Dinner With Salil And Dave B @ Salil's, 11/14/2025

Dinner With Salil And Dave B
@ Châteauneuf-du-Salil, Albany, NY (11/14/2025)

Dave B was in town. Salil once again made his terrific chicken thighs. Wines were drunk. Fun was had. No bad wines. (Well, one was corked, but that was discovered before I got there.)

All wines pop and pour unless otherwise noted.

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Starter
With Harbison cheese from Vermont and bread & crackers.

2019 Under The Wire Sparkling Oakville Farmhouse Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Lovely yeasty nose. Dry and lovely. Might show more character with more age. (92 points)

Dinner
Chicken thighs cooked on the grill with sweet potatoes and carrots.

Flight 1

2023 Weingut Keller Muskateller Trocken - Germany, Rheinheßen
Bright, tart, simple. A bit sour. Still, pleasant. (87 points)
2023 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Gorgeous lemon-slate nose. Expansive and delicious. Harmonious. Not bitter or sour like too many GG's I've had. I could drink this all night. (94+ points)

Flight 2

2011 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Stunning bouquet of cherries and spice. Words can't do justice to how incredible the bouquet is on this wine. The palate doesn't quite live up to the nose, but that's no shame here. Soft and elegant in the mouth. Juicy red fruit. Complex and long. A great bottle! (96 points)

Flight 3

1990 Château Gruaud Larose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
[Double-decanted for one hour at 5pm. Tasted around 8pm.] Dark cherry and tar nose. Juicy licorice and black plums. Long, rich, delicious. Still going strong! (94 points)
2013 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Ovello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Decanted around 5pm. Tasted around 8pm.] Lovely cherry and tar nose. Tight, juicy, complex. Still young, but showing its stuffing. Drink now with air. Or let it sit 5-10 years. (93 points)

Dessert
With the last of the Harbison.

2003 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese - Germany, Nahe
Half bottle. Orange marmalade and creme brule bouquet. Elegant, long, complex. Wow! This drinks unusually dry for a Dönnhoff Auslese, especially from such a warm year. This was so good, I got partway home, then realized that I hadn't finish my glass, so I went back and finished it. (95 points)

Conclusion
Another great evening with great wines and friends.

My tasting notes posted from CellarTracker.

Salil's notes on this dinner and the next night, which I missed.