To celebrate my birthday, my wife and I decided to head to our favorite dinner spot in Austin, where 24 year old chef Justin Raiford (or just "Raif") is in charge. The food was, as always, incredible.
The wine theme of the night was inspired by negative notes I saw recently on a number of young wines, and I wanted to know if they were on the money for my taste buds. I picked three wines that either had been sharply criticized recently, or where the wine maker had been consistently criticized in the past.
With lump crab cakes and seared foie gras on brioche and fruit coulis.
- N.V. Pierre Peters Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Cuvée de Réserve - France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
Lot 200701. I believe this is the lot that was pointed out as being horrible by Champagne expert Brad Baker in one of his ebob posts. Interestingly enough, I find nothing offensive about this Champagne at all. I liked it as a matter of fact. It's definitely pretty tight and needs some air before it begins to drink well, but the aromas are pleasant and true to its Mesnil origins. The wine has good balance and nice fruit (that I would almost call sweet when consumed with food), but the one component that is clearly lacking is the finish...really relatively short and almost clipped. At $30 this is a buy, but not for much more than that as there seem to be so many more tasty Champagnes out there for as much or less.
With Cassoulet (in my case) and a dish of seared fish, lobster, and foie gras topped with a winter truffle sauce (for my wife).
- 2004 Dominique Laurent Clos Vougeot Vieilles Vignes - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
This producer's Grand Crus, it seems, have been criticized in the past due to excessive use of oak. I was very curious about whether I would find oak and the famous 2004 vintage green-ness characteristics, but found neither, and I was instead rewarded with a very solid Burgundy. Dark color for a burg, and definitely some wood on the nose, but neither much, nor obtrusive, on the contary, I find that the wood doesn't really appear as oak, but as mossy tree bark. This shows nice blackberry and cherry with earth, mushroom and a hint of spice. As one would expect, this is a big burg with brawny tannins that will need some time to flesh out. Finishes long and dry, but by no means "drying out". I think this is a terrific value in Grand Cru Burg at $60 and I think it will be a long-lived wine, as well.
With a cheese plate of humboldt fog, parmigiano reggiano, and gorgonzola with olives, fruit chutney and crackers (which Raif selected).
- 2004 Château Calon-Ségur - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Based on the notes from a fellow CellarTracker user, I was concerned about how this may perform, but the wine performed beautifully after a 3 hour decant. Super-dark garnet red color that reminds a little of beef blood. Nose is still pretty primary but shows cigar box, licorice, and creme de cassis with an interesting saltiness and raw meat component. Oak is sticking out just a tad right now on the nose, but not in a fashion that makes me think it won't integrate with time. On the palate, the Calon is velvety and shows dark chocolate, black currant, blackberry, and tobacco leaf. Finishes strong and long and with mouth-puckering tannins. Clearly, this does not possess the richness of 2003 or 2005, but this is a wine that I believe will be brilliant in 10 years, and one, that will reward patience. Count me a fan of this wine, and I think the perfect food match for this wine right now is a thick, juicy, sea salt crusted New York Strip Steak with a rich sauce bordelaise.
Posted from CellarTracker
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