Manuel Camblor finally returned to NY this past week after a five month absence, so it was time to party. E-mails were sent and I threw out a vague theme of golden oldies and an esteemed group consisting of Joe Dougherty, Victor Lederer, Sasha Katsman, John Gilman, Jayson Cohen, Chris Kravitz, Josh Leader and I gathered at Il Corso this past Tuesday to welcome the Latin Liquidator back. It was a good night.
2009 J.I. Etxeberria Getariako- Txakolina Bengoetxe #4 - Spain, País Vasco, Getariako Txakolina
Shows a bit of spritz upon opening. Surprisingly bright and refreshing given the heat of '09. The yellow and green citrus fruit definitely shows ripeness, though it's balanced out nicely. Nice brininess and there's a pleasant herbal quality to the wine. B+.
2002 Edmond Vatan- Sancerre Clos la Néore - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
Not a particularly good showing. It exhibits both fatness and flatness upfront with a little too much alcohol sticking out on the finish. Some pleasant minerality and the typical herbal and citrus flavors are there, but this bottle just lacks focus and life. Dougherty and Gilman both say it should've been decanted and it was perhaps a bit too warm. I expected a lot more out of this. B.
1990 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser- Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese trocken - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
I'm generally not much of a fan of trockens given the stripped feel I usually find them to have, but I've consistently found the Grunhauser trockens to be the best in the category, to my tastes, and this bottle is showing well. Dry, but exhibiting the ripeness and extract of the vintage, it's youthful with not much of a petrol character. Rather, it shows more of a stone fruit and citrus profile with green fruit undertones and plenty of minerality. Snappy acidity and the dryness gives it a nicely fresh feel. I don't see this getting any better, but there's no hurry to drink up. A-/B+.
1981 Bodegas Muga- Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Starts off with a bit of old barrel aromas, but that blew off soon enough to reveal a core of more black than red fruit and cedar. Quite youthful on the palate with nice freshness to the fruit. Indeed, this is a much fresher bottle than the past couple I've had. There's a strong Bordeaux-like tobacco character to go along with the usual spicy cedariness. It's expansive with nice mid-palate presence and a long finish. Just a great example of a classic, old school Rioja. A-.
1978 Bodegas Riojanas- Rioja Viña Albina Gran Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Shows much more of a red fruit character than the Muga and is much further down the highway in terms of its development. The cherry and red plummy fruit is starting to feel just a little brittle and the earth and leather elements more apparent. Much higher acid than the Muga, but nothing a nice plate of food couldn't master. Finishes with a classic cedar, orange citrus and worn wood note. Good stuff. A-.
1964 Bodegas Riojanas- Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Another beautiful showing, though maybe just a touch less impressive than the last couple of bottles I've had. The lush and vibrant cherry and raspberry fruit character is there, but maybe just a touch toned down compared to other bottles, with dried herb and earth notes taking a more noticeable stand. Plenty of spice cake to be had. The richness of the wine is what I always love about it. At almost 50 it just shows remarkable exuberance and sweetness. With air, though, a strong menthol note came up and tamped down the wine a bit and I've never had that happen before with this wine. Unfortunately the bottle was drained quickly, so I couldn't go back to it later to see how it developed by the end of the evening. A/A-.
1954 R. López de Heredia- Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
This wine didn't move me as much as it moved others in the group. Some initial funk blew off to reveal a wine that's black-fruited in character with a strong iron component and dried herb and light tobacco notes. It's youthful with powerful structure and elevated acid levels. Indeed, that's my problem with the wine. I find the structure to be dominating the fruit, giving the wine a rather lean and ungenerous personality. The quail dish I had with it certainly helped to tame the structure a bit, but the fruit just isn't as upfront as it is in all the other Rioja this night. Low A-.
1954 Marqués de Murrieta- Rioja Reserva Ygay - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja
Some concern at the outset that maybe this had seen some heat due to the caramel and beef broth character the wine showed when first poured. With air the fruit did grow and most of the caramel and broth notes dissipated, though the fruit retained a roasted character to it. Meaty with plenty of beef blood and iron notes, the acid levels seem a bit lower here than in many of the Rioja thus far and the wine shows a bit of flesh. I find it a little clipped on the finish, so I'm not entirely convinced that this hasn't suffered some heat damaged, but most folks seem to think it's just the wine. Drink up. B+.
1942 Bodegas Riojanas- Rioja Viña Albina Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
My heart sank when the bottle was first opened as I initially thought there was some TCA lurking about. However, the nose soon shifted more into the dirty barrel realm before the off aromas dissipated altogether, allowing the sweet cherry fruit and spice aromas to shine. On the palate the wine was like an ion engine, continuing to build in force and momentum as time went by. Despite hearing stories about what a legendary wine this is from people whose palates I know and trust, I'm surprised by the vigor and intensity it shows at seventy years of age. The cherry and raspberry fruit is rich and vibrant yet perfectly balanced by nice acid levels and rounded out by spice, baked clay and leather flavors. Complex and layered, the wine has a beautiful mouthfeel and shows no sign of decline. It's always such a treat when a wine lives up to lofty expectations. A.
1968 Marcarini- Barolo Brunate - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This was a real disappointment. There's a good wine in here given the underlying sweetness and vibrancy, but, unfortunately, this bottle was apparently shaken like a carton of orange juice on the way over to dinner and the sediment was fully suspended in the wine. Completely cloudy and muddled. What a bummer. NR.
1970 Chateau Canon - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Feminine and Burgundian in profile with its beautiful aromatics and elegant mouthfeel, there's wonderful purity here and focus to the bright red fruit intermixed with cigar box and earth elements. Mature and fairly resolved, but with crisp acid levels, the wine takes its time dancing across the palate, but does so lightly leading to a persistent and enjoyable finish. Just a really pretty wine. A-.
1967 Chateau L'Evangile - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Lacks the freshness of the Canon and offers a profile that's darker, a bit clunkier and less interesting. There's a bit of earth here with a hint of licorice to go with the blackish fruit. Showing its age. Drink up. B+/B.
1963 Cockburn- Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Probably the best showing of this wine that I've had. Chris decanted it just before coming to dinner and by the end of the evening it was in a wonderful place. Perfectly integrated and showing cherry, raspberry, baker's spices and hints of fig on the nose and palate. With air the fruit became more plummy in character and picked up more complex dried fruit notes. It's sweet, but not Graham's or Fonseca sweet and there's actually some nice acidity to the wine that keeps it fresh. Seamless with the alcohol sewn into the fabric of the wine nicely. A/A-.
NV Alvear- Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles Solera 1927 - Spain, Andalucía, Montilla-Moriles
This wine always delivers and is one of the best values around. Thick and sweet, but not cloying, with fig and molasses flavors dominating, but there's a core of raspberry fruit and hints of apricot that give it complexity and added dimension. A/A-.
1996 Domaine des Petits Quarts- Bonnezeaux 1er Trie Le Malabé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Bonnezeaux
Originally opened four nights earlier at a remember Joe Dressner event, I was wondering why my wine bag was so heavy as I left for this event. When I got to the restaurant I discovered I had taken the remains home and left the bottle in my bag. Well, we all know sweet Chenin oxidizes slowly and the proof was right here. It wasn't quite as an unctuous as it was four nights earlier as the acidity had come more to the forefront and the apricot flavors were a little racier, but other than that, the quality was the same. Just a typical showing that was intensely sweet, yet balanced with rich apricot and bergamot leading the way. A/A-.
Some pics from the evening.
The group. Joe strikes his usual pose when I use a flash, as does Jayson.
Starter whites.
Rioja and Barolo.
Bordeaux.
Sweeties.
2009 J.I. Etxeberria Getariako- Txakolina Bengoetxe #4 - Spain, País Vasco, Getariako Txakolina
Shows a bit of spritz upon opening. Surprisingly bright and refreshing given the heat of '09. The yellow and green citrus fruit definitely shows ripeness, though it's balanced out nicely. Nice brininess and there's a pleasant herbal quality to the wine. B+.
2002 Edmond Vatan- Sancerre Clos la Néore - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
Not a particularly good showing. It exhibits both fatness and flatness upfront with a little too much alcohol sticking out on the finish. Some pleasant minerality and the typical herbal and citrus flavors are there, but this bottle just lacks focus and life. Dougherty and Gilman both say it should've been decanted and it was perhaps a bit too warm. I expected a lot more out of this. B.
1990 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser- Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese trocken - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
I'm generally not much of a fan of trockens given the stripped feel I usually find them to have, but I've consistently found the Grunhauser trockens to be the best in the category, to my tastes, and this bottle is showing well. Dry, but exhibiting the ripeness and extract of the vintage, it's youthful with not much of a petrol character. Rather, it shows more of a stone fruit and citrus profile with green fruit undertones and plenty of minerality. Snappy acidity and the dryness gives it a nicely fresh feel. I don't see this getting any better, but there's no hurry to drink up. A-/B+.
1981 Bodegas Muga- Rioja Gran Reserva Prado Enea - Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Starts off with a bit of old barrel aromas, but that blew off soon enough to reveal a core of more black than red fruit and cedar. Quite youthful on the palate with nice freshness to the fruit. Indeed, this is a much fresher bottle than the past couple I've had. There's a strong Bordeaux-like tobacco character to go along with the usual spicy cedariness. It's expansive with nice mid-palate presence and a long finish. Just a great example of a classic, old school Rioja. A-.
1978 Bodegas Riojanas- Rioja Viña Albina Gran Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Shows much more of a red fruit character than the Muga and is much further down the highway in terms of its development. The cherry and red plummy fruit is starting to feel just a little brittle and the earth and leather elements more apparent. Much higher acid than the Muga, but nothing a nice plate of food couldn't master. Finishes with a classic cedar, orange citrus and worn wood note. Good stuff. A-.
1964 Bodegas Riojanas- Rioja Monte Real Gran Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Another beautiful showing, though maybe just a touch less impressive than the last couple of bottles I've had. The lush and vibrant cherry and raspberry fruit character is there, but maybe just a touch toned down compared to other bottles, with dried herb and earth notes taking a more noticeable stand. Plenty of spice cake to be had. The richness of the wine is what I always love about it. At almost 50 it just shows remarkable exuberance and sweetness. With air, though, a strong menthol note came up and tamped down the wine a bit and I've never had that happen before with this wine. Unfortunately the bottle was drained quickly, so I couldn't go back to it later to see how it developed by the end of the evening. A/A-.
1954 R. López de Heredia- Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
This wine didn't move me as much as it moved others in the group. Some initial funk blew off to reveal a wine that's black-fruited in character with a strong iron component and dried herb and light tobacco notes. It's youthful with powerful structure and elevated acid levels. Indeed, that's my problem with the wine. I find the structure to be dominating the fruit, giving the wine a rather lean and ungenerous personality. The quail dish I had with it certainly helped to tame the structure a bit, but the fruit just isn't as upfront as it is in all the other Rioja this night. Low A-.
1954 Marqués de Murrieta- Rioja Reserva Ygay - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja
Some concern at the outset that maybe this had seen some heat due to the caramel and beef broth character the wine showed when first poured. With air the fruit did grow and most of the caramel and broth notes dissipated, though the fruit retained a roasted character to it. Meaty with plenty of beef blood and iron notes, the acid levels seem a bit lower here than in many of the Rioja thus far and the wine shows a bit of flesh. I find it a little clipped on the finish, so I'm not entirely convinced that this hasn't suffered some heat damaged, but most folks seem to think it's just the wine. Drink up. B+.
1942 Bodegas Riojanas- Rioja Viña Albina Reserva - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
My heart sank when the bottle was first opened as I initially thought there was some TCA lurking about. However, the nose soon shifted more into the dirty barrel realm before the off aromas dissipated altogether, allowing the sweet cherry fruit and spice aromas to shine. On the palate the wine was like an ion engine, continuing to build in force and momentum as time went by. Despite hearing stories about what a legendary wine this is from people whose palates I know and trust, I'm surprised by the vigor and intensity it shows at seventy years of age. The cherry and raspberry fruit is rich and vibrant yet perfectly balanced by nice acid levels and rounded out by spice, baked clay and leather flavors. Complex and layered, the wine has a beautiful mouthfeel and shows no sign of decline. It's always such a treat when a wine lives up to lofty expectations. A.
1968 Marcarini- Barolo Brunate - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
This was a real disappointment. There's a good wine in here given the underlying sweetness and vibrancy, but, unfortunately, this bottle was apparently shaken like a carton of orange juice on the way over to dinner and the sediment was fully suspended in the wine. Completely cloudy and muddled. What a bummer. NR.
1970 Chateau Canon - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Feminine and Burgundian in profile with its beautiful aromatics and elegant mouthfeel, there's wonderful purity here and focus to the bright red fruit intermixed with cigar box and earth elements. Mature and fairly resolved, but with crisp acid levels, the wine takes its time dancing across the palate, but does so lightly leading to a persistent and enjoyable finish. Just a really pretty wine. A-.
1967 Chateau L'Evangile - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Lacks the freshness of the Canon and offers a profile that's darker, a bit clunkier and less interesting. There's a bit of earth here with a hint of licorice to go with the blackish fruit. Showing its age. Drink up. B+/B.
1963 Cockburn- Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Probably the best showing of this wine that I've had. Chris decanted it just before coming to dinner and by the end of the evening it was in a wonderful place. Perfectly integrated and showing cherry, raspberry, baker's spices and hints of fig on the nose and palate. With air the fruit became more plummy in character and picked up more complex dried fruit notes. It's sweet, but not Graham's or Fonseca sweet and there's actually some nice acidity to the wine that keeps it fresh. Seamless with the alcohol sewn into the fabric of the wine nicely. A/A-.
NV Alvear- Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles Solera 1927 - Spain, Andalucía, Montilla-Moriles
This wine always delivers and is one of the best values around. Thick and sweet, but not cloying, with fig and molasses flavors dominating, but there's a core of raspberry fruit and hints of apricot that give it complexity and added dimension. A/A-.
1996 Domaine des Petits Quarts- Bonnezeaux 1er Trie Le Malabé - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Bonnezeaux
Originally opened four nights earlier at a remember Joe Dressner event, I was wondering why my wine bag was so heavy as I left for this event. When I got to the restaurant I discovered I had taken the remains home and left the bottle in my bag. Well, we all know sweet Chenin oxidizes slowly and the proof was right here. It wasn't quite as an unctuous as it was four nights earlier as the acidity had come more to the forefront and the apricot flavors were a little racier, but other than that, the quality was the same. Just a typical showing that was intensely sweet, yet balanced with rich apricot and bergamot leading the way. A/A-.
Some pics from the evening.
The group. Joe strikes his usual pose when I use a flash, as does Jayson.
