Berserker Boys' Ultimate Mountain Jamboree (Leroy, Chave, Rayas, Vatan, Krug, Selosse, etc)

Berserkers from around the country (me, Jorge Henriquez, K John Joseph, Robert Alfert, and Charlie Carnes) met up (not without travel headaches) at Carnes’ gorgeous mountain ‘cabin’ in North Carolina to open some legendary wines - not just legendary, but several wines that have been saved for many years for just such an occasion. For me, that wine was my lone bottle of '90 Chave, and for Charlie, it was his ’95 Leroy Clos de Vougeot.

The whole list is below, and we plan to post our notes as we open and enjoy these wines. I expect little sleep, and tons of fun, and extraordinary wine and company (except Jorge, of course).


’05 Vatan
’16 Raul Perez La Claudina Godello (mag)

’90 Chave
’95 Masurd Cuvee Mazurka
’99 Verset
‘08 Rayas
‘11 Juge Cornas

’64 La Croix de Gay
‘70 Magdelaine
‘86 Magdelaine
‘95 Mouton
‘95 Cos
’02 VCC

’82 La Lagune
’82 Meyney
‘82 La Mish
’82 Mouton
‘82 Las Cases
’82 Scavino
’82 Conterno

’95 Leroy Clos de Vougeot
‘06 Doudet-Naudin Volnay Les Lurets

’82 Taittinger Collection
’02 Krug
‘02 Cristal
‘02 Dom P
‘02 Billecart Salmon Clos St Hillaire
‘02 Billecart Salmon Cuvée Nicolas François
’07 Dom Ruinart BdB
NV Selosse Rosé

Fernando de Castilla Oloroso
‘60 Collares

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Oh my! What a fun crew! We also have perfect weather and tons of leaf color, and so much great food on tap. Here we go for my first note:

  • 2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut - France, Champagne (10/15/2021)
    This was completely amazing! I was a little worried when the cork slipped out rather easily, and with barely a whisper. Then Kaboom!, the first taste. This seems in the perfect place as it has qualities of age, AND a gorgeous youthful exuberance! The color was gorgeous when the first glass was poured, it was kind of like a glistening mineral stew. Then there was the beautiful nose, where I smelled pretty traces of chalky limestone, and cistern perceptions, and hints of pretty red fruits like strawberry, and dried fruits, and most compelling dried apple cider aroma (Kane’s note) which carried this wine completely to amazing and beyond. In the mouth, it just got better, as it presented creamy, with plenty of mousse, and gobs of tart orchard fruit, and berry fruit skins, and so much mineral, again with the apple cider and a core of vinous perfection, that left me wanting! This is truly a mind blowing show stopper. Also, it makes me marvel at Champagne, can mature rather quickly in the collector’s lifetime and reward so much after 20 years!!! Kane’s Bottle. 98-99 (98 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Damn, that’s a lot of nice wine. If you’re going to go through travel headaches, at the very least the wines at the end more than make up for it. Enjoy the wines and Flannery! [cheers.gif]

Nice job guys! Sounds like fun. Lots of very good to extraordinary wine.

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I can be there in 2-3 hours…

Enjoy the weekend.

Insane line-up!!!

Good to see you boys got out on the golf course!
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Can KJJ really hit it 350?

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Wow!

I am full of wholesome envy!

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So that’s why you didn’t come out for the NYC Berserkerfest tomorrow.

Can’t say as how I blame you … champagne.gif

Good wines too

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We are hurting today. Plus, Meats just took us on a brutal two hour mountain hike. After Carolina BBQ.

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:sweat_smile:

Great note. Was definitely my WOTN. Kept going back to it all night.

I really liked the 2002 Vieux Chateau Certan, so classic and balanced. Drank like a left bank, though. No marked sense of Pomerol. I wonder if this vintage has a heavier Cab Franc presence, as it certainly showed more Cab profile though not herbaceous at all. This wine is into its prime drinking window and has years to go. (92 pts.)

Was fun to pop the 2011 Marcel Juge Cornas for the boys, especially since I just had the 2014 two weeks ago. Both such aromatic vintages, though between the two, 2014 shows better to me. Love the briny, savory, earthy profile on this wine. Very high acid, perhaps a bit too much on the tart side. The red spectrum is wide, and lively on the palate. We decanted this wine for an hour and it showed best like three hours later, end of evening. (93 pts.)

Some whisky was flowing, too. That’s what took us over the edge, me thinks.

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Goddam right I can.

2002 Cristal - I was concerned about the soft whisper on open, but it poured with a nice mousse and the color was great. Beautiful white peach, mineral, hint of fresh pressed cider (not oxidative/Sherry) hint of spice and nice biscuit. Just gorgeous.

2002 Billecart Salmon Clos St Hilaire - lovely expression of BDN. Good richness with white cherry, ginger, hint of spice and marzipan. Really vibrant with great acidity and a lively mousse. Vivacious and can continue to age.

2007 Dom Ruinart - I really like this wine. Cool Asian pear and white flowers, hint of flint and mint, lemon. It’s a nice wine. Maybe not quite up there with the first two, but it’s delicious.

2008 Jerome Blin Les Caillasses - okay I was pretty ripped for this one but it was really good and 08 is quickly becoming my favorite vintage. This is 50-50 chard and pinot meunier and it’s all shining. Great citrus and spice and meunier funk and orchard fruit. At least that’s what I recall.

I’d had quite a lot to drink. Hell I currently feel a bit iffy but am improving! Thanks 2 hour hike at 4800 feet with Drill Sarge Carnes!

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The VCC was bright and floral on the palate with gorgeous red fruit, nice cedar and a hint of licorice backing the fruit Very classy wine. Soft and ready. Alfert’s spot on.

The Juge was delicious. Bright fruit profile with really expressive and savory nose. Almost a hint of salinity with the meat and game notes. Only slight detraction was a slight green pepper herbaceous note that reminded me of 11 Levet and not in a great way. But the wine was very complex and expressive and really pretty enjoyable.

Maybe not after a night like that however.

That’s a lovely line-up of wines. Very cool to see Berserker’s getting together again. I can’t wait to reassemble the crew that came to Boston in another year or two once this whole pandemic thing is under wraps. Until then small gatherings are still a blessing.

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Enjoying some Fu caviar on a gorgeous day

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More pics! Show us the place! Looks amazing for a Brokeback Mountain…I mean…Berserker Mountain Jamboree! [drinkers.gif]

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