Was saving this bottle for a special occasion and got one, even on a Monday night.
Was lucky enough to get reservations at Ambassador's Clubhouse in NYC and went for dinner with my wife.
I wish I could have opened this before dinner, but life gets in the way sometimes. Instead, got to Ambassador's Clubhouse and immediately decanted this and brought it to cellar temp. Enjoyed a South African Syrah with my appetizer, a beetroot Raj Kachori.
After an hour of decanting, this was still a tannic monster, but gave it some aggressive swirling and it really opened up.
On the nose, picked up some violets, chocolate, cinnamon bark, and cloves.
Also got some dark cherry, plum, blueberry, and eucalyptus notes as well.
The tannins did calm down and this became really balanced with time.
Paired it with our mains, which was Chana Kulcha, Dunghar Paneer Tikka, and Chili Cheese Pakoda. The pairing was beautiful, especially given all the layers in the food and the fat to cut through the tannins.
Three asides here.
First, Ambassador's Clubhouse is probably my new favorite "elevated" Indian restaurant. It's not overly fusiony, just well-made Punjabi food.
Second, I'm noticing a pattern with Christian Moueix wines pair well with Indian food, between this, 2017 Ulysses with Kanyakumari in NYC, and 2008/2013 Dominus with Copra in SF. I think his wines tend to be a little more restrained and a little more savory, it's a great match.
Third, Hosanna may be one of the best QPRs in high-end Bordeaux.
92+ points.
by rnjbond
1 Comment
Hosanna is always good. Always.