage grew on me over the course and I almost preferred it to the Taylor when the glasses were empty. The 1977 Graham Porto Vintage has some alcohol issues. Just don’t smell it and everything’s fine.. heck, it’s darn right rosy.. smell it though and you’ll be short a couple nose hairs. I’m exaggerating and this did become much more tolerable with air. It is still a heady wine that doesn’t hide its alcohol.. now it’s time for me to admit that I scribbled these notes while smoking a monster cigar and using my notebook to get ride of the smoke so I could smell them.

• 1977 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Wow, just a fantastic bottle with huge fruit, cedar and sweet spice aromas that come screaming out of the glass. Balance, integrated and very long, this is a big, burly and structured port that is drinking perfectly! (97 pts.)
• 1977 Fonseca Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  More feminine than the Taylor, this opened up more slowly and showcased smooth, lush and sweet fruit, perfect balance and a silky texture that leads into a blockbuster finish. (96 pts.)
• 1977 Graham Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  This hits you with a big blast of alcohol that was tough to get past. Heady and hot, this improves on the palate with sweet, rich fruit and nice length. (88 pts.)
• 1977 Dow Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  Corked. NR (flawed)

My loving wife showed up a little after 1AM to pick Sean and I up and wasn’t kidding around when she told us to get our asses in the car so she could get back to bed. As always with this group, the highlight is the people and camaraderie and not the wine or food… although the food was unbelievable. Thanks to all involved for a special, freaking fantastic evening! Special thanks out to Susan for her spectacular cooking, Paul & Susan for hosting, Eric for giving us a reason to party and to Rob Gardner for allowing us all to raid his cellar and put on an event like this.

One good thing about Denver hosting the Democratic National Convention is that it brings fellow winos from all over to the city. In this case, we had Eric LeVine and his lovely wife in town so a small group of denverites hooked up for a stellar meal.
We kicked off the evening with a gorgeous bottle of 1998 Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Champagne Diamant Rosé . Nary a hard edge to be found anywhere, this was lush, round and almost a still wine since the bubbles ran out after about 5 minutes in the glass. Never the less, it was firing on all cylinders and seems to be an early maturing wine.

After the champagne, we dove into a spectacular flight of distinct whites. The 2006 Dönnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese was pure sweet nectar and couldn’t have been easier to gulp down. Seriously, it’s almost like candy and despite the pure gulp ability; it showed complexity, acidity and verve. The 2000 Michel Coutoux Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie couldn’t have been more different and was a rich, regal white burg. Nutty, oaky and rich, this needed some time to open up in the glass but was a superb bottle. The 2004 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Kammerner Lamm was yet another drastic stylistic change and couldn’t have been any more mineral and flint driven. Imagine yourself in a stone quarry right after a massive piece of stone was dynamited off a cliff and you’ll have an idea of what this wine smells like.

At this point, we moved on to the star bottles of the evening. I thought the 1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin was very similar to the 2001 and just has massive amounts of pure, clean fruit. This gained complexity and depth with air, picking up a melted licorice and meaty note on the last sip. Just absolutely stunning and it’s amazing how different this blend is from their regular bottling. The typical game and leather notes are nowhere to be found and this is a massively fruited, clean beauty.
This was my first Bonneau and I have to say, Parker’s description of throwing a bunch of Grenache vines and a shot of brandy into a blender hits the nail on the head. The 1988 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins was perfumed, spicy and almost three dimensional on the palate with a thick, rich texture. I loved both of these wines and let me tell you, looking at the deep purple color of the Hommage right next to the ruby red color of the Bonneau gave me goose bumps. Thank you Eric and Thank you Michael for the chance to taste these two fantastic wines!
In hindsight, the 1995 Château Cos d’Estournel was a poor choice for this lineup and couldn’t help but come off a little unfriendly and showing more herbal notes next to the two Chateauneufs. Despite this, a superb bottle and I took this home and finished it off over the next couple of days. It’s still young with a long life ahead of it.

• 1998 Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Champagne Diamant Rosé - France, Champagne
  Very rich and round with orange rind, ripe fruit and custard flavors, full body, low acidity and a smooth, long finish. Not a long term ager but stunning right now. Drink up. (93 pts.)
• 2006 Dönnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe
  Fantastic with lychee, sweet, freshly picked cherries and mineral notes. Medium to full bodied with a perfect, gorgeous texture and nice acidity that comes out with air. Long, long finish. Not a hard edge and just begs to be gulped down. (93 pts.)
• 2000 Michel Coutoux Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Maltroie - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
  Very rich, nutty and buttery with lots of oak that integrates with air as the fruit comes more to the forfront. Initially closed on the palate, this opens up and shows beautiful precision, edge and depth to go along with a rich, ripe texture and a long finish. (92 pts.)
• 2004 Schloss Gobelsburg Grüner Veltliner Kammerner Lamm - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal, Langenlois
  Just packed with mineral, slate and crushed stone notes that are frammed by green grapefruit and citrus notes. Very mineral driven and just fantastic on the nose. The palate is medium bodied, rich, balanced and shows great acidity, edge and precision that leads into a long finish. (92 pts.)

• 1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  Fruit forward with rich, sweet blackberry and cassis notes paired with melted licorice, spice, roast meat and subtle truffle and earth aromas. The palate is full bodied, perfectly balanced and with some real density and depth. Almost chewable, this is silky smooth and doesn’t show a hard edge anywhere. The blockbuster finish picks up ripe and sweet tannins. (98 pts.)
• 1988 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  Very perfumed and slightly heady, this shows tons of spiced meat, dried garrigue, cherries and cedar aromas on the nose. The palate is really something special and has a density and weight that is hard to come by in a wine. It feels thick in the mouth and is perfectly balanced, rich, and very long on the finish. (95 pts.)
• 1995 Château Cos d’Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
  My last bottle. The nose gives up textbook aromas of lead pencil, cassis, earth and leafy tobacco aromas. The fruit and sweetness comes out with air and lead into a medium to full bodied palate. Balanced, young and with solid underlying structure, this has a rich texture and a long finish. (93 pts.)