TN: PDH in the style of L[o]u (Oct 21, 2016)

J

Jeff Grossman

Jeff Grossman
attendees: Lou+Lu, Brad, Jeff, Jayson, Chris+Lisa, Jay+Arnold

Lou and BettyLu are visiting NYC and so we meet at Peking Duck House for a big table, big ducks, and big pours:

Berberana 1970 Rioja Reserva - the cork is very soft and breaks into three pieces, but none fall in; the wine is delicately sweet, tannins all gone, just earth and raspberries remain, a tad musty (which blows off with air), this is a gorgeous bottle of rioja, and perfect with the duck

J. J. Prum 2002 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese - gorgeously round, tangy, green grapes and clementines, textbook perfect

Bouchard 2004 Corton-Charlemagne GC - lush, full, rich, long, smoky, Jayson loves this but not for me

Hirsch 1998 Zobinger Gaisberg Riesling Alte Reben - waxy, chewy, "Spritzy" -Lou, also not for me

Nigl 2005 Gruner Veltliner "Privat" - trocken "L" F2302/06, not so bright as a riesling but glyceral and slightly gritty, pear, good for all that

Huet 1995 Vouvray Demi-Sec "Clos du Bourg" - wow, fruity and rich, more texturally interesting than the Prum, desserty

Levet 1985 Cote-Rotie "Cotes Brune & Blonde" - nose is changing every minute after opening: vegetal, then smoke, then cork, then something porky-meaty, then vegetal again; once you serve food it all straightens out: red berries, lightweight, just pure and crisp

Muller-Catoir 1990 Haardter Herrenletten Riesling Spatlese - 16 91, good but thin, a bit of black tea maybe?

Ducru-Beaucaillou 1995 St-Julien - robust and unpleasantly aggressive, others liked this more than I did, "Sort of a Xmas smell" -Jayson

Sonoma Vineyard 1974 Cabernet Sauvignon "Alexander's Crown" - a Rodney Strong bottle; definitely 'old wine' but still severe and austere, eh

Ch. Soucherie 1996 Coteaux du Layon VV - honey and apricot, kinda like the citrus fortune cookies, a big wine
 
A really fun night and many thanks to Lou and BettyLu for generously picking up the tab! Their October visits and jeebs, which run back to '99 or '00, are always a welcomed part of Fall.

Mostly in agreement with the notes, though a few notable differences. I liked both the Ducru and the Sonoma Vineyard a lot better than you apparently did. The Ducru was gorgeous, certainly young and still on the upswing, but I didn't find it aggressive at all. Beautiful fruit, mineral and cedar. Just needs to evolve further.

Jay mentioned the Sonoma Vineyard was a relatively recent purchase and it showed much better than a couple of bottles I purchased about six years ago. Certainly past peak, but the black fruit was fresher, sweeter and more upfront than the other bottles I've had and the structure was more intact.

I liked the Rioja, but not as much as you apparently did. I didn't find the mustiness to fully blow off, but it was a typical note that you often find in old Rioja. I thought showed good fruit, but perhaps not as sweet or upfront as you seemed to have found it. Still, most enjoyable and, agreed, great with the Duck.

I found the Levet tough to enjoy. It definitely needed the duck to help calm some of the wild acidity and structure. I'm not sure it was a fully intact bottle as when I removed the cork, it broke and just the bottom remained, but the pressure sucked it down hard so that a splash literally came up out of the bottle.

The Huet was gorgeous. So much better and fresher than a bottle that was opened at Jay's a few years ago which, unfortunately, led me not to buy some that had just come out on the market. When I start buying wine again, I'll have to seek a few bottles.

The Prum was absolutely delightful and still young, which is great as I'm saving my last two bottles for my niece born then. The Soucherie was also much better than the last bottle I had. Fresher fruit, zippier acidity and just a more lively bottle. Not as sweet as other dessert wines.

The two Austrians didn't show well, the Bouchard had more oak than I'd like and was Chardonnay, so meh and the Muller-Catoir showed old. I wouldn't be surprised if it saw some heat at some point.

All in all a great night with super peeps!
 
I was fried from work and sick with a hacking cough and my sinuses didn't really allow for credible wine evaluation, but it was a fun night nonetheless. I liked the Ducru and the Huet very much in my depleted state.

I do still have some questions about the Cuban Missile Crisis that need clearing up, though.
 
Ducru - very good. Very young.

As good as the Huet was, Prum had more texture than and showed superior balance to Huet after a week. Another gorgeous 2002 Mosel.

Gaisberg was much better young although I'm not convinced it was a perfect bottle.

The Rioja-duck combo was an amazing pairing. Made both better.
 
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