Gala Family Celebration Dinner Welcomes new grand-daughter Ryleigh

Gala Family Celebration Dinner Welcomes new grand-daughter Ryleigh

We gathered the family together to welcome Alec and Vivianna’s new baby, our newest grand-daughter, Ryleigh, to the family. We ordered carry out Italian cuisine from Angeli’s Italian, our favorite neighborhood trattoria. 

Dinner consisted of Angeli’s signature dishes, Mussels in White Wine sauce, Butternut Gnocchi, Peppers and Sausage, and Lasagna, with garlic bread and salad. 

Prior to dinner we had a medley of artisan cheeses with crackers and fresh fruits and olives. 

For the occasion, I opened a flight of wines, white, red, sparkling, and dessert, several aged vintage wines from our cellar collection of birthyear vintage wines, in this case for Alec’s birthyear. 

We celebrated and I wrote about the extraordinary, exceptional 1990 vintage, Alec’s birthyear often in these pages including - Wedding Wines - Birthyear and Big Bottle Extravaganza Continues.

Opening multiple bottles of the same vintage is called a ‘horizontal’, (as opposed to a ‘vertical’, which is multiple vintages of the same bottle/label). A horizontal tasting is often revealing in comparing how one region, varietal, appellation and producer ages relative to others. 

Charles Heidseick Brut Vintage Champagne 1990

This is one of several Heidseick Champagne houses, named for founder Charles Heidsieck, nephew of the famous uncle of the Piper-Heidsieck Champagne House. Charles Heidsieck was born in 1822 and married into the Piper family. 

Charles grew up in the vineyards and gained experience at his uncle’s business, but left to pursue his ambitions based on his own winemaking philosophy and founded his own Champagne House, Charles Heidsieck in Reims in 1851. 

After success in the Europe marketplace, Charles set out for America to sell his wares in the US and was one of the first to introduce Champagne successfully to the country. He gained notoriety and popularity with his outgoing gregarious personality and he famously became known as ‘Champagne Charlie’. 

Charlie had an eventful few years in America, including being imprisoned in Louisiana on suspicion of being a spy during the Civil War. He was eventually freed by President Lincoln himself and then returned to settle in Champagne.

Unlike his peers, Charles viewed himself as a blender and not a grower and , instead of purchasing land, he spent most of his money investing in forty-seven underground chalk cellars dating back to the 11th century. He began buying grapes from trusted grower families with expertise in perfecting the care of their vines going back generations. 

Today, Charles Heidsieck Champagne sources grapes from 60 separate sites, encompassing a variety of different Crus, some of these plots are cultivated by the fourth or fifth generation of the same family.

Charles Heidsieck is a hand-crafted champagne. The intricacies of its complex make-up have been perfected over the years by one of the most celebrated winemaking teams in Champagne. Between three winemakers they have been awarded Sparkling Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine Challenge twelve times, an award no other house has won more than twice!

The flagship cuvée, Brut Réserve, is the house’s flagship masterpiece. Many years in the making, the wine is a blend of 60 of the best vineyards and harvests going back more than 15 years. It is aged in the House’s Roman chalk cellars under Reims, which provide an ideal environment to age the wine with its unique combination of constant temperature, high humidity levels and no sound, light or vibration to disturb the wines. 

Since 2011, the company has been owned by the Descours family continuing the legacy ensuring the company remains family-run with a long-term vision for the future. In early 2015, Cyril Brun took over as Cellar Master, having been assistant winemaker for many years at Veuve Clicquot.

I’ve written often in these pages about the incredible 1990 vintage that enjoyed success globally, from Bordeaux in France, to Napa Valley in American, to Australia. Indeed, Wine Spectators Wine of the Year featured 1990 vintage releases for three years to follow.

The 1990 vintage in Champagne was also extraordinary. Despite severe frosts in the spring, the vineyards enjoyed hot weather throughout the growing cycle. Not since 1950 had the sun been so strong; grapes had never experienced so much sunlight. There was, however, no drought like in 1976 or 1959. Just at the perfect moment, as the situation became dire, it would rain.As a result, the vine stocks, deeply rooted in the chalky soil’s water reserves, did not suffer. The heat hindered the development of disease and parasites, leading to perfectly healthy grapes at harvest.

This release was a traditional blend of 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay.

Producer’s vintage notes - “TO THE EYE: A golden robe with glints of copper sparkling withdelicate phemeral bubbles. ON THE NOSE: The wine expresses maturity as it opens with notesof oxidation: spices, roasting coffee, jellied fruit sweets andcandied melon. There is also a touch of cocoa. This complex noseoffers toasted, roasted notes with citrus fruit, bergamot, lemonand orange zest. The structure develops, but contributes to thearomatic complexity without overpowering it. ON THE PALATE: The palate is characterised by nuts – walnuts andhazelnuts – but also cocoa, coffee and raisins. The wine demonstrates great elegance and freshness thanks to its citrus fruit notes accompanied by apricot and mirabelle plum. The finish is saltyand chalky.”

We acquired several bottles of this birthyear vintage designated Champagne years ago and served it at special occasions, most notably, Alec and Vivianna’s wedding celebration five years ago and at other family celebrations, since. 

We still hold several bottles of this label and need to consume them soon. At thirty five years, this had lost its effervescence, yet was still tasty and pleasant interesting drinking. 

Back in 2021 I wrote - Amazing, impressive life left in this 31 year old vintage Champagne. 

The color was dark gold colored with intense, complex, dry, finely integrated layers of zesty citrus fruits accented by notes of roasted almonds and paine grille with hints of fresh dough, smoke, and pineapple with a long bright vibrant finish.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/06/fathers-day-grilled-steak-wine-dinner.html

Tonight, this was tea colored, light medium bodied, dry, subtle layers of citrus fruit accented by notes of roasted almonds and paine grille with hints of fresh dough, smoke, and tones of coffee on the moderate finish. With the zest gone, it’s time to drink up the remaining bottles. 

RM 88 points for now. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?39790

Domaine de l'Ancienne Cure Monbazillac Cuvée Abbaye 1990

We opened this vintage dessert wine which went well with the salad, the cheeses, the sausage, as well as the desserts. This sweet dessert wine is from the appellation of Monbazillac, the third most esteemed region in Bordeaux for sweet wines, behind Sauternes and Loupiac. 

Early in the 20th century the wines of Monbazillac were considered equally with and fetched the same prices as the more famous, higher chateaux of Sauternes. With its exceptional terroir and microclimate suitable for the production of late harvest wines, this region is re-emerging the “new” sauternes. 

The wines of Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure are considered among the best in the region. The Domaine de l’Ancienne Cure is situated in Colombier, in the southwest of France, in the Périgord region, in the South of Bergerac, on the appellation Bergerac and Monbazillac.  

The estate covers 125 acres, 80 of which are planted with white grape varieties and 17 with red grape varieties. The grape varieties selected and vinified for the dry and sweet wines are Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Muscadelle, and Chenin and Ondenc which are ‘accessory’ grape varieties permitted in the appellation, with a limited percentage in the blend. The grape varieties selected for the red and rosé wines include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec.

Christian Roche has managed the winery since 1984. He rebuilt the wine cellar in 1989 in the his endeavors to improve the quality of the wines.

This is a blend of traditional Monbazillac varietal grapes: 80% botrysized Semillon and 20% Muscadelle. A is customary for dessert wines, the grapes are harvested in multiple passes through the vineyards with only those affected by noble rot making their way into the cuvee. This wine was aged 24 months in oak barrel.

At thirty five years, the label and foil, and more importantly the cork and fill level were in ideal condition for their age. The color was deep dark brownish golden tea colored. When released this wine was straw colored, then darkened with aging, turning golden, then increasingly deeper brown. 

Producers’ notes - “Here the Monbazillac is adorned with gold, as it should. While not explosive, the bouquet is a beautiful complexity candied fruit, but also notes of quince, acacia, lemon … On the palate, the sugar-acid balance is remarkable. It is both rich, powerful, bold and fresh. The wood (twenty-six months in the barrel) is perfectly allowed to express the fruit. In a word, harmonious.”

“Luscious deep gold, honeyed and fat with peachy botrytis tones, gingerbread, hazelnuts, fresh mint and eucalyptus on the palate. The Ancienne Cure is mini Mon-bee, marzipan, orange peel and spices.”

Showing its age, gone were bright sprites of apricot, oranges and quince, the fruits were subdued and turned to notes of smoky and espresso accenting the sweet honeyed citrus, yet this was very interesting and enjoyable drinking, especially nicely paired with various courses of the meal.  

RM 90 points at this stage. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=167954

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/167954

https://www.domaine-anciennecure.fr/gb/

This mini-horizontal tasting of two Bordeaux varietal wines from the same vintage was illuminating, comparing the Bordeaux to the Alexander Valley Cabernet. 

Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1990

We then opened this well known popular label from Alec’s birthyear vintage. This is the same label we served at his and Vivianna’s wedding celebration five years ago. We also still hold several bottles of the Napa Valley variant of this label. Believing it will age longer than the Alexander Valley version, we opened this one, as part of cellar inventory management. 

We wrote about this label and this birthyear release in more detail in this earlier blogpost - Special Silver Oak Birthyear wines for Festive Holiday Open House, and Birthyear vintage labels and large format bottles.

We hold over four cases of this label across a vertical collection of sixteen vintages dating back to the birthyears of each of our kids. 

At thirty five years, the label and foil, and more importantly the cork and fill level were in remarkably ideal condition for their age. 

Winemaker Notes for this release - “The 1990 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has a stable and lively translucent, ruby red color. It offers aromas of bergamot, vanilla, and hints of black cherry. This wine has an impressive lively and bright, yet elegant, attack and mid-palate with hints of red pepper flavor. The 1990 still shows exuberance and structured tannins on the lengthy finish. Decanting suggested. “

This was rated 91 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.

After decanting and breathing for two and a half hours, this was still approachable, albeit showing its age with a slight bit of funkiness, leather and wood setting in, offsetting the blackberry fruits. The color was still dark garnet colored with the slightest bit of cloudiness appearing. 

Medium bodied, the blackberry and black cherry fruits were hanging on with notes of leather, cigar box, cassis, spice and forest floor with a still balanced lingering finish. 

RM 89 points at this stage.   

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?10085

This was an interesting comparison to the same vintage Bordeaux below; see comments that follow. 

Chateau La Louviere Passaic Leognan Bordeaux 1990

We hold nearly three cases of a vertical collection of this label spread across a dozen vintages dating back to this birthyear release. 

At thirty five years, the label and foil, and the import fill level were in good condition for their age. (We still hold five more bottles of this release and we selected the one with the worst condition soiled label.) The cork was saturated and starting to soften and started to recede into the bottle when pressed with the two pronged cork puller. With care and a more than a bit of experienced skill, it was extracted intact, but proceed with caution opening more bottles. 

The cork was saturated and starting to soften and started to recede into the bottle when pressed with the two pronged cork puller. With care and a more than a bit of experienced skill, it was extracted intact, but proceed with caution opening more bottles. 

This was rated 91 points by Wine Spectator and 90 points by Wine Advocate, back in 2000 and 1997 respectively. .

Wine Advocate wrote, “One of the finest of the lesser known Graves chateaux, La Louviere has been making terrific wine since the late eighties.” 

Wine Spectator wrote’ “ One of the best wines ever from this estate.”

Compared to the Silver Oak, Alexander, this was showing more diminution from aging, with slight rust brownish color hues on the rim, slight clouding, and showing a bit less remaining structure and body.

Slight foggy dark garnet colored, medium bodied, dark berry and cherry fruits were a bit muted but still hanging on, accented still by that classic Graves tobacco, smoke, leather and cassis, with slight remaining grainy texture on the short finish. 

This was still holding on surprisingly well, and approachable, mostly so as part of this horizontal comparison, but it’s time to drink up in the near term. 

RM 87 points at this stage. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?10446

Our great fun with wine such as this gala family celebration continues. 

Piper Heidseick - Enchanted Path for anniversary celebration

Piper Heidseick - Enchanted Path for gala anniversary celebration

We traveled to Indy this weekend to attend the gala celebration of Sis-in-law and Bro-in-law Pat's and Rodger's 50th Wedding Anniversary they hosted for close friends. This follows our trip the week before last to celebrate with them personally in taking them to dinner at Sullivan's Steakhouse, Indy, which was featured in this blogpost - Sullivan's Steakhouse Domaine Serene for celebration dinner.

I took for the occasion a large format magnum of this special limited edition bottle of Piper Heidseick Brut NV Champaign which we opened in a special toast to the 'newly' wed couple. This festive red bottle was released a couple years ago over the Christmas holidays and I bought a case of the picturesque festive bottles for the holidays and for special occasions such as this. 

I also opened several of these large format bottles for son Alec and Viviana's wedding celebration dinner as featured in this blogpost at the time - Wedding Wines - Birthyear and Big Bottle Extravaganza Continues.

I also took this weekend for tasting/pairing/sharing with the pot luck dinner at the anniversary celebration this hearty red blend Aussie Shiraz withe whimsical branding and label. 

We've written often in these pages about the Mollydooker portfolio of wines and their whimsically branded, labeled, named wines. What fun to open "Enchanted Path" for a gala Anniversary celebration occasion. 

I also took and opened this label for For dearest friends, Eric and Cathy's 40th anniversary celebration party - a bottle of Mollydooker whimsically named 'Enchanted Path' Mclaren Vale Red Wine Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz - Caymus 40th Anniversary Release - An Enchanted Path.

Mollydooker "Enchanted Path" McLaren Vale South Australia, Red Wine Blend 2012

Mollydooker is the handiwork of the husband-and-wife winemaking team of Sarah and Sparky Marquis. Prior to starting their own label the pair produced under the Marquis Philips brand in partnership with their distributor Dan Philips. Previously, they produced award-winning wines for Australian producers including Fox Creek, Henry’s Drive, Shirvington, and others. The term Mollydooker is Australian slang for a left-handed person as both Sarah and Sparky Marquis are left-handed.

Since 2005, they've focused exclusively on making their own exuberant wines which include a range of Shiraz labels and a variety of Shiraz/Cab/Merlot blends, as well as some adventuresome white wines such as The Violinist, a Verdelho varietal.

They source their fruit from 116 acres of vineyards at their winery in McLaren Vale where about 50 percent are planted in Shiraz, with the rest made up of Cabernet, Merlot, Semillon and Chardonnay. Most of their wines bear distinctive whimsical and humorous names and labels with cartoon characters. Never-the-less, many of their wines, while modestly-priced, Mollydookers are often highly rated. Their premium label, 'Velvet Glove' Shiraz retails for $175, however. 

The 2012 Enchanted Path is dark inky purple colored, full bodied, rich thick concentrated and complex with varietal Cabernet notes of ripe black and blue berry and plum with clove, spice and layers of chocolate and anise, with supple creamy mouth-feel and chewy tannins on nicely polished balanced finish.

The 2012 Enchanted Path is a blend of 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1773713

www.mollydookerwines.com

Some other earlier posting notes of this label in these pages:

• Caymus 40th Anniversary Release - An Enchanted Path

•  Horizontal Tasting of South Australia Shiraz - Mollydooker "The Enchanted Path", GoDolphin, BCH and '9'

• 007 Shiraz-Cab Blends

• Mollydooker "The Enchanted Path" Shiraz Cabernet