I got to enjoy an appropriately once-in-a-lifetime bachelor party in Napa over the weekend that included a tour at Bryant Family Vineyards, an Italian wine tasting organized by A16, dinner at the French Laundry, a Hanabi beer tasting with Nick Gislason, and capped off with a blind I helped organize.
The bachelor has always been a big Francophile, is getting married in France, and with this year marking the 50th anniversary of the judgement of Paris, I thought it would be fun to pair up some Napa/Sonoma wines vs France. He’s also always enjoyed games and spy novels/movies so I thought it would be fun to insert a rogue wine into the mix, hence the Ao Yun.
In the blind, the Dujac came out on top for the whites, followed by the Aubert, Kistler, Louis Latour, and Kongsgaard Judge. Amongst the red wines, the Harlan very narrowly edged the Margaux for the top spot, followed by the Latour, Scarecrow, and Ao Yun a fair bit behind. We decided to open a 2016 Colgin IX Estate later in the evening which landed just behind the Scarecrow.
Below are brief notes on each of the wines we tried over the weekend, but happy to provide additional color on any of them.
– 2022 Bryant Family Bettina: Beautiful label, but I thought the wine was relatively one-note, especially considering what it retails for. Blue and black fruits dominated, plush tannins, medium cocoa finish. 15/20
– 2023 Bryant Family: They are very excited about the 2023 vintage but it will take another 5-10 years for this to start showing its full potential. Similar fruit characteristics as the Bettina but I got a lot more dried herbs and menthol which was pleasant. 18/20
– 2013 Bryant Family: Bold, and still surprisingly dominated by primary and secondary characteristics. Tight and not as well balanced as the 2023 in my opinion. Might eventually get there with some more age. 16/20
– 2024 Quintodecimo Falanghina Via Del Campo: Chamomile, apples, peach. Lively acidity with a touch of oak. 16/20
– 2021 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d’Abruzzo: Floral, with stone fruits, candied citrus, and some almond notes. 17/20
– 2013 Gaja Barbaresco (in magnum): Red cherry, rose petal, fine tannins. More linear than I expected. 15/20
– 2013 Masseto: Very plush, had both red fruit and dark fruits like plum. Oak was noticeable but well integrated. Felt much more decadent but surprisingly fresh at the same time. 19/20
– 2015 Dal Frono Romano Amarone Della Valpolicella: Loaded with dark fruits, chocolate, and winter spices. Powerful structure and long finish. 17/20
– NV Egly-Ouriet “Les Vignes de Bisseuil”: Citrus and baked apple with brioche layered underneath. Fine bubbles, lovely. 17/20
– 1977 D’Oliveiras Sercial Frasqueira: First time having a dessert wine this early into a dinner but it paired very well with the surprise egg custard with truffle ragú dish. Razor sharp acidity, medium sweetness, toasted nuts and salted caramel. 18/20
– 2022: Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurzgarten Kabinett: Light and fun. Lime, green apple, and slate. Characteristic petrol nose. Delicate sweetness balanced with high acid. 18/20
– 2021 Marcassin: Ripe stone fruit, citrus curd, with a very pronounced oak backbone. It drank very heavy. 14/20
– 2007 Thierry Allemand Cornas: Dark berries, olive tapenade, smoked meat with a peppery finish. Savory, complex, with a lengthy finish. Gorgeous. 19/20
– 1994 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard: This was a highlight of the weekend. Fruit was still present with hints of dried cassis, but had beautiful earthy, tobacco, and leather notes as well. Silky tannins with a super long finish. 20/20
– 1994 Livingston-Moffett Cabernet Sauvignon: Compared to the Diamond Creek, the flavors here felt much more subdued. Comparable hints of dried black fruit and leather. Medium finish. 16/20
– 2018 Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos: Always one of my favorites. Sweet but vibrant acidity. Apples, apricots, orange marmalade, and honey. 19/20
– 2023 Aubert Powder House: Ripe stone fruit, citrus oil, and vanilla. Full bodied but not as heavy as the Marcassin. Had more brightness/acidity which I appreciated. 16/20
– 2021 Kongsgaard The Judge: Baked apple, hazelnuts, very oaky. The majority of us felt that the oak overwhelmed the balance in the wine. 14/20
– 2021 Kistler Les Noisetiers: More refined/balanced than the Kongsgaard but similar profile or orchard fruit, citrus, and oak. A little brighter. 15/20
– 2023 Domaine Dujac Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes: Our favorite white of the evening. Citrus, white flowers, wet stone. Precise acidity with a nice long finish. Very well balanced. 18/20
– 2019 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne: Citrus and almond but felt a little flat. Finish was not as persistent as I expected either. 15/20
– 2016 Harlan: The group’s favorite red wine of the evening. Massive yet polished with characteristic blackcurrant, graphite, and espresso. Seamless tannins. Would love to try this again in another 10 years. 19+/20
– 2016 Scarecrow: I had high hopes for the Scarecrow but I thought the flavors were more subdued. More pronounced violet and spice than the Harlan. 17/20
– 2016 Colgin IX Estate Cabernet Sauvignon: We ended up opening this post the blind so less objective, but we felt that it was very similar to the Scarecrow. 17/20
– 2016 Chateau Latour: Cassis, cedar and graphite. Very powerful, probably too much so. Firm tannins. Can probably age for several more decades. 17/20
– 2016 Chateau Margaux: My personal favorite red of the tasting (and perhaps the weekend). Had similar characteristics as the other red wines, but much more perfumed and with more red fruit notes. Silky tannins, incredible smooth and delicate. 20/20
– 2016 Ao Yun: Majority of the group correctly identified the wine as being the “odd one out” although none guessed where it came from. Key distinction from the other reds was very pronounced herbal character that threw the wine a little off balance in my view. 14/20.
by juiceboxxx