The wine of the night...

So if you were to ask me what the oldest/longest aged wine I have been cellaring out of my own personal stash was, I'd tell you that it wasn't the 1982 Chateau Cos d'Estournel, not the 1985 Graham's Vintage Port, not the 1994 Harlan, the 1992 Maya, the 1983 Chateau Margaux, orrrrrr a myriad of other things.

My day started by waking up with a crick in my neck from an awkward laying position in my super-luxurious bed at my parents winery in Bluff Dale, Texas. I came here for the weekend to cram for my Certified Specialist of Spirits (C.S.S.) exam. My mother was out of town visiting HER mother in Los Angeles and I thought...PERFECT! The pain in my neck was QUITE substantial but I trudged on reading about "congeners" in Vodka (ethyl palmitate aparently takes on a mild waxy component), and how for Tequila, the Amatitan region provides a more spicy/herbal note than the Los Altos(flora, sweet) profile. The day was perfect as I was laying out on the upper-balcony, listening to the various travelers down below comment on the view (which is quite wonderful).

Once the winery closed it was time to grill a steak, and boil some okra. After we finished a bottle of my father's 2007 Cabernet he asked me to fetch another bottle. I thought how rare an occassion it was these days that my dad and I get to enjoy dinner with such a view and how these days will soon come to an end. I returned with a 1975 Bertani Amarone Recioto della Valpolicella that I have been cellaring for almost 11 years. This wine I attained in my very callow wine years because it was my birth year and one of the few wines I believed to be able to last. My father was floored that I chose tonight to share this bottle with him (albeit presumptuous that I would share it at all ha!).

Now for the always nervous part, opening this wine, wondering if it were still good, or even cellared properly. Well using a waiter's corkscrew I made the attempt at opening it...and well I broke the cork in half. The cork would not budge (which was a good sign). Out came the second half of the cork and it was in beautiful condition. A smile came when I could smell the effusive earthy/sweet fruit notes rise from the bottle...not dead at all! A silent tear was shed as we drank this wine over the next two hours talking about the house I was born in, my dad's government work around that same time, what was to become of our own mortality, and things I had never really thought to ask or he to share.

The bouquet of this wine had an incredibly pronounced balsamic, soy sauce note that one could JUST smell for hours, along with kalamatta olives and a salty meat characteristic. The palate had figs wrapped in prosciutto. The longer you kept the wine in your mouth the more pronounced the fig, and less the salt. The reward came right on the cusp of swallowing where the sweet fruits get overtaken by the balsamic notes and olive components yet again. Even after cleansing one's palate with either water, cheese, olives, or crackers, the balsamic notes lingered on for probably a mere five minutes. This wine was as old as I was and many of those who contributed to this wine had probably passed on. As an understatement, this was the wine of the night.

Clos de Tart tasting

Last week I had the honor to go to the 2007 Mommessin Clos de Tart launch at Nana. To sweeten the deal Wilson Daniels also had us try the 2001, 2002, 2003 Clos de Tart and the 2006, 2007 La Forge de Tart.

This wine has an interesting history only having three proprietors since its creation in 1141. Cistercian nuns (Bernardines de Tart) were the first purchasers of the site, then building the "clos" or "wall" (hence Clos de Tart). It was then acquired in 1789 at the time of the French Revolution, then in 1932 the Mommessins finally purchased this famed vineyard at auction.

Clos de Tart is the largest grand cru monopole in Burgundy (approx. 18.6 acres or 7.53 hectares) with the oldest planted parcel dating back to 1918. It is always good to know that their viticultural philosophy is essentially organic unless certain ailments leave no other option.

The winemaker Sylvian Pitiot led us through the tasting, starting with the La Forge de Tarts. In certain vintages a portion of the wine may be declassified as La Forge de Tart (usually from vines averaging 25 years old). The 2007 had a very expressive nose of violets, and cinnamon followed by the usual Burgundian red berries, finishing with a nice tart, medium length finish. The 2006 had a more demure nose of allspice, clove, and a hint of milk chocolate, followed by a similar palate and finish as the 2007, albeit less complex.

The Grand Cru Clos de Tarts were wonderful. The 2007 had one of the most unique noses I've ever whiffed of violets, cinnamon, and minerals. A 10 on the richter scale of effusiveness this wine didn't hold back at all on the uncuous texture of violet, strawberry and Chambord. Sylvian informed us that the nose we were smelling "today" would soon taper and disappear into a more delicate mold. 2001 Clos de Tart was the most "true Burgundy" with its floral perfume, and chocolate roses, followed by a pure sweet strawberry palate, finishing round and soft. The 2002 was the most intriguing having a much more sweet chocolate note, with a pomegranite,mineral, clove finish. Alas was the 2003. Now I am all for Burgundian purity et al, but this monster was really satisfying but the polar opposite of traditional. This wine smells of milk chocolate, violets, sweet spices, and framboise. The palate was low in acidity, with milky textured sweet red fruits finishing round with mostly framboise, and sweet spice. I enjoyed the 2003 for its flash and the 2001 for its balance.

All in all I really appreciated this tasting showing me the merits of ageing Burgundy. I mostly get to try this great wine upon release and therefore I only know their monolithic, brutish side. I have a new found respect for an already respectable brand, and thank you Wilson Daniels for having this great event.