Chef Patrick Farjas has come up with a strong menu day after Thanksgiving. Very hard to resist venison, especially this time of the year.
Full French Dinner
“Le Puy” French Lentill Soup with Basil
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Lobster Tail Thermidor $48.00
Venison Medaillions Grand Veneur, Chestnut, Red Currant, Green Peppercorn $48.00
Seared Duck Breast Chanterelles Mushrooms and Persimom Sauce $42.00
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Salad of the Season, and Cheese
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Pineapple Creme Brulee
Flourless Chocolate Decadence Cake
Assorted Fruit Plate
Reservation Only 6:00PM and 7:30PM
650 343 0907
DAY BREAK GOURMET CAFÉ/RESTAURANT
136 N. San Mateo Drive
San Mateo, CA 94401
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
BNO California Cabernet Sauvignon: the Definitive Collector’s Edition
No wine has to constantly prove its worth more than California Cabernet Sauvignon. Since its production became firmly established in California in the 1960s, Cabernet Sauvignon has been the most collected California wine, yet its quality, value, and place among the world’s greatest wines are repeatedly questioned by wine enthusiasts.
Why there is so much doubt about California Cabernet Sauvignon, despite the hype, seems inexplicable…. or maybe not.
Our BNO (boys’ night out) wine group never gets tired of summoning California Cabernet Sauvignons to the table. We have done so an inordinate number of times, almost at a drop of a hat, and many of the California Cabs we’d drunk are so-called “cults” and “legends”. But in our most recent get-together we were determined to put the age-old question to rest: what is the big deal with California Cabernet Sauvignons?
Before I give you the blow-by-blow I must say that I’m in awe with the generosity of everyone in our group. We depleted our cellars with some of our prized bottles. Many of the wines we opened are scarce, and even the wineries may no longer possess some of the vintages. But, as usual with our BNO, in the true spirit of Bacchus, we never take ourselves too seriously; it’s all about drinking and having fun. We passed the bottles around and sipped the wines in between animated conversation and serious eating. Nothing too studious or clinical. We do try to rate each of the wines, but this is arbitrary as the consensus score could slide up or down depending on how a wine changes over the course of the evening. And to be honest, it’s hard to get everyone to focus on scoring, especially once you get in the conviviality. Heck, who wants to bother with something as boring as scoring a wine anyway?
We did invite a wine journalist to join us, Jon Bonné, who is Wine Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. We thought this BNO was special enough that we won’t embarrass ourselves by inviting a wine media representative with gravitas. I’m sure Jon gets a ton of invites to come to tastings, so we felt elated he chose to come to ours. For Jon the get-together was more work than play, as he was quite stoic the whole night, clearly on a mission to document each of the wines opened as well as all the goings-on. We queried him frequently, curious to get his professional opinion on the wines. If he does report this event someday in the Chron’s wine pages, I hope to God he would leave out Matt’s reference to some of the wines as coming from an “old bitch’s cellar”!
The night we held this wine dinner was perfect—it was one of those rare summer nights in the Bay Area when the air was still and it was warm enough to dine al fresco out in the patio. And for once no one in the group had to do any cooking because we had French Master Chef Patrick Farjas, doing the catering and joining us for the tasting. I mean, how cool is that?
Patrick prepared a mouthwatering array of appetizers and courses to pair with the Cabernets. Hands down the best food to pair with these California Cabernets was the "Greek 'Dolmales', grape leaves, rice and ground lamb". No less than an authority on this traditional grapeleaf dish, Kevin, commented: "Patrick's food--my God--the grapeleaves were stunning, the exceptionally dark, firm green leaves, the mostly lamb Greek/Armenian style, the white wine/lemon prep I have never had anything quite like it before and frankly, the most enjoyable I have ever had."
Waiting for the other guys to arrive from their carpooling expedition, Steve and I cracked the 1982 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Georges de Latour Private Reserve”, Beaulieu Vineyard. The bottle fill was neck-high, the cork was like new, and the color showed no signs of fading. Yet the nose was oxidative and the fruit was, too. We waited for signs of recovery. The wine did get somewhat fresher (or was it just my imagination?), with the cedary, cassis flavors getting brighter, but the oxidation was strong. What a disappointment. Something was puzzling and very wrong with this bottle.
By this time the rest of the guys finally showed up. We stood all the wines on a dining table to get consensus on the flights. The first flight consisted of the oldies, mainly 1970s, though it started with the supremely elegant, well-preserved 1967 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Martha’s Vineyard”, Heitz Cellars. “Surprisingly rich” was the general comment. Still deeply colored, very cassis flavored, and infused with the eucalyptus/mint character that Martha’s is known for. The wine was efficiently pure, without any excess fat or density. Perfectly proportioned and focused. This is a wine of great finesse. I would keep recalling my experience of this wine all night, and even days later it never ceased to haunt me. 3-3 ½ puffs.
The next two wines did not leave me with the same indelible memory as the ’67 Martha’s yet they towered. The 1974 California Cabernet Sauvignon “Monte Bello”, Ridge is a tour de force, a wine-of-the-night on any scoring card. Dark and very rich, its flavors are well-concentrated, with deep cassis fruit laced with mint, black pepper, and dried spices. Possessing a dense mid-palate with long, smooth tannins that firmed up the opulent flavors, this wine became more powerful and seemingly more youthful as it opened up. On this night, it seemed like this Monte Bello could last forever. Wow! 3 ½ - 4 puffs.
A truly lovely wine was the 1977 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Mayacamas Vineyards. Mayacamas Cabernets age very slowly, so it’s rare to actually drink one that is fully ready. Velvety tannins accompanied the sweet, ripe blackberry fruit with slight mint and earthy flavors. The wine expanded deliciously on the mid-palate offering excellent depth of flavors without a hint of harshness. Though lacking the class and precision of the ’67 Heitz Martha’s, its charm is its mountain character that offers uncomplicated pleasure. 3 ½ puffs.
We were back to Heitz with the 1970 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvingon “Martha’s Vineyard”, Heitz Cellars. The familiar eucalyptus/mint flavor surfaced once again, but this one was almost dried out. Though it offered some of the attractive, complex flavors of its terroir, it lacked sumptuousness, hence it did not take long for the fruit to “drop fast” after some minutes of being poured in the glass. A “wine of passion” said one. That is a good way to put it. Some of us relished its fleeting beauty. 2 ½ - 3 ½ puffs.
So on we go to the 1980s. Unfortunately, the 1984 Napa Valley Red “Christian Moueix”, Dominus Estate suffered a worse fate. Though attractive berry flavors opened up soon after the wine was poured, these faded fast. Oxidation set in after just several minutes. 2 ½ puffs.
And this flight goes from bad to worse. The 1985 Napa Valley Red “Insignia”, Joseph Phelps Vineyards was flawed mainly with volatile acidity. There was just no life here. Flabby, grapey, and flat. 2 ¾ puffs (why even bother?)
Finally, the last of the 1980s flight, the 1986 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Chateau Montelena. Smelling of rusty nails, “grandma’s coin purse” said Matt, this was oxidizing fast. 2 ½ puffs.
Ah, a relief to be finally be done with those disappointing 1980s… but wait a minute! The next flight, the decade of the 1990s, led off with another flawed wine, a 1992 California Red “Monte Bello”, Ridge Vineyards. This is one of the supposedly great Monte Bellos and the bottle we had was impeccably cellared, yet it showed signs oxidation on the nose as well as volatile acidity. The oxidation got stronger and we just gave up on it.
California winemaking took a marked change in the 1990s favoring riper, plusher, and bigger wines. As a result, the top Cabernet players had changed. Old guards like Heitz, BV, Mayacamas, and Ridge started to be eclipsed by newer labels such as Araujo, Dalla Valle, Abreu, and Peter Michael. These boutique wineries differ not just in their style of wines but also in their tiny production quantities and audaciously high prices. They shunned traditional distribution channels and went direct to consumers, transforming the “mailing list” into the most powerful marketing tool of the California wine trade.
Spottswoode seems to straddle the old and new styles of California Cabernet. The 1991 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Spottswoode offered rich, concentrated layers of ripe cassis, raspberry, and aromatic herbs. Bright and elegantly structured, with a modest alcohol level of 12.5%, this packs terrific energy. Certainly, an outstanding wine that is sure to provide pleasure for many more years. 3 puffs. We didn’t finish the bottle and Steve drank what’s left two days later and his notes echo what I meant about this wine straddling the old and new styles: “Soft, lush full fruits. Not overripe or raisin, more like the fruits is a dark red fruit tart, without the sugar. Most of the tannins and acid were either gone or integrated, but smooth, medium rich and a very pleasant quaff—many of the qualities of the 97 Peter Michael (which I love) but on mute, rather than full volume.”
A most remarkable 1990s Cabernet and one that I would be interested in how it evolves further is the 1994 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Eisele Vineyard”, Araujo. This wine’s combination of richness and polish is breathtaking, with a depth of flavor that is expressive and individual. The nose showed cassis and gravel. Very ripe, rich fruit flavors with good delineation and elegance. This somewhat reminded me of a young Haut Brion.
The 1997 Napa Red “Maya”, Dalla Valle was drenched in luxury. It recalled plush leather, spicy Havana cigar, and imperial tea. What sheer opulence in its dense, lush, spicy blackberry flavors! Its richness was like dark chocolate melting in the mouth. The finish is very long with an interesting minerality. Perhaps, the most sensual wine of the evening. How would aging this for another ten years be like?
In contrast, the 1997 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Madrona Ranch”, Abreu was over-the-top blockbuster. Port-like, jammy, very dense, and overly concentrated. This was hard to drink. However, two days later Steve finished the remnants and had this to say: “WOW!!!!!!! Deep bouquet of leather (new car porsche or ferrari, as opposed to old bomber jacket) violets, lavender, chocolate (yes chocolate) and dark red pitted fruits. Incredible mouth experience, subtle and elegant on the front palate, when it hits the mid palate, it blossoms (like a peacock tail) into a round rich opulent explosion of fruit, grip, sandalwood, and graphite. Incredibly balanced and layered, with a finish that lingers for 45 seconds or more. Unbelievable!!!!!”
The 1997 California (Knights Valley) “Les Pavots”, Peter Michael Winery (79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc) that Steve referred to above delivered unmitigated, gorgeous, solid, opulent blackberry/spice/chocolate flavors. This is why we love California Cabs! Not complex but polished and, most of all, utterly sexy. This went down “like butter”.
I was keen about spotlighting Stag's Leap Wine Cellars in our dinner. This historic winery’s distinctive terroir in Stags Leap of Napa Valley achieves its best expression in the winery’s Cask 23 bottling. The last two bottles we opened were two of the most famous vintages of Cask 23. Despite being impressed by the famous cult wines of the 1990s, the awesome 1978 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Stags Leap Vineyard Cask 23”, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars was in a league of its own. A monumental wine that is well evolved, yet showed no signs of fading; offering minty cassis in the nose, with hints of gravel and underbrush. The palate exploded with layers of sweet blackberries and unfolded with game and roasted meat. Still wrapped in youthful tannins, this muscular Cabernet powered on without showing any weakness even after several minutes in the glass—relaxed and fluid in the gentle style of Stags Leap Cabernets. What a profound Cabernet experience! 4 puffs.
The 1985 Napa Valley Red “Cask 23”, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (by this time the wine has become so famous, even iconic, that the varietal name was fashionably dropped and Warren Winiarski’s signature now appeared on the label) was a far different wine from the 1978 as it didn’t have the grandeur of the latter and was a more demanding wine to appreciate. After an initial explosion of black fruits, the freshness was gone and the flavors were dominated by a “funky” and “botanical” character. A controversial wine and I wished we had more time to ponder it.
So was this the definitive Cabernet night? I think all these wines just deepened our thirst and curiosity for California Cabernets. I feel that the late 1960s and the decade of the 1970s represented a time of important discovery and evolution in California Cabernet Sauvignon winemaking. The fathers of modern California winemaking had their most significant contribution during this era. Influenced by Frank Schoonmaker and André Tchelistcheff, Robert Mondavi, Warren Winiarski, Joseph Heitz, Mike Grgich, and Paul Draper set out to find the best terroir in California for planting the most noble European grape varietals, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon. Their efforts paid off as they discovered some of the greatest vineyard sites for California Cabernet Sauvignon, including: To-Kalon, Monte Bello, Martha’s Vineyard, and Stag’s Leap Vineyard (S.L.V.).
But in 1976 the celebrated “Judgment of Paris” changed everything. This event is both a blessing and a curse. It accelerated consumer acceptance and eventually led to the huge market success of California Cabernets, but it also established a dependency on hype and marketing by California wine producers during the critically formative time in California wine development. Producers shifted their attention more towards selling and marketing and they were rewarded by increased demand and escalating prices. Consequently, the wine media, led by wine critics, began to play the most important role in promoting California wines.
As the market power of the wine media grew, the critics became more influential in determining the style and quality of the wines and their tastes started to replace the expertise of the producers themselves as the basis for consumer wine education. One can say this is akin to replacing the actual quarterback with the armchair quarterback!
To a developing and immature consumer wine market the impact of this trend was deadly. A newbie passionate about wine would rather peruse reviews and scores than listen to what a Joe Heitz or a Paul Draper had to say, literally and figuratively, through the wines they made. Thus, the discoveries and development instigated by pioneering California winemakers during the 1960s and 1970s were cut short as they now have to please the marketplace first and foremost. Imagine if Bordeaux or Burgundy were subjected to the same trend centuries ago during their regions’ early years in the 18th and 19th centuries. Would they have had a chance to develop the greatness in their wines as we know it today?
The proof as they say is in the glass, the wine glass that is. Clearly in this tasting the wines made during the 1980s, post-“Judgment of Paris”, underwent a marked change in quality. They were darkly colored and looked more concentrated, but after decades of aging faded fast and were oxidizing quickly. Bottom line, the 1980s Cabernets were easily beaten up by the Cabernets from the 1960s and 1970s, which are still going strong.
What about the 1990s? The 1990s Cabernets show more commonalities with the 1980s Cabernets than with the 1960s/1970s. But the volume is turned up even more, meaning these wines are bigger, riper, and sweeter in their youth. The main difference, I think, is that whereas the 1980s Cabernets are big and concentrated, they also exhibited harder tannins when they were young compared to these 1990s Cabernets. How do I know that? Fortunately, I still kept some notes of 1980s Cabernets I tasted soon after their release and again a few years later.
California winemaking changed further in the 1990s. The biggest change was hang time. Cabernet grapes were harvested much later and much riper than before to concentrate the flavor, raise the sugar, reduce acidity, and soften the tannins. In the winery or cellar, efforts were made to even heighten the effects of these changes. The end result is that winemaking had the effect of almost replacing the aging or cellaring period of a wine!
Since the 1990s California Cabernet winemakers hand it to you on a platter, that’s why they get the big bucks. Instead of aging your Cabernet 15-20 years or more, you can now enjoy them on release or wait just a few years. And boy, these 1990s Cabernets are much more pleasant to drink young than those of the 1980s.
Yet, the jury is still out on how these 1990s Cabernets would fare over the long term, say after 20 years. But why wait? I remember a rare interview of Helen Turley, the high priestess of 1990s California winemaking, wherein she refers to aged wine as “mummified”. Joe Heitz must be turning in his grave.
Why there is so much doubt about California Cabernet Sauvignon, despite the hype, seems inexplicable…. or maybe not.
Our BNO (boys’ night out) wine group never gets tired of summoning California Cabernet Sauvignons to the table. We have done so an inordinate number of times, almost at a drop of a hat, and many of the California Cabs we’d drunk are so-called “cults” and “legends”. But in our most recent get-together we were determined to put the age-old question to rest: what is the big deal with California Cabernet Sauvignons?
Before I give you the blow-by-blow I must say that I’m in awe with the generosity of everyone in our group. We depleted our cellars with some of our prized bottles. Many of the wines we opened are scarce, and even the wineries may no longer possess some of the vintages. But, as usual with our BNO, in the true spirit of Bacchus, we never take ourselves too seriously; it’s all about drinking and having fun. We passed the bottles around and sipped the wines in between animated conversation and serious eating. Nothing too studious or clinical. We do try to rate each of the wines, but this is arbitrary as the consensus score could slide up or down depending on how a wine changes over the course of the evening. And to be honest, it’s hard to get everyone to focus on scoring, especially once you get in the conviviality. Heck, who wants to bother with something as boring as scoring a wine anyway?
We did invite a wine journalist to join us, Jon Bonné, who is Wine Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. We thought this BNO was special enough that we won’t embarrass ourselves by inviting a wine media representative with gravitas. I’m sure Jon gets a ton of invites to come to tastings, so we felt elated he chose to come to ours. For Jon the get-together was more work than play, as he was quite stoic the whole night, clearly on a mission to document each of the wines opened as well as all the goings-on. We queried him frequently, curious to get his professional opinion on the wines. If he does report this event someday in the Chron’s wine pages, I hope to God he would leave out Matt’s reference to some of the wines as coming from an “old bitch’s cellar”!
The night we held this wine dinner was perfect—it was one of those rare summer nights in the Bay Area when the air was still and it was warm enough to dine al fresco out in the patio. And for once no one in the group had to do any cooking because we had French Master Chef Patrick Farjas, doing the catering and joining us for the tasting. I mean, how cool is that?
Patrick prepared a mouthwatering array of appetizers and courses to pair with the Cabernets. Hands down the best food to pair with these California Cabernets was the "Greek 'Dolmales', grape leaves, rice and ground lamb". No less than an authority on this traditional grapeleaf dish, Kevin, commented: "Patrick's food--my God--the grapeleaves were stunning, the exceptionally dark, firm green leaves, the mostly lamb Greek/Armenian style, the white wine/lemon prep I have never had anything quite like it before and frankly, the most enjoyable I have ever had."
Waiting for the other guys to arrive from their carpooling expedition, Steve and I cracked the 1982 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Georges de Latour Private Reserve”, Beaulieu Vineyard. The bottle fill was neck-high, the cork was like new, and the color showed no signs of fading. Yet the nose was oxidative and the fruit was, too. We waited for signs of recovery. The wine did get somewhat fresher (or was it just my imagination?), with the cedary, cassis flavors getting brighter, but the oxidation was strong. What a disappointment. Something was puzzling and very wrong with this bottle.
By this time the rest of the guys finally showed up. We stood all the wines on a dining table to get consensus on the flights. The first flight consisted of the oldies, mainly 1970s, though it started with the supremely elegant, well-preserved 1967 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Martha’s Vineyard”, Heitz Cellars. “Surprisingly rich” was the general comment. Still deeply colored, very cassis flavored, and infused with the eucalyptus/mint character that Martha’s is known for. The wine was efficiently pure, without any excess fat or density. Perfectly proportioned and focused. This is a wine of great finesse. I would keep recalling my experience of this wine all night, and even days later it never ceased to haunt me. 3-3 ½ puffs.
The next two wines did not leave me with the same indelible memory as the ’67 Martha’s yet they towered. The 1974 California Cabernet Sauvignon “Monte Bello”, Ridge is a tour de force, a wine-of-the-night on any scoring card. Dark and very rich, its flavors are well-concentrated, with deep cassis fruit laced with mint, black pepper, and dried spices. Possessing a dense mid-palate with long, smooth tannins that firmed up the opulent flavors, this wine became more powerful and seemingly more youthful as it opened up. On this night, it seemed like this Monte Bello could last forever. Wow! 3 ½ - 4 puffs.
A truly lovely wine was the 1977 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Mayacamas Vineyards. Mayacamas Cabernets age very slowly, so it’s rare to actually drink one that is fully ready. Velvety tannins accompanied the sweet, ripe blackberry fruit with slight mint and earthy flavors. The wine expanded deliciously on the mid-palate offering excellent depth of flavors without a hint of harshness. Though lacking the class and precision of the ’67 Heitz Martha’s, its charm is its mountain character that offers uncomplicated pleasure. 3 ½ puffs.
We were back to Heitz with the 1970 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvingon “Martha’s Vineyard”, Heitz Cellars. The familiar eucalyptus/mint flavor surfaced once again, but this one was almost dried out. Though it offered some of the attractive, complex flavors of its terroir, it lacked sumptuousness, hence it did not take long for the fruit to “drop fast” after some minutes of being poured in the glass. A “wine of passion” said one. That is a good way to put it. Some of us relished its fleeting beauty. 2 ½ - 3 ½ puffs.
So on we go to the 1980s. Unfortunately, the 1984 Napa Valley Red “Christian Moueix”, Dominus Estate suffered a worse fate. Though attractive berry flavors opened up soon after the wine was poured, these faded fast. Oxidation set in after just several minutes. 2 ½ puffs.
And this flight goes from bad to worse. The 1985 Napa Valley Red “Insignia”, Joseph Phelps Vineyards was flawed mainly with volatile acidity. There was just no life here. Flabby, grapey, and flat. 2 ¾ puffs (why even bother?)
Finally, the last of the 1980s flight, the 1986 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Chateau Montelena. Smelling of rusty nails, “grandma’s coin purse” said Matt, this was oxidizing fast. 2 ½ puffs.
Ah, a relief to be finally be done with those disappointing 1980s… but wait a minute! The next flight, the decade of the 1990s, led off with another flawed wine, a 1992 California Red “Monte Bello”, Ridge Vineyards. This is one of the supposedly great Monte Bellos and the bottle we had was impeccably cellared, yet it showed signs oxidation on the nose as well as volatile acidity. The oxidation got stronger and we just gave up on it.
California winemaking took a marked change in the 1990s favoring riper, plusher, and bigger wines. As a result, the top Cabernet players had changed. Old guards like Heitz, BV, Mayacamas, and Ridge started to be eclipsed by newer labels such as Araujo, Dalla Valle, Abreu, and Peter Michael. These boutique wineries differ not just in their style of wines but also in their tiny production quantities and audaciously high prices. They shunned traditional distribution channels and went direct to consumers, transforming the “mailing list” into the most powerful marketing tool of the California wine trade.
Spottswoode seems to straddle the old and new styles of California Cabernet. The 1991 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Spottswoode offered rich, concentrated layers of ripe cassis, raspberry, and aromatic herbs. Bright and elegantly structured, with a modest alcohol level of 12.5%, this packs terrific energy. Certainly, an outstanding wine that is sure to provide pleasure for many more years. 3 puffs. We didn’t finish the bottle and Steve drank what’s left two days later and his notes echo what I meant about this wine straddling the old and new styles: “Soft, lush full fruits. Not overripe or raisin, more like the fruits is a dark red fruit tart, without the sugar. Most of the tannins and acid were either gone or integrated, but smooth, medium rich and a very pleasant quaff—many of the qualities of the 97 Peter Michael (which I love) but on mute, rather than full volume.”
A most remarkable 1990s Cabernet and one that I would be interested in how it evolves further is the 1994 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Eisele Vineyard”, Araujo. This wine’s combination of richness and polish is breathtaking, with a depth of flavor that is expressive and individual. The nose showed cassis and gravel. Very ripe, rich fruit flavors with good delineation and elegance. This somewhat reminded me of a young Haut Brion.
The 1997 Napa Red “Maya”, Dalla Valle was drenched in luxury. It recalled plush leather, spicy Havana cigar, and imperial tea. What sheer opulence in its dense, lush, spicy blackberry flavors! Its richness was like dark chocolate melting in the mouth. The finish is very long with an interesting minerality. Perhaps, the most sensual wine of the evening. How would aging this for another ten years be like?
In contrast, the 1997 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Madrona Ranch”, Abreu was over-the-top blockbuster. Port-like, jammy, very dense, and overly concentrated. This was hard to drink. However, two days later Steve finished the remnants and had this to say: “WOW!!!!!!! Deep bouquet of leather (new car porsche or ferrari, as opposed to old bomber jacket) violets, lavender, chocolate (yes chocolate) and dark red pitted fruits. Incredible mouth experience, subtle and elegant on the front palate, when it hits the mid palate, it blossoms (like a peacock tail) into a round rich opulent explosion of fruit, grip, sandalwood, and graphite. Incredibly balanced and layered, with a finish that lingers for 45 seconds or more. Unbelievable!!!!!”
The 1997 California (Knights Valley) “Les Pavots”, Peter Michael Winery (79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc) that Steve referred to above delivered unmitigated, gorgeous, solid, opulent blackberry/spice/chocolate flavors. This is why we love California Cabs! Not complex but polished and, most of all, utterly sexy. This went down “like butter”.
I was keen about spotlighting Stag's Leap Wine Cellars in our dinner. This historic winery’s distinctive terroir in Stags Leap of Napa Valley achieves its best expression in the winery’s Cask 23 bottling. The last two bottles we opened were two of the most famous vintages of Cask 23. Despite being impressed by the famous cult wines of the 1990s, the awesome 1978 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon “Stags Leap Vineyard Cask 23”, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars was in a league of its own. A monumental wine that is well evolved, yet showed no signs of fading; offering minty cassis in the nose, with hints of gravel and underbrush. The palate exploded with layers of sweet blackberries and unfolded with game and roasted meat. Still wrapped in youthful tannins, this muscular Cabernet powered on without showing any weakness even after several minutes in the glass—relaxed and fluid in the gentle style of Stags Leap Cabernets. What a profound Cabernet experience! 4 puffs.
The 1985 Napa Valley Red “Cask 23”, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (by this time the wine has become so famous, even iconic, that the varietal name was fashionably dropped and Warren Winiarski’s signature now appeared on the label) was a far different wine from the 1978 as it didn’t have the grandeur of the latter and was a more demanding wine to appreciate. After an initial explosion of black fruits, the freshness was gone and the flavors were dominated by a “funky” and “botanical” character. A controversial wine and I wished we had more time to ponder it.
So was this the definitive Cabernet night? I think all these wines just deepened our thirst and curiosity for California Cabernets. I feel that the late 1960s and the decade of the 1970s represented a time of important discovery and evolution in California Cabernet Sauvignon winemaking. The fathers of modern California winemaking had their most significant contribution during this era. Influenced by Frank Schoonmaker and André Tchelistcheff, Robert Mondavi, Warren Winiarski, Joseph Heitz, Mike Grgich, and Paul Draper set out to find the best terroir in California for planting the most noble European grape varietals, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon. Their efforts paid off as they discovered some of the greatest vineyard sites for California Cabernet Sauvignon, including: To-Kalon, Monte Bello, Martha’s Vineyard, and Stag’s Leap Vineyard (S.L.V.).
But in 1976 the celebrated “Judgment of Paris” changed everything. This event is both a blessing and a curse. It accelerated consumer acceptance and eventually led to the huge market success of California Cabernets, but it also established a dependency on hype and marketing by California wine producers during the critically formative time in California wine development. Producers shifted their attention more towards selling and marketing and they were rewarded by increased demand and escalating prices. Consequently, the wine media, led by wine critics, began to play the most important role in promoting California wines.
As the market power of the wine media grew, the critics became more influential in determining the style and quality of the wines and their tastes started to replace the expertise of the producers themselves as the basis for consumer wine education. One can say this is akin to replacing the actual quarterback with the armchair quarterback!
To a developing and immature consumer wine market the impact of this trend was deadly. A newbie passionate about wine would rather peruse reviews and scores than listen to what a Joe Heitz or a Paul Draper had to say, literally and figuratively, through the wines they made. Thus, the discoveries and development instigated by pioneering California winemakers during the 1960s and 1970s were cut short as they now have to please the marketplace first and foremost. Imagine if Bordeaux or Burgundy were subjected to the same trend centuries ago during their regions’ early years in the 18th and 19th centuries. Would they have had a chance to develop the greatness in their wines as we know it today?
The proof as they say is in the glass, the wine glass that is. Clearly in this tasting the wines made during the 1980s, post-“Judgment of Paris”, underwent a marked change in quality. They were darkly colored and looked more concentrated, but after decades of aging faded fast and were oxidizing quickly. Bottom line, the 1980s Cabernets were easily beaten up by the Cabernets from the 1960s and 1970s, which are still going strong.
What about the 1990s? The 1990s Cabernets show more commonalities with the 1980s Cabernets than with the 1960s/1970s. But the volume is turned up even more, meaning these wines are bigger, riper, and sweeter in their youth. The main difference, I think, is that whereas the 1980s Cabernets are big and concentrated, they also exhibited harder tannins when they were young compared to these 1990s Cabernets. How do I know that? Fortunately, I still kept some notes of 1980s Cabernets I tasted soon after their release and again a few years later.
California winemaking changed further in the 1990s. The biggest change was hang time. Cabernet grapes were harvested much later and much riper than before to concentrate the flavor, raise the sugar, reduce acidity, and soften the tannins. In the winery or cellar, efforts were made to even heighten the effects of these changes. The end result is that winemaking had the effect of almost replacing the aging or cellaring period of a wine!
Since the 1990s California Cabernet winemakers hand it to you on a platter, that’s why they get the big bucks. Instead of aging your Cabernet 15-20 years or more, you can now enjoy them on release or wait just a few years. And boy, these 1990s Cabernets are much more pleasant to drink young than those of the 1980s.
Yet, the jury is still out on how these 1990s Cabernets would fare over the long term, say after 20 years. But why wait? I remember a rare interview of Helen Turley, the high priestess of 1990s California winemaking, wherein she refers to aged wine as “mummified”. Joe Heitz must be turning in his grave.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
A Year in Burgundy: Part 1 Picking Decisions
I'm honored to introduce to you our guest blogger, Eric Lecours, a dear friend and a person whose passion and palate for wine, particularly Burgundy, I admire.
Eric is in Burgundy studying oenology at the prestigious Lycée Viticole in Beaune. Part of this intensive study involves actual work in the vineyards and cellars and apprenticing with established vignerons. I asked him to share his personal experience and his reflections in this forum as I value his thoughts very much. This started out as a casual communication among friends, hence I probably caught him off-guard when I asked him to contribute his notes to this blog! Yet, the spontaneity of it all is what makes his notes so honest and brilliant.
In his debut post, Eric gives us insights into the 2007 vintage and he describes the unique winemaking approach of the highly regarded vigneron, Etienne Grivot of Domaine Jean Grivot in Vosne-Romanée. As an aside, I mentioned to Eric that for winemakers like Grivot once they learn the rules of winegrowing they throw them out the window!
Picking Decisions
I thought I'd shoot off a quick note to you, as thoughts are still fresh in my mind. I met with Etienne Grivot this morning at 10 am to discuss his approach in general. One thing that is truly remarkable to me is he uses no analysis whatsoever of his fruit in deciding when to harvest. I must have asked him two or three times. He is convinced that you can't take samples that are representative of a vineyard. The only way you could truly do this is to sample from each vine, which is practically speaking impossible. His general marker is the date of flowering. Harvest is roughly 100 days later. There are a number of factors but basically he tastes through the vineyards, chews the skins, seeds, looks at how the skins color his saliva. He watches the barometer, temperature. Observes the health of the grapes.
He tries to pick during the waning moon. 100 days landed around August 24th. He waited to start picking until the 4th. Many started picking on the 25th or 26th, Saturday and Sunday. He chose to start on the 4th to ripen the grapes further and to pick with the waning moon. Further, he chose to start picking on a Tuesday to prepare the team, the cuverie, etc. on Monday. He doesn't like to start on the weekend as each year there is a learning curve. It is better to start slow and steady. The order of picking is generally the order of quality of the parcels. Thus he starts with the white, then the bourgogne red, the village, etc. Richebourg was picked on the last day, September 10. It was perfect. It hung to achieve 13.4% potential alcohol and a pH of 3.3. There is a general order of picking as I noted but if clouds were on the horizon, the order would shift with the Grand Crus coming in first. Regarding the picking date, he doesn't want to hear what his neighbors are doing. His decision is made by him and him alone. (This reminds me of wine tasting. I can't truly evaluate a wine if I hear what others are thinking about it first.) The last day of picking quality wines was September 10. There was a new moon on the 11th. He finished with some Gamay he sells in bulk.
Regarding 2007, this is a vintage of the vigneron. In 2005, everyone in Vosne made great wine. In 2007 if you farmed right, picked right, there is no reason why you couldn't have had long hang time, physiological and phenolic ripeness. In fact, without the overripeness found in some of the very hot years, the wines can truly represent their terroir with no lack of density. After exhausting him with questions, we tasted through the 2007's and the 2006's gc's. The Richebourg and Clos Vougeot are so different. The Richebourg is truly aristocratic while the Vougeot shows its GC power and Vougeot spicy chartacter. It's hard not to like the wine. The Suchot is a stand out as well, wow.
We finished off with a lunch in Chambolle and ran into Bernard Gros there. We had the 02 Echezeaux. Etienne asked me what I thought. I answered, that I thought the food was great. He was referring to the wine!
Eric is in Burgundy studying oenology at the prestigious Lycée Viticole in Beaune. Part of this intensive study involves actual work in the vineyards and cellars and apprenticing with established vignerons. I asked him to share his personal experience and his reflections in this forum as I value his thoughts very much. This started out as a casual communication among friends, hence I probably caught him off-guard when I asked him to contribute his notes to this blog! Yet, the spontaneity of it all is what makes his notes so honest and brilliant.
In his debut post, Eric gives us insights into the 2007 vintage and he describes the unique winemaking approach of the highly regarded vigneron, Etienne Grivot of Domaine Jean Grivot in Vosne-Romanée. As an aside, I mentioned to Eric that for winemakers like Grivot once they learn the rules of winegrowing they throw them out the window!
Picking Decisions
I thought I'd shoot off a quick note to you, as thoughts are still fresh in my mind. I met with Etienne Grivot this morning at 10 am to discuss his approach in general. One thing that is truly remarkable to me is he uses no analysis whatsoever of his fruit in deciding when to harvest. I must have asked him two or three times. He is convinced that you can't take samples that are representative of a vineyard. The only way you could truly do this is to sample from each vine, which is practically speaking impossible. His general marker is the date of flowering. Harvest is roughly 100 days later. There are a number of factors but basically he tastes through the vineyards, chews the skins, seeds, looks at how the skins color his saliva. He watches the barometer, temperature. Observes the health of the grapes.
He tries to pick during the waning moon. 100 days landed around August 24th. He waited to start picking until the 4th. Many started picking on the 25th or 26th, Saturday and Sunday. He chose to start on the 4th to ripen the grapes further and to pick with the waning moon. Further, he chose to start picking on a Tuesday to prepare the team, the cuverie, etc. on Monday. He doesn't like to start on the weekend as each year there is a learning curve. It is better to start slow and steady. The order of picking is generally the order of quality of the parcels. Thus he starts with the white, then the bourgogne red, the village, etc. Richebourg was picked on the last day, September 10. It was perfect. It hung to achieve 13.4% potential alcohol and a pH of 3.3. There is a general order of picking as I noted but if clouds were on the horizon, the order would shift with the Grand Crus coming in first. Regarding the picking date, he doesn't want to hear what his neighbors are doing. His decision is made by him and him alone. (This reminds me of wine tasting. I can't truly evaluate a wine if I hear what others are thinking about it first.) The last day of picking quality wines was September 10. There was a new moon on the 11th. He finished with some Gamay he sells in bulk.
Regarding 2007, this is a vintage of the vigneron. In 2005, everyone in Vosne made great wine. In 2007 if you farmed right, picked right, there is no reason why you couldn't have had long hang time, physiological and phenolic ripeness. In fact, without the overripeness found in some of the very hot years, the wines can truly represent their terroir with no lack of density. After exhausting him with questions, we tasted through the 2007's and the 2006's gc's. The Richebourg and Clos Vougeot are so different. The Richebourg is truly aristocratic while the Vougeot shows its GC power and Vougeot spicy chartacter. It's hard not to like the wine. The Suchot is a stand out as well, wow.
We finished off with a lunch in Chambolle and ran into Bernard Gros there. We had the 02 Echezeaux. Etienne asked me what I thought. I answered, that I thought the food was great. He was referring to the wine!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Day Break Café Menu 19th October 2007
Full French Dinner
Homemade Raviolo with Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon and Herbs
________________
Baked Artic Char with Coconut Milk Sauce And Caviar $38.00
Filet of Beef Wellington with truffle Sauce $44.00
Duck Legs Confit on a Bed of French Lentill from “Le Puy” $39.00
_______________
Salad of the Season, and Cheese
____________________
Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Individual Pecan Pie
Assorted Fruit Plate
Dana’s Chocolate Brownies with French Vanilla Ice Cream
By Reservation Only 6:00PM and 7:30PM
650.343.0907
DAY BREAK GOURMET CAFÉ/RESTAURANT & CATERING
136 N. San Mateo Drive
San Mateo, CA 94401
Homemade Raviolo with Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon and Herbs
________________
Baked Artic Char with Coconut Milk Sauce And Caviar $38.00
Filet of Beef Wellington with truffle Sauce $44.00
Duck Legs Confit on a Bed of French Lentill from “Le Puy” $39.00
_______________
Salad of the Season, and Cheese
____________________
Pumpkin Creme Brulee
Individual Pecan Pie
Assorted Fruit Plate
Dana’s Chocolate Brownies with French Vanilla Ice Cream
By Reservation Only 6:00PM and 7:30PM
650.343.0907
DAY BREAK GOURMET CAFÉ/RESTAURANT & CATERING
136 N. San Mateo Drive
San Mateo, CA 94401
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Day Break Café Menu 12th October 2007
Full French Dinner
Spicy Avocado Soup with Fried Tortillas
________________
Fillet of Sole Veronique, Gewurztraminer wine Sauce and Pelled Fresh Grapes $39.00
Lean New York Steak, Black Pepper and Cognac Cream Sauce $42.00
Chicken Breast Roulade, Port Wine and Mushroom Sauce $36.00
________________
Salad of the Season, and Cheese
____________________
Banana Flambee Creme Brulee
Dana’s Famous Carrot Cake with Creme Chantilly
Assorted Fruit Plate
Spicy Purple Ginger and Dried Apple Ice Cream
Reservation Only 6:00PM and 7:30PMDAY
650.343.0907
BREAK GOURMET CAFÉ/RESTAURANT & CATERING
136 N. San Mateo Drive, San Mateo, CA 94401
Spicy Avocado Soup with Fried Tortillas
________________
Fillet of Sole Veronique, Gewurztraminer wine Sauce and Pelled Fresh Grapes $39.00
Lean New York Steak, Black Pepper and Cognac Cream Sauce $42.00
Chicken Breast Roulade, Port Wine and Mushroom Sauce $36.00
________________
Salad of the Season, and Cheese
____________________
Banana Flambee Creme Brulee
Dana’s Famous Carrot Cake with Creme Chantilly
Assorted Fruit Plate
Spicy Purple Ginger and Dried Apple Ice Cream
Reservation Only 6:00PM and 7:30PMDAY
650.343.0907
BREAK GOURMET CAFÉ/RESTAURANT & CATERING
136 N. San Mateo Drive, San Mateo, CA 94401
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Day Break Café Menu 5th October 2007
Full French Dinner
Baby Octopus on a bed of Linguine and Seaweed
________________
Grilled Veal Chop with Hedgehog Mushrooms $42.00
Crispy Skin Striped Bass with a Saffron Risotto served with a Tomato Coulis $38.00
Grilled Lamb Loin & Chop, Honeydew Melon and Mint Chutney $41.00
_______________
Salad of the Season, and Cheese
____________________
Strawberry Creme Brulee
Seasonal Berries in a Orange Liquor Sabayon
Assorted Fruit Plate
Chocolate Mousse Tresor Chest
Reservation Only 6:00PM and 7:30PM
DAY BREAK GOURMET CAFÉ/RESTAURANT & CATERING
136 N. San Mateo Drive, San Mateo, 94401,
650 343 0907
Baby Octopus on a bed of Linguine and Seaweed
________________
Grilled Veal Chop with Hedgehog Mushrooms $42.00
Crispy Skin Striped Bass with a Saffron Risotto served with a Tomato Coulis $38.00
Grilled Lamb Loin & Chop, Honeydew Melon and Mint Chutney $41.00
_______________
Salad of the Season, and Cheese
____________________
Strawberry Creme Brulee
Seasonal Berries in a Orange Liquor Sabayon
Assorted Fruit Plate
Chocolate Mousse Tresor Chest
Reservation Only 6:00PM and 7:30PM
DAY BREAK GOURMET CAFÉ/RESTAURANT & CATERING
136 N. San Mateo Drive, San Mateo, 94401,
650 343 0907
Friday, September 28, 2007
BNO White Burgundy-Chardonnay: The Sizzle of the Lambs!
An invitation to Gary’s and Dolores' house means a lamb feast. Never mind that our recent GBNO (girls’ and boys’ night out) theme is White Burgundy-Chardonnay. At Gary’s, lamb is always on the menu. And to no one’s surprise his grilled rack of lamb was simply divine with the Chardonnays.
No gathering should be without a good cheese plate. Yumm...
We got down to business well before the lamb was served. A pair of Littorai Chardonnays appeared. Ted Lemon started Littoria over ten years ago after years of study and training in Burgundy. He was the first American winemaker for a Burgundy estate, Domaine Roulot in Meursault, right in the heart of Chardonnay country. Upon his return to California he established Littorai, which focused on wines grown in the coastal vineyards of Sonoma and Mendocino. The 2004 Sonoma Coast “Charles Heintz Vineyard”, Littorai was luscious, opulent, and very ripe tasting. A mouthful of honeyed grapefruit sorbet. Its older cousin, the 1999 Sonoma Coast “Thieriot Vineyard”, Littorai was even fatter, richer, and probably just as ripe, yet more exotic, with flavors of poached pear and soft pineapples. A good time to be opening this before the wine starts to become mushy.
As the final glimmer of daylight faded in the sky, the vibe got more animated. Gary fired up the outdoor grill for the sacrificial lamb. In the kitchen, Kevin and Steve pulled out corks of some venerable white Burgundies. The 1978 Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Folatières, Joseph Drouhin, from a great vintage for white Burgundy, showed no signs of fatigue after nearly three decades—a convincing show of Chardonnay longevity. Smokey, toasty aromas and the exotic Folatières tropical fruit flavors emerged from the glass. This had a lovely, penetrating intensity. After several minutes it gained more substance without losing elegance. An incredibly powerful wine, this seems to draw from deep reserves. My white Burgundy of the night.
The 1989 Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Le Clavoillon, Domaine Leflaive was reticent at the outset. My favorite vintage for Leflaive is 1989. Over fifteen years ago, when there was lesser demand for white Burgundy I’d try to buy any 1989 Leflaive I find languishing on a shelf as prices were still within reach then. I could even afford a bottle or two of Chevalier and Batard when there’s a sale at Beltramo’s (one of the few stores in the Bay Area to stock an extensive selection of white Burgundies during that time). Now, of course, Leflaive is very big bucks. I was happy to be drinking an old friend. This one seemed rustic. But after about an hour it offered juicy apple flavors up front, with layers of dried fruit, earthy mushrooms, and mineral in the background. One can spend a night plumbing the depths of this wine.
We closed the Burgundy hat trick by drinking an unbelievably durable 1971 Meursault Premier Cru Poruzots, Remoissenet Pere & Fils. This tastes like a crunchy Asian pear, still fresh, fat, and juicy. Though lacking in firmness, its wonderful layer of spice gives it a nice grip, especially as it finished. I couldn’t ask for more for a Chardonnay approaching its fourth decade.
Up next was a pair of two great California Chardonnays. The 2001 Napa Chardonnay, Stony Hill Vineyard. Stony Hill has a proven track record for Chardonnays that age for decades, miraculous by California standards. This one is simply too young, but what great potential! Very tight, yet the nose gives away delicious scents of fresh fruit and minerals. Richly concentrated, crisp, and very elegant. It would be a treat to follow this Chardonnay’s evolution.
The Chardonnay of the night was undoubtedly the 1975 Sonoma Chardonnay, Hanzell Vineyards. Chardonnay vines at Hanzell originated with cuttings taken from Stony Hill vines; therefore it’s not surprising that these wines age for decades as well. This pre-1990 Chardonnay was so stunning, especially given the age, prompting Kevin (he-who-doesn’t-own-California-wines-post-1980s) to hail it: “best California Chardonnay I’ve ever had”. I feel the same way. The bouquet was powerful and complex with autumnal scents of earth, leaves, undergrowth, and smoke. Round, intense, and minerally in the mouth, the flavors were youthful and bright without a trace of oxidation. For such a powerful, long-lasting California wine the label showed 13.8% Alcohol. And this is not a low-acid wine; in fact the acid level is quite high that’s why it tasted so crisp and vibrant.
Nearly everything about Stony Hill and Hanzell Chardonnays seem to fly against the trend in California Chardonnays for the past few decades. Moderate alcohol. Dry. Natural acid balance. Modest ripeness. Elegant. Sadly, these qualities are found in a minority of top California Chardonnays. Have California winemaking and consumers’ wine palates progressed much after California wine’s boom and hype of the 1990s? One thing’s for sure though, prices have outpaced everything else.
Al fresco dining on a clear summer night, what could be better?
Well, bless the souls of Matt, Gary, and Eric for allowing a few red interlopers to crash the party. The 1985 Barbaresco, Produttori del Barbaresco was soft, elegant, and kissed with earth and cherries. I saved a few bites of my lamb for that beauty. This was soon followed by the 1995 Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru “Les Vaucrains, Bertrand Ambroise. Ambroise makes beefy red Burgundies, and this one was still very tight though Gary’s lamb, which by now was nowhere to be found on the food table, made it seem luscious.
Once you start opening up these reds one thing leads to another. Excited about our next BNO theme, three high-profile California Cabernet Sauvignons were dispatched. The 1998 Napa “Maya”, Dalla Valle was classy, showing a nice harmony of sweet cassis, herbal, and earthy flavors. Rounded, fleshy, and well-structured, with very good acid balance and sweet tannins, I would expect this to age well over the next ten years. If you like elegant, understated Napa reds this Maya is beautiful.
What a contrast to the 1999 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon “Hillside Select”, Shafer Vineyards, which was opulent, concentrated, and tannic. A big wine with powerful, upfront fruit that is very showy.
After a decade the 1997 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Etude Vineyards was tender, juicy, with a good core fruit, but is now too soft and lacks grip . Drink up.
Finally, the Sauternes was uncorked. Medium-bodied, soft, and filled with flavors of poached pear, caramel, and minerals, the 1983 Sauternes Premier Cru Classé, Château Sigalas-Rabaud was alluring, yet losing freshness after some time in the glass.
We survived another memorable bacchanalian night. What a perfect evening to enjoy these great wines! I went home with a few lessons learned. California wine producers can make Chardonnays as long-lived as White Burgundies if they would strive for quality, instead of being led by consumers and wine critics. After all, the great producers of White Burgundies have been making their wines well before there was a wine critic or a mass market for their wines. Imagine how deprived the world would be had Van Gogh only painted pretty pictures that the public wanted during his time.
That Chardonnay or White Burgundy pairs brilliantly with lamb provided Gary prepared the lamb. That the thought of drinking all white wines in a gathering sends fear to some people—red wines need to be opened if only to cure the shakes.
Only try this with an El Rey del Mundo, Habanos of course
A toast to another memorable get-together
No gathering should be without a good cheese plate. Yumm...
We got down to business well before the lamb was served. A pair of Littorai Chardonnays appeared. Ted Lemon started Littoria over ten years ago after years of study and training in Burgundy. He was the first American winemaker for a Burgundy estate, Domaine Roulot in Meursault, right in the heart of Chardonnay country. Upon his return to California he established Littorai, which focused on wines grown in the coastal vineyards of Sonoma and Mendocino. The 2004 Sonoma Coast “Charles Heintz Vineyard”, Littorai was luscious, opulent, and very ripe tasting. A mouthful of honeyed grapefruit sorbet. Its older cousin, the 1999 Sonoma Coast “Thieriot Vineyard”, Littorai was even fatter, richer, and probably just as ripe, yet more exotic, with flavors of poached pear and soft pineapples. A good time to be opening this before the wine starts to become mushy.
As the final glimmer of daylight faded in the sky, the vibe got more animated. Gary fired up the outdoor grill for the sacrificial lamb. In the kitchen, Kevin and Steve pulled out corks of some venerable white Burgundies. The 1978 Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Les Folatières, Joseph Drouhin, from a great vintage for white Burgundy, showed no signs of fatigue after nearly three decades—a convincing show of Chardonnay longevity. Smokey, toasty aromas and the exotic Folatières tropical fruit flavors emerged from the glass. This had a lovely, penetrating intensity. After several minutes it gained more substance without losing elegance. An incredibly powerful wine, this seems to draw from deep reserves. My white Burgundy of the night.
The 1989 Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru Le Clavoillon, Domaine Leflaive was reticent at the outset. My favorite vintage for Leflaive is 1989. Over fifteen years ago, when there was lesser demand for white Burgundy I’d try to buy any 1989 Leflaive I find languishing on a shelf as prices were still within reach then. I could even afford a bottle or two of Chevalier and Batard when there’s a sale at Beltramo’s (one of the few stores in the Bay Area to stock an extensive selection of white Burgundies during that time). Now, of course, Leflaive is very big bucks. I was happy to be drinking an old friend. This one seemed rustic. But after about an hour it offered juicy apple flavors up front, with layers of dried fruit, earthy mushrooms, and mineral in the background. One can spend a night plumbing the depths of this wine.
We closed the Burgundy hat trick by drinking an unbelievably durable 1971 Meursault Premier Cru Poruzots, Remoissenet Pere & Fils. This tastes like a crunchy Asian pear, still fresh, fat, and juicy. Though lacking in firmness, its wonderful layer of spice gives it a nice grip, especially as it finished. I couldn’t ask for more for a Chardonnay approaching its fourth decade.
Up next was a pair of two great California Chardonnays. The 2001 Napa Chardonnay, Stony Hill Vineyard. Stony Hill has a proven track record for Chardonnays that age for decades, miraculous by California standards. This one is simply too young, but what great potential! Very tight, yet the nose gives away delicious scents of fresh fruit and minerals. Richly concentrated, crisp, and very elegant. It would be a treat to follow this Chardonnay’s evolution.
The Chardonnay of the night was undoubtedly the 1975 Sonoma Chardonnay, Hanzell Vineyards. Chardonnay vines at Hanzell originated with cuttings taken from Stony Hill vines; therefore it’s not surprising that these wines age for decades as well. This pre-1990 Chardonnay was so stunning, especially given the age, prompting Kevin (he-who-doesn’t-own-California-wines-post-1980s) to hail it: “best California Chardonnay I’ve ever had”. I feel the same way. The bouquet was powerful and complex with autumnal scents of earth, leaves, undergrowth, and smoke. Round, intense, and minerally in the mouth, the flavors were youthful and bright without a trace of oxidation. For such a powerful, long-lasting California wine the label showed 13.8% Alcohol. And this is not a low-acid wine; in fact the acid level is quite high that’s why it tasted so crisp and vibrant.
Nearly everything about Stony Hill and Hanzell Chardonnays seem to fly against the trend in California Chardonnays for the past few decades. Moderate alcohol. Dry. Natural acid balance. Modest ripeness. Elegant. Sadly, these qualities are found in a minority of top California Chardonnays. Have California winemaking and consumers’ wine palates progressed much after California wine’s boom and hype of the 1990s? One thing’s for sure though, prices have outpaced everything else.
Al fresco dining on a clear summer night, what could be better?
Well, bless the souls of Matt, Gary, and Eric for allowing a few red interlopers to crash the party. The 1985 Barbaresco, Produttori del Barbaresco was soft, elegant, and kissed with earth and cherries. I saved a few bites of my lamb for that beauty. This was soon followed by the 1995 Nuits-Saint-Georges Premier Cru “Les Vaucrains, Bertrand Ambroise. Ambroise makes beefy red Burgundies, and this one was still very tight though Gary’s lamb, which by now was nowhere to be found on the food table, made it seem luscious.
Once you start opening up these reds one thing leads to another. Excited about our next BNO theme, three high-profile California Cabernet Sauvignons were dispatched. The 1998 Napa “Maya”, Dalla Valle was classy, showing a nice harmony of sweet cassis, herbal, and earthy flavors. Rounded, fleshy, and well-structured, with very good acid balance and sweet tannins, I would expect this to age well over the next ten years. If you like elegant, understated Napa reds this Maya is beautiful.
What a contrast to the 1999 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon “Hillside Select”, Shafer Vineyards, which was opulent, concentrated, and tannic. A big wine with powerful, upfront fruit that is very showy.
After a decade the 1997 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Etude Vineyards was tender, juicy, with a good core fruit, but is now too soft and lacks grip . Drink up.
Finally, the Sauternes was uncorked. Medium-bodied, soft, and filled with flavors of poached pear, caramel, and minerals, the 1983 Sauternes Premier Cru Classé, Château Sigalas-Rabaud was alluring, yet losing freshness after some time in the glass.
We survived another memorable bacchanalian night. What a perfect evening to enjoy these great wines! I went home with a few lessons learned. California wine producers can make Chardonnays as long-lived as White Burgundies if they would strive for quality, instead of being led by consumers and wine critics. After all, the great producers of White Burgundies have been making their wines well before there was a wine critic or a mass market for their wines. Imagine how deprived the world would be had Van Gogh only painted pretty pictures that the public wanted during his time.
That Chardonnay or White Burgundy pairs brilliantly with lamb provided Gary prepared the lamb. That the thought of drinking all white wines in a gathering sends fear to some people—red wines need to be opened if only to cure the shakes.
Only try this with an El Rey del Mundo, Habanos of course
A toast to another memorable get-together
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