We’re moving our family from Chicago to Portland next week so we got together with some of the local wine geeks
that we’ve gotten to know best and toasted Chicago. Everyone stepped up in a humbling fashion and brought out
some really special and interesting juice. HB in Chicago delivered a great meal as always in a warm and skillful manner.
Cheers Chicago we love you!!
PS- I need to add the notes for the 66 Burg we had and the 83 Guiraud
2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru (8/20/2011)
Actually, this was my wine of the night… Poured a glass and followed it throughout the dinner. Tons of spices, pine, meats, raspberries,
strawberries, roses, and herbs. The nose was ever changing and blossoming throughout the night. Palate followed the nose and seemed
to open up, soften, and take on balance as the night progressed as well. Tons of red fruit, baking spice, pine needles, venison, shrooms,
that flows into a nice long finish. Obviously, this is quite young but given time to open up it really provided the kind of complexity and
enjoyment you would expect. Cheers to Robertito for bringing this to our celebration!! (95 points)
2001 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley (8/19/2011)
This seemed to have everything in place but remains quite young yet.
Plush, dark, brooding. Rich notes of tobacco and dark fruit with a big
almost jammy mouth. Clearly well made juice which either needs more time
or air to enjoy properly… (93 points)
1978 Ridge Monte Bello - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains (8/19/2011)
Beautiful bottle that seemed quite young. Dark fruits kicking on the nose with cassis, leather, herbs, minerals, and cedar.
Wonderfully balanced on the palate with a nice dose of dark fruits, coffee, dark chocolate, mint, dried dirt, cigar
box into a nice lip smacking finish. This bottle was right in the zone but came across and being able to hang for
some time yet… (93 points)
1983 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (8/19/2011)
This was probably my CO-WOTN with the 79 Lanson. Dried roses, tobacco, raw leather,
black tea, and dried red cherries. Nicely balanced palate with red fruits sneaking in amongst
a ton of elegant earth tones of raw leather, dried herbs, tons of dried roses, tobacco,cedar…
Fully resolved and holding on… (94 points)
1982 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (8/19/2011)
First whiff and this seemed off. Wah wah… downer… but I called it first!! 
1970 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley (8/19/2011)
Great bottle that showed hints of it’s glory years while clearly being a bit past prime.
Tons of coffee on the nose, with leather, herbs, dirt, and some meaty tones.
Very earthy palate of mushrooms, leather, some sweet tobacco, cedar, and dried flowers…
This was ever changing but never fell apart. It seemed to get better with air, and while it didn’t
show much fruit it has some beautifully aged earth tones going on for eons…
2004 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (8/19/2011)
This is drinking really well. Nice hits of citrus zest, hot oils, almonds, and slate on the nose.
Huge mouth feel that delivers tropical fruits, clean acid, and river rock. The delivery of this wine
is very modern and explosive and the finish lingers nicely… (92 points)
1979 Lanson Champagne Brut - France, Champagne (8/19/2011)
From Mag… The retailer states that this was a Red label Brut but the bottle matched the above picture for this wine.
Killer nose that just got better and better. Brioche, lemon tart, yeast, nuttiness, and stones on the nose.
The palate is extraordinarily youthful and energetic with an explosive delivery of tart apples, supple acidity,
lingering minerality, and gamey/ mousy notes on the finish. This wine just got better and better throughout
the evening and proved to be a favorite on a table of ten… (94 points)
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