DINNER AT MB AT THE OMPHOY - Palm Beach, FL (9/17/2011)

We headed up via limo for a combo birthday celebration and Wine Club combo.
A starter before dinner on the way up in the limo!

N.V. Gosset Champagne Grand Rosé Brut - France, Champagne
Nice floral notes with pink fruit, light berry. A bit sweet but well balanced. (87 pts.)

Whites to Start
France vs California - Old versus New

1998 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Tied for WOTN for me. Wow! Honey suckle, delicate lemon curd and some stone and flint in the mid-palate. Finish had some almond and vanilla. I could have guessed aged White Burgundy. This wine was mellow without losing its oomph. Perfect balance. As night went on, it gained weight, had a fat mouthfeel and awesome minerality. (97 pts.)

2005 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
This was a crowd pleaser. Comments around the table were... "I'll take some of your allocation if you aren't taking all of the chards." And, that was from francophiles! Nose was toasted vanilla and lemon. This is a Top Dog chard with some white pear and georgia peach as a extra nuance. Finish with a nice green apple, not tart but juicy. (94 pts.)


Burgundy at its best

1996 Louis Jadot Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru
Crushed stone, baked raspberry and some loam/mushroom. Yowsa! Chewy and bright young fruit. Red cherry finish. This wine is alive and kicking! (95 pts.)

1987 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru
I am actually going to give this wine a progressive wine score. It started as an 88 pointer and finished as a 94. At the start, it had a somewhat muted nose with lots of earth tones. It was musty and dusty, but not in a bad way. There was some underlying light red fruit. It had a thin mid-palate but a memorable finish. Did we mess up in the order by putting the DRC after the Chambertin? Most thought yes. It was somewhat overshadowed.
Then, I revisited the last ounce or so that I hid from the waitstaff as they were clearing flights of glasses. Oh yeah, magic. The wine gained weight, the red raspberry pushed to the front and mid-palate and it became elegant and expressive. Was it monumental, probably not but a great chance for a Burgundy neophyte like myself to try something special. I am often (strike that, always) intimidated when we drink Burgundy because I am dazed and confused by all of the things you need to know. (94 pts.)

Cali Pinot In The House
2005 Papapietro Perry Pinot Noir Pommard Clones - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
This score of 84 needs to be kept in context. It followed to beautiful Burgundy bottles as we were transitioning to Cali pinot. I thought it would be a good experiment to add a lighter Cali Pinot as a "starter" before we hit Martinelli Blue Slide and Kosta Brown. Like an intermezzo. It was an epic fail! The line of the night was that it smelled and tasted like "a bathing suit left in a beach bag overnight." Sometime it happens. I think on its own, in a different context could result in a very different experience. I am not giving up on this wine and have one bottle left. Basically, an experiment gone bad. (84 pts.)

2004 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Drank side by side with 2004 Martinelli Blue Slide Ridge. A battle of the 04 Big Boys. Martinelli delivered a Standing Eight. Not sure if it was a Knock Out, but tonight, the judges gave the "V" to Blue Slide. It was hotter than the Martinelli. Dare I say somewhat "lighter" than the Martinelli. Obviously, it is in the context of the two as I would never describe the wine as light. Big black cherry in a glass. I "clucked" the roof of my mouth after the first sip. You know, rub the roof of your mouth with you tongue in a big swipe. Like a tickle feather on the palate. Very enjoyable but played second fiddle tonight. (91 pts.)

2004 Martinelli Pinot Noir Blue Slide Ridge - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Against the 04 KB Kanzler, it won by a nice margin. More in balance and much richer. Purity of fruit was amazing. This has great stuffing. I thought to myself, "This is RICH, BIG and BEAUTIFUL." Black and red fruit up front with a mouth-coating finish. (95 pts.)


Bordeaux versus Aged California

1989 Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru) - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
This tied WOTN for me. Nose of cedar, some cut grass and mature cherry. Great roasted cherry on the palate with bright acidity, some fresh kirsch and some young plum flavors. So well balanced. It was like drinking old and new fruit in a blend. Fascinating. The wine was rich and young overall. Some picked up some blue cheese on the nose and mid-palate but I didn't get that earthiness at all. I was focused on the laser-like fruit expression. This wine was close to Nirvana. (97 pts.)

1997 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Tough to follow the 96 Branaire. Oh well, once again a context wine It was relatively disappointing because I had high hopes. They were somewhat dashed. It was a juice bomb. Nice dark chocolate on the nose with some mocha latte. Plum and black cherry on the palate but not as mature as I had hoped. The mature fruit just wasn't there yet. Mid-palate was very tight. This wine needs a ribeye. It was decanted for about two hours and didn't budge. Finish was flat, tannic and backward. I think it will resolve itself and if I owned more (I don't, boo!), I would revisit in three years. Maybe it was overshadowed by all of the other wines tonight, unsure. The 94 that I drank recently was quite memorable so I have hope. (90 pts.)

What an evening to remember. The question remains, are we better off drinking two bottles of the same wine to really spend time with the wine or have single bottles. Is less more?

Go Big or Go home on your birthday plus the unthinkable!

So... the unthinkable was saving an ounce of each cab with a pristine "dump bucket" and trying it at the end of the night. Think of us as blenders and not heathens! I rated the lend as near perfect. Guy is quite the blend master, not a Michel Rolland yet. Cocoa and mocha at the front end followed by balance and poise. It did lack distinction (read vineyard specificity but who cares.)Drink now, don't wait. Yes, we have committed a cardinal sin, so sue me.


2003 Bond Pluribus - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/13/2011)
WOTN for me. Black as night and balance was perfect. Teeth licking and chewy. Black fruit explosion. A symphony. Blue berry pulp and jamminess lasted for ever. Joy is the world. Too young to be legal. (98 pts.)

2000 Harlan Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/13/2011)
Is 2000 supposed to be an off year. Not so Charlie Brown. Perfect acidity and backbone. This wine is all about structure.`A memorable wine with coffee, mocha and black cherry profile. The purity of the plum and cherry is monumental. Tattoo on the brain. Ignore tough vintages and focus on greta producers. This wine is a benchmark for the vintage. Tobacco, olive tampanade and cooca round it all out. (97 pts.)

2001 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/13/2011)
Voted close to WOTN. Jump into the the glass type of wine. Pristine. Pure bliss. Hard to describe the awesome cherry flavors. For my tastes, this is at peak. (97 pts.)[*]2000 Château Angélus - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (9/13/2011)
Elegant mouthfeel. Regal. Rich chocolate and dark cherry with beautiful earthiness. Huge finish. Will live a very long time. Next Bat time, Next Bat channel. Next episode will be a cliff hanger. (95 pts.)[*]2004 Foxen Pinot Noir Sea Smoke Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills - Sta. Rita Hills (9/13/2011)
Beautiful and inviting nose. Dark bowl of purplish/red hue. Looks young. So well balanced, smooth integrated tannins. This heavy weight tends to the sweet but is just plain hedonistic. Stunning nose of perfume of roses and lilacs. Is this all pinot? Maybe some syrah? (95 pts.)

2008 Maybach Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Materium - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville (9/13/2011)
Deep dark oasis of blackberry, black cherry and blueberry. I would have guessed Grace Family Vineyards if blind. Vibrant fruit, plump and juicy. Vanlla on the backend. American Oak, unsure? Still very young with an awesome floral bouquet. (95 pts.)

2005 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/13/2011)
Black and beautiful. Roof of the mouth power on the palate. Acidity is great. A young pup. Watch out in 5 to 10 years. "save your judgement for yourself" Bob Dylan (94 pts.)

2007 Robert Foley Claret - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/13/2011)
Some alcohol on the nose that eventually blew off but was somewhat a tough starter. Rich, viscous blackberry and blueberry fruit. Heavy weight. Fruit and decadent. Something missing though, can't get my arms around it. (93 pts.)

2004 Foxen Sea Smoke Pinot
Beautiful and inviting nose. Dark bowl of purple. Looks and tastes young. Well balanced and smooth. This is a heavy weight. Syrah in the blend? Stunning and purfumy.

09 Jaffurs Viognier Santa Barbara County - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County (9/13/2011)
Tastes a little like Gerwurtzraminer. Sweet grapefruit, melon, and peach wrapped around nice minerality. Light viscosity. (92 pts.)[/list]