Stars of the Year - 2017

P

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey
Hotel: George V in Paris

Wine Tastings: Antica Terra in Dundee and Bouchard in Beaune

Wine Dinner: Featuring Chateau Beaucastel in Houston

Restaurants: La Ciccia in San Francisco, Le Taillevent in Paris, Maison Lameloise in Chagny, and Ma Cusine in Beaune

Appetizer: Escargot at Ma Cuisine in Beaune

Entree: Veal Sweet Breads at Le Taillevent in Paris

Dessert: Crepes Suzette at Maison Lameloise in Chagny

Wine: Comte George de Vogue Musigny Cuvee Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru '85 at home

. . . . . Pete
 
You live well, Pete.
I’m not sure I’d even know where to begin in any of these categories but, looking back, it’s been “interesting times.”
Merry Christmas, Jim
 
Jim, you're selling yourself short. Your connections in the wine/food world are most enviable. You get full credit for my venturing to La Ciccia as otherwise I would surely never have known about such a treasure. (And similarly your recommendation of Tei-An.)

Given your tastes, if you ever get the chance, attend a wine tasting with Maggie Harrison at Antica Terra. Very special!

Considering your wide range of activities/experiences, what are your "stars" of the past year?

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
My star of the year: the fact that I'm still alive and in good health and so is Gail. The rest is gravy.
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Exactly. Let's count our blessings here.
 
I have some misgivings about having throttled this thread. Though my response was instinctive and heartfelt, upon reflection, I don't really see any harm in a little innocent crowing over past pleasures. so let the lists continue!
 
following Prof. Loesberg's imprimatur...here is a quick recapitulation of a few great bottles I had last year, just off my head. Well, 2017 was a pretty good year for me as far as wine drinking is concerned, hope 2018 will be just as good :)

Best sparkling:
1) Krug 1985 Clos du Mesnil
2) Krug 1996 Clos du Mesnil
3) Krug 1995 Clos du Mesnil

Best white:
1) Valentini 1970 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo (tasted twice)
2) Pepe 1971 Trebbiano d'Abruzzo
3) Gravner 1985 Ribolla Gialla (ex-aequo Leflaive 2004 Montrachet)

Best rosé:
1) 1980 Valentini Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo
2) 1995 Valentini Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo
3) 2009 P.Cotat VdT Rosé Lot 2009

Best red:
1) 1945 Fontanafredda Barolo Mirafiore
2) 1967 Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero
3) 1991 DRC Grands-Echézeaux (ex-aequo Giacosa 1978 Barbaresco Riserva ER 'Santo Stefano')

Best dessert:
1) Serafino 1939 Erbaluce di Caluso Passito Riserva Stravecchio
2) Biava 1970 Moscato di Scanzo Passito
3) Quintarelli 1979 Recioto Riserva Arele (ex-aequo Chateau d'Yquem 1950)
 
Don't you think listing such great wines without indicating what food parings made them so amazing is kind of like assigning points? :-)

I am trying to figure out what incredible case or case and a half of Champagne I can get for a bottle of 85 clos du mesnil, and salivating at the thought.
 
Hi Pavel,

Well I admit I did it on purpose just so to re-ignite this languishing thread :)

Premise: I work in the wine industry, I am a wine trader / merchant and I am lucky enough to have access to expensive wines - both young and mature - at a wholesale price (or outlet price...even, it would be Long to explain why and how). Single and DINK...(I have been juggling two jobs at once for a long time). At the right price Clos du Mesnil may be a fair Q/Pr with a better sensory ROI than two cases of certain other expensive Champagne that I know. This being said...I am no Francois Audouze.

For full disclosure, I bought that 1985 Clos du Mesnil two years ago for 550 Eur from a Michelin-star restaurant located somewhere between Brescia and Verona, as the owner wanted to free up some space in the cellar and cash in on some old bottles (purchased in the good old 'Lira days'). You wouldn't imagine what great shopping one can do at Michelin-star restaurants across Italy today if your pockets are full of cash. Deflation is good for the people.
I opened the 1985 CdM last February with a couple of ITB friends from NYC at Claudio Faccoli's cellar in Franciacorta. No food pairing at all, just Krug, water and a few old Faccoli Franciacortas.
The 95 and 96 Clos du Mesnil I bought from the LVMH importer in Milan at the regular wholesale price. If you need to know the exact wholesale price I can check back into my old LVMH invoices.

Unfortunately I am not a gourmet, I am a hopeless 'wine puritan' who almost invariably suffers at the sight of a great, pure white wine or sparkling wine contaminated by food. I enjoy good food and appreciate a smart wine-and-food pairing but...oligomineral spring water, Zalto and Gong-fu-Cha is all I want around my Krug, Valentini or Leflaive. :)
However I remember the food pairings for every wine in my list so if you are curious, feel free to ask about this or that specific wine.
 
thank you for the explanation! The discussion is not merely academic for me - I may have either one or two bottles of the 85 somewhere in the basement, purchased on release...

But you only addressed a far less interesting point in my post: there must have been some notable food/wine combinations in which some the great wines you list were featured, no? I should dig up my notes; while I've had great wine experiences in 2017, a few (nearly) perfect food/wine pairings involving relatively humble wines easily compete for best overall experience.
 
originally posted by Luca Mazzoleni:
3) Gravner 1985 Ribolla Gialla (ex-aequo Leflaive 2004 Montrachet)

3) 1991 DRC Grands-Echézeaux (ex-aequo Giacosa 1978 Barbaresco Riserva ER 'Santo Stefano')

3) Quintarelli 1979 Recioto Riserva Arele (ex-aequo Chateau d'Yquem 1950)
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Luca, thanks, very interesting...and impressive!

What do you exactly mean when you say the wines are "equally placed"? Do you mean equal ranking or similar traits or...?

You apparently have a tendency toward Italian wines.

[EDITED TO ADD] On Italian wines, I had the Massolino Barolo DOCG '11 the other evening and found it to be awe-inspiring...nice softness but with ample acidity and body, superb with Caesar salad with fried oysters on top!

. . . . Pete
 
Sorry, I am texting from my mobile phone in a Tea room in Hangzhou. I inadvertently clicked the 'send' button before my former message was completed. Please re-read it, there's more info.

Yes...I loved that 'consumed at home' note re: the 85 De Vogue Musigny VV...no doubt about that, I too would always consume at home, and rigorously alone I have to add, those special and highly meaningful wines sleeping in my cellar today. I am sorry to sound so Ebenezer Scrooge but it's so painful and unacceptable for me at this age (42) to waste certain highly polysemic and prysmatic wines in a noisy, smelly, distracting and simply imperfect and non-neutral environment. Sensory analysis is my priority (and almost a physical need), not social approval or sharing. Been there done that way too many times before...great 'phenomenological expectations' about that special wine tasting with your best wine fellows at this or that Michelin-star restaurant or smart bistrot / trattoria / izakaya etc etc and then...wrong glassware, wrong service sequence or wrong room temperature, annoying aromas and flavours from the food, acoustic pollution, sensory overload and social distractions. I come back home feeling sorry and guilty for having wasted the hard work of a vigneron and a treasure of fleeting volatile artworks.
 
What do you exactly mean when you say the wines are "equally placed"? Do you mean equal ranking or similar traits or...?
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Oh well don't take my ranking too seriously, Pete. I have never, ever scored wines with points or cared about 'scales' and rating theories. Those ex-aequo wines are mentioned just as equally meaningful and equally alive today in the funnel of my memory...
Nothing more than that.
I don't use CellarTracker and I never take written notes...so God knows how many other fine wines I tasted last year that I am forgetting now and will never remember in the future.

You apparently have a tendency toward Italian wines
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Well yes I live in Milan (when I am not in China) so I am mostly exposed to Italian wines and I mostly trade young and old Italian wines, that's why.

Massolino looks more attrattive to my eyes today...since Dante Scaglione was hired as 'oenologue conseil'...
 
Pete, the next time you are around in Beaune try 'Le Superbe', if you haven't yet. And for Grands Escargots...Brasserie Carnot especially late at night...

My last two dinners at 'Ma Cuisine' last February were seriously disappointing, to be honest. Hope I was just unlucky.
 
originally posted by Luca Mazzoleni: I loved that 'consumed at home' note re: the 85 De Vogue Musigny VV...no doubt about that, I too would always consume at home, and rigorously alone I have to add, those special and highly meaningful wines sleeping in my cellar today. I am sorry to sound so Ebenezer Scrooge but it's so painful and unacceptable for me at this age (42) to waste certain highly polysemic and prysmatic wines in a noisy, smelly, distracting and simply imperfect and non-neutral environment. Sensory analysis is my priority (and almost a physical need), not social approval or sharing. Been there done that way too many times before...great 'phenomenological expectations' about that special wine tasting with your best wine fellows at this or that Michelin-star restaurant or smart bistrot / trattoria / izakaya etc etc and then...wrong glassware, wrong service sequence or wrong room temperature, annoying aromas and flavours from the food, acoustic pollution, sensory overload and social distractions. I come back home feeling sorry and guilty for having wasted the hard work of a vigneron and a treasure of fleeting volatile artworks.
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Luca, I can kind of/sort of relate to what you say...with one key distinction.

I much prefer serving a special wine with fellow wine enthusiast(s). I want to be able to, hopefully, share choice adjectives and impressions. For this reason, I'm somewhat sad to say that I have numerous special wines in my cellar that are languishing because I'm loath to pull them without suitable company. And it's kind of difficult for me to stage proper events to accommodate these wine(s).

Everything else you say about environment, tools, distractions, etc. is right on in my view.

Very sorry to hear about Ma Cuisine. Yes, the husband and wife have been divorced for a good while but I haven't observed any diminution in quality. It's definitely not Le Taillevent or Lameloise, but it stands on its own merits...or at least it has in the past. I'll try to keep in mind the Beaune-area restaurants that you mention. I only get to Beaune about every other year and whether this will continue is uncertain. Beaune is one of my very favorite cities in the world.

. . . . Pete
 
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