2005 Kongsgaard Roussanne/Viognier blend.  I don’t think I’ll ever be a Kongsgaard fan.  That said, this is one of the better ones I’ve tasted.ÂIt reminded me a bit of the SQN Whisperin’ E – which is a good thing.  Lots of apple, some citrus zest, quite a bit of spicy oak (although not overpowering).  I do find the emulation of an Old World wine made with such adherence to New World principles curious, but hey, it is a good drink.  Longish finish.  92

 

1990 Clos des Goisses.  Great Champagne.  Rhone Warrior said hew thought it was 70% Pinot Noir.  To me it tasted like it had lots of Pinot Meineur – it had a hint of gruyere that I get from Rene Collard wines.  (Apparently, there is no Pinot Meineur in the blend at all, though, and it is 70/30.)  Poach pear fruit with a hint of orange blossom.  Good Sherry component.  Layered with a long finish.  Really nice wine.Â94.5

 

1998 FX Pichler Unendlich.  Oh.  My.  God.  The best dry Riesling I have ever tasted and every bit as good as any Wienbach L’Inedit! Making it either the best wine or tied for the best wine I’ve had in the non-dessert Riesling department.  Huge (for a dry Riesling) with hints of botrytis (odd for a dry wine? – can someone confirm that this is indeed what I was tasting?).  Apple and pear base fruit with nuances of white peach, citrus blossoms, wet stones, limestone, slate, guava, minerals and a wonderful, viscous petrol.  Incredible, long long finish.  Though not the most hedonistically appealing, the most intellectually satisfying white wine I have ever tasted.  WOTN.  95(+?)

 

1995 Bollinger RD.ÂThis is a great wine.  But after the Clos des Goisses and the FX Pichler it seemed a little weak.  Very similar to the Clos des Goisses, actually, but it did not have the same layering or quite the same depth.  Less cheese, more minerals.  94

 

2001 Doisy Daene.  Very nice Sauternes, showing more age than one would expect.  Sweet, but not cloying.  Nectarine, brown spice.  Not enough acid to go the distance.ÂDidn’t leave much of a specific impression other than that it was yummy.  93

 

Condrieu (someone will have to fill in the details of the bottling).ÂGood but not great.ÂLots of minerality.Â90.5

Jermann something or other.  Good.  Will report back on what it was.

2001 Lafon Meursault Perrieres. This is the second time tasting this for me in the past half year.ÂAgain, a little disappointing.ÂTasted like just another Meursault.ÂNot bad, not great, either.Â90.5

 

2003(?) Rivers-Marie Pinot (don’t recall the vineyard either).  Wow.  This is serious quality juice.  Very dark pinot profile but not Syrah-like.  Plumbs and brown spice.  Rich and powerful.  Lots of minerality and a long finish.  93.5

 

1985 Montelena.ÂNo specific recollection other than thinking it was just ok.  Brett.

 

A very good example of Zinfandel.ÂNo recollection what it was.ÂProbably a 91ish point wine, though.

 

2003 B. Levet Cote-Rotie Le Chavaroche.ÂHorribly corked.

 

I’m sure there was another wine on the table I’m forgetting.ÂOr several.ÂThey charged 13 corkages and at the time I thought that meant they had comped us a couple.

 

Incredible evening.ÂI really enjoyed meeting everyone (and of course, seeing Powell and RW again)

 

The food ranged from good (the lamb which was cooked perfectly, but was a little too fatty/gamey) to sublime (the quail).ÂThe service was flawless and the wine service was truly, truly exceptional.ÂThey use only Spiegelau Vino Grande glasses and not only did they know exactly which glasses to give us for each wine, they kept giving new glasses for each bottle we opened.ÂIt got to the point we were telling them that we would just keep our glasses.ÂThey kept the whites perfectly chilled and when I asked for the Bollinger I was informed that we should wait because it was not, in the server’s estimation, cold enough yet.Â(It was at the perfect temperature when he brought it out telling us that it was now ready.)Â$20/bottle corkage seems like a steal when you are treated that way.