Mardi Gras Wines
Domaine François Cotat
La Grande Côte Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Nez riche avec une forte impression sucrée que l’on retrouve en bouche aussi, gras, rond avec un peu d’acidité, finale avec de l’alcool et comme un sucre résiduel, 89. Clairement identifié comme Cotat.
Blind tasting lunch 2009 theme. Nose with strong sugar and sweetness impression that we find on the round and fairly fat palate, a little bit of acidity to balnce it but a finish with some alcool and residual sugar, clearly identified as F. Cotat. 88-89 — 3 years ago
Domaine Saint-Damien
Gigondas Red Rhone Blend 2018
2018 - hung out with foie gras dish and squab dish at Jean Georges. Berries. Herbs. A chill red for me. Mostly Grenache grapes which I apparently like. — 3 years ago
Domaine Huet
Le Haut-Lieu Moelleux Vouvray Chenin Blanc 1985
What an amazing grape is Chenin Blanc. We had a delicious dry version from WA earlier in the week and now this gorgeous 39 year old Vouvray from the Loire Valley in half bottle. Not really sweet enough to be called a dessert style - spatlese at best. Mid to pale gold. Toasty notes with pear and mouldy apple. On the palate incredibly fresh and vibrant for its age. Notes of pineapple and a little acid to keep it going in the cellar if desired but hard to beat right now. A great accompaniment to foie gras. One of the 1001 Wines. A wonderful experience. — 5 months ago
Rémy Nodin
Vieilles Vignes Le Suchat Saint-Péray Marsanne 2020
Always a great drop and 2020 is a banger. Nose has big time gras, green and orange melon, some papaya and mango as well. So harmonious and integrated. Huge granitic minerality. Palate is rich and ripe and super precise with insane freshness from the minerals. Really coats the palate with this delicate richness and awesome vanilla extract. Really deep and unctuous but so fresh and balanced. Love that palate coating finish with the vanilla extract. Gorgeous now but air will be this wine’s friend. Now with air the nose has plantain, vanilla essence and so much more. So complex. What a silken texture and the fruit is so precise.
On day 2 this levels up! Gras, vanilla extract, guava and so so refined on the nose. Wow, so complex and juicy. Perfect balance. Explosive. So fresh and minerally. What energy! 9.4 to 9.5.
— 2 years ago
Château Guiraud
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2005
Second Sauternes pairing with my homemade Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Didn’t use the additional crushed pineapple this time. Both preparations are very good. I think I prefer it w/ less pineapple.
In 2014 I attended the Bordeaux En Premiere. One of the six days, we toured 8 Chateau’s tasting multiple vintages at each in Sauternes & Barsac. Then, went back to Chateau Guiraud for dinner. Before the dinner, Bill Blatch then arranged for a Sauternes tasting after tasting at 8 Chateau’s in Saternes & Barsac. We tasted 50 Sauternes in basically in 60 minutes. After that, my hand was like Winne the Poo in the honey jar from dumping. After, my wish wasn’t necessarily for the forthcoming dinner, but rather wished to go to a Dentist for a teeth cleaning I had so much RS in my mouth. None the less, dinner was fantastic and started with warm Foie Gras & gravy. Perfect as is w/ the Pineapple Upside Down Cake tonight.
This 05 is everything that you taste in the Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Perfect paring. Newly a quarter century and no fading in its evolution.
Dry; stone fruits, pineapple, orange citrus, pineapple. Marmalade, caramel, saline, limestone, honeycomb, beeswax, coconut, vanilla, saline, round acidity with yellow florals, toasted nuts with round acidity for days. Elegance, balance, structure and round, rich polish that goes in and on. Coravined from 375ml.
Bill Batch (who worked for Cristy’s & owned his own negotiate company) has somewhere around 5,000 bottles of Sauternes. He does a Sauternes & Sausage party bi-annually. Good luck getting a well sought after invitation. There are more people in Bordeaux who want to attend then there are available invitations. — 8 months ago
Domaine du Tunnel (Stéphane Robert)
St. Péray Roussanne 2019
Great. More later.
On day 2 the nose is rich and full of gras, exotic fruits and intense minerality. Little bit of new wood peeking through as well. Palate is juicy, round and so clear. Brilliant clarity on this. Lovely finish and stunning purity here. 9.4 to 9.5. — 3 years ago
Lee Pitofsky
Love this vintage for Yquem, one of my favorites in this time period along with 88, 90 and 01. Halfsie tonight to pair with the foie gras and then dessert! Nectar of the gods 😚 — 2 months ago