Jay Miller
Jay Miller
A lovely dinner at The Kitchen at Grove Station.
1990 Jadot Beaune Greves Blanc - over the hill but still some interesting caramelly complexity
2012 Matello Richard's Cuvee Chardonnay - a crowd pleaser, most guesses in Burgundy and many "I didn't know they were making wines this good in Oregon".
2011 Brooks "Janus" Pinot Noir - This was some people's favorite of the flight at least early on. Most guesses in Burgundy and it generated some more "I didn't know they were making wines this good in Oregon" comments. The combination of earthiness and fruit is especially appealing.
2004 Drouhin Musigny - once again, knowing what it was I saw the green but it was still a lovely bottle of wine. No one guessed 2004 at first until Leo in an amazing bit of blind tasting pegged it as Drouhin Musigny. After that Josh said, "if it's Drouhin Musigny it must be the 2004". General favorite of the flight and it kept improvig in the glass.
2003 Martinborough Vineyards Marie Zelie Reserve Pinot Noir - ripe and ripe but with terrific underlying complexity. This was the first of their special reserve bottlings only released in great years.
1989 Beaufort Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Rouge - I liked this a lot, all acid and layers of fruitless flavor. Others were less impressed, "is it supposed to taste like this?". Yes, I said, it is.
Unfortunately neither the food pairing nor following the Pinot flight did the Champagne flight any favors. None showed as well as expected (or in every case other than the Le Cran as well as it has in the past - I haven't had the Le Cran before).
2004 Benoit Lahaye Millesime
2007 Benoit Lahaye Millesime - These were the two favorites of the flight. I love these wines but even they didn't quite hold up.
2007 Bereche 'Le Cran' - my first disappointing Bereche. bad food combo? off bottle? I dont' know.
2006 Rodereder Brut Nature 'Starck" - I've loved every other bottle, this one was blah.
2001 Haut Bailly - fine classic young Bordeaux.
2001 Magdelaine - showed annoyingly lactic at first, fortunately that note eventually blew off, very good, needs time
1970 Haut Bailly - classy old Graves, tobacco, layered flavors, just lovely
1970 Magdelaine - classy youngish St. Emilion. Beautiful pure flavors but a bottle this past Sunday was even better.
1997 Climens - looked rather advanced and everyone guessed older than 1997 (as I would have). Still delicious caramelly complex sweetness. Loved it.
1990 Jadot Beaune Greves Blanc - over the hill but still some interesting caramelly complexity
2012 Matello Richard's Cuvee Chardonnay - a crowd pleaser, most guesses in Burgundy and many "I didn't know they were making wines this good in Oregon".
2011 Brooks "Janus" Pinot Noir - This was some people's favorite of the flight at least early on. Most guesses in Burgundy and it generated some more "I didn't know they were making wines this good in Oregon" comments. The combination of earthiness and fruit is especially appealing.
2004 Drouhin Musigny - once again, knowing what it was I saw the green but it was still a lovely bottle of wine. No one guessed 2004 at first until Leo in an amazing bit of blind tasting pegged it as Drouhin Musigny. After that Josh said, "if it's Drouhin Musigny it must be the 2004". General favorite of the flight and it kept improvig in the glass.
2003 Martinborough Vineyards Marie Zelie Reserve Pinot Noir - ripe and ripe but with terrific underlying complexity. This was the first of their special reserve bottlings only released in great years.
1989 Beaufort Coteaux Champenois Ambonnay Rouge - I liked this a lot, all acid and layers of fruitless flavor. Others were less impressed, "is it supposed to taste like this?". Yes, I said, it is.
Unfortunately neither the food pairing nor following the Pinot flight did the Champagne flight any favors. None showed as well as expected (or in every case other than the Le Cran as well as it has in the past - I haven't had the Le Cran before).
2004 Benoit Lahaye Millesime
2007 Benoit Lahaye Millesime - These were the two favorites of the flight. I love these wines but even they didn't quite hold up.
2007 Bereche 'Le Cran' - my first disappointing Bereche. bad food combo? off bottle? I dont' know.
2006 Rodereder Brut Nature 'Starck" - I've loved every other bottle, this one was blah.
2001 Haut Bailly - fine classic young Bordeaux.
2001 Magdelaine - showed annoyingly lactic at first, fortunately that note eventually blew off, very good, needs time
1970 Haut Bailly - classy old Graves, tobacco, layered flavors, just lovely
1970 Magdelaine - classy youngish St. Emilion. Beautiful pure flavors but a bottle this past Sunday was even better.
1997 Climens - looked rather advanced and everyone guessed older than 1997 (as I would have). Still delicious caramelly complex sweetness. Loved it.
