1985 Quinta do Noval and some Rhones in NYC

[Vinotas]

What a way to start the week, I have to say. Great food, wonderful wines, but most importantly, fantastic people.
You know you are in a good group when people do things like invite you to their homes, bring in skilled chefs to cook for you, and uncork some delicious wines.
I can also add I am happy to be working from home this morning...
In any case, last night five of us gathered at Wilfred's beautiful loft in Chelsea for a dinner celebrating the wines of the Rhone. Knowing that it was Bill and Wilfred's birthdays last week, our group had decided to surprise them with some little tokens of our appreciation: a beautiful hazelnut and chocolate Louvre cake from Payard (http://www.Payard.com) , a fantastic pastry shop in NYC, and some Cuban cigars for after dinner. I also decided to bring something to match the desserts (which I knew would include cheese), so along came a 1985 Quinta do Noval.

Upon arriving, I found the gang clustered around the island in the kitchen, watching chef Tod do his magic. The smell of roasting meat filled the apartment, making me fear that someone had broken a bottle of Rhone already! But luckily, no, that was not the case, it was just the gorgeous meats from Lobel's cooking.
Wilfred poured me a glass of 1996 Dom Perignon, which has been reviewed ad nauseam, and for good reason. It is an absolutely lovely bottle of Champagne, especially after being opened for a while. I had to chuckle, as I had been thinking of bringing a bottle of Champagne to go with the first course, but apparently Wilfred beat me to the punch.
Drooling from the wonderful smells emanating from the kitchen, we quickly settled in at the table, our stomachs rumbling with hunger pangs, our mouths watering from thirst.

Sweet cool corn soup with lump crab meat and basil oil

The 1996 Dom Perignon matched the sweetness of the soup and crab meat perfectly, its acidity cutting through the dish. Simultaneously, the soup caused the Champagne to absolutely blossom in the mouth, causing a wonderful interplay between food and wine. Wow.

Then, being impatient, we opened up a controversial wine:

-2003 Clos des Papes CdP
This was my first time with this wine, and I'm glad to have tasted it now. I do not have as evolved a palate as Mr. Parker, so I can not say whether this will be a beauty or a monster in the future. All I can do is relate what I tasted and my thoughts and impressions in the moment.
Big, fat kirsh liqueur aromas smack your nose right away, with an almost brandied cherry aspect. This is followed by plums, burnt herbs, roasted earth, gamey lamb, briars, dark raisins, stones, grapefruit, some roasted fig, all on an incredibly concentrated and intense profile. Bill and I had to discuss whether we were getting more roasted or ripe characters on this wine's nose. I felt it had more of a roasted quality, he felt it was more ripe. We agreed to disagree.
Surprisingly medium-bodied on the palate, it delivered raisins, slightly roasted plums, stones, smoke, with spicy accents, very reminiscent of a dry Port without the alcohol or VA. At the back of the mouth, a hint of burnt herbs lingered, dancing among the fat tannins. This was obviously VERY primary, almost over-ripe, and I can see why this is a controversial wine. I wasn't crazy about it at the dinner, but then again, I don't like too many of the 2003 Rhones I've had. But who knows, in 10-20 years, this may be a supermodel.

Blanched plum tomatoes served over diced heirloom Yellow Taxi Cab tomatoes in shallots with sherry vinegar, chives and basil oil

What a beautiful dish to look at! This was so pretty I almost didn't want to eat it. But, alas, it did not last long on my plate, I took one bite, then dove right in. The freshness of the tomatoes was amazingly pure, and I really almost felt like I was in a field in the South of France eating tomatoes like apples, as I had done while growing up. Sigh...
Drew stood up to begin pouring his wine, which was wrapped in foil.

-Blind Red
Light colored, it smelled of cola, bright cherries, some slight horsiness, dark fruits, some vanilla and kirsch liqueur, hints of grapefruit, plums, with spicy licorice, herbs, blueberries and some gamy notes.
Medium bodied on the palate, it offered notes of dark red fruits, black pepper, with a very light mid-palate that trailed into a very tart and acidic finish with hints of chocolate.
Not to my liking, though I guessed a 1999 Northern Rhone as it had some hints of elegance in its structure.
Whoops!
It was the 2002 Pegau CdP. So that's what a rainy vintage does to the Southern Rhone, eh?

Next came the main dish, which had been filling the loft with its mouthwatering smells. Somewhere in Heaven, a cow is applauding proudly...

Pan-seared and roasted Lobels prime porterhouse steaks, sauteed wild mushrooms, pureed Yukon Gold potatoes "Joel Robouchon"

Oh, man, someone get me to a heart specialist! Those potatoes were dreamy, silky and smooth, but let's face it, they were 2 parts butter, 1 part potato (aka the right way!). The meat was supremely tender and juicy yet flavorful, with just the right crust, and the wild mushrooms, while good, were blown off the plate by the meat and buttery potato combo.
Three wines were served here:

-1998 Beaucastel CdP
Ooooh my God, I'm in love...
Dark chocolate, bramble, blueberries, game, all in a broad, flowery, perfumy nose, with hints of lavender flowing across a supremely elegant and velvety profile.
Big bodied, with dark yet bright fruits, earth, stones, smoke, herbs, TONS of blueberries, raisins, black pepper, all in a beautiful pure package that was just a hedonist's delight. It ended in a gorgeously balanced, long, dark and spicy finish. Wow!

-1998 Vieux Telegraphe CdP
Chocolaty, with blueberries, earth, stones, hints of herbs and lavender, but more rustic than the Beaucatel.
On the palate, it showed a big body, with more iron and game, wrapped in blueberries, raisins, herbs and earth, on a smooth yet more primary structure that ended in a long and black fruity finish.
Very nice.

-1990 Pegau Cuvee Laurence CdP
Wow, what a nose!!!!!
I dove in and was rewarded with a cascade of complex aromas on a gorgeously elegant and perfumy balanced frame: dark fruits, olives, herbs, leather, smoke, cigar, vanilla, figs, cinnamon, spice, oh my! Hints of ginger wafted in and out, surrounding some game.
It smelled so good, I couldn't wait to taste it!
Big bodied, with chocolate covered raspberries and blueberries, earth, minerals, light raisins, cinnamon, Asian spices, licorice, herbs, olives, leather and game, this wine just filled the mouth with an incredibly balanced symphony of delicious flavors. Unbelievably complex and smooth, with a tremendously graceful grip and a silky mouthfeel, I could have jumped into the glass.
I felt this was the WOTN due to its complexity and balance, though others thought differently. Vive la difference!

Next we moved to the Northern Rhone, though I was sad to see the sunny pastures of the South drain away in my wine glass.
We served these with the remainder of the meat and the beginning of the cheese plate.

-1997 J-L Chave Hermitage
Sharp, fresh blueberries leap at my nose, with olives, herbs, some oak on a perfumy frame. Medium bodied, this wine offered dark red and black fruits, spices, leather, with some pink peppercorns (way to nail it Tod!) on a long, slightly tannic finish. While it was very nice and elegant, this wine lacked a certain strength in the mid-palate, and like Bill I was a bit disappointed.

-2003 Remizieres "L'Essentiel"
Super roasted plums, with dark fruits, earth, stones, brambles and hints of VA filled my inquiring nostrils. This wine filled the mouth with notes of roast earth and plums, dark fruits, chocolate and cream. The vintage character really showed through here, and this was not entirely to my liking. Some observed this wine was more CA-like than Rhone, and I tend to agree. It reminded me of a Pax Syrah I had last month, though I think I preferred the Pax as it didn't have that roast note.

Even though we were quite stuffed, we forged on, troopers that we are. And from the kitchen came 2 wonderful desserts:

Plum tart a la Wilfred and Payard's Louvre hazelnut-chocolate cake

With these, we began pouring the dessert wine and lighting the cigars (Siglo I Cohibas, mild enough for any Port).

-1985 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port
I was a bit worried as Roy Hersh had mentioned both to me privately and on this website that he was a bit disappointed with Noval's 1985s. I followed his instructions and decanted this about 3 hours before we began pouring.
I have to say, I was not too disappointed.
Fresh violet fruits, cake, almonds, some alcohol, all on a surprisingly fresh frame filled the air. Medium yet luscious body, with a well-balanced (ie not too sweet) attack, leading to nuts, some chocolate, cake, dark and purple berries and fruits, with a long and smooth finish.
While I would have liked more complexity, it went perfectly with the mild Cohiba, taming the cigar's tobacco notes. A great after-dinner quaff, frankly, that did not need too much thought but tasted wonderful after all the rich food.

At this point in the evening, we looked at our watches and realized 2 things:
1- it was past Midnight and several of us would turn to pumpkins if we didn't get back to our significant others...
2- it was a school night and we had to get to work relatively early the next day!
So with heavy hearts and heavier stomachs, we said our adieux and thanked Wilfred and Tod for hosting us and showing us the true meaning of generosity. Luckily, nothing was spilled, despite Wilfred's tricky table...
Bill and I played paparazzi and recorded this wonderful evening. Pictures can be found http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandin ... share&Ux=0.
Cheers! :twisted: