Jayson Cohen
Jayson Cohen
My wife and I were invited to a smallish dinner party at a magnificent Manhattan apartment on April 21. (Names are concealed to protect the privacy of the potentially lurking innocent.) Half the crowd were wine geeks, and guests wound up bringing three of the bottles, however unnecessary. The hospitality and comradery were casual and excellent.
With olives and cheesy bread sticks, we started with two Champagnes.
Roger Coulon Heri-Hodie Grande Tradition Champagne 1er Cru NV. Slightly oxidative refreshing Meunier zestiness and cut with nice weight.
Ayala Brut NV - richer and leaning more bready. Good, though comes off a bit heavy next to the Coulon.
Dinner was a delicious rib roast with roasted potatoes and green beans amandine, followed by a number of French cheeses including St. Nectaire.
1996 Joel Taluau St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Vieilles Vignes. The more overt Cab Franc pyrizines of youth have blossomed into a medium weight elegant dark fruited tobacco truffly seductiveness on its drinking plateau. Will never be a blockbuster but should drink well for a long time. A good start.
1992 Chateau Magdelaine (served blind out of magnum). Knowing the guest who brought this and the host, the back of my brain was tingling Magdelaine but it was not apparent enough in the wine to guess that way. Earthy, gravelly, savory with a hint of menthol - did not come across to me as a Merlot dominated wine or to have the black cherry / cranberry or texture I get in mature Magdelaine so I was in Graves or even St. Estephe at first. Has presence but rusticity. It’s a 1992. It’s good.
1970 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge (out of magnum). A glorious and young magnum of this favorite. The dense red fruit, midpalate tension, minerality, and long juicy finish that are signatures of DDC to me are there. Not young but a youthful magnum. 1970 DDC has a long future, in this format especially.
1959 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge. Take the 1970 and add a layer of richness. Wow. My first time with the 1959 IIRC. A touch more refined than the 1970.
Champagne interlude to refresh the palate:
1978 Dom Perignon. I was a little trepidatious as this bottle was in a temperature controlled home cellar for the last 23-25 years but was probably roughed up the first 7-9 years after release. It was a fantastic bottle that was happily and readily drained. Penetrating almond cream, brioche, caramel aromas, then an unexpected explosion of mouthwatering orange / orange zest brought to life by a very fine and vibrant mousse. Long staining finish. It is wonderful to drink an aged Champagne like this that has retained its bubbles.
1955 Lafite. Another first for me. I love DDC, but here we are almost in a different category. Amazing dark red fruit and clarity with very fine tannins having evolved to provide a silky long finish. Effortless, almost weightless weight.
Spirits were high as we departed on a brisk but quick walk home.
With olives and cheesy bread sticks, we started with two Champagnes.
Roger Coulon Heri-Hodie Grande Tradition Champagne 1er Cru NV. Slightly oxidative refreshing Meunier zestiness and cut with nice weight.
Ayala Brut NV - richer and leaning more bready. Good, though comes off a bit heavy next to the Coulon.
Dinner was a delicious rib roast with roasted potatoes and green beans amandine, followed by a number of French cheeses including St. Nectaire.
1996 Joel Taluau St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Vieilles Vignes. The more overt Cab Franc pyrizines of youth have blossomed into a medium weight elegant dark fruited tobacco truffly seductiveness on its drinking plateau. Will never be a blockbuster but should drink well for a long time. A good start.
1992 Chateau Magdelaine (served blind out of magnum). Knowing the guest who brought this and the host, the back of my brain was tingling Magdelaine but it was not apparent enough in the wine to guess that way. Earthy, gravelly, savory with a hint of menthol - did not come across to me as a Merlot dominated wine or to have the black cherry / cranberry or texture I get in mature Magdelaine so I was in Graves or even St. Estephe at first. Has presence but rusticity. It’s a 1992. It’s good.
1970 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge (out of magnum). A glorious and young magnum of this favorite. The dense red fruit, midpalate tension, minerality, and long juicy finish that are signatures of DDC to me are there. Not young but a youthful magnum. 1970 DDC has a long future, in this format especially.
1959 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge. Take the 1970 and add a layer of richness. Wow. My first time with the 1959 IIRC. A touch more refined than the 1970.
Champagne interlude to refresh the palate:
1978 Dom Perignon. I was a little trepidatious as this bottle was in a temperature controlled home cellar for the last 23-25 years but was probably roughed up the first 7-9 years after release. It was a fantastic bottle that was happily and readily drained. Penetrating almond cream, brioche, caramel aromas, then an unexpected explosion of mouthwatering orange / orange zest brought to life by a very fine and vibrant mousse. Long staining finish. It is wonderful to drink an aged Champagne like this that has retained its bubbles.
1955 Lafite. Another first for me. I love DDC, but here we are almost in a different category. Amazing dark red fruit and clarity with very fine tannins having evolved to provide a silky long finish. Effortless, almost weightless weight.
Spirits were high as we departed on a brisk but quick walk home.
