Matt Latuchie
Matt Latuchie
DINNER AT IL CORSO - Il Corso - NY, NY (7/19/2011)
Met up for dinner with Zach and Salil. One of the best dinners I've ever attended that featured wines with incredible polish and complexity. An absolute assault on my tastebuds.
Opening Whites
Popped a duo of exciting, complex whites. Had this alongside a nicely made arugala salad with roasted pears.
2008 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett #6 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Nose had exotic and dense tropical fruits with lanolin, petrichor and white flowers. What blows me away with this wine is its density but absolute airyness on the palate. Tasted blind I would have pegged this as a Spatlese without quesiton. Müller continues to impress. (93 pts.)
2009 Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Honivogl - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Another wild 2009 from Austria. As a little kid I used to eat Honey-Nut Cherrios every morning and the nose of this wine reminded me exactly of that. On top of the sweet grains was the ever-present pineapple, and mango. The palate was a kaleidoscope of flavors ranging from airy lanolin notes, to mid-weight white florals and dense pineapple. At times I thought it was a bit brutish, but that has more to do with its age than its composition. Really knocked my socks off this evening - but no question to me that this will uncoil over time. (93 pts.)
Main Course
What a collection of reds! Two burgundies and two rhones paired wonderfully well with braised beef short ribs over mashed potatoes. Great pairing.
2008 Cecile Tremblay Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Rouges du Dessus - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
From 40-year old vines that are merely a stones throw away from Grands Échezeaux it's easy to tell from the beginning that this is a serious wine in the making. Nose had just incredible depth featuring classic Vosne spice, some underbrush, lilac and elegant red berries. The palate was incredibly airy on the palate, yet packed incredibly density of flavor. Easy to tell that Tremblay is dealing with incredible fruit and that her techniques are top notch. Tasted blind, there's no question this would be pegged for a Grand Cru. Lovely wine! (94 pts.)
2008 Domaine David Clark Vosne-Romanée - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
I have to agree with Salil here. Sadly, this was brought to a dinner that featured a collection of staggering wines and this was lost in the mix. As Salil mentioned this was a bit unforgiving at first with tightly wound red floral, spice and red fruit tones. Should be an interesting wine in a 7-10 years.
2006 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph
Big thanks to Zach for bringing this beauty along to dinner! What a wild nose - incredibly exotic meat tones, with leather, dense anise and lush dark fruit. The palate developed over the course of dinner to feature lithe lilac, subtle coffee grinds, and meat, meat, meat. I drank this alongisde braised short ribs which I must admit is about as close to a perfect pairing as I can imagine. While this is absolutely firing on all cylinders already, this will reward those with patience. (96 pts.)
1994 Noël Verset Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
When I think about the key reason why I love Cornas', one word comes to mind; rusticity. This Verset, to me, had all the key aspects of rustic Northern Rhone syrah - and was the finest example of syrah I've ever had from this region. The aroma educed me with gamey notes, olive tapanade, underbrush and lithe red fruit. The flavors were very deep and pure - seamlessly integrated. The palate made me smile - incredibly lengthy with beef broth undertones, beautiful spice, dried leaves, and red fruit. Seemed to be drinking at its prime. This is why I drink wine. Thanks for bringing the bottle along Salil. (97 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
Met up for dinner with Zach and Salil. One of the best dinners I've ever attended that featured wines with incredible polish and complexity. An absolute assault on my tastebuds.
Opening Whites
Popped a duo of exciting, complex whites. Had this alongside a nicely made arugala salad with roasted pears.
2008 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett #6 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Nose had exotic and dense tropical fruits with lanolin, petrichor and white flowers. What blows me away with this wine is its density but absolute airyness on the palate. Tasted blind I would have pegged this as a Spatlese without quesiton. Müller continues to impress. (93 pts.)
2009 Franz Hirtzberger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Honivogl - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau
Another wild 2009 from Austria. As a little kid I used to eat Honey-Nut Cherrios every morning and the nose of this wine reminded me exactly of that. On top of the sweet grains was the ever-present pineapple, and mango. The palate was a kaleidoscope of flavors ranging from airy lanolin notes, to mid-weight white florals and dense pineapple. At times I thought it was a bit brutish, but that has more to do with its age than its composition. Really knocked my socks off this evening - but no question to me that this will uncoil over time. (93 pts.)
Main Course
What a collection of reds! Two burgundies and two rhones paired wonderfully well with braised beef short ribs over mashed potatoes. Great pairing.
2008 Cecile Tremblay Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Rouges du Dessus - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
From 40-year old vines that are merely a stones throw away from Grands Échezeaux it's easy to tell from the beginning that this is a serious wine in the making. Nose had just incredible depth featuring classic Vosne spice, some underbrush, lilac and elegant red berries. The palate was incredibly airy on the palate, yet packed incredibly density of flavor. Easy to tell that Tremblay is dealing with incredible fruit and that her techniques are top notch. Tasted blind, there's no question this would be pegged for a Grand Cru. Lovely wine! (94 pts.)
2008 Domaine David Clark Vosne-Romanée - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée
I have to agree with Salil here. Sadly, this was brought to a dinner that featured a collection of staggering wines and this was lost in the mix. As Salil mentioned this was a bit unforgiving at first with tightly wound red floral, spice and red fruit tones. Should be an interesting wine in a 7-10 years.
2006 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph
Big thanks to Zach for bringing this beauty along to dinner! What a wild nose - incredibly exotic meat tones, with leather, dense anise and lush dark fruit. The palate developed over the course of dinner to feature lithe lilac, subtle coffee grinds, and meat, meat, meat. I drank this alongisde braised short ribs which I must admit is about as close to a perfect pairing as I can imagine. While this is absolutely firing on all cylinders already, this will reward those with patience. (96 pts.)
1994 Noël Verset Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
When I think about the key reason why I love Cornas', one word comes to mind; rusticity. This Verset, to me, had all the key aspects of rustic Northern Rhone syrah - and was the finest example of syrah I've ever had from this region. The aroma educed me with gamey notes, olive tapanade, underbrush and lithe red fruit. The flavors were very deep and pure - seamlessly integrated. The palate made me smile - incredibly lengthy with beef broth undertones, beautiful spice, dried leaves, and red fruit. Seemed to be drinking at its prime. This is why I drink wine. Thanks for bringing the bottle along Salil. (97 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker