As the world teetered on the precipice trips were cancelled and commitments were made. As the date approached the numbers dropped to a bare quorum of three who gathered on a Thursday night at Epheses to have a quick meal and "to not make too big a night of it."
Even with advance planning I was a few minutes late getting out of the store. I arrived to find two compadres tucking into a bottle of white wine and a platter of hummus and baba ghanoush. #4 poured me a glass. I took a big sniff and a taste and looked up.
"Where's Scottie?" I asked. The big rich wine showed heady aromas of hazelnut, vanilla, white flowers and poached citrus and stone fruits followed on the palate by a rich silky melange of minerals extended by surprising acidity. Delicious. Obviously Chardonnay. Seemingly new world, RRV, Sonoma Coast? No. Not Burgundian. Surprise! Italian.
Antinori Cervaro della Sara Chardonnay, 2016.
All notions of a less than serious evening were being quickly dispelled.
The second wine was another white. Aromas filled the table as soon as the cork was popped.
"Wow! Another blue cheese wine!" exclaimed #4. A powerful mineral funk gradually transformed into a heady perfume emanating from the viscous yellow gold wine. Big flavors of white peaches, dried apricot and marzipan coalesced into long mineral inflected finish. Not Chardonnay. Viognier? A little. It's a blend. Mainly Chenin Blanc.
Mullineux, Old Vines White, 2014, Swartland, South Africa.
Mullineux, Old Vines White, 2014, Swartland, South Africa.
We ordered our meals. a double order of lamb chops and lamb gyro and turned our attention to the red wine.
John briefly left the table so I tried to channel my my old blind tasting study group days. Dark ruby core starting to brick on the edge. Clear but thin miniscus, pointing to an older wine, possibly old world. Aromas of baking spices and fresh and dried red fruits. Notes of cedar herbs tucked under the fruit. All notes confirmed on the palate, supported by gentle acidity and soft integrated tannins. Flavor notes point to Bordeaux varieties. Weight and texture point to Bordeaux. Acid and tannins point to the Medoc, St Julien? Most great Bordeaux vintages after 2000 are all power wines so maybe 95 or 96? Close.
Chateau Haut Marbuzet, 1995 Saint Estephe. Nice.
Any remaining notions of a lightweight evening are dashed.
The next wine was much darker in the glass with broody dark cherry, smoky cedar and spicy herbs. Flavors were confirmed on the palate with a darker espresso-like concentration. #4 went quickly to Syrah, his go-to variety. Correct, only it's just half the blend. Discussion ensued with a big nod to Bordeaux varietals. Correct again. Cab Franc. But from where. Guesses jumped around the wine world. Old World? Very. Mountain Grown, Extremely low yields: 11 hl/ha.
Chateau Belle-Vue le Chateau, 2011, Lebanon.
The lamb chops really sang with this wine.
Explosive aromas flooded the table as John opened the next wine. A BOMB!!! Massive fresh and dried red fruits burst out in all directions. Big silky flavors that didn't end. I think we were all stunned. Rhone varieties? Yes. Grenache? Yes. Too flashy to be an old vine CDP Grenache bomb. Can't think of a Cali producer. Wait a minute does he still have some of that left? Why yes, evidently! Old Vine Aussie Grenache made by Chris Ringland and brought in by Dan Phillips in his glory days. Wow it's holding up beautifully. Some of Dan's wines fell apart but these selections from some of the greatest vineyards in Australia show that yes, VINES MATTER!!!
Chateau Chateau Island, 2006 Grenache, Ebenezer Vineyard, Barossa.
We did the only sensible thing we could do at this point. We ordered an insanely rich chocolate desert and opened another bottle of wine.
Not to be outdone, Bradley pulls a stunner from his deep bag of tricks. Another big boy. Spicy black fruits intertwine with espresso in a seamless sensation of flavor and texture. My thoughts immediately go to a big-ass Right Bank Bordeaux, but no. Thoughts flirt with a top end Malbec from Mendoza, but evidently that's not the case. Merlot? Yes. The wine is beautifully integrated with suggestivw hints of fine tannins structually keeping the wine alive. Napa? Yes. Spring Mountain.
Paloma Merlot, 2013. Napa Valley.
Just three guys on a workday Thursday night.
But wait. What's that bottle on the far right? Where did it come from?
We knew there was one other table of wine drinkers in the restaurant as there was last time we met here. And both times the table was hosted by Dallas's own MW Dilek Caner! So of course we shared bottles and conversation. The real star of their table was a magnum of Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet 1981 that stunning with baking spices, vanilla and dried cherries in a silky texture with the barest hint of inflected tannin. Wow. A treat.
The 2005 Pichon Lalande Comtessa seemed muted and closed in comparison to the other wines of the evening, though it showed hints of its true self. Definitely needs a lot more time. I took the unfinished bottle home and finished it a week later. Maybe it was the lack of other wines, but it showed great. Big and rich. Dark and complex. I've seen it happen a number of times with big powerful middle aged Bordeaux. Sometimes they just don't sing well with others and need to sing solo. Maybe it just needed 10 days of air.
And that was the last tasting.
Chateau Haut Marbuzet, 1995 Saint Estephe. Nice.
Any remaining notions of a lightweight evening are dashed.
The next wine was much darker in the glass with broody dark cherry, smoky cedar and spicy herbs. Flavors were confirmed on the palate with a darker espresso-like concentration. #4 went quickly to Syrah, his go-to variety. Correct, only it's just half the blend. Discussion ensued with a big nod to Bordeaux varietals. Correct again. Cab Franc. But from where. Guesses jumped around the wine world. Old World? Very. Mountain Grown, Extremely low yields: 11 hl/ha.
Chateau Belle-Vue le Chateau, 2011, Lebanon.
The lamb chops really sang with this wine.
Explosive aromas flooded the table as John opened the next wine. A BOMB!!! Massive fresh and dried red fruits burst out in all directions. Big silky flavors that didn't end. I think we were all stunned. Rhone varieties? Yes. Grenache? Yes. Too flashy to be an old vine CDP Grenache bomb. Can't think of a Cali producer. Wait a minute does he still have some of that left? Why yes, evidently! Old Vine Aussie Grenache made by Chris Ringland and brought in by Dan Phillips in his glory days. Wow it's holding up beautifully. Some of Dan's wines fell apart but these selections from some of the greatest vineyards in Australia show that yes, VINES MATTER!!!
Chateau Chateau Island, 2006 Grenache, Ebenezer Vineyard, Barossa.
We did the only sensible thing we could do at this point. We ordered an insanely rich chocolate desert and opened another bottle of wine.
Not to be outdone, Bradley pulls a stunner from his deep bag of tricks. Another big boy. Spicy black fruits intertwine with espresso in a seamless sensation of flavor and texture. My thoughts immediately go to a big-ass Right Bank Bordeaux, but no. Thoughts flirt with a top end Malbec from Mendoza, but evidently that's not the case. Merlot? Yes. The wine is beautifully integrated with suggestivw hints of fine tannins structually keeping the wine alive. Napa? Yes. Spring Mountain.
Paloma Merlot, 2013. Napa Valley.
Just three guys on a workday Thursday night.
But wait. What's that bottle on the far right? Where did it come from?
We knew there was one other table of wine drinkers in the restaurant as there was last time we met here. And both times the table was hosted by Dallas's own MW Dilek Caner! So of course we shared bottles and conversation. The real star of their table was a magnum of Dunn Howell Mountain Cabernet 1981 that stunning with baking spices, vanilla and dried cherries in a silky texture with the barest hint of inflected tannin. Wow. A treat.
The 2005 Pichon Lalande Comtessa seemed muted and closed in comparison to the other wines of the evening, though it showed hints of its true self. Definitely needs a lot more time. I took the unfinished bottle home and finished it a week later. Maybe it was the lack of other wines, but it showed great. Big and rich. Dark and complex. I've seen it happen a number of times with big powerful middle aged Bordeaux. Sometimes they just don't sing well with others and need to sing solo. Maybe it just needed 10 days of air.
And that was the last tasting.
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