2007 Wine Dinner Tasting Notes

It appears that the original posting of these notes vanished with the Angel's Share. The following represents tasting notes from the 2007 Wine Dinner held at the Pen & Pencil Club of Philadelphia in October 2007.

NV Heidseick Monopole "Blue Top" Brut
Somewhere, there's a checklist for classic Champagne: toasty aroma, plenty of mousse, crisp, appley flavor, zesty, lemon finish, and a desire to drink another flute immediately. This one checked all those high points. Couldn't have been more well-received by the guests. We served it with Scottish Imperial smoked salmon, dill cream and red onions and its freshness and zestiness cut the rich salmon very well. No, this did not have the breed and richness of Pol Roger, the evanescent lightness of Taittinger, the boldness of Lanson Black Label, the depth of Bollinger ... but it was a very nice middle-of-the-road prototype of a classic. Lasted nicely in the glass, still with crisp mousse 40-45 minutes later. At what we paid ($24) a steal. (And the elegant packaging was a plus ). ****

2004 Zind-Humbrecht Herrenweg de Turckheim Riesling
Now, if the Champagne was a prototypical classic, this was not: not much Riesling tastes like this. Would that more did. Words slightly fail me here because I was so blown away. That ultra-rich aroma, tinged with kerosene, pineapple, perfumed fruit, and hint of vanilla. Pale yellowish color. Massive depth of flavor and structure that hits you right away. Almost Sauternes-like in richness, but racier, and with a mind-blowing fruit finish (esp. apricots) that went on and on and on. Zind's wines are known for depth of flavor and richness. This was all of that. A nervous wine in that the structure had to fight off being swamped by the richness. Not especially sweet for Riesling though as it warmed, the sweetness level amped up. Could age for a decade or more; that might settle the richness down a touch. Good right now. We served it with luscious little crab-and-pimento cakes. This wine would overpower a lot of things; really good crabmeat would be fine. Also some Alsatian cheeses, veal sausages, blue trout would all be good. Not cheap ($32) but worth every penny. ****1/2

2005 David Duband Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits "Louis Auguste"
One word: fresh. From the delightful berry aroma to the entrancing first sip to the grandly sweeping, woody, earthy, Pinot Noir finish, all young and delightful and oh so fresh. Almost as effervescent as a good Beaujolais Cru (a compliment from me). Served lightly chilled - I highly recommend doing so - it was like a wine of young cherries and raspberries, with a fleeting, heady, almost magical Pinot aroma. If 2005 was like this in the Hautes Cotes de Nuits, just imagine what it was like in Gevrey or Chambolle (and given the 2005 prices imagining is what most of us will have to settle for). A pleasant bitterish finish left the palate ready for another bite of creamed portobellos. Excellent value at $25 from a wine shop in Chicago. Can age, but if you can buy village or 1er cru wines and age them and drink this lovely charmer while it's ... fresh. ****

2002 Sociando-Mallet
I have always like this big-shouldered Haut-Medoc (from St. Seurin de Cadbourne, just north of St. Estephe. It shares some of the characteristics of a St. Estephe, notably its firmness and body, but Sociando always drinks better young than do the great St. Estephe wines (or even the less great ones; I had a 2001 St. Estephe, I forget the chateau, in Paris in 2004 that was like drinking a brick wall. A big one). 2002 was one of those in-between vintages in Bordeaux, not a dazzler like 2000 or 2005, not as hot as 2003, but good wines were made, and the Sociando is one of those. All the classic Bordeaux elements: that elusive aroma of earth that says "Bordeaux" before you take a sip - it's what "terroir" is all about - then a jammy, cassis flavor that broadens to tobacco, lead pencil and leather as you swirl in the mouth, then a clean, crisp finish that went on for a while. Layers of flavor that came out in the glass. Not as fruity as, say, a 2003 would have been, and a touch austere for people used to Napa Cabs. Lacked that richness and depth of a top vintage, but also did not cost as much ($32). Perfect with lamb chops. A classic Bordeaux. Could age for 10-15 years, probably best in 2010 or so. My kind of wine. ***1/2

1989 Clos Baudoin (Prince Poniatowski) Vouvray
All of what is good about French wine is in this bottle: the historic plot (a walled vineyard), the family traditions (the Poniatowskis fought with Napoleon), the regional grape (Chenin Blanc in its homeland, the middle Loire Valley), the refusal to pander (some years, the Clos makes wines that are sweet, some years they are dry, depends on the grapes and the weather. You have to know, or ask) and attention to detail and quality. The '84 Clos was one of the best dry whites I have ever had, even after 15 years it had power and lushness. The '90 is all power. The '89 is sweet, but not overly so, pale in color, lovely quince and apricot nose, plenty of acidity to tame the sweetness, and an elegant, sweet/sour finish that went on forever. DO NOT SERVE TOO COLD!!! It will lose its luster and just be a nice quaff. Changes personalities in the glass, becomes pineappley and denser as it warms. We served it with cinnamony bread pudding, but could also go with fruit desserts (but not chocolate or anything overly sweet), foie gras, and even scallops, shrimps or a flatfish. The Prince has sold the Clos and his winery so grab these classics while you can. At $19 the steal of the century. Could age for 40 years. Any I have won't get the chance to last that long. ******

Wines of Hungary: The Report

Many, many people of the huge crowd at the Pen and Pencil Club said this may have been the best tasting ever. I hear that occasionally and say perhaps so, knowing the customers are being effusive, but this time I feel they may be right. This one rocked. Even the two real live Hungarians we had at this one were delighted, and while I knew they’d be there I was still concerned: I am going to talk to them about their wines? Even leaving aside my occasionally dreadful pronunciation of overseas place names and the like, yikes. And I know well of the intense national pride of Hungarians. But they had a terrific time. So all was well on that front.

Why was this one so good? Three reasons (besides the wine, all from native Hungarian grapes, not international varieties, being good):

1) We took extra time and care over the food. Some of it came from the Yorkville Meat Emporium/Hungarian Meat Market in Manhattan’s old Eastern European neighborhood on the far Upper East Side (1560 Second Ave. at 81st St.; http://www.hungarianmeatmarket.com) which I cannot recommend highly enough to those interested in pursuing Hungarian meat and food (try the paprika head cheese). The lovely ladies there will assist you with delight and total efficiency. Between myself, P&P chef Dennis Hagen and P&P manager Dan Kenney, we came up with a menu that, I think, complimented the wine as well as anything we have ever done.

2) The wine service was perfect – we had the temperatures right and the order was perfect.

3) And everybody was in such a good mood; it seemed more than unusually festive.

The wines:

2003 Envinor Pinceset Tokaji Furmint Felszaraz
The first thing to know about the great wine region in the northeast of Hungary – Tokaj – is that the name of the town and area is Tokaj, the wine is Tokaji. The second is that not all wines made there are the rich, honeyed sweet wines that are justly world-renowned – dry white wines are made as well. Now, when one says “dry” in Hungary, one does not mean bone-dry in the way a Macon-Villages or Muscadet is; Hungarian wines, even what they think of the driest, are sweeter than what most Americans would think a dry wine should be. As was this charmer. Made from Furmint, a spicy, flavor-packed grape, florid as a bouquet of garden-fresh flowers on the nose, pale greenish, product of a hot summer, green apples and peaches on first taste, satisfying and mouthfilling (a old friend once said Peach Snapple was the most ‘mouthfilling’ drink he’d ever had, thus that phrase). Loads of fruit mid-palate, maybe heading towards flabbiness if served too warm (we nailed it at 50 degrees or so) but with enough acid to avoid cloyingness. Ethereal, short Vigonier-style finish. Went well with a mildish Cantelet cheese from the Auvergne, France, and then, much later, with my dinner of crab-topped salmon. Not much life left here though, drink up. $11 in NYC; 12 percent alcohol. Now-Christmas 2008. *** (just) (with Cantalet cheese and later with salmon filet topped with crabmeat, rice on the side, at the Pen & Pencil Club, Philadelphia, 4/2008)

2003 Egervin Leanyka
A very light pale wine from Leanyka, a native white grape that translates to “young girl” or “little girl”, from the huge Hungarian producer Egervin, grown in Eger in the northeast of Hungary. Aromatic but not hugely florid – its scents were more of a freshly cut meadow, say, or delicate wildflowers – as dry as Hungarian white gets, zippy, light, pleasant, nicely held together by its acidity, a touch sharp on the finish, Light at 11.5 percent alcohol, almost like a Hungarian Muscadet but spicier and a tad sweeter. Value at $7. At least one bottle was lightly maderised, which turned the wine into a nutty fino sherry clone, and it was not at all bad that way (I’d maderise some intentionally and see if I could market it as a sherry-esque wine; it was tasty). Coped well with a plate of “Hungarian antipasto” – piquillo peppers stuffed with hummus, Hungarian dry paprika sausage, a goulash/sour cream dip, two types of
pickles (one crisp chips and the other gherkins cooked, the latter from Hungary), and bread. Worth looking for. But drink up. Now-2008. **1/2 (at the Pen & Pencil Club, Philadelphia, 4/2008)

2005 Marka Szekszard Nemes Kadarka
Supposedly the “Nemes” (‘noble’) means that this wine was sweet, even botrytized, but I tasted none of that. The label said semi-sweet, but for once with Hungarians, it was drier than that, if, again, not starkly dry. Kadarka is the grape type, native. Szekszard the region, in the south of Hungary. Served lightly chilled. Gorgeous pale reddish color, looking a little like Lindemans’ raspberry lambic beer; spicy, intriguing aroma; luscious fruit at first on the palate, then cherries and raspberries take over, cherries dominate the aroma after a while, tangy and tart, looong finish of black cherry and earth. Similar in some ways to a good Alsatian Pinot Noir but more luscious, or to a Beaujolais Cru (Chiroubles?) but with more structure. In some ways like a light Portuguese red. Might not stand up to lamb or a strip steak or really good roast beef, but superb with chicken, sausages, pork, duck, grilled veggies, Cornish hen, salmon, even flank steak and Latin-style meat stews. 12.5 alcohol, steal at $8. A terrific summerish red!! Now-2011. ***1/2 (with breaded pork cutlet and sauerkraut garnie at the Pen & Pencil Club, Philadelphia, 4/2008)

2001 Kereskedohaz Tokaji Aszu 4 Puttanyos
For 500 years the Aszu has been the most famous wine of Hungary – indeed of Eastern Europe – treasured worldwide for its richness and intensity, and this shows precisely why. Stimulated conversation!! Served well-chilled. Pure honey and richness on the nose, like a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, nutty, alluring. That unmistakable lushness of botrytized grapes everywhere. On the palate, ‘wows’ around the room, fully ripe, honey, vanilla, butterscotch, massive flavor up and down the tongue, and then, instead of the kiss of sweetness a Sauternes gives at the finish, comes that searing, racy finish of great Aszu. 4 Putts is sweet but not overwhelmingly so (think Climens vs. Rieussec). “Luscious and heavenly”, I said. Served all by itself after a sorbet palate cleanser and deserved to stand alone. 12.5 alcohol, $24 (500 ml), not cheap but a solid value in the world of sweet wines. A fabulous, luxurious wine, years of life left. Foie gras would be a truly opulent pairing. Now-2020. **** (at the Pen & Pencil Club, Philadelphia, 4/2008).

A.C., ac, ac: The Report

Overall a successful and delightful tasting. Dave Wolf’s food was terrific and matched the wines well.

2005 Domaine de Petit Paris Monbazillac
Wow, what a way to start! Americans have an irrational aversion to sweet wine, and it’s almost unknown here to serve them as an aperitif. Europeans do so much more often – the French drink ruby port as an aperitif – and often serve cheese with sweet wines. With wines like this, you could see why. A honeyed, liquorous nectar that both satisfied and whetted the appetite. Rich nose of mead, wildflower and caramel, tropical fruit and peach and clover honey on the palate, endless flavor with acidity to support the richness, long, long finish of apricot tossed with vanilla. Improved as it breathed into the kind of nectar you could imagine Odysseus sipping on Ithaca. Heavenly – almost as deep and luscious as a really good Sauternes and better than some lesser Sauternes I have had. This wine also shows why vintages matter – I have had this house’s 2002 vintage and it was racy, dryish, short, not nearly as lush and sweet. 2005 was a glorious year all over France – this wine shows why. At $18, an utter steal, bargain of the year. Don’t serve too cold, but it needs a good chill. Went well with Gorgonzola dolce from Italy, a creamy blue cheese. ****3/4

2006 Domaine de Petit Paris Bergerac Sec
Semillon/Sauvignon blend, never sees oak, meant to be crisp and refreshing and basic and it is all of that. Pineappley, citrusy, nose covered by too much chill, eventually opened up as limey and tart. Good acidity keeps the semillion’s lusciousness in check, a little quince and grapefruit on the palate and zippy, clean if a tad short on the finish. Pleasant without being especially memorable, but, at $11, it’s a solid everyday wine with seafood, lighter cheeses, chicken, salads, even Caesar salad. Would be superb with simple fish dishes and ethnic cuisine as well. Paired well, if not perfectly, with a rich crabcake (sole, say, would have been better). Good bistro wine. **1/2

2006 Domaine de Petit Paris Bergerac Rouge
A clunker. Grassy, stalky, wet-leaves nose, bitter and unripe on first tasting, not much fruit, hot, jammy, short, bitterish, chemical finish. A shock after the first two wines. Mostly Merlot, which makes one wonder if the merlot did not ripen, how green was the Cabernet Sauvignon that went into this? Yikes. Mellowed slightly in the glass but never gained the sweetness and plumpness good Bergerac Rouge can have. Alcoholic, not in good balance. $11. Not worth it. Fortunately the beef daube with pearl onions survived anyway. *

NV Jean Filloux COQ Grande Champagne Cognac
One Cognac fan called this the best one he’d ever had. I wouldn’t go that far but it is surely, easily the best $38 Cognac I have ever had. Filloux uses no artificial colorings or additives common in industrial Cognacs and his grapes are situated in the best part of Cognac. Deep nose, not hot at all, a hint of creaminess on the palate, bracing, nutty, and a lovely, warm but not hot finish that went on and on. Well-balanced. The first Cognac I have had that you could call refreshing. Perhaps not a Cognac to go with a full-bodied cigar but with a lighter stogie (Dunhill, say) it would be fine. Because of its lightness and crispness, an outstanding digestif. Filloux also made the Pineau de Charentes that was a big hit at the rose tastings. He also makes Cognacs of higher grade than this, including some high-end ones that mist be spectacular. This could hardly be bettered; you can spend a lot more and get nothing as tasty as this. ****