On May 30, 10:07*am, "Bill S." > wrote:
> Dinner chez Jenise notes – every guest was given the task of bringing
> one wine to serve blind alongside the host’s wine for each course
> (except the bubble and final wines, which were provided by the host).
>
> Bruno Paillard Brut Rose Champagne Premiere Cuvee – this was marked as
> disgorged in May 2009 and was an NV blend that contains 85% pinot
> (information available after interminable wait on the winery’s
> annoying flash-ridden website). Given 3 years in bottle before
> disgorgement, that means that the wine was a 2006 on average, with up
> to 15% older *vintage content. *A yellow/peach colour, and some nice
> apple in the mouth, and elegant smooth finish. Very nice.
>
> Gosset Brut Excellence – lean lemony bubble with good middle weight
> and medium length. I like this and drink it quite a bit, but in this
> instance, in comparison with the very good Paillard, it seemed to come
> out second place.
>
> We had these with cold peanut and sweet potato soup on the deck, then
> moved inside for:
>
> 2005 Dom. Laroche Chablis Grand Cru Les Blanchots – interesting for me
> coming off a recent Chablis and spot prawn event. This showed
> uncharacteristically big and buttery in the middle, pale yellow, with
> the obligatory sulphur in the nose that usually puts most people off
> less than it does me, and good length. Good showing.
>
> 2006 Martin Ray Chardonnay Reserve (Santa Cruz Mountain) – while more
> reticent to show us much in the nose, except some lime hints, I
> thought this was a lovely clean chard with some coconut notes coming
> in late on palate.
>
> Served with shrimp and grits (southern theme menu) and excellent large
> shrimp they were, too.
>
> Next up, with a ham and mustard green terrine (a sort of deconstructed
> or mutated jambon persille, that worked beautifully) with salad and
> pickled tomato accompaniments:
>
> 2005 Grgich Dry Sauvignon Blanc – very good sauv blanc nose, but of
> the passion fruit rather than grassy bent, and, oddly, I thought, what
> seemed like significant RS, balanced by good terminal acidity. Lots of
> lemon and melon in the middle.
>
> 2004 Dom. Serene Pinot Noir Yamhill Cuvee – this was the switch-over
> course from white to red and this Oregon offering worked equally as
> well as the white with the food. A nice spicy pinot nose, not overly
> sweet, followed by a sweet entry, and some fairly rich cherry fruit in
> midpalate, ending with medium length.
>
> The main course was outstanding – a Flannery 45 day prime rib cap,
> perfectly cooked (by which I mean rare) with red eye gravy, creamed
> collard greens and okra fritters.
>
> I had the task of coming up with a wine to suit this and had no idea
> what Jenise might pull out, so I opted for classic elegance with:
>
> 1994 Ch. Pichon Lalande (Pauillac) – an under rated vintage that has
> shown well in recent tastings and this was one of the wines of the
> vintage. Good colour with the edges lightening a bit, and a nose that
> was classic – currant and spice and vanilla that made it impossible to
> pretend that this was anything but Bordeaux. Still some softening
> tannin, good structure and a commendably long finish, this should
> coast along for many years yet, and may not be at peak for a few more
> years.
>
> 2000 Woodward Canyon Cabernet Dedication Series #20 – almost black in
> the glass and showing a nose more redolent of syrah notes (incl. some
> bacon) *than cabernet, this one fooled us. *Juicy and long with a big
> middle presence there is no rush on this one.
>
> With dessert:
>
> 1990 Ch. de Fargues Sauternes – now a darkening amber colour, the nose
> was coconut and orange peel, and the wine showed sweet but balanced.
>
> I’lll tack on another wine we opened sitting around after the others
> had left for the night –
>
> 2005 Arcadian Sleepy Hollow Syrah – these Santa Barbera syrahs are
> some of the most reliably interesting California wine of the type.
> This one showed a remarkably Rhonish nose with a little poopiness and
> sweet fruit, but not so much as to be peggable as overtly New World,
> Excellent concentration and very good length, this would make a great
> ringer for a blind Syrah tasting as it could be mistaken for a
> Northern Rhone.
>
> Great experience and thanks to the chef!

Really nice wines...thanks for the notes. I haven't bought Laroche
for a number of years...iirc there was a problem with cooked wine back
in the early 2000's.