1997 Silvio Grasso Barolo Ciabot Manzoni and 2007 Guiseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabaja

What a difference a decade makes.  My first take on Silvio Grasso wines, the '97 Ciabot Manzoni is a modern style Barolo.  Served at dinner an hour after decant, this is a big wine with lots of sweet tannins framing dark cherry fruit.... quite dark in color with slight amber robe.  Great Nebbiolo profile of tar, roses and cedar with delicious sous bois ... Drinking well now, this wine has many years of life ahead ... 
Contrast to the '07 Cortese Rabaja, which was also decanted.  This wine seems a bit more closed since the previous bottle tasted earlier this year.  Nose is noticeably more reticent.  Attractive black fruit is tight at the moment not giving much even after a couple of hours in the decanter.  Noble Rabaja lineage is present, but really won't be hitting its stride for another ten years....

2012 Grey Stack Sauvignon Blanc Rosemary's Block

From Sonoma County, fermented in stainless steel and then aged for 4 months in 50% stainless steel and 50% neutral oak. Bottled unfined & unfiltered. Lemon, sage and grapefruit palate with mild, slightly tropical floral nose.  Very creamy ... low acidity ... The clonal selection is said to have originated from Alto Adige. Paired well with sautéed shrimp diablo, lemon-herb risotto and marinated artichoke salad.

Aubry Brut Rose Premier Cru NV

A very enjoyable champagne... it does not have quite the depth of the Pehu-Simonet (which was a grand cru), nevertheless it went well as aperitif to turkey dinner and with turkey as well.
This wine will benefit from a bit more time in the bottle. Right now, the overall impression is smooth and silky with lilting accents of strawberry and a light bready nose... Interesting enough to warrant more investigation into this producer.
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (including some still wine Pinot Meunier)
Disgorged September 2013           

Pehu-Simonet Brut Rose Grand Cru NV

We decided to get back into serving Champagne for the Holidays!
This is a brilliant wine... even more enjoyable about an hour after opening the bottle.  It is comprised of 70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay, with 10% of the pinot noir from barrique-raised still wine, which provides an incredible depth to the palate.
Robust strawberry and red currant fruit complemented by mouthwatering acidity makes this a very food friendly wine ... it disappeared quickly paired with smoked salmon and shrimp. Looking forward to Gimonnet and Aubry waiting in the wings.
(The disgorgement date was not listed on the label)

1997 Stefano Farina Chianti Classico Riserva Le Bocce

Popped and poured... a nice CCR with attractive sour cherry and dried flowers on the palate. Earth and faint mushroom notes on the nose.
Lacks the depth of other 1997 vintage (as well as 1990 vintage) CCR's I have had recently ... will see how this turns out a bit later. Very faded garnet color. Am not sure more aeration will bring out a lot more in this wine.

1998 Oliver's Taranga Shiraz

A spectacular wine from a historic vintage. This wine is right at its peak now. Upon opening, a fabulous display of aromatics ... mouthwatering black fruit nose fills the room on decant.
This wine would have likely been over the top ten years ago but is now a stunning example of shiraz's potential over time.
Seductive blackberry and even blueberry fruit draped elegantly over a frame of fine grained tannins. Hints of anise with enough acidity to be food friendly.

1999 Ojai Pinot Noir Pisoni Vineyard

This is a remarkable pinot noir, made around the time that Gary Pisoni started bottling his own wine. I actually prefer this Ojai version to the current vintages of Pisoni Estate wines (which can be ponderous and highly extracted, exhibiting almost syrah-like color and intensity.)
This is the first time I have had an Ojai Pisoni Vineyard .. and Adam Tolmach has delivered an incredible pinot noir. It took about 3 to 4 hours for this wine to open up and really hit its stride (slow-o in bottle). 
Lovely balance. The darker color belies the nimbleness of the palate. Black raspberry fruit with delicious frutti di bosco ... hints of cardamom on an attractive floral nose that I love in great pinot noir. 
This wine is in its peak drinking window and will remain there for another 2 to 3 years. Bravo to Mr. Tolmach on this gorgeous wine. His pinots never fail to please.

1991 Beaulieu Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour

Opened for slow-o in bottle 2.5 hours prior to dinner. Nose was initially closed and palate subdued. Decanted at dinner... wine was opening up providing a gossamer nose of black fruit with hints of floral notes and sweet earth. Paired with prime filet mignon... pretty garnet with some translucency and faded ruby robe. Palate blossomed over several hours. The slow-o in bottle with full decant later really works well for older wines. Black currant with mellow spice, cedar and earth. Fruit is in balance with fine-grained tannins. This wine is on the back end of its prime drinking window.
Upon comparison, I prefer the 1990 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon that we had recently ...

2005 Gravner Ribolla Gialla Anfora

Gravner's RG is made in amphorae. It is a wine with a velvety, voluptuous mouthfeel (similar to a great red wine). Decanted 3 hours ahead of dinner and then paired with chicken dijon.
Lighter aromatics. .. the palate is signature Gravner -- ultra smooth satin-like texture and intriguing carambola fruit with food friendly minerality and salinity ....
A contemplative and, yes, even beguiling wine --- it keeps evolving and pulling you back in for more.

1998 Parusso Bussia Vigna Rocche

.... In a word: Finesse...
Gorgeous fruit bouquet immediately upon opening the bottle.  Slow-ox in bottle for 2 hours prior to dinner, then decanted at the restaurant.  First taste upon opening : full bodied but supremely balanced, classic Nebbiolo profile of red fruit and dried flowers.  Tannins have mellowed and the wine is in a perfect window for drinking at this point in time.  Recommend drinking within the next two years for prime enjoyment. 
At dinner, everything had come together seamlessly with fruit, acidity and come-hither sottobosco... overall impression is grace and smoothness.  A wonderful dinner wine... paired with:
Appetizer... Hushpuppies stuffed with crawfish and shrimp in a leek fondue drizzled with creole sauce 
Entrees...Black onion marinated lamb tenderloin and Georges Bank sea scallops
Sides ...sorghum glazed shaved Brussel sprouts with caramelized onions and bacon ...sweet potato risotto with candied shallots & crème fraiche ... roasted wild mushrooms with truffle crescenza

2011 Carlisle Winery "The Derivative"

Was introduced to this wine recently by a friend.  An interesting blend of 66% Semillon, 24% Muscadelle, and 10% Chasselas Dore.  Spicy,sweet melon flavor profile with hints of lemon.  Attractive botrytis-like nose.  Wonderful Apéritif wine...notes on the wine bottle indicate that it is sourced from vines planted between 1886 and 1920. From Sonoma County, and the talented hands of Mike Officer and Jay Maddox.

1996 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Enrico VI

My first experience with this producer...

Opened and decanted 3.5 hours prior to dinner…. Sweet massive tannins, leather, tobacco … beautiful earthy bouquet…. Lush ripe dark cherry fruit.  Almost cabernet-like , almost chocolatey in its richness but there is wonderful acidity to balance … 14% alcohol.

1.5 hours after opening … unbelievable ripe dark cherry kirsch fruit takes over as the tannins recede somewhat.  Absolutely monster fruit with gorgeous Nebbiolo profile … This wine will go another 15 years…

Paired at dinner with grilled lamb chops, garlic & prosciutto mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach with garlic, mushrooms oreganato … Finished up the bottle at the end of dinner about 4.5 hours after opening with a bit of chocolate for dessert …

A really nice 1996 bottling.  More approachable than some ‘96’s I have had. 

From the Villero vineyard in Castiglione Falletto.

2000 Manzone Le Gramolere Bricat

Opened and decanted. .. after a couple of hours it was still quite tannic - a massive earthy rustic wine. Can't tell if there's enough potential for this one to around.
Finished the second half of the bottle a week later. It had mellowed a bit and was good with spinach and mushroom pizza. Fruit more evident, peaking out from the hugely structured backbone. Earthy cherry with hint of mint. Is this a Randy Dunn style Barolo that takes 25 years to come together?  
Manzone Barolos can require extended periods of cellaring since they are derived from vineyards fairly high in altitude. I have enjoyed 1999 vintage of Manzone Le Gramolere and Santo Stefano di Perno, both of which are more approachable and seem to have better balance (http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2013/02/il-fascino-dei-vini-maturi.html )

2005 Vodopivec Vitovska Classica

A fantastic Friulian orange wine ... this wine is actually showing a bit better at this point than the 2005 Gravner Breg (reviewed previously http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2013/10/maiden-voyage-2005-gravner-breg-anfora.html )
The Vodopivec has really nice spicy apricot fruit with satiny texture and attractive aromatics. The Friuli wines are a revelation !

1996 Sottimano Barbaresco Cotta Vigna Brichet

Paired with mushroom ravioli. Smoky cherry with hints of roses and tar. Mouthwatering acidity in balance with fine tannins. Faded ruby color (quite dark for older Nebbiolo) with garnet robe. More approachable now than some of this vintage's big Barolos. A lovely aged Barbaresco.

1996 Lamy Saint-Aubin Les Murgers des Dents de Chien

Have always enjoyed chardonnay from this vineyard which borders Puligny-Montrachet. The 1996 vintage is especially good. Bracing lemon with fine stony minerality. After a couple of hours, it really started to open up and began to display complementary tropical notes. A lovely example of this vineyard, which has an interesting name that means "dog toothed stone wall". Lamy is one of the best known producers in the Saint-Aubin appellation.

1998 Elia Pasquero Barbaresco Sori Paitin

Decanted about 3.5 hours ahead of dinner. Massive tannins and an incredible amount of sediment. Tight on the nose. Would it open up? Put the genie back the bottle and took it to a restaurant. After a vigorous 2nd decant at the restaurant, a wonderful fruit bouquet exploded from the wine. Wow! Paired with filet mignon and creamed spinach .... this Sori Paitin was a killer wine. Very big and up front, the fruit opened up to complement the structure. Earthy black cherry with characteristic roses & tar. Drinking really nicely now, it has plenty of stuffing for another five years easily. This '98 Sori Paitin is a much bigger wine than the 1997 Vignaioli Elvio Pertinace Barbaresco Marcarini that we had recently ...

1990 Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale

The '90 Ruffino CCR was very nice ... a testament to one of the biggest vintages of the 20th century.  A tasty sweetness to the black cherry palate, hints of creosote and an attractively faded floral nose... smooth acidity, but the tannins were slightly heavy and not as well integrated .. it does not have the balance and allure of  a 1990 Badia CCR (http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2013/11/sangiovese-at-its-best.html)

1990 Badia a Coltibuono Sangioveto

This is a mind-blowing, big wine for being an older vintage Sangiovese ... smoky black cherry with a complex, multi-dimensional finish and perfectly balanced acidity. Dense, dark ruby color with balsamic floral nose.  Fruit is harvested from the oldest estate vineyards planted in the late 1940's and early 1950's. Produced only in better vintages ... '82, '85, '88, '90, '95, '97, '01, '06...

1985 Prunotto Barolo Cannubi

Uncorked four hours ahead of dinner and left the wine in the bottle to breathe slowly.  Asiago cheese was a perfect foil as I followed the progress of the Cannubi throughout the afternoon prior to the dinner.  Interesting plum aroma when first uncorked that dissipated after around 10 minutes... mellow black fruit with gossamer tannins ... pale garnet translucent color ... the palate was quite subdued at first , then blossoming beautifully over the afternoon with classic mouth-watering acidity accompanied by delicate rose petal and tar notes. It was absolutely forthright and peaking around dinner time.  Overall impression of the Cannubi for the evening was pure elegance revealed.
Provided valuable insight and a reference point for how great Barolo can be... Reminded me of my first experience with 1982 La Mission Haut-Brion, which is one of my all-time favorite wines...

Interesting side note about cheese pairings with older vintage wines ...in Richard Olney's classic book, "Romanée-Conti", he chronicles marvelous tasting luncheons and dinners at the Domaine.  Often the pièce de résistance (usually older vintages of Romanée-Conti or La Tache) were showcased at the end of the meal during the cheese course.

Main course for dinner was lamb chops grilled over cherry-wood coals, mushrooms oreganata and spinach sautéed with garlic...

Sangiovese at its Best

A fascinating comparison over dinner...
The '90 Badia was perfect, indicative of why the 1990 vintage is a great one. Knew it was going to be an outstanding wine when the fruit bouquet leaped from the bottle upon uncorking it.  To me, this is what Sangiovese is all about.  I have had 1990 Brunellos that didn't age as well as this CCR... Earthy black cherry and cedar with incredibly mellow-aged tannins.  Lovely balance of fruit and acidity... pretty bricking of the color.  Everything comes together nicely ... this wine is still in its peak drinking window if you like older Sangiovese (officially with 10% Canaiolo).
The '09 Cepparello represented the younger end of the Sangiovese spectrum very well.  I was surprised at how approachable this wine is right now. It clearly has a long life ahead with blockbuster yet oh-so-refined fruit and smooth, polished tannins... The nose was a bit reticent but continued to develop with air ,,, hints of anise began to come into play later on toward the end of dinner.
I continue to be impressed at how well the Badia a Coltibuono wines age... their 1990 Sangioveto is delicious, although the 1990 Badia CCR is softer and a bit more luscious at this juncture.  More to come on Badia wines including a review of the 1985 Badia Sangioveto....

Maiden Voyage - 2005 Gravner Breg Anfora

A fascinating experience ... like listening to Keith Jarrett for the first time.  Your head goes "what is this?".  You don't quite have a frame of reference but you know you want to hear more of this lovely music...
I will say that the wine is a bit underwhelming in its aromatics, however the palate is utterly unique and sort of defies description simply because of my unfamiliarity with this genre.  It is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Riesling Italico... marzipan and mellow orange with a bit of spice...
Visually and texturally stunning, it demands decanting.  The closest frame of reference I have for this wine is perhaps a great Hermitage Blanc .. for some reason it just reminds me of that style...
Definitely evolves over time... opened it and let it breathe for about an hour before pairing it with chicken Dijon  ... however it was gone from the decanter all too quickly... we needed another bottle open and ready for stage two ... perhaps another day.
For comparison, we teed up the Gravner next to a 1996 Girardin Meursault Les Charmes in another decanter ... the Gravner disappeared ... it was too fascinating to last and went incredibly well with the chicken Dijon...
From the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in northeastern Italy, Gravner ferments his wines in large terra cotta amphorae. The juice has extended contact with the skins during fermentation which imparts the unique orange color.
Wine then spends six years (!) in barrel (Slovenian oak)...

3rd Annual Pinot Noir Dinner

The third annual Pinot Noir dinner was a memorable one - thanks to everyone for fantastic contributions from your cellars!

First flight paired with Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor Goat cheese followed by sautéed scallops...
1996 Drouhin Meursault Perrieres
2008 Prager Achleiten
2010 Comte Abbatucci Cuvee Collection Blanc General de la Revolution Jean Charles Abbatucci (favorite)

Second flight paired with lobster & crab ravioli...
1989 Chapoutier Chante Alouette
1998 Martinelli Martinelli Vineyard Reserve (favorite)
1998 Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vineyard

Third flight paired with pork tenderloin grilled over cherrywood, lemon-herb risotto, Caribbean black bean & chickpea salad
2004 Chateau du Cedre Cahors Le Cedre
2004 Sea Smoke Ten (favorite)
2004 Mt. Eden Vineyards Estate
2009 Kosta Browne Gaps Crown Vineyard

Fourth flight paired with locally made Goat Cheese, Carolina Moon Brie, BellaVitano
2008 Pisoni Estate
2009 Kanzler Estate Reserve (favorite)

 

Fifth flight paired with Chocolate truffles and Honeycrisp apples

2003 Pax Griffin's Lair Syrah





Cabernet Sauvignon from California and Australia

An interesting selection of Cabernet Sauvignon from California and Australia, paired with prime filet mignon seared rare over cherry wood coals + garlic-herb risotto + Caribbean black bean salad.

1990 Beringer Private Reserve - these wines typically show well after 10-15 years and the 1990 is spectacular right now.  Black cherry with fine-grained tannins, cedar and a hint of anise.

1998 Noon Reserve - a monster of a wine that will go another 20 years.  Gobs of black currant fruit complemented by tar and well integrated tannins.

2006 Togni Estate - one of my favorite California Cabs ... this one is just a baby but is approachable now.  Blackberry and cedar and nicely balanced acidity for a California wine.

Guilty Pleasures

Yes, it's a bit too soon to drink this 2010 Kosta Browne Sonoma Coast, but we enjoyed taking its measure paired with Chicken Dijon and black bean salad.
Red raspberry fruit and spices with the quintessential Kosta Browne satin texture that makes this wine so alluring.
(Although this wine does lack earthy, forest floor characteristics that I enjoy in pinot noir ... perhaps why I dropped off the mailing list...)
Often the Sonoma Coast bottling can be preferred to the single vineyard wines. I have never been able to hang onto these wines long enough to gain insight on their aging traits. A friend has a bottle of 2007 Kosta Browne Kanzler Vineyard that I hope to try one day...

Postscript: Revisited the 2010 Kosta Browne over the Christmas holiday ... this one showed better than in September. Dark raspberry fruit, sandalwood and spice. Nicely developing notes of sous bois and attractive floral nose. Still a bit massive and in its infancy. Peak drinking window likely in another 4 to 5 years .... Paired with salame al tartufo, cashews, goat cheese al tartufo and a mild Danish sheep's milk cheese...

Coteaux du Languedoc Grand Cru ...

We've been wanting to try this cuvee for a while, and the challenge has been to find it at a reasonable price (which happens only rarely).  
The 2006 La Peira en Damaisela Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac la Peira certainly vies for the most descriptive name for a wine.  It is the "grand cru" version of La Peira's wines and is priced at three times the Las Flors cuvee which has been a continual favorite of this blog.

 

 

This 2006 La Peira is a massive and intoxicating wine with almost port-like intensity in its blackberry fruit. At this stage of development, it could easily be perceived as a New World Syrah.

The blend on this premier cuvee is 70% Syrah, 30% Grenache (as compared to the Las Flors which is 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre.)  The difference between the two cuvees is striking and, to me, the Las Flors is the more attractive wine due to the wonderful Mourvedre component - which gives the Las Flors a more floral nose and well-balanced palate.  The minerality apparent in the Las Flors seems a bit wanting in the La Peira "grand cru".

Don't get me wrong - this wine is a stunner and disappeared very quickly from the bottle --- it's impossible to stay away from once opened. 

Is this grand cru cuvee worth three times the price of the Las Flors?  Only time will tell, yet I don't see the three remaining bottles of this wine remaining in my cellar for more than a year --- it's just too good to hold back on...

As a final note, the true grail for La Peira aficionados may be the Coteaux du Languedoc Terrasses du Larzac "Matissat", which is 100% Mourvedre.  If the influence of Mourvedre on the Las Flors is any indication, then the Matissat cuvee will likely prove very special indeed... 

Sadly, the Matissat from any vintage seems impossible to find in the U.S. market ...

However, since La Peira is imported into the U.S. by Charlotte-based Eric Solomon, then perhaps there is hope for securing a bit of this elusive cuvee ... stay tuned.

 



A Return to Les Beaux-Monts

Les Beaux Monts vineyard in Vosne-Romanee is becoming a favorite due to its alluring complexity and age-worthiness.

This example of the excellent 1999 vintage from Daniel Rion & Fils provides a seductive red cherry and spice-filled palate with wonderful balance between fruit and acidity that complements grilled veal chops. 

The initial bouquet was typical violet and baking spices –-- however a fascinating development occurred after five to six hours when the wine exhibited absolutely intoxicating aromatics of licorice and pine. 

Beautiful light ruby color with garnet robe... 



A reference point for Syrah ...

A friend recently wrote me about a limited production cuvee made by Adam Tolmach of Ojai Vineyards.  It is the 1997 Henry Daniel Syrah, which is named after Tolmach's son.

A true northern Rhone-style blend, this Syrah is cut with 5% Viognier that typically adds floral notes to the nose.  The regular cuvee Thompson Vineyard Syrah I have had from Ojai are long-lived, fascinating wines with a signature coffee - anise flavor profile. 
I look forward to tasting this special cuvee from a winemaker who is a reference point for New World Syrah.

Ciò che un sangiovese gloriosa ...

When Brunello strikes, it is a thing of beauty ...

The 1995 Canalicchio di Sopra Brunello di Montalcino Le Gode di Montosoli underscores the graciousness of this vintage in Tuscany.  Lovely nose of fruit, roses and cedar with amazing vibrancy of palate ... cherry, smoke and saddle that just continued opening up until the bottle was gone all too soon.  Older vintages from Le Gode di Montosoli vineyard are a bit of a rare bird and worth looking out for ... 

Tuscan glory ...

What better way to celebrate a special occasion than with a lovely Brunello di Montalcino from the incredible 1990 vintage!

The "Rennina" from the Pieve Santa Restituta estate is an example of how beautifully Sangiovese can age... velvety dark cherry with roasted hazelnut overtones and a slightly subdued nose of rose petals and spice.  Rennina typically spends 24 months in oak before being bottled.  The color of this version was dark and voluptuous, belying its 23 years of age...
Pieve Santa Restituta has enjoyed a relationship with Angelo Gaja going back to the late 1980's. 
(http://terlatomontalcino.com/wines/rennina/) 
The Gaja family purchased the estate in 1994, and it has continued to represent a benchmark for quality in the Brunello di Montalcino appellation.

1997 vintage in Cote de Nuits

The 1997 vintage from Burgundy is reliable (if under-rated), and the wines are drinking well right now.  Case in point is the 1997 Vosne-Romanee Les Beaumonts from Dominique Laurent, who has a reputation for making his wines in a more "modern" style. 

A neighbor to the grand cru vineyards of Les Richebourgs and Echezeaux, the Les Beaumonts vineyard is one of the more prestigious premier cru's.  Since the vineyard is a bit higher in elevation, the fruit ripens slightly later and the wines typically need more time to balance out after bottling. 
This fine example opened up beautifully after two hours (decanted) and exhibited glorious red cherry with sous bois and nose of violets... paired perfectly with rack of lamb.

Purity of fruit ...

Enjoyed recently is the 2006 Agharta - a wine from northern California that is a southern Rhone-styled blend of 84% Grenache, 14% Syrah and 2% Viognier.

Pax Mahle is the winemaker behind this extraordinary cuvee ... it spends an incredible 52 months aging (70% in oak, 30% in stainless steel) prior to being bottled for release.  The result is an extremely well balanced wine with satin-textured blackberry fruit.  I can think of only one other wine that compares to Agharta in terms of absolute perfect expression of fruit and typicity for Grenache - the Domaine la Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape Pure ...

The sublime 2005 vintage

The 2005 vintage of pinot noir in Northern California is one of the best, and here are three interesting versions...

Let's start with the favorite of the evening, the Kanzler, which has been lauded before on this blog.  For me, the 2005 is still considered a reference point for Kanzler vineyard-derived pinot noir.  This wine seduces from the start with incredible purity of fruit--- almost overwhelming even at 8 years of age --- it clearly has a long life ahead.  Even with the massive fruit, it is still a very well-balanced California pinot with the gorgeous earthiness typical of the Kanzler vineyard.  Check out this video that Steve Kanzler recorded... it is a tour of his vineyard (he planted it himself in 1996) with fascinating detail on the pinot noir clones, soils, methods, etc...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57jSSynGUvQ&noredirect=1

Next in the line-up in order of preference is the venerable Martinelli Biondi Home Ranch, again a wine that has been a favorite here.  Nicely balanced fruit and acidity... lovely and not at all tiring on the palate ... I find this interpretation of the Biondi vineyard more burgundian in nature that some of the other Martinelli cuvees.

This is the first time we've had the Radio-Coteau version of Savoy Vineyard.  To be honest, it is a bit underwhelming.  Savoy Vineyard is a northernmost outpost for pinot noir in (all the way up in Mendocino County)... gorgeous pine-scented nose and a bit of menthol in the palate... nice raspberry fruit up front, but ultimately a one-dimensional effort (hollow on the mid-palate), especially for such a great vintage.  In my experience, the definitive cuvee from Savoy Vineyard is made by Stewart Dorman of Adrian Fog Winery.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTUFcFHXJ-o

Bourgogne blanc ciel

Beautiful wines are like people ... the older they get, the more interesting their story becomes.

I've always enjoyed Jean-Marc Boillot's Premier Cru Volnay's --- long-lived, refined and gorgeous pinot noir.  However, his chardonnay is something special. 

JM Boillot's 1995 Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon deserves special merit for its longevity and amazing complexity.  Lemon - honey - beeswax palate with come-hither minerality that makes you wish you had another bottle ...

If a premier-cru white Burgundy is this good after 18 years, then what would a grand-cru be like? 

... il fascino dei vini maturi

The allure of classic vintages... when the elements of the varietals come together, the results can be, at times, transcendent.

We had the good fortune to be able to enjoy a diverse selection of older vintages from France, Italy and Spain paired with lamb for dinner. 
     From oldest to youngest...
1982 Ducru Beaucaillou - one of the more well-respected Deuxiemes Crus from Saint-Julien.  A bit more subdued than other '82 Bordeaux's I have had, this Ducru had a wonderful palate characterized by earthy black currant and leather.  The nose was quite conservative yet the color was still vibrant and looked to be of a wine ten years younger.
1988 Albert Morot Beaune les Teurons - a lovely nose of fruit and roses upon opening of the bottle signaled that this beauty had made it through years in great shape, and it did not disappoint.   Spicy cherry and plum combined with earthy morel notes ...  older Burgundy can be special.
1999 Giovanni Manzone Barolo Santo Stefano di Perno - Classic Barolo with rose petals and tar, raspberry and anise ... gorgeous translucent brick color...my personal favorite of the evening... lots of life left in this beauty.
1999 Clos Martinet - Wow ... I am continually impressed by the stunning quality of "Bordeaux-blend"-styled wines from Spain.  The Clos Martinet from Priorat is Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Syrah and Merlot. This wine was defintely the most seductive of the evening ... lush blackberry grenache fruit supported by rich creme de cassis leaves you wanting more.
2000 Ey "Vigne d'en Traginer" Banyuls - this Grenache-based dessert wine from Languedoc-Roussillon was paired perfectly with a chocolate tort.  Lovely apple & plum with note of caramel.

With regard to the category of liquid refreshment, I would be remiss in not mentioning our host's incredible custom-blended espresso with perfect crema .. essential to longevity through the evening!
Cheers...