Salil Benegal
Salil Benegal
Eden and Scott (and Pierce) hosted a group of disorderlies at their home in Scotch Plains, NJ for a potluck feast yesterday. A long trek out that was more than worth it for some fantastic food and wine shared with great company. Attendees were Jay Miller and Arnold, Jeff Grossman and Jim, Don Rice, Brad Kane, Jody and of course Eden, Scott and Pierce.
Brad seemed to take more thorough notes on the food (and photos), so I'm hoping he'll fill in my missing spaces.
The menu included:
Chilled cucumber soup with avocado-wasabi cream
Ahi poke
Shrimp pot pie
Crab risotto
Tarte flambée
Chicken satay
Boeuf Bourgignon
Savoury bacon-filled macarons
Jay's deconstructed banana split (banana ice cream, strawberry soup, other details escape me)
Mini cannoli and pistachio ice cream
2010 Alzinger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Loibner Steinertal
Paired with Jay's chilled cucumber soup with avocado-wasabi cream, and the combination is one of the most synergistic food-wine pairings I've ever experienced; citrus fruit and greener herbal/verdant flavours with a mineral undercurrent complementing the cool, green flavours in the soup perfectly. There's wonderful balance here, bright acidity and a sense of lightness in the mouth, great stuff.
2007 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese (AP #7)
A little tight and closed at first, not showing much beneath some sulfury aromas but it quickly opens with air to show bright Mosel fruit tinged with floral and mineral elements. There's bright acid underneath that keeps it nicely balanced, and it's a really pleasant Spätlese though very primary right now.
2004 André-Michel Brégeon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Gorges
With Jeff and Jim's ahi poke. A core of fresh, bracingly tart citrus fruits framed by savoury leesy, stony and seawater elements; there's more weight and roundness in the mouth than I expect from Muscadet, yet a sense of austerity with really bright, piercing acidity.
2001 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese
Not the jawdropper I recollect from a few years ago. The fruit's deeper toned, coming across more mature with a smoky overlay and it's nicely balanced, polished and round in the mouth but not showing the cut and precision I'd expect from '01 and finishing a little soft.
2010 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc La Croix Boissée
My first experience with one of Baudry's whites, and while it's very good I don't find it as compelling as any of his reds. There's ripe orchard fruit with faint waxy and wooly accents and a spine of bright acidity underneath, but while it's nicely balanced I don't find it particularly complex or showing the charm of his other wines.
2009 Eric Morgat Savennières L'Enclos
Quite strange; dominated by oxidative and nutty elements with the fruit coming across rather ripe with a slightly dried character. Not my style.
2009 Gauletteries Jasnières Clos St Jacques
My favourite of the three Chenins; a seamless combination of golden orchard fruits, floral, mineral and wooly notes and bright acidity balancing the moderate sweetness perfectly. There's a lightness of touch and elegance here that makes it incredibly easy to drink, and the bottle seemed to disappear remarkably quickly.
2002 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese
Liked this a lot more than the '01. It's more youthful with the fruit still incredibly fresh, tinged with floral, mineral and spicy elements, but also much more vibrant and precise with the acidity giving this a sense of real lightness. Lovely.
1996 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese
Corked.
1987 Louis Jadot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Corvées
First impressions are very pleasant; quite fragrant with gentle red fruits, orange peel, savoury earth and high toned spicy flavours on a light bodied frame, but with air the fruit flavours fade and it becomes more shrill and acidic.
1986 Philippe Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
Lightly corked, sigh.
1983 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser Abtsberg Riesling Auslese #88
Also corked. FFS!
2001 Müller-Catoir Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Eiswein
Fantastic. All the wild tropical fruit, florality, herbs and spice of the Mandelring Scheurebe Spätlese, just conveyed with far more intensity, sweetness and power. Kaleidoscopic, thrilling wine.
(There was also a 1995 Jurançon sweet wine that followed, though there was some debate over whether or not it was corked - hopefully Brad or someone else can fill in details.)
A lovely way to spend a Saturday, many thanks to Eden and Scott for their hospitality, and to all for the great company, food and wine.
Brad seemed to take more thorough notes on the food (and photos), so I'm hoping he'll fill in my missing spaces.
The menu included:
Chilled cucumber soup with avocado-wasabi cream
Ahi poke
Shrimp pot pie
Crab risotto
Tarte flambée
Chicken satay
Boeuf Bourgignon
Savoury bacon-filled macarons
Jay's deconstructed banana split (banana ice cream, strawberry soup, other details escape me)
Mini cannoli and pistachio ice cream
2010 Alzinger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Loibner Steinertal
Paired with Jay's chilled cucumber soup with avocado-wasabi cream, and the combination is one of the most synergistic food-wine pairings I've ever experienced; citrus fruit and greener herbal/verdant flavours with a mineral undercurrent complementing the cool, green flavours in the soup perfectly. There's wonderful balance here, bright acidity and a sense of lightness in the mouth, great stuff.
2007 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese (AP #7)
A little tight and closed at first, not showing much beneath some sulfury aromas but it quickly opens with air to show bright Mosel fruit tinged with floral and mineral elements. There's bright acid underneath that keeps it nicely balanced, and it's a really pleasant Spätlese though very primary right now.
2004 André-Michel Brégeon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Gorges
With Jeff and Jim's ahi poke. A core of fresh, bracingly tart citrus fruits framed by savoury leesy, stony and seawater elements; there's more weight and roundness in the mouth than I expect from Muscadet, yet a sense of austerity with really bright, piercing acidity.
2001 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese
Not the jawdropper I recollect from a few years ago. The fruit's deeper toned, coming across more mature with a smoky overlay and it's nicely balanced, polished and round in the mouth but not showing the cut and precision I'd expect from '01 and finishing a little soft.
2010 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Blanc La Croix Boissée
My first experience with one of Baudry's whites, and while it's very good I don't find it as compelling as any of his reds. There's ripe orchard fruit with faint waxy and wooly accents and a spine of bright acidity underneath, but while it's nicely balanced I don't find it particularly complex or showing the charm of his other wines.
2009 Eric Morgat Savennières L'Enclos
Quite strange; dominated by oxidative and nutty elements with the fruit coming across rather ripe with a slightly dried character. Not my style.
2009 Gauletteries Jasnières Clos St Jacques
My favourite of the three Chenins; a seamless combination of golden orchard fruits, floral, mineral and wooly notes and bright acidity balancing the moderate sweetness perfectly. There's a lightness of touch and elegance here that makes it incredibly easy to drink, and the bottle seemed to disappear remarkably quickly.
2002 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese
Liked this a lot more than the '01. It's more youthful with the fruit still incredibly fresh, tinged with floral, mineral and spicy elements, but also much more vibrant and precise with the acidity giving this a sense of real lightness. Lovely.
1996 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese
Corked.
1987 Louis Jadot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Corvées
First impressions are very pleasant; quite fragrant with gentle red fruits, orange peel, savoury earth and high toned spicy flavours on a light bodied frame, but with air the fruit flavours fade and it becomes more shrill and acidic.
1986 Philippe Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
Lightly corked, sigh.
1983 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser Abtsberg Riesling Auslese #88
Also corked. FFS!
2001 Müller-Catoir Haardter Mandelring Scheurebe Eiswein
Fantastic. All the wild tropical fruit, florality, herbs and spice of the Mandelring Scheurebe Spätlese, just conveyed with far more intensity, sweetness and power. Kaleidoscopic, thrilling wine.
(There was also a 1995 Jurançon sweet wine that followed, though there was some debate over whether or not it was corked - hopefully Brad or someone else can fill in details.)
A lovely way to spend a Saturday, many thanks to Eden and Scott for their hospitality, and to all for the great company, food and wine.