An Eclectic Wine Dinner

Our local wine group returned to A Toute Heure in Cranford, NJ. last week.  A farm-to-table restaurant, it is run by husband and wife team, Andrea & Jim Carbine.  The menu is small, and changes for the seasons.  This BYOB provides friendly and attentive service along with decent stemware for your wines. Tonight’s menu choices included:

Chicken Livers on Toast with caramelized onions in a port reduction.  Very tasty.

Garlic Spice Pork, peanut croquettes, scallions.  These thin slices of sautéed pork were magnificent.

Chili Shrimp, roast sweet potato, green cabbage, mint-yogurt, chickpea

Crisps.  Spicy and delicious.

Garlic Zeppole.  Much too doughy in the opinion of all.

Flatbread Pizza, topped with mushrooms and a fried egg.  Quite good.

Veal Schnitzel, quinoa-cabbage slaw, maple-mint vinaigrette, sesame

Cashews.  The slaw topping did not work for me and the schnitzel was too thick.

Pork Belly Roulade, fingerling potatoes, choucroute with lardons &

apples, grainy mustard jus.  Emil enjoyed every bite.

Toffee apple cake, with a scoop of sweet cream ice cream.  Delicious!

Marc was responsible for the wines and he opted for an eclectic assortment that would take us on a kind of world tour.  His selections were terrific.

1983 Verwaltung der Staatsweingüter Steinberger Riesling Spätlese (Germany).  Wow was this good.  In fact it was my WOTN. In the glass the dark golden hue glistened while the bouquet heightened my anticipation that I was about to taste something very special.  The viscous palate had great balance, complexity and depth and it finished with great length.  It was a great accompaniment to the appetizers.

As I knew nothing about this producer, I asked my Vinous friend Marius, who lives in Germany, if he could help me out.  Marius is very knowledgeable about many wines, and German Rieslings are one of his fortes.   He commented of the producer, “it's the once famous Hessische Staatsweingüter in Eltville, a huge property blessed with tons of grand crus like Steinberger, Erbacher Marcobrunn, Rauenthaler Baiken and the likes . It belongs to the state "Hessen" (Wiesbaden is the capitol but Frankfurt is the most important town, so geographically we're talking about the Rheingau ).

By the time I started buying my own wine (beginning of the nineties) quality was already very poor and ever since they never managed to produce the premium quality they delivered in the past, so if you're able to find wines from the seventies or maybe even early eighties (1983 was a great year for Spätlese and higher) that have been properly stored, lucky you! Lucky we were with this bottle."

1996 Clos Erasmus Priorat (Spain).  A blend of Garnatxa (Grenache) and  Syrah, fermentation takes place in a combination of oak, concrete egg and clay amphorae.  The wine is then aged 20 months in 228L French oak barrels (2/3 new) and clay amphorae.  This was a big, modern styled wine, but not over the top as I thought before I took a sip.  It was beautifully balanced with the oak very well integrated and made for a very nice glass of wine.

2010 Domaine Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru (France).  Unfortunately this bottle was badly corked and undrinkable.

1995 Louis Jadot (Domaine Gagey) Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Estournelles Saint-Jacques (France).  Classical red Burgundy, ripe and nicely layered fruit on an earthy palate.  Elegant finish. Quite good.  Gevrey Chambertin is the northernmost of the great communes of the Côte de Nuits. There are 26 Premiers Crus and 8 Grands Crus. The Estournelles Saint Jacques vineyard is situated on that Southeast facing slope, at the beginning of the "Combe Lavaux", on top of "Lavaux St Jacques" and near "Clos St Jacques". There are similarities in the soil composition between the premiers crus and the grand crus. This wine is fermented in vats for 3-4 weeks and aged 15 months in oak barrels before bottling.

We completed the evening with a couple of fantastic Baroli from one of the all time great vintages from Piedmont, 1989.  Both wines lived up to the reputation of both the vintage and producer.

1989 Ceretto Bricco Rocche Barolo (Italy, Castiglione Falletto).  Typical of wines from this vineyard, the wine displayed vibrant red fruit, with soft, silky tannins and terrific balance and complexity along with a lengthy, elegant finish.  A wine with soul!

1989 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito (Italy, Serralunga).  This started out a bit tight, but after 20 minutes in the glass it began to soar with pure fruit on an earthy and elegant palate.  It displayed considerably more depth than the Ceretto.  A wine with soul...in spades!  It way my runner-up to WOTN.

Another terrific evening with a great group of guys.  Thanks for bringing such great wines Marc.

Saluté

1999 Barolo - A Magical Vintage

Our NYC Vinous group met at Hearth on Monday evening of last week to enjoy a number of Baroli from the magical 1999 vintage. Each of us brought a bottle or two from the vintage.  All the wines were open in the late morning or early afternoon to give them some air.  Ken, our resident Nebbiolo guru paired the wines with the 5 course meal and did his usual great job.

Antonio Galloni comments on the vintage… “One of the truly epic vintages of the last three decades. These are firm, classically built Barolos that will continue to drink well for another 20+ years. Stylistically, the 1999s are like the 1996s, but with more fruit and mid-palate sweetness/density. This vintage was largely ignored at the outset in favor of 2000, but as Barolo lovers know, 1999 is one of the greats. The best wines will continue to drink well for decades, although many wines are approachable now.”  Our tasting confirmed his comments.  With the exception of a couple of tainted bottles, the wines drank beautifully.

We began the evening with a stunning bottle of 1999 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart.  To paraphrase a Sinatra song, “What a lovely way to begin an evening.”  This exceptional cuvée was created in 1964 as a tribute to the House’s founder. It results from the blending of grand crus from the classified Côte des Blancs vineyards (Chardonnay) and the Montagne de Reims (Pinot Noir). Its vinification, partially in traditional oak casks, underpins the generous character of this fine, elegant and rich wine.  The wine showed a wonderful rich palate of delicious ripe fruit and subtle floral notes and a lengthy elegant finish.

Our first course was Hearth Broth made from bone marrow, tumeric and black pepper.  This is a signature creation of chef/owner Marco Canora.  It was a great beginning on a cold, blustery NYC evening.

1999 Marcarini Brunate Barolo.  Based in La Morra, the estate is under the direction of sixth generation owners Luisa Marcarini Marchetti, her husband Manuel Marchetti and their 3 children. The highly regarded Armando Cordero consults with Luisa in the wine making.  Their wines are beautiful expressions of traditionally made Barolo and retail at very reasonable prices. Tonight’s wine was totally seductive…a balanced elegant wine that soared from the glass and finished with great length and finesse.  A contender for WOTN.

1999 G. Mascarello Monprivato Barolo. The wine unfortunately had a slight cork to it.  Although it was drinkable, it was less enjoyable than previous bottles I have had.

1999 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. Classic Bartolo Mascarello.  Gorgeous translucent hue with a classic Barolo bouquet and a pure and balanced palate.  Lengthy and elegant finish.  One of the top wines of the vintage and destined to drink well for many years to come.

Beef Tartare was our second course.  This version was a modern approach to the classic chopped raw beef dish.  It contained cheddar, salsa verde and potato chips.  When will chefs learn not to mess with the classic preparation of simple dishes?  One bite and I was finished.  Thankfully the wines compensated for the dish.

1999 Conterno Granbussia Barolo Riserva.  The initial sip was very tight, but after 10 minutes in the glass the wine really opened up revealing a full-bodied delicious Nebbiolo.

1999 Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell'Annunziata.  Scavino is one of the most modern Barolo wine estates in all of Piedmont.  I find the wines dominated by oak and lacking complexity and balance.  Well, I was very pleasantly surprised when I took my first sip of the wine.  There was no oak in sight, instead there was a soft and nicely focused wine that delighted my palate.  An impressive bottle of wine.

Our pasta course was Whole Grain Rigatoni with pork ragu, kale and whipped ricotta. While the sauce was tasty, a pasta dish is, in my opinion, about the noodle, not the sauce. Call me old fashioned, but I like my pasta made with Semolina and/or Durum flour.

1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Cannubi San Lorenzo Ravera Barolo.  Big earthy bouquet with a soft fruity palate.  The finish was a bit short compared to the wine that followed.

1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate-Le Coste Barolo.  This wine shows why Rinaldi is one of the great traditional Barolo wine makers in Piedmont.  Completely round and delicious wine that seduces the palate, then finishes with length and elegance.  A wine with soul!

We were then served our entrée, Whole Spatchock Chicken, marsala, mushrooms, with polenta. This was simple and delicious.  The bird was juicy and succulent.  The sauce and polenta were harmonious additions to the dish.

1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo.  Unfortunately the bottle was corked.

1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto.  I loved this. Lush bouquet with layers of fruit and earth on a beautifully balanced and complex palate. This has the stuff to last another decade or two.

1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Rocche.  A wow wine that is still very much a baby as the palate and finish were a bit tight.  The underlying pedigree of the wine is fantastic and this will be gorgeous in a few more years.  I am very happy to have 3 bottles sleeping in the cellar.

For dessert we had 2 year aged Cheddar Cheese; grappa-stewd fruits; candied hazlenuts.

1999 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia.  Gorgeous earthy and fruity bouquet and more open than the bottle this group had two years ago, but still very young.  Beginning to show signs of emerging into the great wine it is destined to be.

1999 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva.  A prodigious wine that is a joy to drink. Every bit as good as the bottle this group had two years ago.  I echo my notes from that tasting; earthy bouquet, full-bodied, balanced and complex with impeccable purity and a very lengthy, elegant finish.  One of the best Barolos I have ever tasted.  This has the stuff to last for decades. Truly a wine with soul and my WOTN.

All in all another stellar evening with a great group of friendly, knowledgeable and generous Barolo lovers.

Photo courtesy of Ken Vastola

Saluté

Le Bernardin

This past Wednesday Carol and I headed into NYC to the see the matinee performance of A Bronx Tale.  Our daughters gave us a pair of incredible orchestra seats for Christmas.

Before leaving for the city, we had a late breakfast at The Corner in Montclair.  This is a tiny breakfast and lunch spot that we have wanted to try since it opened a couple of years ago. Weekend attempts were met with long waiting times, so we deferred until now.  Service was very attentive and the food was great.

Carol ordered an Omelet, which she filled with spinach, ham and goat cheese, while I had a Breakfast Sandwich of house cured bacon and an over easy egg on a house made buttermilk biscuit.  I love fresh biscuits and this was fantastic.  We also shared a monster sized order of matchstick fries which were quite good.  We will be back.

Off to the show.  No traffic today, so we cruised in to the City.  The show was great...every bit as good as the movie.  I highly recommend it.

We had not been to Le Bernardin Restaurant in at least 15 years and felt it was time to change that.  Le Bernardin has held 3 Michelin stars since 2005 when Michelin began rating US restaurants.  Getting a reservation was a challenge, but thanks to a couple of contacts we were able to secure a table.

With an hour to spare before our reservation we settled into the Aldo Sohm Wine Bar directly across the square from the restaurant to pass the time with a glass or two of wine.  Aldo is the head sommelier at Le Bernardin restaurant.

Carol chose a glass of 2015 Cleto Chiarli Vecchia Modena Lambrusco di Sorbara.  It displayed a deep rosé hue, with a berry nose.  The palate was fresh and crisp.

For me I began with a glass of 2015 Domaine Aux Moines Becreau Des Fées Chenin Blanc.  Chenin Blanc is a favorite of mine and I found this young vine wine to have terrific purity and was excellent balance.

2013 Sohm & Kracher Alte Reben Grüner Veltliner.  Owner Aldo Sohm makes this wine with Gehard Kracher, son of the late Alois Kracher.  This was a beautifully balanced wine with nice acidity and texture.

Time for dinner, so we headed across the square to the restaurant.  The food, service and overall experience at the restaurant were worthy of the 3 stars and fantastic reputation it has earned.  We were greeted (as are all diners) with a complimentary glass of Champagne.  I didn’t pay close attention to the label, but it was very good.  A brut for sure, it had a yeasty bouquet and palate and excellent balance.

Le Bernardin is primarily a seafood restaurant, serving pristinely fresh fish prepared simply and always perfectly cooked.  For land lubbers there are a limited number of meat selections.  The four course prixe-fixed menu offers an exciting selection dishes.  Our meal began with a complimentary amuse-bouche of Salmon Sashimi, Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio and Lobster Bisque.  Each bite was spectacular and set the stage for the meal to follow

Carol began with Warm Artichoke Panaché; Vegetable Risotto, Black Truffle Vinaigrette. Delicate and delicious is the way I described the forkful I tried.

I opted for Fluke Slivers; Sweet and Sour Plum, Grapefruit-Tea Nage.  Fluke is my favorite Sashimi fish.  It is delicate and full of flavor.  This preparation with the fish swimming in the tea was magnificent.  I could have eaten a few orders of this and been happy to call it a night.

Carol's second plate was Lacquered Lobster Tail; Herb Spring Roll, Lemongrass Consommé. Like the fluke, the consommé bath elevated the dish to new heights.

I was delighted with Seared Langoustine; Fennel Mousseline, Spiced Citrus-Sambal Sauce. Again the magic of the sauce worked in amazing harmony with the fish.

For her entrée Carol stayed with lobster and had Pan Roasted Lobster; Baby Leeks, Sunchoke Purée, Red Wine-Sauce Américaine.  Completely different than her previous dish, it was just as spectacular.

I selected Sautéed Dover Sole; Celeriac Royale, Sauce Veronika.  This was the most unique version of Dover Sole I ever had and like the previous dishes it was delicious.  The delicate fish was perfectly cooked and sat a top another amazing sauce that enhanced each bite of the fish.  

I selected a bottle of 2013 Jean-Charles Abbatucci Cuvée Collection General de La Revolution to drink with our meal.  I am a big fan of Corsican wines, especially those from Abbatucci.  This bottling is a blend from the original plantings of Carcajolu Biancu (25%), Paga Debbiti (25%), Riminese (20%), Rossola Brandica (15%), Biancone (10%), and 5% Vermentinu. The wine had brilliant salinity and impeccable balance while finishing with good length.  A round a delicious with lots of soul that complemented the meal perfectly.

On to dessert.  As you might expect, dessert was as spectacular as the meal.  Carol ordered Slow Roasted Apple, Armagnac Sabayon, Brown Butter Ice Cream.  It is pictured below in the background of the complimentary "Tres Leches" (Crispy Cashew Sponge Cake Sphere, Caramelized Goat’s Milk Mousse, Clementine Sorbet).  

I completed the meal with Red Wine-Hibiscus Poached Pear, Buckwheat Angel’s Food Cake, Olive Oil "Snow”.  A perfect ending to a perfect meal and a perfect day.

 

While we waited for the check, we nibbled on the complimentary cookie assortment.  Pure decadence.  

Saluté

1995 Georges Mungneret-Gibourg Red Burgundy

Our local wine group met recently at Sette Cucina Italiana in Bernardsville. If it seems like we frequent Sette a lot you are right.  And why not with the delicious food owner/chef Allan Russo prepares for us on each visit. Tonight’s highlights included:

Onion Tart

Gnocchi di Ricotta w/Speck & Butter Sauce

Risotto w/Sweet Italian Sausage

Roasted Pork Loin

Jeff, our Burgundy expert selected the wines for the evening.  He chose four reds from one of Burgundy’s top estates, Georges Mungneret-Gilbourg.  Since the passing of founder Dr. Georges Mungneret in 1988, the estate has been run by his wife and two daughters.  Their wines are known their finesse and delicacy.  The wines were all from the 1995 vintage. This vintage yielded concentrated, dense, structured wines with substantial firm tannins and average to slightly above average acidity.

Prior to the 2007 vintage the domains’ wines were marketed as either Dr. Georges Mugneret or Mugneret-Gibourg depending on the vineyard.  Starting in 2007 all wines were amalgamated into one label, Dr. Georges Mugneret-Gibourg.

Before getting to the reds, Jeff started us off some bubbles, NV (2009) Cédric Bouchard Roses de Jeanne Champagne Inflorescence Blanc de Noirs Val Vilaine (disgorged 4/11). Cedric, a young maverick of a wine maker, does not follow the usual convention of blending different grapes from different vineyards as well as the juice from different vintages to make champagne. Rather his champagnes are made from a single varietal (Pinot Noir or Chardonnay), from a single vineyard, and single vintage cuveés. To quote importer Doug Polaner’s web site, “Each wine is made only from juice from the first pressing, fermented only with indigenous yeast and handled meticulously in the cellar to guarantee the finest wines possible”. 

While the wine was made with fruit (Pinot Noir) from the 2009 vintage, it did not see 3 years in the barrel, thus the NV classification. This is champagne that needs to be drunk from a standard white wine stem to allow the evolution of the juice to take place.  The wine was seductive on the palate and possessed breathtaking textural elegance and fabulous balance. The more it sat in the glass, the more it soared on the palate.  A wine with soul!  

He then treated us to 2005 Domaine et Selections Coche-Dury Meursault Villages.  This estate is, by any standard, one of the finest producers of White Burgundy.  In fact, many consider Coch-Dury Meursault to be the finest expression of Meursault in all of Burgundy. When asked of his success, he says, “There are no secrets he says, just hard work in the vineyards.” The vines are pruned fairly heavily, and he only uses “green harvest” very rarely. No pesticides are used in the vineyards. The fields are plowed and cultivated very carefully to maintain the ecological balance.

Vinification is fairly traditional, but with quite frequent batonnage. Fermentation takes place in oak cask, and the proportion of new oak varies from year to year, but generally Coche-Dury uses quite a lot new oak. In some years they have used up to 50% new casks on the top wines. The wines are raised in barrel for 15 to 22 months, and are bottled without filtration. Production is sparse, amounting to about 4,200 cases annually, thus finding them is very difficult.  The wines are also very expensive.

Tonight’s wine was bottled under the Domaine et Selections label.  Jeff explained, this is exactly the same wine Coche-Dury markets under their own Meursault label…and at a lower price.  It was simply magnificent, and for me the best Meursault I have ever tasted.  Here the Chardonnay grape seems to take on a combination of power and finesse.  The bouquet is huge and on the palate the wine explodes the taste buds.  The oak was seamlessly integrated into the wine.  I sipped the wine throughout the dinner and enjoyed the evolution of the wine with each sip.  For me it was clearly the WOTN.   

We then moved on to the Mugneret reds. I was surprised however that had this been a blind tasting, I would have said the wines were Nebbiolo from Italy.  To my nose and palate they did not evoke that red Burgundy feel.  But then again I do not have a lot of experience with aged red Burgundy. All the wines drank well and that is all that mattered.

1995 Domaine Georges Mugneret Nuits-St.- Georges Les Chaignots 1er Cru.  I found the tannins to be on the harsh side and the fruit to be in a sleepy state. 

1995 Domaine Georges Mugneret Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes.  Softer tannins here and livelier fruit.  I would have loved to have allowed the wine to sit for a few hours in the glass, as the pedigree was evident.  

1995 Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux Grand Cru.  My least favorite of the reds.  Not a lot going on here.    

1995 Domaine Georges Mugneret Clos Vougeot Grand Cru.  This was my favorite of the reds.  The tannins were soft on a beautifully complex palate.  The wine also had a lingering finish, which the others seemed to lack.

All in all it was another wonderful evening with a great group of guys and wonderful food and wine. Thanks Jeff for our continuing Burgundy education.  And thanks again to Allan Russo for another terrific meal.

Saluté

La Festa del Barolo 2017

As we do each year a bunch of us Jersey wine guys, Emil, Michael, Tony, Joe, Jack and Paul attended the La Festa del Barolo dinner held in NYC.  This year it was held at Del Posto. This annual event, orchestrated by Vinous founder Antonio Galloni and his Vinous team, is one of the more spectacular tasting events of the year and it is done with remarkable class.  In addition to the great food and wines, 58 of NYC’s top sommeliers are on hand to open and pour the wines. The format of the dinner calls for all dinner attendees to bring bottles of great Barolo (other wines also are allowed) to share with the others at their table.  As you would imagine, sharing with other tables is another highlight of the evening.  This sharing of great wines is the highlight of the evening, and the remarkable generosity exhibited by attendees to share great wines with others is very special.   One of the winemakers who will be participating in the 2012 Barolo tasting to be held on the following morning is seated at each table. They also bring wine, usually back vintages, from their cellar.  The opportunity to speak with these gracious folks and share their wine is worth the price of admission alone.

Our table was comprised of Vinous members Marc D. and his Jennifer; Iggy M.and his wife Carolyn; Michael Z; Emil S.; Jonathan G. and myself.  Paola Rinaldi of Francesco Rinaldi Winery along with the estate’s winemaker Fabio Gemme joined us at our table.

The Rinaldi winery was founded in 1870 and is a top producer of traditionally made Barolo and Barbaresco.  The wines are aged in Slavonia oak barrels of medium and large capacity (20 – 50 Hl) for at least 3 years.  The estate has been in the hands of Paola and Piera Rinaldi, great granddaughters of Giovanni Rinaldi, since the 1990s.  I personally have found that the sisters have turned up the quality of the wines over the past few years.  I am a frequent buyer of their wines.

Prior to the cocktail hour Michael treated Emil and I to a glass of 2014 Radikon Pinot Grigio at the bar. 2 weeks of skin maceration. Aged in barrel one year, then bottled and release. This style utilizes hand-harvesting, extended skin maceration, large, older barrel fermentations without temperature control, no added yeasts or enzymes, and little or no use of sulfur. In short, this is the way wines were made in the area prior to World War II. The resulting wines are usually golden in color, rich with complex fruit aromas, and notable for their length on the palate and their ability to age. The golden orange hue usually associated with “orange” wines was replaced in this wine by a pinkish hue reminiscent of a Rosé.  The palate displayed remarkable character and depth.  A perfect glass of wine to begin the evening with.

Del Posto is the flagship restaurant of the Batali/Bastianch empire.  It is a spacious and upscale restaurant serving great Italian cuisine that is complimented by highly professional service and a world class Italian wine list.  The restaurant was closed all day to prepare for the event and then reserved for the event itself, which began with passed Assagi (little bites).  Four Champagnes were served with the Assagi.

2004 Tattinger Comtes de Champagne.  A terrific vintage for the bubbly and it showed in the first sip.  The wine was young and bright with a full-bodied palate and brilliant focus.  This will drink well for decades.

2002 Pierre Péters Cuvée Spécial Les Chétillons Champagne. Another outstanding vintage for Champagne.  This was medium-bodied and delicious.

2002 Dom Ruinart. Elegance with bubbles.  

NV Cédric Bouchard-Roses de Jeanne La Haute-Lemblé Champagne. Made from the juice of the 2009 vintage, this was my favorite.  Bouchard’s wines have incredible depth, focus and finesse on the palate.  Unlike most Champagne houses who blend vintages, sites and fruit, Bouchard wines are always from a single plot, single vintage and single grape.  

I can recall most, but not all of the wines I tasted during the evening.  Allow me to begin with the wines at our table.

2009 Angelo Gaja Chardonnay Gaia & Rey.  This is the first white wine ever produced by the Gaja family. Named for Angelo's daughter, Gaia, and his grandmother, Clotilde Rey.  It’s a big wine for a Chardonnay, with too much oak and vanilla for me.

1997 Angelo Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa.  Piedmontese for "quarrel," this wine was named for the historic dispute between the communes of La Morra and Barolo for possession of the Cerequio land. Deep garnet red hue.  Muted earthy bouquet with a bold palate and a bit too much oak for me.

2001 Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala (Magnum). Unfortunately this was corked.

1999 Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia.  A round and delicious classically made Barolo with a big earthy bouquet and an elegant and refined palate.

2001 Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia.  Glorious wine that is entering its peak drinking window.  Gorgeous bouquet with a vibrant fruity palate and lengthy finish

2001 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano.  Stunning wine that is the essence of old world Barolo.  Elegant balance, great complexity with a lengthy velvet finish.

1980 Cappellano Barolo.  Classic Cappellano that is fully mature and drinking with soul!

1997 Angelo Gaja Barbaresco. Dark red hue.  While I am not a big fan of Gaja’s wine style, this drank well.  I found the tannins a bit harsher than the Contesia, but the oak was better integrated in my opinion.

2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino.  2006 was a great vintage in Barolo, and this wine is one of the very finest examples of the vintage.  Even though the wine is still very young, the pedigree of the wine is apparent with each sip.  Impeccable balance, finesse and elegance soared from the glass with each sip.  In another 5 to 10 years this may well be judged the wine of the vintage.

2007 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia.  2007 was another terrific vintage in Barolo. Roberto Conterno did not make any Monfortino in 2006, opting instead to use the fruit instead in the CF. More approachable than the 2006 Monfortino, the wine is drinking beautifully and has the balance and acidity to last another 2 to 3 decades at least.

2004 Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcinio Riserva (Magnum).  I broke with the theme of the evening by bringing this wine as I thought it would offer a nice contrast to the Baroli.  The wine more than held its own as it drank beautifully.  Gorgeous bouquet of fruit and earth with a beautifully balance palate and a lengthy and elegant finish.

The final two wines were brought by Paola Rinaldi from the winery.

2008 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo Brunate.  Another prized Barolo vintage, this was elegant and polished on the palate.  Still very much a baby but will give much drinking pleasure for another couple of decades.

1964 Francesco Rinaldi Barolo.  This wine was in great shape with vibrant fruit and terrific balance and complexity on the palate.

Wines from other tables

1982 Angelo Gaja Barbaresco Magnum.  Best of the Gaja wines I tasted.  No tannins or oak in sight.  Drank very nicely.

1958 Cantina Mascarello Barolo Canubbi 1.9 liters.  Terrific and still very much alive.

1964 Giacomo Conterno Barolo. The hue was rosé-like with a beautiful translucency.  The fruit was vibrant and soared from the glass with each sip.  On the palate it had incredible focus and finesse and a long and elegant finish. 

1990 Gianfranco Soldera Brunello di Montalcino Riserva.  A totally mesmerizing wine.  Everything one looks for in a great wine.  Wish I had some in my cellar.

???? DRC Montrachet.  Unfortunately I did not get a glimpse of the bottle, but the wine was superb.

There were a few others, but I can not recall what they were.  My only negative comment on the evening is that the amount of wine is really too much to really appreciate these remarkable wines.  I do prefer smaller tastings limited to 8 to 10 bottles, so that each wine can be sipped and enjoyed with the meal.

My thanks to Antonio and his Vinous team and all the generous attendees who shared a number of very special wines.

Saluté

A Night in the Northern Rhone

Our wine group met earlier this week at Café Matisse in Rutherford, NJ. Café Matisse is a small intimate space with a décor inspired by Henri Matisse. Maitre’d Larry and his staff provide courteous and professional service from start to finish. The restaurant is BYOB and the wine service is what one would expect in a pricey NYC restaurant with an expensive wine list. The combination of fresh ingredients and remarkable creativity of Chef/owner Peter Loria never fails to provide a unique dining experience.

My experience last night included

Hamachi Crudo and Cajun Seared Tuna.  This was one of the best versions of crudo I have ever encountered.  Pristinely fresh raw fish was served atop Grilled Chili Pineapple, Crushed Pineapple, Red Chili Peppers, topped with Tempura Fried Green Beans, Soy Vinaigrette, Wasabi Jus.  The textures and flavors threw a party in my mouth.

Sirloin Taco with Asian BBQ Sauce.  Tender strips of perfectly cooked sirloin strips were topped with a Kimchi‎ Slaw, Thai Chili Vinaigrette, Spicy Orange Glazed Sesame Ginger Shrimp Paste and dusted with White Sesame Seeds.  Simply amazing, it takes the Taco experience to new heights.

"Unbaked" Lobster Mac N Cheese.  Bits of lobster were tossed in a cheese sauce,  over homemade Pappardelle pasta and topped with a jumbo shrimp and cooked apple slices.  This dish did not work for me, too much going on.

Vanilla Bean Ricotta Cheese Cake.  A perfect ending to a wonderful meal.

I was in the wine queue and I settled on Northern Rhone wines for the evening.

1996 Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc Cuvée de L’Orée.  Michel Chapoutier is one of the most highly regarded winemakers in France. He combines the modern and the traditional: crusading for biodynamic winemaking, while expanding operations around the globe and experimenting with cutting edge winemaking techniques. Chapoutier is the only producer to own vineyards in all of the major Rhône appellations.  I am a big fan of the white grapes, Marsanne, Roussane and Viogner of the region.  Tonight's wine was crafted from 100% Marsanne.  The wines should be drunk within the first 3 to 5 years and then put away for 10 years.  I prefer them in their early years, as they are crisp, with beautiful acidity and complexity.  When they emerge from their 10 year hibernation they morph into a more viscous, oxidative styled wine, which can be very nice to drink. Unfortunately the oxidation in tonight’s wine was over the top and even with a couple of hours of breathing in the glass, was not very enjoyable.  $200.  Wine-Searcher.

2004 Robert Michel Cornas La Geynale.  Michel makes very traditional wines from his tiny 5 hectares of vineyards.  Made from 100% Syrah the wine is still on the young side, but shows great promise for the future when the fruit begins to emerge.  It is a nicely balanced, full-bodied wine. $80.  Wine-Searcher.

2001 Guigal Hermitage Ex Voto Rouge.  Produced only in exceptional vintages, the Ermitage Ex-Voto is the estates expression of a sincere desire to produce an exceptional wine which reflects the soul of this prestigious appellation of the Rhône Valley.  Made from 100% Syrah, the wine spends 42 months in new oak.  While it had a terrific nose, and the oak was well integrated, I found it to be a bit short on both the palate and finish.  $200.  Wine-Searcher.

2001 Guigal Cote Rotie la Mouline.  One of the famous single vineyard La La wines Guigal makes from the Cote Rotie appelation (La Landonne and La Turque are the others).   The wine is crafted from 89% Syrah and 11% Viogner and, like the Ex Voto spends 42 months in new oak. Average vine age is 75 years.  The wine tonight was superb displaying a gorgeous fruity bouquet with an expressive and impressive palate, and nary a hint of oak  Full of depth, complexity and finesse, it was round and delicious and finished with length and elegance.  A wine with soul and the WOTN.  $300.  Wine-Searcher.

2005 J. L. Chave Hermitage Rouge.  Many wine drinkers, myself included, of Northern Rhone wines consider the estate of Jean Louis Chave to be the benchmark producer in the region.  It is certainly one of the most sought after Hermitage wines in the Region.  The estate began buying land on the Hill of Hermitage in 1865.  The Hermitage rouge is made from 100% Syrah.  The grapes come from Bessards, L’Hermite, Peleat, Meal, Beaume, Diognieres and Vercandiered vineyards. The 2 hectares of vines on Bessards is considered by many people to be the heart and soul of the JL Chave wine.  The Bessards has a terroir that is mostly, steep granite hillside soils. They have old vines. On Bessards, the average vine age is 50 years. However, the oldest vines on Bessards are more than 80 years of age. and the parcels on Les Rocoules and Peleat have vines that are even older at over 80 years of age.  Grapes from each vineyard are vinified separately, the wine then run off into 228-litre Burgundian oak pièces for ageing. Blending is an art at which the Chaves excel, and is a major reason for the complexity and depth in their wines.

2005 was an outstanding vintage in the region, producing highly structured, deeply concentrated and energetic wines.  Tonight's wine however appeared to be have a slight taint to it (Jeff thought it was slightly corked).  As the wine sat in the glass the taint vanished and it began to evolve nicely showing underlying depth and complexity.  It, however, fell short to the La Mouline.   In my opinion another 5+ years of cellar time will reveal a spectacular wine.  $360.  Wine-Searcher.

1985 Moulin Touchais Coteaux du Layon.  I decided to bring a dessert wine to complete the evening and since I had none from the Northern Rhone, I selected this wine from the Loire Valley. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc, this bottle was superb, exhibiting great depth, balance and complexity with a monster finish.  I particularly like the fact that the cloying palate typical of Sauternes is absent here.  In its place is a wonderful full-bodied and honey-like nectar.  Unlike Sauternes the wine is made without Botrytis (noble rot) and is aged for a minimum of 10 years before being released.  The wine making process is quite unique in that 20% of the grapes are picked around 80 days after flowering while the fruit is still underripe and loaded with acidity, the other 80% is harvested late (one hundred & twenty days after flowering)  yielding fruit with high sugar levels and concentrated flavors.  The wines have an amazing track record for longevity, and can last 50-100 years in the great vintages.  In fact, Moulin Touchais is the only winery in the world that gives a Century Long Guarantee on the longevity of their wines.  At $70 a bottle, it also represents fantastic value.  Wine-Searcher.  The wine was runner-up to WOTN.

Saluté

9th Annual Gentlemen's Holiday Luncheon

L to R: George U., Jack, Jeff, Tony, George L., Paul, Mark, Gino

kneeling: Joe, Nick

Two days before Christmas fellow wine lover Tony P. once again organized our annual holiday luncheon, our ninth per Jack G.  The usual ten subjects were on hand, each with a bottle or two in hand to aid in celebrating the holidays and our friendship.  As is our custom the event was held at Il Capriccio Ristorante in Whippany, NJ. The Grande family not only prepares outstanding regional Italian cuisine, but they are very gracious to allow us to bring our own wine cork-fee free. Another family member, Sal LaRose, oversees the food and wine service to perfection, making sure that the stemware is changed as necessary and deftly pacing each course.

Food
Antipasti of Artichokes, Mozzarella de Bufala & Prosciutto
Grilled Jumbo Shrimp With Shiitake Mushrooms
Seafood Salad
Meatballs

Three Pastas
  Spaghetti alla Carbonara
  Spaghetti con Vongole Bianco
  Spaghetti con sugo di Coniglio (rabbit)

After all of the above I went with a simple, but delicious, Chicken Francaise. I did not pay much attention to the other entrées, which were enjoyed by all.

Wines
Tony suggested that the theme be wines from Piedmont, the Veneto or Tuscany with the additional criteria be they come from vintages from 1978 to 2001. Although it did not meet the criteria, Jack brought along a magnum of 1990 Billecart-Salmon Grande Cuvée to accompany the large tin of Osetra caviar he recently received from Russia to share with the group.  As I am not a fan of caviar, I did not echo the oohs and ahs of the group over the fish roe.  I did however ooh and ah over the Champagne.  There is something magical about good, aged Champagne, especially when it is aged in large format.  The wine had an intoxicating yeasty bouquet with a nutty palate and elegant finish.

I decided to bring along a couple of bottles of white wine to begin the lunch with and while they did conform to the vintage criteria they did not meet the regional criteria.  The wines have quite a history.  They came from the Fiorano estate of Alberico Boncompagni Ludovisi, the Prince of Venosa. The wines are the product of a dedicated and passionate prince whose avant-garde approach was way ahead of its time. His whites took on a phenomenon for their ability to age, but became a true rarity as the prince was elusive and did not care to put the wines in the wrong hands. Luigi Veronelli, the famed Italian wine writer called his white wines the finest ever made. While I do not agree with his comment, I do find the wines unique and a pleasure to drink.

1989 Fiorano Semillon Botte 48.  Made from 100% Semillon, this had a gorgeous yellow-orange hue that exhibited a complex palate marked by depth an focus.

1988 Fiorano Bianco Botte 26.  Made from 100% Malvasia di Candia, this bottle was unfortunately corked.

1982 Nervi Gattinara.  Nervi is the oldest winery in the Gattinara DOCG area of Northern Piedmont.  Like the Barolo and Barbaresco wines of Piedmont, the wine is made from 100% Nebbiolo.  The wine possessed an earthy bouquet and palate with good fruit.  The finish however was a bit short.

2001 Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate Le Coste Barolo.  The wine was very one dimensional on opening with only a hint of the underlying fruit.  I thought it would emerge after a few hours in the glass, but alas it never did.  We had a bottle of this wine at last year’s luncheon according to my notes and I noted then that the wine “seemed to be a bit off”.  Two off bottles would seem to indicate that perhaps there was a storage or shipping issue, or the wine needs more time.

1993 Giuseppe Mascarello Ca d’Morissio Riserva Barolo.  This bottling is only made in exceptional vintages and the 1993 was the inaugural debut of the wine. It is made from a tiny parcel of Nebbiolo Michét in Monprivato planted in the mid-‘80s after being specially selected from the original 1921 plantings. It is named for Mauro Mascarello’s grandfather, Maurizio (Morissio in Piemontese dialect) who was the first generation to purchase a plot in Monprivato.  A very good wine to be sure that drank nicely, but it lacked the depth and finesse of other 1993 Ca d’Morissios that I have had.  I find a fair amount of inconsistency in the estates wines, both vintage-to-vintage and bottle-to-bottle.

2001 Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Santo Stefano di Perno.  The wine had a bit of funk on the nose when first opened which blew off after about 30 minutes.  As with many Baroli from the 2001 vintage, I don’t think the wine is fully awake yet.

1990 Aldo Conterno Barolo.  From the exceptional 1990 Piedmont vintage this was a fantastic example of old world Barolo.  This is the estate’s entry level Barolo and comes from different vineyards in Bussia.  The wine was firing on all cylinders with beautiful depth, complexity, finesse and a long elegant finish.  It was my wine of the day.

2000 Aldo Conterno Riserva Granbussia Barolo.  Granbussia, is a blend of three vineyards; 70% Romirasco, 15% Colonello, 15% Cicala, and is only made in top vintages that present perfect growing conditions in all three sites.  It too was fantastic with vibrant fruit, balance and elegance.  A very close runner-up to the ’90 Conterno Barolo for the wine of the day.

2001 Gaja Sori San Lorenzo Langhe.  Gaja is no longer able to call this single vineyard wine Barbaresco because of the addition of Barbera to the wine.  It really makes no difference to me what he calls the wine, as I simply do not like the wine.  I find it to be one dimensional and lacking finesse. I remain perplexed why anyone would spend more than $400 on this bottle of wine.

1997 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Ornellaia.  There were two bottles of this wine brought by two different attendees.  Readers of WWN know that I am not a fan of the Super Tuscan modern style of wine making, and neither of these did anything to change my opinion.  Both were identically massive fruit bombs with too much oak (50% new).  I also felt that the wines are in decline and would drink up now if you own any.

2001 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano.   This was another massive, modern-styled wine.  It has a cult following and commands a very high price.  Like most wines of this style it was not to my liking.

2001 Soldera Case Basse Brunello di Montalcino Riserva.  A great wine that unfortunately was holding back some today.  It gave a glimpse of the underlying fruit and complexity and did improve as it sat in the glass.  I believe the wine would have benefited from a few hours in a decanter.  The pedigree of the wine was imminently apparent and is destined to be a classic in four or five years.

2010 Campi di Fonterenza Brunello di Montalcino.  The Padovani sisters were mentored by Soldera and they learned well.  Like the Soldera however, the wine is holding back at the moment, but has a bright future ahead.  Of the three Brunelli we drank, in my humble opinion it was the most open and drank best.

2008 Monte Dall'Ora Stropa Amarone Della Valpolicella.  I did not taste this wine today.  Those that did however did not like it.

1999 Guseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella Classico magnum.  This was a classic Quintarelli possessing a spectacular earthy bouquet with lush, ripe and balanced fruit on the palate.

Jack tallied the WOTD preferences of the group with the outcome; ’90 Conterno 5 votes; ’01 Soldera 3 votes; ’93 Ca d’Morissio and ’99 Quintarelli 1 vote each.

Paul summed it up perfectly: “No matter how good the food and wine are, it is always the company of good people that make the day.” We all echoed his sentiments.  Thanks Tony for organizing the event, the Grandes and Sal for the great food and service and all the attendees for sharing their wines.  Looking forward to next year gentlemen.

Saluté