TN: Raclette at Suzanne and Kenny's (Dec. 11, 2011)

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
myriad attendees: Michel & Veronica, Brad, Christine, Jay, Leo, Josh, Meredith, Paul & Sandy, Brad & Ejehan, Salil, Dan, Chris, and maybe a zillion more

The guest of honor, of course, is a raclette, sitting in the raclette warming jig. There is also a whole Jamon Iberico bellota here -- yes, Michel brought along the book on how to cut it but the several of us working it did not have time to read. And there were numerous other goodies, both savory and sweet.

And vinous (quick notes):

H. Thanisch 2009 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese - 2 576242 10 10, this was very pretty, built on a medium-size frame

Donnhoff 2004 Nederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese - brisk, lemony (which I often get from Donnhoff) but this also has a bit of creaminess or extra body

Schmid 2007 Kremstal DAC Reserve, Pfeffenberg - chalky/earthy, develops some perfume after a while but only OK

Muller-Catoir 2009 Mussbach Riesling Kabinett - light, refreshing as if it had a light spritz

Raveneau 2003 Chablis "Montee de Tonnerre" - flabby, peach-pitty, maybe even a touch of rancio?

Vincent Sipp-Riquewihr 2007 Alsace Grand Cru Osterberg "l'Agape" - undistinguished but also way too cold sitting in the ice bucket

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt 1983 Scharzhofberger Riesling Spatlese - slightly musty at first, then rich and honeyed, gently contemplative

Donnhoff 2005 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese - magnum; a little softer but a little more complex than the Hermannshohle

Angerville 1993 Volnay "Taillepieds" - tingly, ethereal, bright maraschino cherry flavor, transparently light, wow

Arlot 1996 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er "Les Ruchots" "Cuvee Unique" - rugged, tannic, some earthy wine down under there but this is kinda rough

Von Schleinitz 2009 Pinot Noir - diacetyl nose, flabby, fast out of my glass

Drouhin 1995 Meursault-Geneverieres 1er - bleh

Eminence Road 2010 Gewurztraminer, Elizabeth's Vineyard - correct, nice, not too assertive

Donnhoff 2001 Oberhaurser Brucke Riesling Spatlese - wow, great balance and purity, can they all be like this, please?

Dom. Weinbach 2005 Rieslig Schlossberg "Clos des Capucins" - magnum; pretty, full in-your-face wine, stones and river water, great

Ponsot 2000 Clos de la Roche - somehow, I missed this pour...

Peay 2006 Viognier - oak and viognier really don't go together

Roumier 2004 Bonnes-Mares - kinda green, really not much above OK

Sine Qua Non 2009 Chardonnay "On The Lam" - gales of sinister laughter reverberate around you; I wouldn't touch the stuff but it was a hoot watching geek after geek, contorted faces and swollen tongues, clutching their throats and running from door to door hoping to discover the vomitorium soon

Burguet 2006 Bourgogne "Les Pince Vins" - a nice drop, a bit lightweight but suave and silky

J. J. Prum 2002 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese - gorgeous, zippy, crystalline apricotty fruit, third wow of the night

Trimbach 2002 Riesling "Cuvee Frederic Emile" - magnum; good but not singing to me tonight

Becker 2007 Riesling "Laisser Faire" - eh

Gorgen 1975 Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese - oh! after a brief initial chloring funk this turns all caramel, then honey and pretty candied fruit

Muller-Catoir 2001 Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Spatlese - so grapefruity! sprinkle some powdered mineral dust over that grapefruit and you're there; love it

Steinmetz 1990 Ketener Paulinsberg Riesling Spatlese - sour, OTH?

Deiss 1999 Altenberg de Bergheim, Grand Cru - OK but too soft

Chais du Vieux Bourg 2008 Cotes du Jura "B.B.1" - racy, waxy, crisp, sharp, so Jura, just love it

Arlot 2008 Cotes de Nuits Villages "Clos du Chapeau" - OK

Dom. de Montbourgeau 2007 Vin de Paille - gently sweet in a brown sugary way, maybe a touch oxidized

Erben von Beulwitz 2001 Keseler Nies'chen Riesling Auslese**** - 3 519 004 03 02; acidity is good but it's not really very sweet or interesting

Karthauserhof 1979 Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese "Konenberg" - 21 80; vigorous, bantam-weight, pretty enough to hold my interest

Kreusch 1983 Ayler Kupp Riesling Auslese - 3 561 012 1 07 84; OTH

Emrich-Schonleber 2003 Monzinger Fruhlingsplatzchen Riesling Kabinett - not acid enough, not sweet enough, a sturdy but dull example
 
The Chais du Vieux Bourg 2008 Cotes du Jura "B.B.1" and Muller-Catoir 2001 Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe were, along the Hidalgo Amontillado, my wines of the night. I knew the Amontillado would not show up in Jeff's notes which is why I made a point of posting separately.

The Roumier BM was greener than my experience with the village wine but not so green as the Cras.

I thought the d'Angerville impressive but still too young.

There was a 2009 Donnhoff NH GG which I found a bit too heavy for my taste.

Lots of nice wines with the notable exception of the SQNightmare.
 
originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
TN: Raclette at Suzanne and Kenny's (Dec. 11, 2011)myriad attendees: Michel & Veronica, Brad, Christine, Jay, Leo, Josh, Meredith, Paul & Sandy, Brad & Ejehan, Salil, Dan, Chris, and maybe a zillion more

The guest of honor, of course, is a raclette, sitting in the raclette warming jig. There is also a whole Jamon Iberico bellota here -- yes, Michel brought along the book on how to cut it but the several of us working it did not have time to read. And there were numerous other goodies, both savory and sweet.

And vinous (quick notes):

H. Thanisch 2009 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Spatlese - 2 576242 10 10, this was very pretty, built on a medium-size frame

Donnhoff 2004 Nederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese - brisk, lemony (which I often get from Donnhoff) but this also has a bit of creaminess or extra body

Schmid 2007 Kremstal DAC Reserve, Pfeffenberg - chalky/earthy, develops some perfume after a while but only OK

Muller-Catoir 2009 Mussbach Riesling Kabinett - light, refreshing as if it had a light spritz

Raveneau 2003 Chablis "Montee de Tonnerre" - flabby, peach-pitty, maybe even a touch of rancio?

Vincent Sipp-Riquewihr 2007 Alsace Grand Cru Osterberg "l'Agape" - undistinguished but also way too cold sitting in the ice bucket

Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt 1983 Scharzhofberger Riesling Spatlese - slightly musty at first, then rich and honeyed, gently contemplative

Donnhoff 2005 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese - magnum; a little softer but a little more complex than the Hermannshohle

Angerville 1993 Volnay "Taillepieds" - tingly, ethereal, bright maraschino cherry flavor, transparently light, wow

Arlot 1996 Morey-Saint-Denis 1er "Les Ruchots" "Cuvee Unique" - rugged, tannic, some earthy wine down under there but this is kinda rough

Von Schleinitz 2009 Pinot Noir - diacetyl nose, flabby, fast out of my glass

Drouhin 1995 Meursault-Geneverieres 1er - bleh

Eminence Road 2010 Gewurztraminer, Elizabeth's Vineyard - correct, nice, not too assertive

Donnhoff 2001 Oberhaurser Brucke Riesling Spatlese - wow, great balance and purity, can they all be like this, please?

Dom. Weinbach 2005 Rieslig Schlossberg "Clos des Capucins" - magnum; pretty, full in-your-face wine, stones and river water, great

Ponsot 2000 Clos de la Roche - somehow, I missed this pour...

Peay 2006 Viognier - oak and viognier really don't go together

Roumier 2004 Bonnes-Mares - kinda green, really not much above OK

Sine Qua Non 2009 Chardonnay "On The Lam" - gales of sinister laughter reverberate around you; I wouldn't touch the stuff but it was a hoot watching geek after geek, contorted faces and swollen tongues, clutching their throats and running from door to door hoping to discover the vomitorium soon

Burguet 2006 Bourgogne "Les Pince Vins" - a nice drop, a bit lightweight but suave and silky

J. J. Prum 2002 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese - gorgeous, zippy, crystalline apricotty fruit, third wow of the night

Trimbach 2002 Riesling "Cuvee Frederic Emile" - magnum; good but not singing to me tonight

Becker 2007 Riesling "Laisser Faire" - eh

Gorgen 1975 Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese - oh! after a brief initial chloring funk this turns all caramel, then honey and pretty candied fruit

Muller-Catoir 2001 Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Spatlese - so grapefruity! sprinkle some powdered mineral dust over that grapefruit and you're there; love it

Steinmetz 1990 Ketener Paulinsberg Riesling Spatlese - sour, OTH?

Deiss 1999 Altenberg de Bergheim, Grand Cru - OK but too soft

Chais du Vieux Bourg 2008 Cotes du Jura "B.B.1" - racy, waxy, crisp, sharp, so Jura, just love it

Arlot 2008 Cotes de Nuits Villages "Clos du Chapeau" - OK

Dom. de Montbourgeau 2007 Vin de Paille - gently sweet in a brown sugary way, maybe a touch oxidized

Erben von Beulwitz 2001 Keseler Nies'chen Riesling Auslese**** - 3 519 004 03 02; acidity is good but it's not really very sweet or interesting

Karthauserhof 1979 Eitelsbacher Karthauserhofberg Riesling Spatlese "Konenberg" - 21 80; vigorous, bantam-weight, pretty enough to hold my interest

Kreusch 1983 Ayler Kupp Riesling Auslese - 3 561 012 1 07 84; OTH

Emrich-Schonleber 2003 Monzinger Fruhlingsplatzchen Riesling Kabinett - not acid enough, not sweet enough, a sturdy but dull example
what about the fendant?
 
A real fun time. Kudos to Suzanne and Kenny for hosting and providing some yummy eats!

I brought the '01 Donnhoff just so I could have another data point as i haven't been impressed with it the past few years. I have to admit, this was the best bottle I've had since the first five years after vintage. Focused and pretty fresh. That said, I've had too many experiences with Donnhoff, including this bottling from the same stash, that have not shown that well.

A shame you missed the '00 Ponsot. So good with gorgeous cherry fruit and a wonderfully silky texture.

Some pics from the event.

Suzanne serves David Sugarman some raclette.
IMG_7944.jpg
Scrape it good!
IMG_7947.jpg
Christine slices some Bellota.
IMG_7937.jpg
Jeff and Jay having a good time.
IMG_7959.jpg
Salil with Suzanne and a glass of Riesling, what else?
IMG_7964.jpg
 
what a lineup. Where was I?

how about them 02 germans. What was I thinking, and where was Yixin to set me straight. Recently had 02 WS Auslese, wow indeed.
 
Back
Top