Pour Boys Wine Dinner features Dual Pauillacs

Pour Boys Wine Dinner features Dual Pauillacs and favored St Emilion and Napa Merlot

Fellow 'Pour Boy' Dr Dan and Linda came over for beef tenderloin dinner and we opened a pair of a special Pauillac label from Château Duhart-Milon.

We reminisce about this label; it anchored a mixed case of wine we gave Dan for a wedding present in a stocked wine rack forty years ago. Being newbies to fine wine at that time, I left the price tags on all the bottles so he could discern every-day wines from once-a-week or once-a-month wines. 

Château Duhart Milon Rothschild (Lafite) was the or one of the most expensive labels in that flight. Dan attributes that gift selection as part of his introduction and indoctrination to fine wine.

Tonight, I pulled from the cellar a 2003 and 2004 vintage release of Duhart-Milon for our dinner, a 'mini' vertical - multiple vintages of the same label. 

Dan brought from his cellar a opposing, Right Bank Bordeaux from Château Figeac, one of our favorite and collected St Emilions. 

Prior to dinner we had a selection of artisan cheeses and ceasar salad. With the grilled tenderloin beef au jus Linda prepared roasted au-gratin potatoes, haricot verts and carrots. 

Following dinner we enjoyed Linda's incredibly delicious decadent Salted Caramel Chocolate Mug-cake dessert.

Part of the evening was spent discussing and planning this year's upcoming OTBN - Open that bottle night, our annual wine extravaganza. 

Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac Bordeaux 2004

We drove by the Duhart-Milon winery in the village of Pauillac during our Bordeaux Wine Experience in 2019.  

This release was awarded 91 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Wine Enthusiast and 90 points by Wine & Spirits. 

This is a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot.

At seventeen years, the fill level, foil, label, and most importantly, the cork were all in ideal condition for their age. 

Dark garnet color with purple hues, medium to full-bodied, very aromatic, the fruits erupted from the bottle as soon as the cork, in perfect condition, was extracted. Expressive but only slightly austere blackberry and black currant fruits with classic Pauillac tones tobacco, creme de cassis, earth, spice and hints of cedar turning to moderate tannins and a bright fresh tangy acidity.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=118584

Château Duhart-Milon Pauillac Bordeaux 2003

This blend is 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot.

Similar profile to the '04 release above being the same wine but this release was rated higher, 94 and 93 points by Robert Parker, Wine Advocate who compared to the much heralded 1982, and said "may be the finest Duhart-Milon made ... ever' and 'this is the greatest Duhart-Milon I have ever tasted.... a breakthrough effort and clearly a sleeper of the vintage".

James Suckling gave it 92-93 points and said "One of the best I have tasted from this estate." 

Those reviews were when it was about five years of age and now at seventeen, I found the '04 much better than the '03, perhaps aging differently or bottle variation, but my reviews were upside down from the pundits when comparing the two vintages. 

Parker wrote further, "Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020. Duhart is a chateau to watch as the Rothschilds (of Lafite) are making serious investments and pushing full-throttle to upgrade the quality and image of this estate." So, perhaps it is at the end of its primacy and starting to wane as it moves beyond its prime drinking window.

Jancis Robinson gave it 17/20 and write last year, "Really rather charming! At peak? But with some Lafite restraint about it. Attractive peppery edge to the sweet fruit."

I found similar profile to the '04 release above, more ruby than garnet colored, not as structured and less full fruits with slightly more acidicity on the finish. 

RM 89 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=16063

Château Figeac St Emilion Bordeaux 2010

This is one of our favorite St Emilions, a collectable that is a 'signature' label that we collected for our son Ryan's birthyear, and for a vertical collection from thereon. 

We served this wine from a double magnum at son Ryan's wedding from the 1982 vintage. We hold a vertical collection of this label as well as it being part of a horizontal selection of Bordeaux from his birth year vintage. 

We served an aged 1982 Birthyear vintage of this Figeac label for a father-son dinner with son Ryan just last month. That was testimony to the long lived ageworthiness of this label in good vintage years.

Tonight's 2010 vintage release was a blockbuster for Figeac, getting 98 points from James Suckling, 97 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Vinous, and 96 points from Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. In 2013 Wine Enthusiast gave it a "*Cellar Selection* Give this wine at least 10 years."

Dan served this wine at a dinner together at his place back in 2016 when I posted about this wine.  

I sense this wine was consumed too young back in 2016 and is just now coming of age to reveal its true character and potential. In 2013 Steve Tanzer of International Wine Cellar gave it 91 points and said, "its youthfully forbidding tannins call for at least eight years of patience. It will merit an even higher score if it blossoms in the bottle."

In 2016 I posted this below. 

Château Figeac St Emilion Bordeaux 2010

Tonight was similar to our earlier experience with this label. True to the style of the Merlot based blend, this was an appropriate opening wine, a bit softer and more approachable easier drinking than the Cabernet predominant blends.

The blend of this right bank Bordeaux is 35% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.

Deep ruby colored, medium-full bodied, black berry fruits accented by cedar, tobacco leaf and smoke with hints of green olive, cassis and oak turning to smooth gripping tannins on the finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1130517

Tonight, this was dark inky blackish purple colored, full bodied and dense but velvety, polished and elegant, nicely integrated black fruits with tobacco, graphite, cassis, hints of spice and cigar box on a smooth soft tannin finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1130517

https://www.chateau-figeac.com/

https://twitter.com/Chateau_Figeac/

Darioush Napa Valley Merlot 2000

To round out of flight and to complement the Merlot based Right Bank Figeac, I opened this aged vintage Napa Merlot from Darioush.

We tasted and acquired this wine when Linda and I visited the Darioush estate and did a barrel tasting with winemaker Steve Devitt at the estate while the new facility and hospitality center were being built back in 2003. 

Dan accompanied us when we attended an elegant dinner hosted by Darioush at the Everest Room in Chicago back in 2004. 

And, we all visited the magnificent, opulent Darioush winery in Napa during our Napa Wine Experience in 2017. 

I have to say this wine was the surprise of the evening, exceeding my expectations. I was concerned how it would show at twenty plus years, being from a somewhat modest vintage. 

As shown the fill level, label, foil and cork were in pristine condition; another testament to the provenance of our cellar, having held this since release. This is sourced from the Darioush Estate vineyards adjacent to the winery.

This was rated 91 points by Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. 

Dark blackish purple colored, medium-full bodied, rich, supple concentrated black fruits, yet elegant and polished with notes of dark mocha chocolate, herbs, hints of smoke, toasty oak and vanilla, with silky tannins on a long smooth finish. 

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=682553

https://www.darioush.com/  

https://twitter.com/darioushwinery

 

Super Second Bordeaux vs. Napa's Finest Bordeaux Blends

Super Second Bordeaux vs. Napa's Finest Bordeaux Blends

For a drop in dinner at Dr Dan's, he prepared a wonderful meal of grilled T-bone steaks with grilled vegetables and an extraordinary selection of top ranked super second Bordeaux and Napa blends. The impressive line-up of wines included several of my favorite producers including two of our designated signature wines for our son, Ryan - Château Figeac and Ducru Beaucaillou. We collected and offered each of these wines in large format from his birth year vintage at his wedding.

Other favorite labels that Dan pulled from his cellar were Lewis Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Beaulieu Vineyards Tapesty, and Dominus Estate Napa Red Blend. What a treat to sample such a lineup!

Prior to dinner Dan offered a selection of artisan cheese and fresh fruit.

He then prepared and served a grilled scampi shrimp appetizer dish (shown left).

For dinner, Dan grilled t-bone steaks and a medley of grilled vegetables - asparagus, portabello mushrooms, avocado and grilled fresh peaches (shown below-left).

With the entree course Dan also served sweet corn on the cob. The portabello mushrooms were an ideal complement to the red wines.

We started with Château Figeac, a merlot based right bank Bordeaux Blend, followed by the Ducru and then the Dominus, a Bordeaux producer's left bank Bordeaux style red blend from Napa.

Following the Dominus we pivoted to two other Napa Valley Cabernets - Lewis Cellars Reserve, and finishing with the BV Tapestry Reserve red blend.



Château Figeac St Emilion Bordeaux 2010

We served this wine from a double magnum of this producer at son Ryan's wedding from the 1982 vintage. We hold and vertical collection of this label as well as it being part of a horizontal selection of Bordeaux from his birth year vintage.

True to the style of the Merlot based blend, this was an appropriate opening wine, a bit softer and more approachable easier drinking than the Cabernet predominant blends.

The blend of this right bank Bordeaux is 35% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.

Deep ruby colored, medium-full bodied, black berry fruits accented by cedar, tobacco leaf and smoke with hints of green olive, cassis and oak turning to smooth gripping tannins on the finish.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1130517

 

Château Ducru Beaucaillou St Julien Bordeaux 2009

Like the Figeac above, we served this wine from a double magnum of this producer at son Ryan's wedding from the 1982 vintage. We hold and vertical collection of this label as well as it being part of a horizontal selection of Bordeaux from his birth year vintage. I consider these two wines to be his signature wines, so it was a special treat to taste them side by side.

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied, lively acidity, complex concentrated bright black berry and black cherry fruits, classic left bank Bordeaux tones of earth, cassis, graphite, spice and smoke turning to smooth gripping tannins on the long finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=874508




Chateau Dominus Estate Napa Red Blend 2001

As I've written before in these pages, this ultr-premium label from this legendary Bordeaux producer Christian Mouiex of Chateau Petrus, is noted for its longevity aging potential. I acquired a case of the 1986 vintage on release back at the time. I then tasted a bottle every couple of years to see how it was aging. Not until about 2000 did the wine open up to express itself and reveal its true character and potential. "So this is what Dominus is supposed to taste like", I exclaimed. Of course by that time, we only had about two bottles left!

The early vintages of this label featured a pen sketch and water color painting of Christian. It was a classic art label collection until they ceased the practice in about 1991. I collected the Dominus Estate Portrait Art Wine Label Series of these vintages up to that time and feature the labels' art in my on-line art label library collection. 

Dark blackish garnet colored, medium-full bodied, complex concentrated black berry and black cherry fruits with subtle tones of creosote, smoke, cassis, tobacco leaf and spice turning to smooth polished tannins on a lingering finish.

RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=26139


Lewis Cellars Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

One of absolute favorite cabernets. Inky purple and garnet colors, medium full bodied, smooth polished and nicely balanced with concentrated core of black berry and black raspberry fruits accented by tones of sweet oak, mocha and vanilla with hints of black olives and anise turning to smooth fine tannins on the long finish.

RM 94 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1554483


Beaulieu Vineyards Tapestry Reserve 2009

Another perennial favorite cab that delivers high QPR in most vintages, we hold more than a dozen vintages of this label in the cellar.  Dark garnet colored, medium bodied, nicely balanced, subdued black berry and black cherry fruits with tones of tar, herbs and hints of earthy and anise turning to a moderate tannin finish.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/notes.asp?iWine=1386416

Chocolates with wine 

After dinner featured a broad selection of premium Donaldson's Chocolates that we brought from Indiana, and French Valrhona chocolates that Dan and Linda acquired in Valrhona France on their Rhone River Cruise from Avignon up to Lyon.

Valrhona selection featured dark and milk chocolates from 85 to 33% mocha - ABINAO 85 % - GUANAJA 70 % - CARAÏBE 66 % - ALPACO 66 % - TAÏNORI 64 % - MANJARI 64 % - JIVARA 40 % - and TANARIVA 33 %.

Each chocolate revealed a difference nuance of the complex wines and provided a wine tasting experience in their own right.