Jay Kline

9.5

From back when their fruit from the Le Coste MGA was blended with Brunate. These days, the Le Coste fruit goes in to “Tre Tine” along with Ravera and Cannubi San Lorenzo.

Opened about two hours prior to service and enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2001 Brunate-Le Coste pours a garnet color with a transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of Bing cherry, tar, roses, some varnish, cedar chest, some cool spices and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and quite round. This bottle shows the generosity of the vintage and yet, it seems to want even more time in the cellar. One can certainly drink now through 2061. — 2 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 Monte Bello pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, an intoxicating mix of exotic Eastern spices, some cocoa, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate? The wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and impeccably balanced. To my palate, this bottle has reached the age when Monte Bello starts to really become interesting. What a delight! Drink now with some air, through 2051. — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

9.9

A couple years ago, I encountered my first bottle of Gentaz (1990) and I expected, quite justly, that it could very well be my only opportunity. I savored every moment of that bottle along with my brothers in wine. And now, here I am today, with most of the same homies, staring into the glass of the ‘85 and from the first smell, I was entranced. My eyes rolled back into my skull and I nearly fell back from the table. I dare say, this might be even more magical.

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1985 “Côte Brune” pours a deep, slightly dull garnet/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful notes of desiccated blackberries, prune, dried purple flowers, roasted meat, black olive brine, cumin, mushroom, ground coffee, Herbs de Provence, wet stones and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and sanguine. Out of this world. The kind of soul that James Brown would sing about having. Drink now, with some of your favorite people on earth, through 2045. — 7 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Welp…I didn’t expect to run into the 1999 “La Romanée” again so soon, but the generosity of my brothers in wine is extraordinary so, here we are. For the most part, my previous notes still apply and given that this bottle was part of a special lineup, I find them all the more valid.

This bottle was opened about an hour prior to service. The 1999 “La Romanée” pours a slightly deep ruby with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing and sanguine with black cherry, bruised strawberry, some roasted meat, mushrooms, sous bois and fine spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long. Still phenomenal old school GC Burgundy though, not quite as rustic as the 2001 Louis Remy, Latricières-Chambertain from earlier in the day…but certainly more old school than the 2005 DRC Romanée St. Vivant. Can’t believe I got to experience this again. The old drinking window holds true. Drink now with patience and through 2049+. — 8 days ago

Jay Kline

9.9

In an evening of pleasant surprises, this may have been the biggest of them all. Perhaps it shouldn’t have been, but looking at the lineup of legends, can one blame me? Screaming Eagle is one of those wines you read about but rarely see, let alone get an opportunity to drink. An expensive, cult Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville? Hardly original these days (though it could be argued that Screaming Eagle was the OG for the “category”). But, this was not some anonymous OTT Napa Cab. This was a brilliant, impeccably balanced, varietally correct expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville and perhaps, one of the best I’ve ever had.

The 1997 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing (still) and utterly brilliant with perfectly wisened black currants, brambles, dried leaf, tobacco, Poblano pepper, purple flowers, salmiakki, a lovely mix of cool and warm spices and organic earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, silky and punctuated with pleasant minerals. Looking at the label and seeing 13.8% ABV brings a smile to my face. This wine has remarkable confidence. To say I’m impressed would be a gross understatement. I’m smitten. Drink now with some air and enjoy through 2047+. — 2 days ago

Jay Kline

9.6

At this point, with this group, a Legends dinner simply wouldn’t be appropriate without at least one bottle of Chave Hermitage.

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1994 Hermitage pours a slightly hazy garnet with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with perfumed notes of dried brambles, dried blueberry, dried purple flowers, black olive, mushroom, espresso, leather, stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and slightly sanguine. Delicious with the 5 Spice Cured Duck prepared with marinated Bing cherries, crispy shallot and Olathe corn polenta. It was such a pleasure to taste the ‘94 Chave next to the ‘85 Gentaz. Two Northern Rhône Legends working with their respective terroirs. Where the Gentaz was all about the aromatics of Côte Rôtie, the Chave was brought more of the power from the Hill of Hermitage. Drink now through 2056. — 6 days ago

Jay Kline

9.8

Opened about an hour prior to service. The 2009 Chambertin Clos de Béze pours a brilliant ruby with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, holy shit…this came to party. There’s a mix of ripe and bruised strawberry, Bing cherry, mixed brambles, dried red flowers, sous bois, mushrooms, beautiful warm spices and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Everything is in fantastic balance; generous and yet hitting all the classic notes. It was also my favorite with the foie gras au torchon prepared with grilled Colorado palisade peaches, toasted almonds, aged sherry gastrique, thyme and toasted brioche. Brilliant. Drink now through 2059. — 8 days ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Sperss is arguably Gaja’s most famous wine from Barolo. All of the fruit comes from Serralunga d’Alba, predominately the Marenca MGA with a little bit of Rivette. The 1996 Sperss was somewhat controversial as it became the first vintage (in a string of 17 vintages) that Gaja decided to blend in a small amount of co-fermented Barbera. This move required them to label the wine “Langhe Nebbiolo” instead of Barolo.

Poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service, enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1996 pours a deep garnet color with a translucent core; medium+ viscosity with faint staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing (still!) with notes of Morello cherry, tar, truffle, licorice, dried flowers, gravelly earth and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long. This came across remarkably young. Drink now with patience through 2066. — 2 days ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1998 pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is just entering the transition from developing to vinous, with notes of ripe black plum, Montmorency cherry, purple flowers, cocoa, tobacco, dried herbs, fine baking spices, a touch of leather, some organic earth and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and the texture is almost like velvet. This is a delicious wine that seems to be just getting started. Considering the amount of fruit and structure still present at 28 years old, I expect a very long life yet ahead. Drink now with some air, through 2068. — 5 days ago

Jay Kline

9.6

Opened about an hour prior to service; enjoyed over the course of two days. Fairly consistent throughout but maybe even a touch better on Day 2? The 1976 “Unico” pours a garnet color with a slightly orange rim and a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with intoxicating notes of cassis, black cherry, red plum, dried flowers, coffee (for dayz), tobacco, leather, sandalwood, some organic earth and a mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long with gorgeous texture. This bottle came across remarkably young and supremely elegant. So much so, that I thought it was an inspired decision by one of our brothers-in-wine to include it in this particular lineup. We had a little leftover for the next day and it continued to show well. Brilliant stuff. Drink now through 2046+ — 8 days ago