The Stockbroker's Birthday Lunch 2008.

The day after the 3rd Annual France Wine Festival's kick-off dinner at Je Suis Gourmand (the write-up of which I am yet to complete due to problems uploading my photos), it was the Stockbroker's birthday, so he hosted a lunch for the Doc, Miguel A and I (the Vigneron is still very busy in Bordeaux but will be back soon). These were his bottles:


We met around 12:45 at Pepato except for the Doc who was still stuck in the hospital (he sent an SMS that he would arrive in a few minutes). The three of us started off with appetizers of Squash Flowers Tempura, Squid Ink Crostoni, followed by a Seafood Salad and Seafood and Capers Spaghettini, all with:

2003 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet "Les Combettes" - Not to be confused with the wines of negoçiant cousin Olivier Leflaive. 2003 was a very hot, ripe vintage for France in general, Burgundy, from which this wine hails, included. Even the makers I spoke with from usually micro-climated Alsace said extra special care had to be taken to make a balanced wine that year. Anne Gros, whose domaine is located in Vosne Romanée, Côte des Nuits, Burgundy, told me the same thing.

The small, quiet, village of Puligny-Montrachet is located in the Côte de Beaune, an easy few minutes' drive southwest of the old city of Beaune, around 10-12 kms. away as I recall. The streets are a bit narrow, the buildings low and unassuming. The surrounding vineyards, ruled by chardonnay, are tranquil and serene. One can easily forget that this area produces some of the very best white wine in the world. Domaine Leflaive is recognized by most all as one of the best makers of the area.

The bouquet is redolent of refined, spicy-toasty oak and leesiness, white flowers, ripe pear, butter-baked apple, mere hints of lemon/lemon custard, minerals and a very discreet touch of vanilla. There is a ripe sweetness to the deeply-veined fruit (older vines?), to be sure, but the wine was well in balance, especially considering the vintage. There is a hint of tropicality though to this generously fleshed wine, but this is hardly surprising considering the heatwave they experienced.

They must have picked early to keep the wine in balance. The toasty-spicy vanilla/oak was not over-the-top at all. This suggests to me that the ratio of new oak must have been low, though I could be mistaken.

Having been cutting back on my drinking due to hypertension, I couldn't help but accept a second pour of this lovely, friendly and very approachable wine. I would have asked for a third, but, of course, made sure to leave a good pour for the Doc - who caught up by the time we were halfway through the pasta course.

~ oOo ~

With perfectly tender, medium-rare rib-eye steaks, potato wedges, etc...two red wines "marginally-blind" - i.e., we knew what they were, but not which was which. Both were 2001 Tuscan wines from Montalcino, made up of the brunello di Montalcino which is what they call their local sangiovese there (nb: 2001 was an excellent Tuscan vintage). The Stockbroker did mention that the Casanova di Neri was Wine Spectator's "wine of the year".

2001 Casanova di Neri Brunello Montalcino - Generous, wide-open, sweetly ripe-roasted, cherry, raspberry, strawberry, fig, dark fruit compote, licorice, kirsch, chocolate, vanilla. Rich, lush mouthfeel, low acid, considerable but soft/velvety tannins. This, I opined to Miguel, was obviously more modern/international than the other red.

Surely, it would have been appreciated more by "California palates", and, thus, I surmised, more likely to be chosen by Wine Spectator as a "wine of the year". I pegged it as such, as did the Doc and Miguel. We were right. Very enjoyable to drink alone and a fair match with the steak.

2001 Antinori Pian delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino - Off the bat, from the aromas, I opined that this one was closer to the classic/traditional style: More of sweet cedar, touch of camphor, ripe strawberry, raspberry, cherry, cassis, underlying espresso, light touch of licorice, tobacco, minerals, violets, a whisper of leather. The fruit was not as sweet, but well-ripened as well, and earthier in character.

Clearly more earth-driven (rather than fruit-driven) compared to the other wine - less polished, rounded and sleek as well; but firmer in structure, much better focus and definition. Much more properly reserved. I liked them both, but much preferred this wine as a match for the steak. This is more of an eating wine, it needs food to show its beauty, where the other wine I enjoyed more alone. I accepted a second pour of this one and drained every drop. Excellent match. Loved it with the steak.

Happy birthday, buddy. All my best wishes, and many thanks for the wonderful wine lunch.