TN : secret mission in Florida with agent SdR and two 1982

[Nicklasss]

Tonight was one tough mission. I met SdR and his wife, to Market 17 restaurant, in Fort Lauderdale. I was really happy to meet them back, last time was at the 2009 BWE convention I think. We talked about many subject that night, especially my bad experience with a Fort Lauderdale hotel lately, how Simone and Julien (my kids) are doing, the pleasure being under the floridian sun, and even some basic comments-discussion about Iran or the US university. Always fun to see each other, as everyone looks healthy and in great shape.

SdR and K are really generous. I have a tough time thinking why two such nice persons, would spend time with me, while I'm around. This is a bit the magic of BWE, to keep friendship strong. Worst part is I don't know if SdR and K will ever come to Québec, but I feel like I own them something.

The food at the restaurant was just very very good, near extraordinary. The lobster, the seabass, the red snapper, the antelope and the guinea hen (I really thought it was guinea pig, until SdR explain to me it was pintade). The dessert were also really fresh and good. The best meal I had in Florida this week!

Now if we go to the wine, it become more complicated. I know SdR is really generous, but an exchange of E-mail together let me thought about the worst. And the worst happened...

First wine of the night was tasted not blind. SdR get it out of the wine bag he brought, so the 1996 Chevalier-Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive land of the table. It seduces me right away, with it light to medium gold color. The nose was typical from Leflaive style, with nuts, butter, minerals, apricot skin, honey and vanillin. All these in a complex mixture. The mouth started well defined, with mostly mineral, but gain weight and complexity during the 75 minutes we had it. not as thick as a Bâtard-Montrachet, this is thick anyway and really precise in the mineral, honey, light tangerines flavors in mouth. Add some long smooth light butter, more minerals on the final that is extremely long, and you have a great wine from Bourgogne. TN : 95.

This was a good start and I asked SdR to hide the label for the two other wines, as i would be as fair as I could before seing what i would be tasting. The first red was still looking young, dark red with just a softer red on the rim. Nose was just, well what word would be right, let say gorgeous! Very ripe, with sweet blackcurrants, ripe black cherries, prunes, great intensity, light touch of cinnamon, complex, inviting. What a nose with a great intensity. In mouth, just followed the nose, with strong flavors of prunes, ripe currants, thick dark berries, and a very long aftertaste that end up with truffle. I tried to identify the wine, and with the finish, I figured out it would be from Pomerol, from the 1975 or 1982 vintage. I could not found anything related to Cabernet Franc (at first no, but later yes). I was amazed when SdR turned the bottle, who was the 1982 Chateau Lafleur. I would say that this is very kind from him, to have brought this wine, as I already wrote that this would be one of the wine I would like the most taste. Later on, some more aromas developped, like truffle, coffee beans and even a bit of mint. In mouth, a bit exotic oak stood out, with the light vegetal rasberries flavors, that just add to the complexity. Even some tobacco. Well, this was just one of the greatest wine I had, and I'm really happy SdR shared a bottle with K and me. I preferred that wine to my beloved 1990 Chateau La Conseillante... TN : 99.

The second red wine was a real puzzle. The color was a bit deeper red. On the nose, not as open as wine number 1, but there was some dark rasberries, blackcurrants, dry clay and red cherries aromas to start with. A bit more closed, even if SdR applied the same process to that wine, being opening in the morning, decant to remove sediments, washing the bottle with water, pour back the wine in the bottle, put a cork on it and put it back in the cellar until tonight. In mouth, the wine was bigger than number one, with deeper blackcurrants, darker feeling, earthy, ripe dark berries. The lenght on final was also impressive, with more tannins. I could guesse it was Merlot, but for the vintage, I thought it was between 1985 and 1988, as it seemed much younger than number 1. More creamy dark berries on the nose, and adding smoke and some minerals flavors in mouth. That was also a great wine, but I knew I was preferring the 1982 Chateau Lafleur before seing the bottle of the 1982 Petrus. It was a tough choice to made but the Petrus would not want to give all it has that night. Don't get me wrong, it is great wine, and yes way better than the 1967-1974-1997 Petrus I had in the past, but the 1982 Chateau Lafleur tonight had decided to be an amazing wine and beat the kind of Pomerol. TN : 95-96+. That specific bottle of the 1982 Petrus, that SdR bought in pre-arrival, perfectly stored, would have needed 5-7 more years.

Well what can you do after that? I have brought a little 1990 Domaine de la Roche Moreau, a Quarts de Chaume I bought locally for 38 $. To go with dessert, it was very good, as I did not know what to expect. Medium gold, full of wax, sweet lemon, oranges on the nose. In mouth, sweet but well balanced with some good acidity and bitterness. Flavors of bitter oranges, wax, warm brown sugar and lemon zest. Not as long as the previous wine, but hold on well when in mouth but drink now. Nicely balanced and in the end, a nice surprise. TN : 89.

Well, I can't thanks SdR and K enough to have spend sometimes with me while in Fort Lauderdale. Especially with the bottles opened, I was joking saying to SdR that he broke all my dreams, as those two 1982 were part of my dream wines, especially the Lafleur. But at the end, I'm happy that SdR selected these bottles as he can say that he realised one of my dream (and I will find some new dream bottles) and it is always great fun to handle with BWE people, tasting good-any wines, while enjoying and discussing about life simply.

THANK YOU SdR AND K. SEE YOU IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS IN DC.

Happy Nic

[AlexR]

What an extraordinary evening!

What generosity!

What a marvelous community, especially when the virtual becomes real!

Alex R.

[Michael-P]

Nicolas:

Wow! What an amazing evening. Wonderful food, two dream wines (for most wine people unachievable) and good friends. Yes, that's what BWE is all about. Thanks for the great TNs. And glad that dinner completely cancelled out the negative of the first hotel.

Michael-P

[JimHow]

Well done. Well done. Your benevolent dictator is proud of his subjects. Great report Nicolas. Going on 13 years now and I never cease to be in awe of the generosity of Stuart and Kathy. It is such a humbling experience attending an sdr dinner that I literally don't feel worthy! I think it is the Catholic guilt in me. Sounds like an epic night. I too have had the 82 Lafleur and Petrus from Stuart's cellar. Magnificent wines! Those Petruses from 82 and 89 etc will age forever. Thanks again Stuart and Kathy for accommodating another traveling BWEer to south Florida!

[Nicklasss]

I just woke up, and still can't believe last night dinner. And another proof of generosity, is that we stayed in the restaurant until midnight. At the end, I did not see the time going, and that it was so late.

Leaving Florida in a few hours, going back to winter condition in Québec, and I will be happy to see the kids tonight, even if they'll be sleeping. I'll probably have next Friday off, to stay with the kids for a long weekend, as I won't be there the following one.

Nic

[dstgolf]

Nic,

Great story Nic with amazing epic wines. Glad to hear Stuart and Kathy are still well and I'm sure MC is jealous having to stay at home with the kids!

Another amazing BWE story of treasured wines shared amongst wine loving friends. Nothing better than being able to share some personal gems with someone who can really appreciate the nuances and pedigree that are otherwise lost on the majority of individuals. Most here at BWE have shown their passion and knowledge and its always a pleasure to share with the community.

Savour those memories and I'm sure at your age there are many more to come in the future.

Danny

[sdr]

Thank you Nic, for your kind remarks. I had been hoping for some time to get a chance to dine with Nic here in Florida. I knew from his notes over the years some of there wines he wanted to try and it was my luck that he drove down from Orlando to Ft. Lauderdale after a business convention. Nic never fails to amaze me with his outstanding descriptions of wines in his second language, far better than mine in my first and only one. He wanted to try the reds blind and he came incredibly close to getting them both correct, even to the vintage, despite never having previously tasted either one. But as usual, it's not about the wine or the excellent food. Just a chance to spend an evening with Nic is the greatest pleasure, listening to his charming stories. By the way, I had previously "warned" him that he would get no wine unless he showed me his baby pictures. As beautiful as are the mother and father, the kids are even prettier, and the fabulous closeup photos taken by Marie-Claude are beyond professional.

[stefan]

What a great BWE evening ya'll had! You were fortunate, Nic, that two fabulous people shared their fabulous wines wine you. I also drank those '82 Pomerol once due to Stuart's and Kathy's generosity, and both were fantastic.

[Comte Flaneur]

Bravo Nic what a dinner and what generosity from Stuart.

Even though i am back in Blighty I havent given up on the idea of doing a 1982 tasting dinner in NYC in the fall. Afterall that was the original plan.

We are doing one here in London in April and we have all the big guns from the left bank lined up. But the big guns from the RB are notably absent.

[Houndsong]

Yikes!

[DavidG]

Great to see you guys getting together. What a fine and rare lineup of wines! Stuart is just amazing that way.

[Michael Malinoski]

A wonderful post, thank you for sharing, Nic. Lafleur and Petrus are two producers I've never been fortunate enough to try in any vintage, so to hear how much you enjoyed and appreciated a pair of them from 1982 was something special!

-Michael

[Houndsong]

I have it from the highest authority that a "hypothetical blend" of Lafleur and Petrus = the 2008 Gazin. Not bad for $50 a bottle. I haven't tried the wine yet but somehow I doubt it.

[DavidG]

Hound, all you need are the empties from Stuart's and Nic's dinner and you are in business. I hear that the competition for manufacturing Lafleur and Petrus is currently on ice.

[Bacchus]

Wow! What else can be said? Except, think I'll try the Gazin!

[Houndsong]

No David, this I could not do. Now, if you happen to have some empty Lafleur-Petrus bottles, I might be able to avoid fraud charges by calling a certain witness to my defense.

[Blanquito]

Fantastic notes and what an evening!

Thanks for sharing.