The Auswine Forum

Amazing wine dinner last night. The theme was titled ‘Monty and Moose’, organising such an event took quite a while, getting all the wines together, getting all the people together and getting the restaurant onboard with our vision.

The food had no hope of stealing the limelight but it sure gave a good showing, some fantastic dishes that were matched perfectly to the wines, the chef custom-made the menu bringing old dishes back that he thought would suit the wines. A great space with a round table allowed everyone to chat/banter/discuss all night.

The 96 Krug CdM was probably the best champagne I’ve ever had, usurping the 96 Salon. It won’t outlive the Salon but right now it is in a better place. I’d drink now rather than holding it if it is indicative of a well stored example. More length than Mandingo, power, poise, and heady aromas. Stunning wine.

The DRC Montrachet was sublime, right up with there with the best white wines I’ve ever had. It was effortless, elegant yet bruising, linear, focused, just brilliant. Totally different to the Lafon in the same flight which was edgy, reductive, yet with a glorious underlying fruit and this again was quite a different beast to the Ramonet which had so much going on, hugely layered, acid/drive.

The Musigny were also very different wines among the different producers. From the austere, power driven Vogue’s to the greener/brighter Faiveley to the Leroy earthiness. All great wines in their own way and interpretations of the vineyard.

A true privilege to be able to drink these wines with such a great bunch of guys. Also extra thanks to Greg and Len for their tireless organising and drive to get this event over the line

Le Petit Roe Boats
1982 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
1996 Krug Champagne Clos du Mesnil

Malakoff / Escargot XO
2005 Domaine Leflaive Montrachet
2005 Domaine Ramonet Montrachet

Caviar Omelettes / Gnocchi Parisien
2009 Domaine Ramonet Montrachet
2013 Domaine Ramonet Montrachet

Murray Cod a la Grenoboise / Frites
2013 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet
2013 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet

Confit duck leg
1978 Maison Leroy Musigny

Chicken Fricasse / Gratin
1999 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny
1993 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny

Cote de Bouef / Salad
2007 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny
2007 Faiveley Musigny

Options
2004 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny
2004 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny

Selection of Cheeses
1975 Giuseppe Quintarelli Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone Classico

[img]http://www.grapemates.org/files/032018/MontyMoose4.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.grapemates.org/files/032018/MontyMoose5.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.grapemates.org/files/032018/MontyMoose6.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.grapemates.org/files/032018/MontyMusigny-20.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.grapemates.org/files/032018/MontyMoose1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.grapemates.org/files/032018/MontyMoose2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.grapemates.org/files/032018/MontyMoose3.jpg[/img]

I hear 1993 Vogue Musigny is still young but I am opening one this year for a special occasion- how was it?
Lovely lovely range of wines!

Yep still young. But no problems drinking it now has enough development to make it worthwhile. I think I compared it to drinking a young Grange, it's hard to believe it is 25 years old and showing so young.

Am very envious Dave! How were the 04 Musignys? Any pyrozene meanies?

The 04 Vogue was a bit green to be honest although I didn't mind it, the Mugnier however was showing really well.

dave vino wrote:The 04 Vogue was a bit green to be honest although I didn't mind it, the Mugnier however was showing really well.

Mugnier is really demonstrating how genius he really is
Holding back great wine
2011 Musigny and 2010 les amoureses at New Years were thrilling

dave vino wrote:More length than Mandingo, power, poise...

What's a Mandingo? Haven't seen that descriptor before?

Great line up there dave. Those roe boats look hardcore. Not my cup of tea
Food looks great tho. Good one

How was the quintarelli? Have are few old bottles. Never tried one.

We need a few notes and a TCA PREMOX report.....

The Leflaive 05 was our biggest premox risk, and sure enough... it was premoxed, quite badly.

The Leroy 78 had the merest hint of what smelt like TCA to me which muted it a touch, but the wine was still very enjoyable thankfully and didn't get worse as expected so it was a bit odd. Some experienced tasters didn't get the TCA so there was some debate.

All the other wines showed brilliantly, although some found too much green in the Vogue 04 (I still liked it, but it wasn't quite up to the other reds). It was a truly epic night of wine, food and friends. WOTN for me were the Mesnil 96, Ramonet 13 and Lafon 13 (although the Lafon was very reductive and needed to have been opened the day before!) and a tie for red between the Vogue 93 and Faiveley 07. The Faiveley had a softer, more red fruited pretty perfumed character which I really enjoyed compared to the Vogue 07 and 99, it was a beautiful wine and with only 169 bottles of it made, wow, such a unicorn. (oh plus 2 magnums!). The Vogue 93 had some of that wonderful perfume too, as well as extra aged goodness, another wow wine.

The DRC Monty 13 felt like a more familiar classic chardonnay style compared to the Ramonets and the Lafon (which were showing their house style in abundance). If done blind at a casual pizza night, I suspect some would be torn between new world / old world (yeah I know, sacrilege, how dare i say that), but the balance, power and acid profile was really quite special so yeah OK top burgundy fair enough. But while the DRC was undoubtedly a fantastic wine, it didn't excite me quite as much as the other Monty's and for its price I'd rather be grabbing quite a few nice producer Meursault-Perrieres and a case or two of Kumeu River! First world problems and so great to have a chance to try these top wines next to each other and decide for ourselves where our preferences lie and see the differing producer styles in all their glory.

The Quintarelli was truly excellent, complex, powerful and deep fruited while still retaining freshness.

Will try to get a few more thoughts up tomorrow and look forward to some notes from the other attendees.

Cheers
Tim

Hi Tim,
sounds like a fabulous night!!! Not often you get to drink a DRC Montrachet and Faiveley Moose on the same night!!!
amazed the DRC showed so well at only four years of age, nice!!!
pity about the Leflaive, after a reasonable run at the start of the year, my last few have been premoxed (but thankfully only Pucelles)
I had the 78 Leroy Moose Christmas Day 2013, it was musty and just average, maybe they are on the decline?
thanks for the notes and pics, I need to work out how to post pics here!!!

Great report.
Another faulty Domaine Leflaive. I no longer buy their wines. I’m bemused by others who continue to do so.

Lovely Dave! Sydney offlines or structured tasting events rule the roost for sure.

Mark Carrington wrote:Great report.
Another faulty Domaine Leflaive. I no longer buy their wines. I’m bemused by others who continue to do so.

My burgundy circle have all given up

Looks like an amazing night, wish I was there.

Cheers Con.

Wow, fantastic line up!!!

Sorry to bring this thread back up, but how was the Ramonets?