Saturday, July 10, 2004
A group of seven gathered last evening at Arterra for some of Carl Schroeder’s menu inspired, but noticeably changed five courses. Everything from the Heirloom Tomato Salad, lobster, filet and foie gras courses, plus a delightful cheese course and for some, dessert were off the charts. Just when I thought Carl had gotten into an all time high groove, he turns it up a few notches.
Of course, the wines.
2003 Petite Cassagne Costeries de Nimes Rose
A dark pink color with a healthy and deeply scented strawberry perfumed aroma. This wine, priced at $7.99 is a charmer and may be better than the Mas Neuf from neighboring hillsides. The charm of this wine is its low alcohol, ultra-refreshing style and easy to drink feeling. Layers of strawberry and raspberry with a hint of blackberry make this wine a winner.
2002 Barraud Macon Vergisson
A wonderful French white Burgundy, which retails for less than 20 dollars, this rich, deep and flavorful wine has layers of peaches, apricots, hazelnut and pears. Easily worth twice the price, the small lot production from Macon is clearly head and shoulders above others from the region, and puts many a California Chardonnay at the same price to shame. Well balanced and superbly structured, the wine has the gusto to stand up to aromatic shellfish and high acid tomato salad.
1993 Peter Lehmann Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Can you think of a Heitz Martha’s or a Caymus Special Select. If you can, then that’s what this wine will remind you of. Here’s a big, broad shouldered 11 year old red wine has aged perfectly, and was very reminiscent in style to the 1984 which was the first Lehmann Cab I ever tasted. The rich glycerin base provides a perfect backdrop for ripe cherries, currants, plum, cedar and blackberry fruit. While this wine is now age 11, it likely can rest in the bottle another five or more years, but likely will not get much better.
2002 Marquis Phillips Sarah’s Blend
This charming medley of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz was a real treat. Opened between the Lehmann Cabernet and the du Cayron Gigondas it was a perfect blend of fruit, with copious amounts of black cherry, plums, blackberry, chewy raspberry and more. While I think this wine has time to go, it remains a real charmer and likely should be drunk sooner, rather than later due to its very forward style.
1999 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas
We know this wine is too young at age five, but it is so good and has been since release that there is much difficulty in keeping your mitts off of it. Full of super-concentrated Grenache and Syrah, this rustic styled, old school Gigondas is one to reference as textbook, for it has all the components one should look for in a wine from that Southern Rhone region. Dark, almost opaque purple in color, the blueberry, black pepper, rich raspberry and mocha flavorings give this wine an exquisite mouth feel and long lingering finish.
1997 Trevor Jones Dry Aged Shiraz, Barossa Valley
If 1997 was an off vintage compared to 1998 and 1999, then give me more. Inky, black purple in color, with a lovely scent of violets and berries, the red wine from one of Australia’s better small lot producers has lots going for it right now. It is vibrant both in color and flavor, with anise, coffee, hints of chocolate, blueberry and black pepper. A standout wine.
2000 E. Guigal Hermitage
A stunning wine, even if it was opened way to early in its life. Typical Hermitage flavor, aromatics and sexiness, the wine has the build and character to age for another 10 to fifteen years.
Black fruit flavors crammed into a silky, sensual and alluring palate of spice, blueberry and red plums. Some currants and cherries tossed in. This is a real winner.
Cheers,
Andy Abramson
Of course, the wines.
2003 Petite Cassagne Costeries de Nimes Rose
A dark pink color with a healthy and deeply scented strawberry perfumed aroma. This wine, priced at $7.99 is a charmer and may be better than the Mas Neuf from neighboring hillsides. The charm of this wine is its low alcohol, ultra-refreshing style and easy to drink feeling. Layers of strawberry and raspberry with a hint of blackberry make this wine a winner.
2002 Barraud Macon Vergisson
A wonderful French white Burgundy, which retails for less than 20 dollars, this rich, deep and flavorful wine has layers of peaches, apricots, hazelnut and pears. Easily worth twice the price, the small lot production from Macon is clearly head and shoulders above others from the region, and puts many a California Chardonnay at the same price to shame. Well balanced and superbly structured, the wine has the gusto to stand up to aromatic shellfish and high acid tomato salad.
1993 Peter Lehmann Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Can you think of a Heitz Martha’s or a Caymus Special Select. If you can, then that’s what this wine will remind you of. Here’s a big, broad shouldered 11 year old red wine has aged perfectly, and was very reminiscent in style to the 1984 which was the first Lehmann Cab I ever tasted. The rich glycerin base provides a perfect backdrop for ripe cherries, currants, plum, cedar and blackberry fruit. While this wine is now age 11, it likely can rest in the bottle another five or more years, but likely will not get much better.
2002 Marquis Phillips Sarah’s Blend
This charming medley of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz was a real treat. Opened between the Lehmann Cabernet and the du Cayron Gigondas it was a perfect blend of fruit, with copious amounts of black cherry, plums, blackberry, chewy raspberry and more. While I think this wine has time to go, it remains a real charmer and likely should be drunk sooner, rather than later due to its very forward style.
1999 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas
We know this wine is too young at age five, but it is so good and has been since release that there is much difficulty in keeping your mitts off of it. Full of super-concentrated Grenache and Syrah, this rustic styled, old school Gigondas is one to reference as textbook, for it has all the components one should look for in a wine from that Southern Rhone region. Dark, almost opaque purple in color, the blueberry, black pepper, rich raspberry and mocha flavorings give this wine an exquisite mouth feel and long lingering finish.
1997 Trevor Jones Dry Aged Shiraz, Barossa Valley
If 1997 was an off vintage compared to 1998 and 1999, then give me more. Inky, black purple in color, with a lovely scent of violets and berries, the red wine from one of Australia’s better small lot producers has lots going for it right now. It is vibrant both in color and flavor, with anise, coffee, hints of chocolate, blueberry and black pepper. A standout wine.
2000 E. Guigal Hermitage
A stunning wine, even if it was opened way to early in its life. Typical Hermitage flavor, aromatics and sexiness, the wine has the build and character to age for another 10 to fifteen years.
Black fruit flavors crammed into a silky, sensual and alluring palate of spice, blueberry and red plums. Some currants and cherries tossed in. This is a real winner.
Cheers,
Andy Abramson
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