Saturday took train into city for a 50th birthday party for a good friend. Another friend hosted in an amazing space (a former “gnome bakery”, like a Swiss chalet tucked into 59th St Bridge). A great assortment of charcuterie, olives, cheese, etc, followed by shrimp on avocado and mango, and then huge prime rib portions with potatoes.
MV Krug (half bottles) Toasty,rich, heavy, I’m just not a Krug guy. B
1996 Pol Roger Winston Churchill At first I really loved, full but with good acids, elegant mousse, great citrusy flavors with smoky overtones.But there was a strange mustiness on finish as it got air, and finally concluded it was an oddity, a corked Champagne. NR1996 Henriot Brut Champagne Good length, nuts, brioche, pear. B+
2012 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett Very young, but still delicious. Apple, orange zest, minty herbs, perfectly balanced sweetness, excellent length. A-2010 Huet Le Mont Vouvray Sec Served originally a bit warm, after a stint in freezer lovely, classic,long. A-/B+
1998 Colin -Deleger Les ChenevottesChassagne-Montrachet 1er I know at least in early aughts Colin-Deleger had lots of premox, so was happy/surpised to find this quite alive.Ripe pear, butterscotch, a little apricot, a fatter style but pretty good. B+/B1997 Maximin Grünhäuser/Von Schubert Abtsberg Kabinett Totally classic old school Kab. Citrus, slate, herbs with just a hint of petrol in a lithe frame. A-/A
2020 Passy le Clos Petit Chablis Grassy enough I took a second look to make sure I hadn’t poured a Quincy or something. But good crispness,sweet green apple fruit,decent length.B1990 Laville Haut Brion Tight and oak still shows,but nice core with pit fruits, almonds, wax, and fennel seed. Later someone tells me it’s corked, but I revisit and find no sign, though by then it’s warm and that makes it a little flabby though more open. I really don’t think corked, and was drinking as too young when at right temp. B+/A-
2007 Dauvissat “La Forest” Chablis Flat out lovely, bright citrus and apple, flint, long rocky finish. Textbook Chablis, a pointe. A-1985 Bartolo Mascarello Dolcetto d’Alba Pretty sure oldest Dolcetto I’ve had (by probably a factor of 5), but damned if this wasn’t quite drinkable. Red cherries, blueberries, mushrooms. Lower acids, not super long, but points for survival. B/B-
1972 Freemark Abbey Petite Sirah Also not much of a PS drinker, but this was fun. Mostly about leather and black tea, but there is some cassis and dark berry fruit underneath. B+1976 Bouree Clos de la Justice Gevrey Chambertin Mature, mushroom and forest floor, black cherries, good. B (I didn’t note a few wines that were opened but deemed not servable- think those included 78 and 80 Clos de la Justice, one corked, one maderized, unsure which)
1972 Gouges Les St George Nuits St George 1er This was lovely, though less Les St George than delicate older wine, I would have guessed Volnay or Chambolle if blind. Elegant, sweet cherries, citrus zest, undergrowth. B+/A- 1964 ?? Bonnes Mares (Pierre Ponnelle source?) Didn’t note negociant. While this was kind of generic older wine, it was really good generic older wine. Enough fruit to call alive, nice tertiary/earthy tones, quite fun. B+1929 Quancard Saint Jacques Gevrey Chambertin1er DOA, unfortunately, unsure where in last 93 years it gave up ghost.
1971 Palmer I opened to double decant about an hour before my train, immediately hit by wet cardboard aromas. But I decanted, and actually didn’t get any TCA from wine itself. Before I rebottled I removed the rest of capsule, which reeked. When served 6 hours later it was singing. Black plums and cherries, cigarbox, leather, and menthol. Long and resolved. A-1986 L’Arrosee I brought as backup though I though Palmer ok, also double-decanted about 6 hours before service. A little more muscular, black plums with green tobacco leaf, good acids, tannins in check. B+/A-
1975 Pape Clement Corked1959 Huet Le Haut Lieu Moelleux Great acids, honeycomb and citrus, orange zest. I liked more than some others did , A-
Great night, a few old friends, some nice people to meet,good food, amazing space, good times. I’m getting a little old to catch after midnight trains, but Betsy happened to wake up and come to get me at station. Whoo hoo.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.