2013 Hanzell chardonnay [Sonoma Valley] This is their estate bottling and its an old school non malo CA chard, so it can age and is more reminiscent of White Burgundy than the usual fruity/tropical/big flavors one expects in this varietal when its local. Alcohol is high at 14.3% but it doesn't taste that way, and if anything is lean/taut for my tastes. One of our group used to be member of their club, and says this bottle is typical for this age. Not really my bag but good with the bivalves.
NV Duc de Romet [Champagne] We had some of this open already (for French 75's the prior night) so this was pressed into service when the call came for something bubbly. It might have been off, as it was showing some iodine character.
With that we segued into the first course, Alsatian mini tartlettes (crimini & Emmentaler, as well as bacon & carmelized onions) which reminded me of old BWE stalwart James Grandison who used to prepare these at events a lifetime ago. With them, was a brace of St Juliens.
- mini tartlettes on arugula
2003 Langoa Barton [St Julien] 13% abv, more youthful fruit here. A brighter garnet robe, but also some fading at the edges too. I find this quite red fruited, with a hint of Cordier* funk on the nose. There is nothing off putting, or noticeable about the vintage - no heat, flabbiness etc. We didn't decant this but I don't think it needed it. It still has lots of life ahead of it.
We relaxed and chatted, clearing the table for dinner which was coq au vin and browned potatoes. Sadly, the upload size limits are preventing uploads of a picture. Next up were another pair of classics.
2005 Gazin [Pomerol] This 13.5% abv was decanted for an hour or so before consumption. It's a big concentrated Pomerol, laden with structure and tannin, despite its age and aeration. Great fruit density and truffle notes, but it needs another 5 to 10 years of cellar time to really shine. A very well regarded vintage for right bank wines.
2000 Cantenac Brown [Margaux] 13% abv, and we should have decanted this. It kept on blossoming over time, so a little aeration early that would have been good. Fine grained tannin, polite acids, and sweet juicy red fruited Margauxberries on the palate. Heavy sediment, crusted bottle. The color is garnet, but with a dark core and not much fading at the rims -- it is aging unusually well. Owners need not worry about this for another decade.
- a lovely spectrum of classics
1997 Bott-Geyl Tokay Pinot Gris VT [Alsace Grand Cru] This is a 13% abv late harvest sticky (despite the importer tagging it with a 'table wine' strip) whose AOC I cannot interpret/understand. As far I can tell the 500ml bottle just says 'Alsace Grand Cru' and I'd expect, producers have to disclose the vineyard/village etc. In very very tiny type there it does say Beblenheim, but I think that's where it's vinified/elevaged, rather than the growing site. This is not a botrytis style dessert wine, and doesn't have the zippy acidity of Loire stickies either - so lots of sugar but not the usual markers of other ways to age this category (e.g. oxidation, fortification, botryitis, oak, acid, etc.). There are sweet apple cider notes here, and the group consumed it all.
It was nice catching up with everyone. Sadly I had misplaced my tasting notes journal before this, so I was not writing anything down at the time. [Everyone in the house is keeping an eye out for my battered little book so hopefully it will turn up] I really like wines at this age/stage - roughly ten to thirty years in age - when they have shed their grapey youth and have rounded out the tannin yet grown in complexity.
* yes, I know they are not involved at all
