Dinner with Dom P Rose, Pavie, Troplong Mondot and Krug

Had dinner last night with a small crew of friends and between the 4 of us we shared some excellent wines. Started the night with Champagne Krug Grande Cuvee NV (I did not take a note of the ID sadly as Olivier Krug pointed to me early in the morning on Instagram) that is fresh and intense, showcasing great craftsmanship. It sports smoky citrus fruit, Granny Smith apple and fine pastry on the nose, and cleanse the mouth with razor sharp acidity and great freshness. Weightless on the palate in spite of its good intensity, it fades quickly from the glass. (94/100)

First red wine, 2001 Chateau Pavie, was decanted and aerated for about 2 h before being poured and it just got better with time in the glass. Very dark red garnet color. Initially a bit heady but quickly recovered and showed a complex and maturing but youthful nose filled with clean aromas of ink, plums, mint and cedar, later shifting to truffles. Beautiful nose. On the palate it is full and supple, gravely tannin still assertive on the finish, with good richness of texture, layers of blue fruit and mineral freshness. Long finish that lingers. This is superb today. (94-95/100)

A big surprise for me was Contador 2011, a Spanish red wine from Rioja that sells at super premium prices. It might have been too young today but I do not see the hype for it. The color is purple opaque. Nose is intense but today is too much oak influence. Rich aromas of dolce de lecce and Christmas cake cover any other aromas. It is smooth on the palate, with plenty of rich black fruit, and there is more focus here. Fairly long finish with dark chocolate and blueberry fruit. (91-92/100)

Popped and decanted on site with very little time to breath was the spectacular 2010 Chateau Troplong Mondot, a 99 points wine according to Robert Parker. The wine deserves it. This has a deep dark red garnet color. Nose is complex, youthful and so rich and intense. The wine states 16% alcohol on the back label but this is so well hidden and balanced under its rich layers of black fruit, fresh minerality and a skyscraper structure of smooth tannin, and every sip is like a revelation. Rich, heady, lavish sweet fruit, chocolate and ink on the palate, this is really good. Long finish. This might very well become a 100 points wine on the 10 years tasting from the vintage. (98/100)

There was a 2006 Chateau d’Yquem served from a half bottle but somehow it did not manage to find my glass. So last wine was Champagne Dom Perignon Rose 2003, a wine that I am personally worried how often I tasted this year. The inconvenient side is that every time it usually ends a long line of great wines and I cannot get the full grip of it. However, its vinosity is unquestionable, this is a wine especially designed for fine gastronomy. And considering its high price, how could that be different ? (96/100)

Ended the night sooner than other times but the two red Bordeaux wines were stunning and I am still thinking about them the second day.

2001 Flavio Roddolo Barolo Ravera

Autumn starts to gradually show its signs in Romania, with foggy mornings and lower temperatures compared to the 30 Celsius degrees we experienced at the end of September. Following this pattern I started to slowly make the transition from white to red wines. Now it’s time to uncork those 14-15% alc wines that I put aside during the summer. Last week it was time to finally try a bottle of Barolo that was planned to be uncorked at least 4 times prior and somehow another option always occurred.

2001 was a great vintage in most of Italy, producing well structured wines with great aging potential: this wine is no exception. It comes from Monforte d’Alba, a commune in Barolo well known for giving the most structured of Barolo’s and also home to some of the greatest Barolo producers: the Conternos.

Flavio Roddolo produces around 20.000 bottles of this wine every year from 6 ha of vines that have not been chemically treated for over 40 years, following bio dynamic ideas. He uses only indigenous yeasts, does not clarify, nor filters and this is clear as daylight: there is some serious sediment in this wine so be careful when you pour the last drops in the glass or in the decanter.

2001 Flavio Roddolo Barolo Ravera Monforte d’Alba

The wine has a beautiful saturated ruby red color. The bouquet is initially closed and needs at least 4-5 h of aeration before is starts to show all those beautiful Barolo aromas of tar, rose petals, truffles, bright red fruits, leather and even a cool minty character. Well structured in the mouth, with assertive tannins, well balanced and lively, with red and black cherry and earthy flavors on the palate. The texture is fine, the wine is elegant and intellectual, with lingering red fruits and impressive grip in the medium plus long finish. A wine that would benefit for further aging in the bottle. I tasted the wine over 3 days and I liked it the most on the last day, so you either decant it for 6-8 hours, either you give it more years in the bottle. 14.5% (90/100)

A friend of mine that just started a new business with floral decorations – Florali – provided the beautiful autumn arrangement from the background in the picture.

2001 La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial

This is always a great wine from a reliable and Old School Rioja producer. As the front label says Vina Ardanza was named a Reserva Especial only 3 times so far when the vintage conditions were perfect: 1964, 1973 and 2001. It costs about 21 Eur in any hypermarket in Spain.

2001 La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial

Color is a saturated ruby red with a brick rim. The bouquet is well developed, really intense, with good complexity and seduces your senses from the get go. There is an interesting balsamic touch, ethereal, with more aromas of orange peel, tobacco, fresh red fruits, cinnamon and cloves, and undergrowth. Really lively on the palate, this wine drinks beautiful already. It has structure, freshness, a great mouth-feel and it shines even brighter with food. A medium plus long finish, with cinnamon and red fruits that linger in the aftertaste. This is a style that I love more and more. There is also a serious aging potential for this wine but it already seems to be on a plateau of optimum drinking. (90/100)