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Tet! TetTetTetTetTetTetTetTet Tet!
2009 marks the (7th?) year a group of us have gathered at Trung and Martha Nguyens house to celebrate the Vietnamese New Year with fine wine and food. There are no corners cut at Tet, and the wines are usually top notch. In attendance were:
Trung and Martha (Gracious Hosts)
Mike, Carla and Danielle Lawton
Rey and Juliette Fortney
Amy and Myself
David Seidner
PMAC
We started the night with the 1996 and 1998 Dom Perignon. I havent had these wines next to each other before, but I did have my suspicions confirmed. The 1996 Dom Perignon is superior in every way to the 1998. The 96 was simultaneously weightier and yet more elegant than the 98. The Big House Champagne style is so repeated and emulated as to seem at times clich, and yet when tasting the 1996 (or 1982) Dom, there is nothing finer.
Following the Dom was a 1998 Perrier-Jouet Fleur de Champagne which was zippy and crisp, but seemed shut down to secondary characteristics.
We momentarily broke from the Champagne to dip into some Foie Gras smuggled back from Quebec. We paired it with 1997 Spielmann Gewurztraminer SGN Kanzlerberg that had decent acidity for an SGN and made my taste buds happy with the voluptuous layers of sweetness. Mike also introduced me to the practice of sprinkling salt over Foie Gras to bring out the flavor. The addition of Himalayan salt to Foie Gras makes me feel like I have wasted years of my life.
PMAC, David and David's beard, Larry.
Going back to Champagne, we tasted a very young 1998 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elizabeth Rose. Its not the 1996 or 1997, but there is so much promise in every bottle of Cuvee Elizabeth that I have tasted. I cannot wait to retaste one of these in ten years.
We broke into the clandestine champagne society with a bottle of Selosse NV Rose: Watching the face of us taste this wine was worth the price alone. It was like a Kabuki show. Face contortions and jerking movements followed each sip. I think the general consensus was enjoyment, although there is no sense in tasting this wine with a mindset of Champagne. This is a Cru Beaujolais made into a sparkling wine ala Sparkling Shiraz. Tannic, long, bizarre, captivating, uncouth these are just a few of the words that could be used.
Trung pours the Arbor Mist.
We had one still dry white wine this year, which means that next year we will have 37. It was a tight bottle of 1996 Trimbach CFE. This wine needs time to figure itself out as a mature wine.
Oh, wait, we had two still dry whites. In my mind 2002 Gravner Ribolla Gialla is somewhere on the red scale. This was Mike Lawtons poor dejected prize. I had two pours, but the bottle was still full twenty minutes later. The problem with Gravner in a setting like this is that, for all the hipster press, its still not a household name for non-geeks. Also, it is a wine that needs to be drank, not tasted. Tasting it is like a drive-by shooting, but drinking it causes Stockholm Syndrome. As expected, the palate was foreign. If you havent tasted Gravner, imagine an old little Pygmy native feeding you a giant slug that actually tasted pretty good, once you got over the goo.
1969 G. Conterno barolo: Ive had 1969 Conterno Barolo before, but never 1969 Conterno barolo. I dont know if there is a difference in batch with the two different labels, but this little b Barolo was pretty dirty. I actually contracted Impetigo from drinking it. The big B bottle that I had some years ago was much better.
1990 Drouhin Chambertin: Good God, yes! Near perfect Burgundy in my mind. Say what you will about 1990 being too ripe for Burgundy but the terroir of Chambertin has never been as uninterrupted as in this wine. Regal with fine tannin and acid structure. Wow.
Shaking Ox!
Fidgeting Eggs!
Next was, for me, the most anticipated part of the evening: 1985 Jamet and 1985 Jasmin Cote-Rotie. I tasted 1985 Jasmin at my first New York Jeebus at Caf Loop in 2001. I still have the empty bottle. After hearing on the news about the suffering New York businesses, I decided to max out my CC at shops like Garnet and Astor. I was 22 years old, and the ash was on the ground from 9-11. It took me hours to get into the city past the National Guard, but it was a memorable trip and a memorable wine. I have often wanted to taste it again. In truth, time has begun to thin out the Jasmin. It is still graceful and well-nuanced, but the 1985 Jamet was the complete package. Dried prunes - good ones - olives, smoke and plump tannin elevated the Jamet to mythic status. I think that Jasmin might have gained a little weight after opening, but it was good enough that the bottle didnt last long enough to find out.
1996 G. Rinaldi Barolo La Coste: A bit overlooked due to youth, but this continues to be a fantastically promising Barolo from one of my favorite producers in the world.
1998 Clape Cornas: Leathery tannin, spiky acidity, bloody meat the overall impression was better than the sum of its parts. Very nice.
Everyone plays Paparazzi at Tet.
1961 Huet Clos Du Bourg 1er Trie: 1961 Huet! I feel like a New Yorker! Only I have a car! And Im less feh-feh-feh! It is hard to write a note about this wine. Touch of honey, cut hay, and the like are far too mundane descriptions. If this wine tasted of a touch of honey, it was a touch of honey on the nipple of a Dryad. I loved this wine and so did everyone else. Sadly, this was the only bottle that I could beg from Barry at the RWC from a recent cellar release.
1995 Shafer HSS: Loads of plantains like bushels of plantains. Deep fried anise bulbs marinated in Moxie Cola. Horse blood and tapioca pudding put through a gravy sifter. Deus ex machina. (My notes become confused after this) A great QPR.
Martha's Spring Rolls on Right. Mike's Sprung Rolls on Left.
1926 Barbieto Verdelho: Old Madeira on a night like this its like being able to lay down the final piece to a jigsaw puzzle. Bracing acidity, toffee, salty pecans, dates I wish that I could afford the stuff. I just cant see myself being satisfied with having a glass every so often. Like chasing manifest destiny, I would need to drink the entire bottle in one evening.
1998 Weinbach Tokay Pinot Gris Altenbourg SGN: Cloying, yet structured. Quince, cane sugar, lovely.
1977 Warres Port: As with almost all my notes when it comes to the Port part of the evening, I have written the Port down, and a blank page follows.
Thanks, as always, to Trung and Martha and to my fellow guests for another great evening of food, wine and friendship.
Best,
Joe
Trung and Martha (Gracious Hosts)
Mike, Carla and Danielle Lawton
Rey and Juliette Fortney
Amy and Myself
David Seidner
PMAC
We started the night with the 1996 and 1998 Dom Perignon. I havent had these wines next to each other before, but I did have my suspicions confirmed. The 1996 Dom Perignon is superior in every way to the 1998. The 96 was simultaneously weightier and yet more elegant than the 98. The Big House Champagne style is so repeated and emulated as to seem at times clich, and yet when tasting the 1996 (or 1982) Dom, there is nothing finer.
Following the Dom was a 1998 Perrier-Jouet Fleur de Champagne which was zippy and crisp, but seemed shut down to secondary characteristics.
We momentarily broke from the Champagne to dip into some Foie Gras smuggled back from Quebec. We paired it with 1997 Spielmann Gewurztraminer SGN Kanzlerberg that had decent acidity for an SGN and made my taste buds happy with the voluptuous layers of sweetness. Mike also introduced me to the practice of sprinkling salt over Foie Gras to bring out the flavor. The addition of Himalayan salt to Foie Gras makes me feel like I have wasted years of my life.
Going back to Champagne, we tasted a very young 1998 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Elizabeth Rose. Its not the 1996 or 1997, but there is so much promise in every bottle of Cuvee Elizabeth that I have tasted. I cannot wait to retaste one of these in ten years.
We broke into the clandestine champagne society with a bottle of Selosse NV Rose: Watching the face of us taste this wine was worth the price alone. It was like a Kabuki show. Face contortions and jerking movements followed each sip. I think the general consensus was enjoyment, although there is no sense in tasting this wine with a mindset of Champagne. This is a Cru Beaujolais made into a sparkling wine ala Sparkling Shiraz. Tannic, long, bizarre, captivating, uncouth these are just a few of the words that could be used.
We had one still dry white wine this year, which means that next year we will have 37. It was a tight bottle of 1996 Trimbach CFE. This wine needs time to figure itself out as a mature wine.
Oh, wait, we had two still dry whites. In my mind 2002 Gravner Ribolla Gialla is somewhere on the red scale. This was Mike Lawtons poor dejected prize. I had two pours, but the bottle was still full twenty minutes later. The problem with Gravner in a setting like this is that, for all the hipster press, its still not a household name for non-geeks. Also, it is a wine that needs to be drank, not tasted. Tasting it is like a drive-by shooting, but drinking it causes Stockholm Syndrome. As expected, the palate was foreign. If you havent tasted Gravner, imagine an old little Pygmy native feeding you a giant slug that actually tasted pretty good, once you got over the goo.
1969 G. Conterno barolo: Ive had 1969 Conterno Barolo before, but never 1969 Conterno barolo. I dont know if there is a difference in batch with the two different labels, but this little b Barolo was pretty dirty. I actually contracted Impetigo from drinking it. The big B bottle that I had some years ago was much better.
1990 Drouhin Chambertin: Good God, yes! Near perfect Burgundy in my mind. Say what you will about 1990 being too ripe for Burgundy but the terroir of Chambertin has never been as uninterrupted as in this wine. Regal with fine tannin and acid structure. Wow.
Next was, for me, the most anticipated part of the evening: 1985 Jamet and 1985 Jasmin Cote-Rotie. I tasted 1985 Jasmin at my first New York Jeebus at Caf Loop in 2001. I still have the empty bottle. After hearing on the news about the suffering New York businesses, I decided to max out my CC at shops like Garnet and Astor. I was 22 years old, and the ash was on the ground from 9-11. It took me hours to get into the city past the National Guard, but it was a memorable trip and a memorable wine. I have often wanted to taste it again. In truth, time has begun to thin out the Jasmin. It is still graceful and well-nuanced, but the 1985 Jamet was the complete package. Dried prunes - good ones - olives, smoke and plump tannin elevated the Jamet to mythic status. I think that Jasmin might have gained a little weight after opening, but it was good enough that the bottle didnt last long enough to find out.
1996 G. Rinaldi Barolo La Coste: A bit overlooked due to youth, but this continues to be a fantastically promising Barolo from one of my favorite producers in the world.
1998 Clape Cornas: Leathery tannin, spiky acidity, bloody meat the overall impression was better than the sum of its parts. Very nice.
1961 Huet Clos Du Bourg 1er Trie: 1961 Huet! I feel like a New Yorker! Only I have a car! And Im less feh-feh-feh! It is hard to write a note about this wine. Touch of honey, cut hay, and the like are far too mundane descriptions. If this wine tasted of a touch of honey, it was a touch of honey on the nipple of a Dryad. I loved this wine and so did everyone else. Sadly, this was the only bottle that I could beg from Barry at the RWC from a recent cellar release.
1995 Shafer HSS: Loads of plantains like bushels of plantains. Deep fried anise bulbs marinated in Moxie Cola. Horse blood and tapioca pudding put through a gravy sifter. Deus ex machina. (My notes become confused after this) A great QPR.
1926 Barbieto Verdelho: Old Madeira on a night like this its like being able to lay down the final piece to a jigsaw puzzle. Bracing acidity, toffee, salty pecans, dates I wish that I could afford the stuff. I just cant see myself being satisfied with having a glass every so often. Like chasing manifest destiny, I would need to drink the entire bottle in one evening.
1998 Weinbach Tokay Pinot Gris Altenbourg SGN: Cloying, yet structured. Quince, cane sugar, lovely.
1977 Warres Port: As with almost all my notes when it comes to the Port part of the evening, I have written the Port down, and a blank page follows.
Thanks, as always, to Trung and Martha and to my fellow guests for another great evening of food, wine and friendship.
Best,
Joe