2001 horizontal

BYO dinner at Tim's Kitchen organized by Christie's.

Krug Grande Cuvée en magnum - toasty and lovely.

2001 Carl von Schubert Maximin Grünhauser Riesling Spätlese - I looooove this Riesling and have some older vintages at home.  Nose of urethane, plastic, a bit floral and mineral.  A little sweet on the palate.

2001 Weegmuller Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Spätlese - more minerals in the big and open nose.  Leaner on the palate.

2001 Domdechant Werner Hichheimer Kirchenstuck Riesling Spätlese Trocken - this was the biggest surprise for me.  The nose was beautifully honeyed with marmalade, and one would immediately conjure up images of luscious, sweet dessert wines.  But in reality the palate was completely dry, with flavors and notes of straw.  Thank you, Charles!

2001 Leroy Chambertin - I had to pour myself a glass early on because the rest of the crowd was going for this, and the bottle would be empty had I waited a little longer.  Beautiful nose of leather, smoky with farmy notes.  Very open and lovely, and more on the animal side instead of clean, pure fruit.

2001 Dujac Charmes-Chambertin - very open, fruity and kinda sweet.

2001 Palmer - really big nose of forest, potpourri, smoke with some fruit.  Good acidity balance here, and a very beautiful claret.

2001 Dalla Valle Maya - very open and lovely nose of forest, pine, fragrant wood and a bit of smoke.  A little ripe and slightly sweet on the palate.  Very uncharacteristic for a Cali Cab.

2001 Doisy-Daëne - plastic, botrytis, pomelo skin, a little minerals and green on the nose.  Obviously sweet on the palate.

2001 Haut-Brion - the bottle was empty by the time I got to it.

2001 Yquem - the bottle was empty by the time I got to it.

2001 Drouhin-Laroze Chambertin Clos de Beze - very fruity, minty and fragrant, kinda sweet, lovely and elegant.  Sweet on the nose but not on the palate.  Seemingly on the opposite end of the spectrum from the Leroy Chambertin.

2001 Branaire-Ducru - smoky, brett, a little savory minerals and soy sauce.  A classic claret.

2001 Leewuin Estate Art Series Chardonnay - I brought this bottle to make an interesting pairing of two Chardonnays, but I wondered if this was a little corked.  Very strong nose of straw, a bit mossy and green.  A little banana and perhaps some chalk.  A hint of minerals. Very ripe and oxidized on the palate.  I love Leeuwin Chardonnays when they have been aged, and I always thought they could go head-to-head against white Burgundy, but I was disappointed by this bottle.  

2001 Ramonet Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet - ripe and a little oxidized, and ripe on the palate.  Citrus rind notes with a little bitter finish, and a little alcoholic.  I love Ramonets but I was slightly disappointed in this bottle that I brought.  My friends seemed to have liked it, though...

2001 Château de la Gardine Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc - surprisingly honeyed and sweet in the nose, with urethane notes.  Pretty nice and open.

2001 Bouchard Corton Renardes - minty with herbs.  Soft and pretty decent.

2001 R. López de Heredia Viña Bosconia - lots of herbs and forest, a bit sweet with some ripeness.

2001 Latour - minty with sandalwood, fragrant, open and beautiful.

2001 Sassicaia - smoky, a bit mineral, toasty oak and sweet on the nose.  Open, fragrant and beautiful.  Wow!

2001 Musar - very open and sweet, a bit oxidized.  Beautiful.

2001 Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz - fragrant wood, sweet, oxidized, smoky and alcoholic.

2001 Col d'Orcia Riserva Poggio al Vento - a bit acidic on the nose with some smoke.  Not bad.

2001 Vergenoegd Old Cape Colony Port - nose of minerals, alcoholic and sweet.

2001 Gloria - totally forgot to taste this...

Full post on dinner is here.