Been a while...nice dinner for a Birthday

[dave vino]

I won't mention any names to protect the innocent and old. There were 9 drinkers in attendance.

Dinner was at Bentley, food was on song with a couple of misses but nothing major. Becoming my favourite Degustation restaurant in Sydney.

WOTN for me was probably the Leflaive Chevy, absolutely stunning wine in a sea of great wines. The Ramonet BBM was another, the tension on this wine was amazing.

Agrapart Champagne Grand Cru Terroirs Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
1989 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Degorgement Tardif Avize
1995 Charles Heidsieck Champagne La Collection Crayères Blanc des Millénaires
2017 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles
2017 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet
2017 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet
2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
2015 Jean-Claude Ramonet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet
2015 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières
2017 Benjamin Leroux Corton-Charlemagne
2016 Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières
1998 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes
2014 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
2017 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens
2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche
1980 Penfolds Bin 80A Coonawarra
1970 Château Palmer
1991 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
2001 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
2010 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel
2010 Joh. Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel



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[cuttlefish]

Happy Birthday, (to you, Dave, or were you a guest of the birthday person !?)
Looks like an epic night!

It's funny, from the photographs you've posted, I recognise some people I follow on insta must have been with you!

[dave vino]

Actually it wasn't my Birthday... I don't turn 'old' until next year

An you would would be correct, usual crowd.

[Luke W]

Jesus, 9 drinkers, 22 bottles, how was the head the next day?

[mychurch]

If one is to kill oneself to get out of the misery of Covid and old age, then this is the way to go. Sitting here in Melbourne, I’m partly jealousy and partly happy that somewhere life is going in as normal.

A friend was in a winebar in Riga last week (in Latvia). A bunch of Finish wine lovers who were in town gave him a glass of Roches Neuves to try. Apparently they were still talking and in good spirits after 5 bottles per person.. if the world does collapse due to indulgence, the Finns will be one of the last nations standing.

[dave vino]

Jesus, 9 drinkers, 22 bottles, how was the head the next day?

Pretty good, a fair whack of them had a good 1/3 of a bottle left in them (well the ones towards the end of the night) and being reds tend to do OK with the cork put back in and had the next day. Like the Dunns, both were really young even at 30 years old, I can only imagine how an extra night of 'decanting' would have left them.

[JamieBahrain]

Done a number of Howell Mountain verticals back to late 70's and staggering their liveliness ( inc Dunns but they probably 90's ). La Jota a favourite. Caught me off guard and I was very surprised.

Superb event by the looks. I think noting past events Dave, your white Burgs seem quite young? New views on drinking them in the days of premox or no connection?

[dave vino]

Yeah exactly that. We even had a Premoxed-ish one the other week under Diam.

The Leflaive BBM was faulty. For the money they cost it is a disgrace that they are such a lottery. Whereas PYCM of all the well over a hundred bottles I've had I can count on one hand how many have been faulty.

But when the Leflaive's are on song, there isn't much in the world which can get near them.

[mjs]

Dave,
Just another quiet night for you and friends I see
Have a birthday coming up in Melbourne that is likely to be seriously under celebrated
Been a while since I was at a couple of off lines in Sydney in 2014/15
Cheers, Malcolm

[JamieBahrain]

Yeah exactly that. We even had a Premoxed-ish one the other week under Diam.

The Leflaive BBM was faulty. For the money they cost it is a disgrace that they are such a lottery. Whereas PYCM of all the well over a hundred bottles I've had I can count on one hand how many have been faulty.

But when the Leflaive's are on song, there isn't much in the world which can get near them.

Yes I read somewhere about some DIAM complaints and denials from Burg producers ( blamed shipping not the DIAM ).

Leflaive is indeed amazing wine. Though it lead me to look elsewhere and I'd sooner drink something like Chave with 15+ these days. It took me many years to get my head around Leflaive. Sure, as you said a lottery though the rewards amazing when you have a sound one. I was frustrated and angry at mixing with friends and acquaintances in the HKG wine scene. It was almost a joke to get premoxed Leflaive. More than once saw 2 or 3 OK from six.

Anyways, finally realised its such great wine that for incredibly wealthy people, the price simply does not matter.

[tarija]

Dave,

Certainly celebrated in style.

Were the wines off Bentley's wine list, or BYO? If BYO, is this generally allowed or did you have to negotiate with management?

[Polymer]

Yeah exactly that. We even had a Premoxed-ish one the other week under Diam.

The Leflaive BBM was faulty. For the money they cost it is a disgrace that they are such a lottery. Whereas PYCM of all the well over a hundred bottles I've had I can count on one hand how many have been faulty.

But when the Leflaive's are on song, there isn't much in the world which can get near them.

Yes I read somewhere about some DIAM complaints and denials from Burg producers ( blamed shipping not the DIAM ).

Leflaive is indeed amazing wine. Though it lead me to look elsewhere and I'd sooner drink something like Chave with 15+ these days. It took me many years to get my head around Leflaive. Sure, as you said a lottery though the rewards amazing when you have a sound one. I was frustrated and angry at mixing with friends and acquaintances in the HKG wine scene. It was almost a joke to get premoxed Leflaive. More than once saw 2 or 3 OK from six.

Anyways, finally realised its such great wine that for incredibly wealthy people, the price simply does not matter.

Dave - Was the Leflaive premoxed? That would be a shame given it is under DIAM...

3 ok from 6 older Leflaives I'd probably consider a GREAT outcome...I really do expect about 60%+ failure rate on anything older than 7 or 8 years...

[dave vino]

Dave,

Certainly celebrated in style.

Were the wines off Bentley's wine list, or BYO? If BYO, is this generally allowed or did you have to negotiate with management?

BYO. It is allowed if you ask nicely and are ok with the $50pb(?) corkage. We have a history there with them so maybe that helps. (I dunno to be honest as I didn't organise it)

[GraemeG]

Holy smoke! Wow! <speechless>
GG

[dave vino]

Dave - Was the Leflaive premoxed? That would be a shame given it is under DIAM...

3 ok from 6 older Leflaives I'd probably consider a GREAT outcome...I really do expect about 60%+ failure rate on anything older than 7 or 8 years...

Sorry two different things, the Diam was last week at GC HQ.

The Leflaive was strange, there was a low level TCA type taint and/or scalped characteristics and it just tasted bland and devoid of fruit, almost tart. I think the retailer came to the party and were going to replace/refund it. So hopefully it will have a happy ending.

But yeah Jamie, the Chave Blanc is where the smart money is. We had a 2003 Rayas Fonsalette Blanc the other week and it was still chugging along fine with no worries about premox etc.

[dave vino]

Dave,
Just another quiet night for you and friends I see
Have a birthday coming up in Melbourne that is likely to be seriously under celebrated
Been a while since I was at a couple of off lines in Sydney in 2014/15
Cheers, Malcolm

You just have to all start wearing your masks and you might be able to go out and wine and dine again in the near future.

But seriously it is a shame that people are missing big birthdays with friends and family. I guess it will make us appreciate them so much more once things are back to 'normal'. I know some people spend years squirreling away special bottles for their 40th/50th...etc

[Polymer]

Dave - Was the Leflaive premoxed? That would be a shame given it is under DIAM...

3 ok from 6 older Leflaives I'd probably consider a GREAT outcome...I really do expect about 60%+ failure rate on anything older than 7 or 8 years...

Sorry two different things, the Diam was last week at GC HQ.

The Leflaive was strange, there was a low level TCA type taint and/or scalped characteristics and it just tasted bland and devoid of fruit, almost tart. I think the retailer came to the party and were going to replace/refund it. So hopefully it will have a happy ending.

But yeah Jamie, the Chave Blanc is where the smart money is. We had a 2003 Rayas Fonsalette Blanc the other week and it was still chugging along fine with no worries about premox etc.

But the Leflaive wasn't under Diam? I thought they did all their wines under DIAM since like 14?

[brodie]

Hi Dave, great line up. Let me guess the 1998 de Vogue was still young?

Cheers Brodie

[kenzo]

Sounds like a great gathering!
In addition to the Hermitage blanc I can highly recommend Beaucastel's blanc, especially with some age on it. One consumed recently was absolutely delicious!

[phillisc]

Dave,

Certainly celebrated in style.

Were the wines off Bentley's wine list, or BYO? If BYO, is this generally allowed or did you have to negotiate with management?

BYO. It is allowed if you ask nicely and are ok with the $50pb(?) corkage. We have a history there with them so maybe that helps. (I dunno to be honest as I didn't organise it)

Unless you are Rockefeller, you'd BYO everyone of these. I'm not up to speed on many of them, but folks tell me an 04 La Tache street price if you could find one is $2 Grand plus and the wine list price would be double or more than that. Hopefully the well informed punters at the dinner here picked them up on release and enjoyed them now. $50 BYO wine charge for bottles of this calibre and in Sydney no less, is shit cheap, i was charged $30 last week for a relatively cheap bottle at a restaurant in Adelaide.
Cheers Craig

[JamieBahrain]

Sounds like a great gathering!
In addition to the Hermitage blanc I can highly recommend Beaucastel's blanc, especially with some age on it. One consumed recently was absolutely delicious!

Indeed Kenzo. Lovely stuff! I have a Beaucastel in the cellar but more red than white. Must change this.

[dave vino]

But the Leflaive wasn't under Diam? I thought they did all their wines under DIAM since like 14?

Not sure, didn't see the cork. But assume it was after Googling.

[WAwineguy]

What a fantastic lineup!!!

[TiggerK]

Lots of superlatives to follow, it's hard to be critical when people are bringing such great wines in celebration of my birthday. I wasn't taking any notes, and didn't spit too much either, so notes are a rather general and purely from memory. Yes the whites are all young, but such is the premox way of things. It's sad that I can't bring myself to cellar white burgundy more than 7 or 8 years without a fear of losing half or more of my bottles to premox, I’m just not that excessibe. But that's an argument for a different thread, jeez these wines were great from start to finish. Just the Leflaive BBM was very slightly TCA affected.

Most wines were served double blind, (except the Leflaives and Prums). Whites served mostly in pairs.

Agrapart Champagne Grand Cru Terroirs Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut (Magnum) - solid start to the night while guests arrived, generous glass for my wife who was about to suffer through hours of wine blather.
1989 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Grand Cru Degorgement Tardif Avize - Big powerful yeasty nose, almost ox-like but not quite, clean and layered through the palate, fresh as a daisy on the finish. Impressive.
1995 Charles Heidsieck Champagne La Collection Crayères Blanc des Millénaires - Wonderfully balanced and vibrant, still very youthful, creamy texture, a touch softer than the Jacquesson but no worse for that, superb.
2017 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles - General consensus around the table is that Pucelles has a case for Grand Cru status, we concur based on this. Hard going up against a Chevvy but a lovely wine in its own right.
2017 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet - Very very low level TCA masking any real sense of this wine. Texture and acid were there, but fruit was totally absent. Bugger.
2017 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet - OMG, I will say right here that I often enjoy Chevalier-Montrachet more than Montrachet, yes I know WTH #firstworldproblem right? Anyway, this was more fuel firing that opinion. Phenolic pithy texture, such intensity, vibrant acid spine from go to woah, just stunning length, think I can still taste it. Incredible and approachable even in it’s extreme youth (think around 2 hours decant).
2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne - Nerves were high due to premox history on BdM, but this was a really good bottle, less oak than I would have expected too which was nice. Great wine.
2015 Jean-Claude Ramonet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet - So good, claims runner up WWOTN by a nose over the Lafon. The Ramonet wines have such intensity, and that little minty thing is there here as well, just a hint of reduction and background oak led me to guess Lafon Mersault-Perrieres, turns out that was next... ah well, this wine was right up there, wow.
2015 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - Quite surprised at the lack of classic Lafon reductive notes, and from memory this was fairly pop'n'pour as well. Assume the slightly bigger 2015 vintage a factor in that, yet the acid line was strong and the wine in excellent condition. I so love Lafon.
2017 Benjamin Leroux Corton-Charlemagne (Screwcap) - Showed well, albeit a touch restrained (i.e young) even after a 2 hours decant. Oak not too prominent and the wine had good power and length. Should cellar very well.
2016 Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - Opinions differed as to preference for the Leroux or this Boillot. I preferred this, but I am quite the M-Perrieres fan. More bite from the acid and again nicely restrained oak, a welcome characteristic of all the wines so far tonight.

1998 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes – Mostly red ripe fruits, nice fine tannic feel, quite pretty on the nose. Some aged elements evident, but still youthful and fairly primary overall. I was guessing in the mid 90’s. Needs time to show its best but I loved the depth on this, each swirl revealed different layers of interest, quality wine.
2014 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques – Hint of funk (yum), more aged than you may expect for 2014, but I liked it more for that. Balanced and just so enjoyable to drink. Whilst I love old wines I think this best opened over the next 5 years.
2017 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens – Really held its own in this lineup, good producer and I liked that extra element of CdB tannic grip. Young but quite approachable and layered.
2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche – My particularly generous friend has showed a bunch of 2004 Red Burgundy wines from good producers (inc other DRC) over the past year or two, I’m a total convert and a big fan, they have swallowed whatever ‘greenish’ characters they may have had and now the savoury tertiary characters are coming to the fore. This was vibrant, pretty and long, yes all those desirable Burg characters. Maybe a touch down on the mid-palate but the finish was very good. Stalk elements were minimal, fruit wasn’t powerful but it had a real confidence to it. Can still remember it so well, always a good sign, memorable wine.
1980 Penfolds Bin 80A Coonawarra – The 90A and 80A are both special release Aussie classics. A blend of Coonawarra Cabernet with Kalimna (Barossa) Shiraz, typically around 80/20 blend I think. Corks and storage always an issue for old Australian wines, this one had been treated with respect and the cork held up well. The leaner but ripe Cabernet fruit gives way to the soft plushness of the Shiraz, giving wine both structure, lightness and real weight. Effortless power.
1970 Château Palmer – Two friends sourced this at short notice which was very kind, yes the birth year wine. Touch of metallic brett the only minor detractor from a deep and complex wine, yet still felt a touch restrained and youthful! A real treat.
1991 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain – The two Dunns were served together, again both blind. I did prefer the 1991, perhaps unsurprisingly given the ageworthy nature of good Napa wines. Still young, yet developing well, felt very classically structured, not too ripe, everything well judged. I’d heard a lot about this label and was so excited to see them revealed side by side.
2001 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain – Perhaps a bit young still, yet not far away from drinking well. Again like the 1991 showed great balance and my kind of winemaking style, letting the fruit and structure mingle without letting oak get in the way.
2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut – Refresher? OK why not… I love this Champagne, do see some variability but this bottle was in good form.
2010 Joh. Jos. Prüm Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel – So good to have some sweet wines to match the two dessert courses, this pair of Prum GK just topped off a stunning night of wine. Still young and unresolved, these were both excellent with the two desserts.
2010 Joh. Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel - Hard to pick between this and the Bernkasteler, think I preferred this slightly, just a touch of extra acid zip. These GK Prums are top notch, the weight and balance of the 2010 vintage showing through, just need another 30 years!

Thanks to the crew at Bentley for handling everything about the night so well, food was top notch. Hope we're not banned for 'accidentally' BYO'ing fresh truffle... it was one of my guests, not me!!! (Yes I loved it!!!)

I was both truly humbled and stunned by the generosity shown me by my small group of friends on this special day, thank you to those who came along, treated me so well and made me feel so, so lucky. I was aware that I could never have everyone there I ideally wanted, so I offer my regrets to those I couldn’t include for so many reasons, primarily due to Covid rules limiting the group to 10. Special mention to my lovely wife for being such a trooper and tolerating 6 hours of endless wine banter without a single complaint. And thanks too to Dave for the always amazing pictures and typing all the wines out! Nice momento of a truly magical evening.

Cheers
Tim

[Polymer]

Great stuff Tim! So sad to have missed your birthday! Although it sounded like it was a good 3 nights .

[Mahmoud Ali]

Happy Birthday Tim,

Looks like it was a great party, with excellent wines, food, and friends. Many happy returns and thanks for the notes, they are the kind I like, the ones that give an impression of the wine rather than a series of lengthy descriptors.

Cheers .................... Mahmoud.

[cuttlefish]

Happy Birthday, Tim!
Doin' it in style..!!

[Mike Hawkins]

Excellent line up.. you do things in style!

[sjw_11]

Happy birthday Tim, wicked line up. Miss the Sydney offlines.

[deejay81]

Happy 50th Tim!

Looks like food and wine were solid!

Missing the gatherings with you and the rest of the Syd crew.