Champagne, Burgundy, Barolo, Malbec (5/20/2011)

Champagne, Burgundy, Barolo, and Malbec
@ Leo & Connies's in Eastchester, NY (5/20/2011)

What fun! Leo and Connie had a terrific set of guests visiting on the same evening: Michael Twelftree (Winemaker and co-owner of Two Hands Winery); Patrick d'Aulan (President of the Edonia group & Owner of Alta Vista) and his wife Christine; Philippe Rolet (Chief Winemaker & Estate Manager for Alta Vista) and his wife Vanessa; and local wine luminaries Greg Tatar and Ray Tuppatsch.

Flight 1: The Apps and the Champs (Vintage Champagne)

All (most?) brought by Ray. With Champagnes this age, it's not surprising my reviews were a bit mixed, but the Drappier was wonderful and the Bollinger was truly great! Served with fresh oyster, cured meats, and sashimi!

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1964 Drappier Brut Carte d'Or.

Philippe holds up the 1973 Henriot Champagne.

1988 Bollinger R.D.

Vanessa holds up the 1973 Dom Pérignon.

1964 Drappier Champagne Brut Carte d'Or - France, Champagne
Magnum. Disgorged in 1999. Ray's birthyear wine. Mildly, pleasantly yeasty nose. Mellow, soft and complex in the mouth with a medium-long finish. (93 pts.)
1973 Henriot Champagne P. de Rothschild Reserve - France, Champagne
Oxidized. NR
1988 Bollinger Champagne R.D. Extra Brut - France, Champagne
Magnum. Disgorged in 2003. Gorgeous lemon custard nose with hints of all kinds of subtle spices. Stunningly complex in the mouth. Great length. Yeasty, full-bodied style. Truly great wine. Just when I might think Champagne might not be that interesting, I get hit with a bottle like this. Amazing! (97 pts.)
1973 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne
Oxidized to me, though others liked it more. Leo's birthyear wine.

Flight 2: White Burgundy

One was odd, one was terrific. Served with Leo's fabulous Tuscan Bean Soup.

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Leo's fabulous Tuscan Bean Soup.

Patrick smiles as Leo drizzles Alta Vista EVVO on the soup.

1994 Raveneau Chablis Clos.

Leo pours the 1988 Jadot Corton-Charlemagne.

1994 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
[Note that the label says "Clos", not "Les Clos".] Lemony caramel nose. A touch OTH? A little oxidized? A little bottrytis? Weird wine. NR
1988 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
Crisp fresh flowers and wet stones in the nose. Thick, complex, delicious. Very tasty! (94 pts.)

Flight 3: Red Burgundy

Really enjoyed all 3 of these, but the two Clos de Bèze were just terrific. Served with 2 main courses: A delicious sauted chicken and a tender and tasty braised beef.

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2001 Jadot Chapelle-Chambertin.

2001 Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze.

2005 Drouhin-Laroze Chambertin-Clos de Bèze.

A delicious sauted chicken and a tender and tasty braised beef.

2001 Louis Jadot Chapelle-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru
Very tannic with lots of black cherries. Odd that it would be so tannic at 10 years old. Is it just the bottle or does this need another 10 years? 91-94 if it does get better. (91 pts.)
2001 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Deep, dark cherries in a complex nose. Long delicious finish. Has an exquisiteness that I long for in red Burgundies. Should drink well for at least another 10 years, but why wait? (95 pts.)
2005 Drouhin-Laroze Chambertin-Clos de Bèze - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Much riper than the 01 Jadot Beze, and thicker. Long and rich, another impressive wine. Not quite as complex right now, but may get there in a few more years. (94 pts.)

Flight 4: Giacosa Barolo

Served with 2 main courses: A delicious sauted chicken and a tender and tasty braised beef. The 1987 showed best for me, but others preferred the 1990.

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1987 Giacosa Barolo Rocche.

1990 Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto.

2001 Gemstone G (Flight 5).

1987 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Rocche di Castiglione Falletto - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Gloriously complex nose of truffles and dried red fruits. Clearly at its peak, it is drinking beautifully now. Good body, excellent length, great sense of harmony. Seemed to me that about half the people preferred this to the 90 Falletto Riserva and half preferred that. (95 pts.)
1990 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
A touch of something not quite right in the nose. I thought it might be a touch oxidized, but Michael Twelftree, Greg Tatar, and Patrick d'Aulan all thought it was part of the complexity and used other words to describe it. it does have a long piercing finish with a lot of truffle and forest floor. About half the group preferred this to the 87 Rocche. (94 pts.)

Flight 5: Gemstone California Cabernet

May have suffered from its placement in this dinner.

2001 Gemstone G - USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville
Maybe it was coming after all the Burgundies and Barolos, but man did this taste thick and gunky in a very heavy-handed way. Over-ripe. Yuck.

Flight 6: Horizontal of Alta Vista Single Vineyard Malbecs

Poured and introduced by Philippe Rolet, chief winemaker and estate manager for Alta Vista, with some obvious and deserved pride. All 3 of these are very young but have great potential. Philippe said they have made these since 2001. These are all 100% Malbec. The 3 vineyards are all at about 1000 meter of elevation, but are separated by about 150 km from north to south. Each has a different soil and old vines. The picking dates vary among the vineyards, but otherwise the wines vinified in exactly the same way.

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Alta Vista's 2007 Single Vineyard Malbecs: Alizarine, Serenade, Temis.

Alta Vista's 2007 Single Vineyard Malbecs: Alizarine, Serenade, Temis.

2007 Alta Vista Malbec Single Vineyard Temis Vineyard - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco
[Chalk soil. Planted 1939.] Laser-like nose of plums. Thick, silky, black black fruit. Licorice. Terrific length. The most open of these 3 right now. The best Malbec I've ever had. 93-96 points. (95 pts.)
2007 Alta Vista Malbec Single Vineyard Serenade Vineyard - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco
[Clay soil. Planted in 1960.] More liqueurous in the nose. Kirsch. Rich and stunning up front, but a bit short right now compared to the others. Very young. 91-93 points. (92 pts.)
2007 Alta Vista Malbec Single Vineyard Alizarine Vineyard - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco
[Sandy soil. Planted 1929.] Cherry liqueur nose. So intense, ripe, long, and tannic, but with a great sense of harmony. Great potential. 93-95 points. (94 pts.)

I can't recall when I've met a more fun and diverse group of people at a tasting. The wines were equally fun and diverse. My top 5 wines included a Champagne, a white Burgundy, a red Burgundy, a Barolo, and a Malbec!

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