It was Wilfred van Gorp's turn to host the Supper Club. As it turned out, Christine in Marty were going to be in Chicago for an auction and it had been a couple of years since I last visited Chicago, so the decision was made to have October's dinner at Wilfred's Chicago aerie. Wilfred went all out for the dinner, providing one white truffle per person, save for Craig, who's not a fan of them. They adorned his sinfully good fettuccine starter. He also served up a terrific prime rib and his famous tarte tatin for dessert, though we were too full to eat it the night of the dinner.
Alas, the weekend was cut short by Hurricane Sandy's trek up the east coast, necessitating a mad scramble to repeatedly change flights back to NY as flights were getting canceled left and right. Unfortunately, that prevented me from hanging out with Chicago's newest denizens, Izzy and Rachel Nosnik that Sunday afternoon and evening. Still, it was a great couple of days in the Windy City.
2002 François Raveneau- Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Showing beautifully with pear, citrus and mineral leading the way with the faint hint of nuts and an intriguing mint note bringing up the year. It's rich and expansive across the palate, but also shows elegance and fine acid levels. Though not a Chardonnay/White Burg guy, year in, year out, this is consistently my favorite White Burg. Solid A-.
1974 Chappellet Vineyard- Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
From magnum and a much better showing than one from 750 ml three weeks prior. This is just what you hope for and want out of an old California Cab. It's mature and fully integrated, but still shows beautiful softened cherry fruit with dried and fresh herbs and dusty earth. With aeration it picks up a complex green tobacco note and just a bit of cedar. Beautifully balanced with a silky mouthfeel, sipping it puts you in a warm and comfy place. Just lovely. Solid A-.
1989 Chateau Palmer - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Not showing as well as previous bottles I've had, but still showing nicely. I'm thinking the plane ride to Chicago might have made this bottle a little reticent. There's nice fruit here, but it's not as rich or as black as other bottles. I've always liked the minerality here and its showing well with dark cherries and a bit of cedar and herb on the back. It did gain some weight with air, but the oak never fully integrated and overall I'd call this experience a little more muted and the wine a little out of sorts. A shame when you know how well this wine can show. Still, it was a nice accompaniment to the rib roast. A-.
1994 Chateau Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Starts off with a fairly classic nose of cassis, cedar and herb aromas. Rather interesting on the palate as there's plush black fruit upfront and a thick texture to the wine, but the back end is extremely dry with astringent tannins, which is the hallmark of the '94 vintage. A solid claret, but nothing to write home about and I don't see it improving much. A-/B+.
1987 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia- Ribera del Duero Único - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
Showing as it usually does, with its wild child personality that's a touch ungenerous, but also endearing. High acid as always with tart red fruit, cedar, leather and baked earth. The rib roast really helped bring the elements together and harmonized the wine. A-.
Some pics from the evening.
The original wine lineup. We opted not to open the Weinbach's and switched out the magnum of Leflaive for the Raveneau, which is not in the picture. Looks like I lost my note on the Laville Haut Brion.
Wilfred makes the popover batter.
Proper popovers that give the ones at the Harvard Club a run for their money.
Did someone say white truffles?
Christine is crazy about white truffles.
Now that's a nice looking piece of meat.
Looks even better done.
Wilfred gets his white truffle on.
Perfect together.
Dinner, Chicago style.
A man, his city, his tarte tatin.
A nice tarte tatin.
Alas, the weekend was cut short by Hurricane Sandy's trek up the east coast, necessitating a mad scramble to repeatedly change flights back to NY as flights were getting canceled left and right. Unfortunately, that prevented me from hanging out with Chicago's newest denizens, Izzy and Rachel Nosnik that Sunday afternoon and evening. Still, it was a great couple of days in the Windy City.
2002 François Raveneau- Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Showing beautifully with pear, citrus and mineral leading the way with the faint hint of nuts and an intriguing mint note bringing up the year. It's rich and expansive across the palate, but also shows elegance and fine acid levels. Though not a Chardonnay/White Burg guy, year in, year out, this is consistently my favorite White Burg. Solid A-.
1974 Chappellet Vineyard- Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
From magnum and a much better showing than one from 750 ml three weeks prior. This is just what you hope for and want out of an old California Cab. It's mature and fully integrated, but still shows beautiful softened cherry fruit with dried and fresh herbs and dusty earth. With aeration it picks up a complex green tobacco note and just a bit of cedar. Beautifully balanced with a silky mouthfeel, sipping it puts you in a warm and comfy place. Just lovely. Solid A-.
1989 Chateau Palmer - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Not showing as well as previous bottles I've had, but still showing nicely. I'm thinking the plane ride to Chicago might have made this bottle a little reticent. There's nice fruit here, but it's not as rich or as black as other bottles. I've always liked the minerality here and its showing well with dark cherries and a bit of cedar and herb on the back. It did gain some weight with air, but the oak never fully integrated and overall I'd call this experience a little more muted and the wine a little out of sorts. A shame when you know how well this wine can show. Still, it was a nice accompaniment to the rib roast. A-.
1994 Chateau Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Starts off with a fairly classic nose of cassis, cedar and herb aromas. Rather interesting on the palate as there's plush black fruit upfront and a thick texture to the wine, but the back end is extremely dry with astringent tannins, which is the hallmark of the '94 vintage. A solid claret, but nothing to write home about and I don't see it improving much. A-/B+.
1987 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia- Ribera del Duero Único - Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero
Showing as it usually does, with its wild child personality that's a touch ungenerous, but also endearing. High acid as always with tart red fruit, cedar, leather and baked earth. The rib roast really helped bring the elements together and harmonized the wine. A-.
Some pics from the evening.
The original wine lineup. We opted not to open the Weinbach's and switched out the magnum of Leflaive for the Raveneau, which is not in the picture. Looks like I lost my note on the Laville Haut Brion.
Wilfred makes the popover batter.
Proper popovers that give the ones at the Harvard Club a run for their money.
Did someone say white truffles?
Christine is crazy about white truffles.
Now that's a nice looking piece of meat.
Looks even better done.
Wilfred gets his white truffle on.
Perfect together.
Dinner, Chicago style.
A man, his city, his tarte tatin.
A nice tarte tatin.