Restaurant: John Gerber [1, 2, 3]

Location: Flintridge

Date: May 27, 2016

Cuisine: New American

Today’s Sauvages lunch is a lunch in honor of  late Co-Poobah Steve Levin. It’s graciously hosted by Paul at at his beautiful home in Flintridge. This event is held outdoors in memory of the Zinfandel barbecues that Steve would hold for our group every summer at his home (it being Paul’s idea to maintain this fine tradition). To that end, we always enjoy a few Zinfandels at this lunch in addition to the theme wines for the lunch. The annual lunches at Paul’s home always rate very high on the scales for ambiance, camaraderie and food quality.

The main wine theme:  This year, as it has been the past few years for our lunch at Paul’s, our primary wine theme will be “Grenaches of the World”, in this case from the 2007 and older vintages (the older the better).  Just to be clear, “Grenaches of the World” means any Grenache or Grenache-based blend (at least 60-70% Grenache), as long as it is rated 93+ by a reputable critic, and is from the 2007 or older vintage.  Grenache-based wines from Australia, California, Washington, Priorat, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Sardinia (called Cannonau) or any other parts of the world are fair game as long as the wine has a qualifying score.

This California style building isn’t the house itself, but the amazing top of the integrated cellar.

Inside the upper level of the cellar where staging occurred.
The backyard.

Our triplex mega table — a triclinium?
Today’s menu.

Flight 0:

NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 92. Pale orange. High-pitched red berry, orange zest and jasmine aromas, with suave mineral and smoky lees notes adding complexity. Spicy and precise on the palate, showing very good punch to its strawberry and bitter cherry flavors. Opens up smoothly with air and picks up a bitter rhubarb quality that lingers onto the long, tightly focused finish. This bottling showed more brawny character than many past renditions of this cuvée, but with no lack of vivacity.

2014 Colinas de Uruguay Albarino. Very bright and crisp.

Bonus from my cellar: 2012 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé. VM 93. Light, bright orange-pink. Complex scents of fresh red berries, nectarine and orange zest, with a sexy floral overtone. Silky and expansive on the palate, offering juicy cherry and pit fruit flavors and an exotic touch of honey. A dusty mineral quality adds bite and lift to the strikingly long, chewy, floral back end.

2015 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé. Really nice young fruit and flowers.

2013 Progeny Winery Grenache. Not yet released! Pure hot Grenache.

2013 Progeny Winery Trinity Rouge. Blend of several Rhone grapes.

Gougères. aka fancy French cheese puffs.

Tuna poke. Wrapped in nori. Somehow the now “plebian” tuna tartar has been rechristened poke.

Flight 1: White

2012 Oremus Furmint Tokaji Dry Mandolás. Bight and fresh.

2013 Clos Mogador Priorat Nelin. 90 points. Dry body, hard to place the fruit on the nose. It’s extremely unique. Marzipan is present on the palate. High alcohol content but very round and smooth body.

2013 Clos Figueras Priorat Font de la Figuera Blanco. VM 91. Vivid straw color. Lively citrus pith and pear skin aromas are complicated by anise, white flowers and dusty minerals. Firm and juicy on the palate, offering zesty lime and orange flavors and a gingery topnote. Finishes dry, precise and very long, with a lick of spiciness and lingering minerality

1998 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc De L’Orée. Our bottle was sadly was advanced.

Fruits de Mer. Razor clam, sea scallop, prawn and octopus with fava beans, fennel and coriander. Amazingly fresh and tender — all of it.

Flight 2: CNDP

2000 Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape. VM 93. Full ruby-red. Expressive aromas of roasted blackberry, black raspberry and espresso. Lush and superripe, with compelling mid-palate fat and fullness. Fresh flavors of dark berries and dark chocolate. Finishes very ripe and long, with sweet, suave tannins. Offers a rare combination of stuffing and finesse.

2001 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape. VM 94. Red-ruby. Flamboyant, wild Chateauneuf du Pape aromas of raspberry, pepper, leather, Cuban cigar tobacco, fruitcake, game and truffle. Explosive, layered and deep, with captivating flavors of game, leather, melting chocolate cake, leather, incense and black pepper. Wonderfully suave and silky but with terrific verve and grip. Finishes with fine, palate-coating tannins and sneaky length. If someone sticks a glass of this in your face and you don’t say Chateauneuf du Pape, you should give up wine drinking.

agavin: great wine. Nice and balanced and mature.

2006 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina. VM 95. Glass-staining ruby. Explosively perfumed bouquet of fresh red and dark berries, potpourri, incense and licorice. Completely saturates the palate with sweet raspberry and boysenberry flavors, picking up anise and lavender pastille qualities with air. For a wine with this kind of palate impact there’s remarkable finesse and clarity. Red berry and floral notes echo endlessly on the long, sappy finish.

agavin: way too hot and young

2000 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes. 94 points. Deep garnet color. First whiff from the nose was fantastic revealing a freshness of cherry fruit which sadly went quickly away leaving in its place liqueur-like, jammy and darker fruit. Nose is scented, complex and mature with tertiary aromas accompanying abundant fruit like blackberry and plum and minerals. Palate is even more intense than the nose with unending finish. Fruit is liqueur-like as the wine is full bodied and with lots of glycerol. Yet it is balanced and drinks effortlessly. Flavors include spices, herbs and ground coffee. Tannins are mellow and acidity has to be high for the wine to be in such an impeccable balance. The wine is mature but I believe it could age and last for at least twenty more years given its structure and still abundant fruit…

2001 Cuvée du Vatican Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Sixtine. VM 91. Bright ruby-red. Blackberry, bitter chocolate, violet, mint and spicy oak on the nose; intriguing suggestions of mourvedre. At once dense and penetrating, with rather oaky flavors of blackberry, violet and eucalyptus. Finishes with a hint of leather, but also a slight dryness from the wood element.

Grilled Paine Farm Squab. Licorice root braised leeks, sierra morels, and shallot puree. yum!

Flight 3: “Old” CNDP

1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape. VM 90. Good medium red. Aromas of red fruit syrup, cola, milk chocolate, humus, graphite and prune. Sweet, lush and rich, with the fruit syrup flavor showing a distinctly roasted quality. Grew fresher and juicier with a bit of aeration and held its shape nicely, but eventually the pruney element became more pronounced. With little in the way of primary fruit remaining, this doesn’t really come alive, in spite of its complexity.

1998 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac. VM 93. Medium red. Smoky red fruits, graphite and pepper on the complex nose. Superripe, plump and sweet, with lovely balancing acidity for a wine this high in alcohol. This has real depth and chocolatey sweetness. Very long, ripely tannic finish builds slowly and lingers long. Distinctive, outstanding Chateauneuf du Pape.

1998 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée da Capo. VM 95. Saturated dark ruby. Nose like a fruit essence: blackberry and blueberry liqueur, licorice, pepper, Provencal herbs, and hints of more exotic fruits. A wine of extreme unctuousity, virtually too large for the mouth. Suggestion of marc, but with sappy fruits and great solid underlying structure. The tannins saturate the palate on the peppery finish. Very much in the style of Bonneau rarely made Cuvee Speciale. This wine took nearly two years to finish fermenting. Paul Feraud told me he feared that the alcohol would burn, that there would be too much residual sugar, and that the wine would show signs of premature oxidation. But in fact this headspinner (and I mean that in the purest, Linda Blair sense) boasts great surmaturite without quite descending into madness.

agavin: so hands down the best wine of this flight! Huge and balanced.

1999 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Bernardine. VM 88. Medium red-ruby. Aromatic, wild aromas of redcurrant, leather, smoke and game. Juicy, firm-edged flavors of smoky red fruits. Bright and fairly tannic but not especially deep.

1998 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée. VM 92. Full ruby-red. Aromas of roasted plum, cherry and raspberry, with a distinct animal aspect. Deep, rich and complete; lush but with sound supporting acidity. Complex mineral and chocolate notes complement the wine’s superripe fruit flavors. Very long, subtle finish features thoroughly ripe tannins. Laurence says the pH here is a relatively low 3.4. #2, not yet racked: Liqueur-like jammy sweetness on the nose. Extremely glyceral palate impression; sauvage hint of smoked meat. Finishes very long, with completely ripe tannins. #3, from a foudre in the back corner of the cellar, where there’s less air movement; includes La Crau plus Montpertuis: Saturated ruby. Completely primary wine; makes #1 seem ready to drink. Black cherry liqueur on the nose. Thick but with powerful underlying backbone. Medicinal black cherry and licorice notes. Finishes with huge, toothcoating tannins. The licorice note comes from the mourvedre planted on iron-rich soil in Montpertuis, says Laurence. Making early assessments of this estate’s wines can be a tricky exercise, as the numerous foudres that go into the ultimate blend range widely in style and quality, but 1998 appears to be an outstanding wine in the making. (Laurence says it reminds her of the domain’s 1985).

agavin: our bottle reeked and tasted of barnyard

Flight 4: Spainish

1999 Cims de Porrera Priorat Classic. VM 89. Deep ruby-red. Low-toned aromas of raisin, maple syrup, damp earth and nut skin; seems far more advanced than the 2000. Fat, sweet and lush in the mouth, but can’t match the 2000 for purity. Hints of bitter cherry, raisin and maple syrup. Finishes with sweet, building tannins and good length.

1998 Clos Mogador Priorat. 92 points. full bodied, with prominent dark cherry and blackberry notes. the wine is bone dry without even the slightest touch of sweetness. Jerry noted that he could taste the alcohol. Distinct barrel flvors including coffee come through on the finish. good complex wine, will benefit from cheese at least.

From my cellar: 2007 Spectacle Vins Montsant Espectacle. 94 points. Upon opening a tangy, yeasty, dark-fruit rolling on the forest floor nose was apparent. In the glass for 20 minutes it was black cherry, chocolate, and lots of orange spice – very enticing nose. Big taste, definitely reminiscent of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Cherry, figs, slightly saline mineral, very good balance, some meaty “chewiness” to it, little bit of pepper coming on in the 30+ second finish. There was also a peculiar cool “sweetness” aspect to the finish. Again – excellent balance in this wine, but I ended up thinking you could drink it with dessert, or even as a stand-alone dessert. A good one from Spain – the overall essence of velvet is never far away.

2002 Clos Erasmus Priorat. VM 90+. Medium ruby-red. Claret-like aromas of currant, licorice, tar and nutty oak. Densely packed, tight and juicy, with slightly green but sappy fruit flavors framed by bright acids. Distinctly a wine from a less ripe year but possesses very good concentration, subtle sweetness of fruit and very firm structure. This may well be better for a couple years of additional time in bottle.

Roast Rib of Veal. Grilled potato, porcini confit and sauce Antiboise. I don’t even like tomatoes and I liked that sauce.

Flight 5: Big Boys (by weight)

From my cellar: 2007 Domaine la Soumade Rasteau Cuvee Fleur de Confiance. Parker 96. The top effort, the 2007 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau Fleur de Confiance, is awesome. An inky/blue/black color is followed by a stunning bouquet of scorched earth, incense, blackberry jam, coffee, and spice. This full-bodied, massive, stacked and packed Rasteau is destined for two decades of life. Its sweet tannin and textured mouthfeel are compelling. Give it 2-4 years of cellaring and consume it over the following 20 years.

2001 Alban Vineyards Grenache Alban Estate Vineyard. VM 92. Medium ruby. Roasted black fruits, kirsch, gunflint, smoke and game; distinctly syrah-like and not at all tired or overly oaky. Then thick and deep, with urgent, penetrating flavors of sappy black fruits and spices. At once powerful and pliant. Finishes very long, with fine, broad tannins. I preferred the Reva syrah in 2000, but this year the grenache seems even deeper and sweeter, with a larger structure. Also tasted: 2002 Viognier Alban Estate Vineyard Edna Valley, 2001 Roussanne Alban Estate Vineyard Edna Valley.

2001 Torbreck Grenache Les Amis. 94 points. Medium purple with ruby tinge. Nice prototypical superripe Grenache nose, but all fruit and no vegetables so that’s good. Mouth was heavy with nice glycerin and considerable heat that persists through finish. Lots of red berries in there, very sweet.

2006 Sine Qua Non Syrah Raven Series. VM 94. Opaque purple. Succulent, mineral-driven dark berry and kirsch, with strong graphite, iron and black olive notes arriving with air. Vibrant mineral qualities add urgency to deep, sweet black and blue fruit flavors and lend an incisive character to the long, spicy finish. Picked up silky tannins with air but not at the expense of the suave fruit.

Cheese plate. Brebirousse, france. Caveman Blue, Oregon. Challerhocker, Switzerland, Majorero, Spain. Queso al Romero, Spain.

Flight 6: Zinfandel (eek gads)

1976 Sutter Home Winery Zinfandel Amador County. Not bad for its age.

1987 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel. Cloudy, but interesting.

1997 Ridge Zinfandel Late Picked Paso Robles.

1999 Turley Zinfandel Tofanelli Vineyard. VM 91. Moderately saturated medium ruby. Slightly high-toned aromas of smoky black fruits and eucalyptus. Dense, sweet and chewy, with impressive depth of flavor. Exotic hint of orange peel. Finishes with chewy, sweet tannins and excellent length. The Neyers Winery bottling from the same vines showed more urgent berry fruit but a bit less volume.

2006 Turley Zinfandel Mead Ranch. VM 89. Bright, deep red. Superripe, porty aromas of mocha, molasses and nuts. Fat, sweet and creamy but a bit over the top. This big, thick, peppery wine finishes with considerable power and strong tannins. I find this rather awkward.

2012 Turley Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard. VM 94. The 2012 Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard is one of the most tannic and structured Zinfandel in Turley’s extensive lineup. Tense, brilliant and beautifully sculpted throughout, the 2012 bursts from the glass with explosive concentration and pulsating acididy. Winemaker Tegan Passalacqua gave the 2012 three extra months in barrel, all of which it clearly needed. Readers will have to be patient here.
My scribbled thoughts on the wines.
The wine list.

On the right is our chef, John Gerber, formerly of the French Laundry!

Overall, a delicious afternoon — food and wine both! As a Burgundy nut, a often forget all the Châteauneuf-du-Pape in my cellar, but it’s really great stuff — and so consistent. Grenache is a nice grape, if a powerhouse. Even the Zins were (relatively) enjoyable.

The setting really is magnificent. The weather was perfect, and just an ideal afternoon in the yard!

Restaurant: John Gerber [1, 2, 3]

Location: Flintridge

Date: May 22, 2015

Cuisine: New American

Today’s Sauvages lunch is a lunch in honor of  late Co-Poobah Steve Levin. It’s graciously hosted by Paul at at his beautiful home in Flintridge. This event is held outdoors in memory of the Zinfandel barbecues that Steve would hold for our group every summer at his home (it being Paul’s idea to maintain this fine tradition). To that end, we always enjoy a few Zinfandels at this lunch in addition to the theme wines for the lunch. The annual lunches at Paul’s home always rate very high on the scales for ambiance, camaraderie and food quality.

The main wine theme:  This year, as it has been the past few years for our lunch at Paul’s, our primary wine theme will be “Grenaches of the World”, in this case from the 2006 and older vintages (the older the better).  Just to be clear, “Grenaches of the World” means any Grenache or Grenache-based blend (at least 60-70% Grenache), as long as it is rated 93+ by a reputable critic, and is from the 2006 or older vintage.  Grenache-based wines from Australia, California, Washington, Priorat, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Sardinia (called Cannonau) or any other parts of the world are fair game as long as the wine has a qualifying score.

This California style building isn’t the house itself, but the amazing top of the integrated cellar.

2012 Progeny Mount Veeder Trinity Blanc. Interesting blend of Roussanne and Marsanne.

Inside the upper level of the cellar where staging occurred.

The backyard.

2003 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Ashley’s Vineyard. VM 91. Medium yellow. Smoky, lower-toned nose offers dried fruits, baking spices and leesy traces. Superconcentrated and creamy but with bright acids leavening the wine’s sweetness. The broadest and longest of this set of chardonnays on the back end, but finishes with a slight youthful aggressiveness.

agavin: Golden yellow, quite enjoyable, but by Burgundy standards oxidized for its age and not going to last much longer.

Grilled crab claws with avocado mouse.

NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 92. Pale orange. High-pitched red berry, orange zest and jasmine aromas, with suave mineral and smoky lees notes adding complexity. Spicy and precise on the palate, showing very good punch to its strawberry and bitter cherry flavors. Opens up smoothly with air and picks up a bitter rhubarb quality that lingers onto the long, tightly focused finish. This bottling showed more brawny character than many past renditions of this cuvée, but with no lack of vivacity.

Grilled peaches wrapped in prosciutto with gorgonzola.

The pool patio where we dined.

On the left is our chef, John Gerber, formerly of the French Laundry! On the right is our host Paul.

A lot of the food used the wood burning oven.
Today’s menu.

Flight 1:

2003 Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul. Parker 97. Deep, layered and rich, the 2003 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de mon Aieul is comprised almost all of Grenache and always comes from three lieux-dits: La Crau, Guigasse and Les Serres. Aged all in tank and showing none of the negative traits of the vintage, it has a rich, meaty bouquet of semi-mature red and black fruits, wild herbs, melted licorice, dusty minerality and roasted beef. Full-bodied, gorgeously pure and seamless, with solid underlying structure and a core of sweet fruit, it is a brilliant wine. I don’t see any upside to holding bottles, yet given the balance, richness and mid-palate depth, it should continue to hold for another 5-8 years and certainly drink nicely well past that.

2001 Domaine de la Mordoree Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois. Parker 100. More youthful and backwards, the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de La Reine des Bois has been incredibly consistent for me and always comes in near the top of the scale. Black raspberry, blackberry, wood smoke, licorice, crushed rock-like minerality and smoked beef are just some of the nuances here, and it hits the palate with serious levels of fruit, thrilling structure and blockbuster length. It still needs another handful of years to hit full maturity, but its off-the-hook good today (assuming you’re not completely against tannin).

2001 Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres. Parker 99. The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres elicits “wows”. Aged 60% in neutral wood foudres and 40% in one, two, and three-year old Burgundy barrels, this 2001, which tips the scales at an awesome 16.2% natural alcohol, boasts an inky/purple color along with a sensationally pure bouquet of blackberries, graphite, acacia flowers, licorice, and sweet kirsch liqueur. Unctuously textured and full-bodied, with high tannin as well as a closed personality, this prodigious yet fabulous Chateauneuf du Pape is a potential legend in the making. It requires 3-5 years of cellaring, and should keep for two decades. The texture, purity, and magnificent concentration suggest tiny yields, old vines, and non-interventionalistic winemaking. By the way, this wine represents a selection of the finest lots in the cellar as the sources are the same as for the Cuvee de Mon Aieul, although a large component of Deux Freres is from the Usseglio holdings in the sector of Chateauneuf du Pape called La Crau. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2022+.

2000 Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul. Parker 95. The profound 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul (85% Grenache and the rest equal parts Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault) tips the scales at 15% alcohol. From an old vineyard and cropped at 15 hectoliters per hectare, and aged only in foudre, it boasts a dense purple color in addition to an exquisite nose of violets, minerals, blueberries and blackberries. Pure and concentrated, but atypically tannic, it requires considerable aging as it is one of the vintage’s more backward, broodingly powerful efforts.

Wood Oven Roasted Clams. Saffron Gnocchi, Chorizo, Peas, Charred Scallions and Grilled Bread. A very lovely partially deconstructed bouillabaisse.

Flight 2:

2003 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee. Parker 98. Starting with the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reserve, this wine showed spectacularly on release, closed down for a few years, and has now emerged, at close to full maturity, and is straight-up fabulous. Out of the entire tasting, it remained my favorite. Giving up gorgeous blackberry, currants, garrigue, pepper and beef blood, it hits the palate with a massive, full-bodied texture that carries layers of sweet fruit, awesome concentration and blockbuster length. Tasting like the essence of both this estate and the terroir, it’s an incredible wine that I’m happy to taste/drink anytime. It will continue to evolve gracefully, but I see no reason to delay gratification.

2004 Les Bosquet des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape A la Gloire de Mon Grandpere. Parker 91. Almost all Grenache (98%), the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape a la Gloire de Mon Grand-Pere comes from the Gardiole lieu-dit and was aged 12-18 months in concrete tank, foudre and demi-muids. Sweeter and more feminine in style compared to the traditional cuvee, it offers loads of baking spices, cinnamon, dried garrigue and sweet Grenache fruit to go with a medium to full-bodied, supple and pure profile on the palate. Rich (especially in the vintage) and nicely balanced, it’s a joy to drink and makes the most of the vintage. Enjoy it over the coming couple of years as well.

2000 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 95. The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape reveals 14.6% alcohol, and is stylistically similar to the great 1990. The 2000 is open-knit and fat, with higher levels of glycerin as well as a more corpulent style than the structured, backward 2001. A deep ruby/purple color is followed by sweet, black cherry/kirsch liqueur-like notes presented in a voluptuous, full-throttle, intense style. It is already revealing such secondary nuances as pepper, garrigue, and truffles. Chewy, full-bodied, and moderately tannic, this cuvee is accessible, but not ready to drink. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.

Grilled Sonoma Duck Breast. Confit Crepe, Mole, Pickled Cherry. A stunning bit of duck breast accompanied by a stunning smokey “chipotle” sauce. The crepe was even better if possible.

Flight 3:

2000 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 93. The 2000 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape, which Emmanuel Reynaud believes is better than 1998, came in at a whopping 15.2% alcohol. It is reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of the 1998 and 1999, with a medium to light ruby color, and a sumptuous bouquet of kirsch liqueur, spice box, and licorice. Full-bodied and fleshy, with low acidity, it is a sweet (from high glycerin and alcohol), seductive, intoxicating offering with no hard edges and a rich, fleshy mouthfeel. While it will be hard to resist, I feel the 1998 still has more structure. Anticipated maturity for the 2000: 2005-2016.

From my cellar: 1998 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 94-96. There is no doubting the extraordinary depth and layers of flavor the 1998 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape contains. The color is medium to deep ruby, and the bouquet offers aromas of ripe strawberry and cherry candy, with kirsch liqueur thrown in for additional interest. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and fat, with high levels of sweet fruit, a velvety texture, multiple dimensions, and an explosive finish. It is an undeniably sexy, compelling Rayas that is already performing exceptionally well, despite having been bottled only a few months ago. There are several thousand additional bottles available for the world’s market. My best guess is that this voluptuous, sexy Rayas should drink well young, yet age easily for 15-16 years. Do not be surprised to see it put on considerable weight over the next few years.

1998 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee. Parker 95. The 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reserve showed the warmth and richness of the vintage, with knockout kirsch and blackberry fruit, garrigue, game and leather aromas and flavors that literally come jumping from the glass. Full-bodied, rich, textured and beautifully focused, if not still structured, it’s a rock-star to drink through 2020 or so.

Grilled Wild Boar stuffed Morels. Fiddlehead Ferns, favas with red wine farrotto and ramp pesto. I’ve never had these before, morels stuffed with boar mousse! Really pretty amazing.

Just so you can see the inside. Sous bois like crazy.

Flight 4:

2001 Clos Erasmus. Parker 98. A wine of great intensity, this 415-case blend of 78% Grenache, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Syrah aged in 100% new French oak casks, reveals an inky/purple color as well as a tight but promising bouquet of acacia flowers, raspberries, blackberries, and hints of blueberries, smoke, and the essence of minerality. With extraordinary richness, good underlying acidity, firm tannin, and a multilayered mouthfeel, this spectacularly concentrated 2001 is only hinting at its ultimate potential. Patience will be rewarded as this is a tour de force in winemaking, marrying the elegance and complexity of Priorat with the extraordinary concentration and intensity that comes from low yields and ripe fruit. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2020+.

2001 Alvaro Palacios Priorat L’Ermita. VM 95+. old-vines garnacha with a bit of cabernet from the Dofi vineyard added to bring more structure) Bright ruby-red. Discreet but nuanced nose hints at black fruits and flowers; quite subdued today. Then explosive in the mouth: huge, suave, deep and layered, with powerful yet somewhat cool black fruit, mineral and graphite flavors. This really expands to fill the mouth. Wonderfully concentrated wine that’s not at all heavy. Finishes very broad and rich, with noble tannins and great persistence. Still a baby, and likely to merit an even higher score six or eight years down the road.

1998 Clos Erasmus. Parker 99. The spectacular 1998 flirts with perfection. A saturated opaque blue/purple color is not dissimilar from ink. Dazzling aromas of ripe, pure blackberries, violets, blueberries, wet stones, and smoky, toasty oak soar from the glass. Powerful, with an unctuous texture, and super-extracted, rich, concentrated flavors, this blockbuster effort boasts extravagant quantities of fruit, glycerin, extract, tannin, and personality. The wine displays a firm, structured edge, but a viscous texture from super concentration gives it immediate accessibility. This 1998 should hit its plateau of maturity in 7-8 years, and is a strong candidate for 20-30 years of aging. It is a winemaking tour de force.

1999 Clos Erasmus. Parker 93. The 1999 Clos Erasmus, a blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Syrah aged in 100% new French oak, was fashioned from yields of only one ton of fruit per acre. Its dark ruby/purple color is followed by an elegant perfume of pure, sweet black raspberries, currants, creosote, and minerals. It reveals complex flavors, tremendous purity, and a long finish with no hard edges. Drink it now and over the next 12-15 years.

The lamb grilling on the BBQ.

Rotisserie Leg of Lamb. Fennel, potatoes, spring porcini, and olives. Have a bit of lamb!

Flight 5:

2001 Alban Vineyards Grenache. Parker 92. The 2001 Grenache (an 800 six-pack blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah) exhibits an opaque blue/purple color in addition to peppery, kirsch, raspberry, and blackberry aromas and flavors. With a viscous texture, medium to full body, and a gorgeous up-front style, it begs to be drunk over the next decade.

2001 Linne Calodo Sticks and Stones. Parker 95. The extraordinary 2001 Sticks and Stones (a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah) tastes like an old style of Rayas, or the renowned Chateau Lafleur from Pomerol. I know that sounds ridiculous, but those were the two wines that came to mind when I smelled and tasted this wine. It’s pure cherry liqueur with notions of raspberries, flowers, and minerals in the background. This deep ruby/purple-colored Rhone Ranger simply blew me away. With gorgeous texture, purity, perfume, and fruit presence, it has enormous amounts of both soul and personality. Enjoy it over the next 5-6 years.

2006 Sine Qua Non Raven Series (Grenache). Parker 98. 2006 Ravens Series (# 6 and 7 Grenache): This blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah, largely from the 11 Confessions Vineyard, with a small amount from Bien Nacido, spent 21 months in barrel. It is really strutting its stuff now, and showing even better than my original note predicted in August of 2009. The wine has loads of meat, licorice, smoke, charcoal and graphite, as well as huge peppery, blackberry and black cherry notes. Full-bodied, with great acidity, nicely integrated tannin, an admirable mouthfeel and tremendous length, this killer Grenache is still young and probably 3-5 years away from prime time drinking.

2013 Progeny Winery Grenache. 94 points. Tasted from a barrel sample. This was just yummy – candied fruits, spicy, reminds me of a slightly softer form of the SQN version (not a meal in a glass) but oh so wonderful. Still quite a bit of tannin and still very young. Might never make it to being a wine that’s produced, but I very much hope it is as it was just delicious.

Cheese plate. Point Reyes Blue, California. Noord Hollander, Holland. Heublumen, Switzerland. Somehow skipping France!

Flight 6:

1979 Joseph Swan Vineyards Zinfandel Sonoma County. 88 points. Had a light garnet core fading into a tawny colored rim with oranges hues. Fdruit aromas and flavors included dried cherries, black and red currants, plums and a touch of citrus; secondary aromas and flavors included baking spices, brown sugar, dried herbs, touch of old leather. This wine had bright acidity and a fresh character, was enjoyable however the finish was shorter than expected and appeared to be declining.

1980 Ridge Geyserville. 91 points. Pretty red raspberry nose. Medium bodied with medium+ acidity. Mix of tart and ripe raspberry fruit sprinkled with cinnamon. Tasty, great acidity.

1995 Ravenswood Zinfandel Dickerson. 87 points. Dark fruit, smoke, and light spice. Medium-full body.

1993 Turley Zinfandel Aida Vineyard. 90 points. Layers of flavors, mostly blackberry, but with a very peppery overtone.

My scribbled thoughts on the wines.

Overall, a delicious afternoon — food and wine both! As a Burgundy nut, a often forget all the Châteauneuf-du-Pape in my cellar, but it’s really great stuff — and so consistent. Grenache is a nice grape, if a powerhouse. Even the Zins were enjoyable. We didn’t have a mediocre wine today, just good and great ones.