Memorable wines while ringing in the new year like a Tsar.

Magical night at the castle, working for the first time on a New Years Eve.  Was well worth it, tasting and serving some incredible french wines.  As I'm now taking time off to travel, work on a wine project and shred the epic snowfall on the west coast, I will miss the folks and extraordinary wines I had the chance to work with.

balloons, champagne, dancing...

Sommelier Luc Chevalier with the Imperial of Veuve Clicquot.

Opening this gigantic bottle was not so easy.  We resorted to the pliers, and then the corkscrew eventually striking wine.

Marcassin ''Blue-Slide Ridge'' Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2001- Was quite a sensation to drink, and everyone dug it being paired with the duck, fig and mache.  Very full bodied, sharp bright red fruits, nice acidity.  The best pinot noir I have had coming from the United States...

Domaine de la Romanèe-Conti La Tache 2000 -  Always a pleasure to be able to drink a DRC, whether you like them or not its a memorable experience.  This 2000 was aromatic and very clean, direct and clear in its delivery.  Those brilliant DRC red fruits coming out... Still holding back much complexity that will come in ten years.  For me it was no contest next to the

DRC Romanèe-Saint-Vivant 2001 I tasted the day before.  Romanee-Saint-Vivant has been described as ''a magical wine, rich, elegant, sophisticated and remarkably harmonious and complex''.  With age it is said to take on a nose of a wilted rose (une rose fanèe).

This Saint Vivant had aromas bursting out of the glass that were incredibly complex, irresistible and just plain delicious (it much helped having a proper burgundy glass).  Possibly the most enticing bouquet I have ever experienced in a wine.  Unfortunately I only tasted very little of the wine but it was extraordinary and very memorable.

the very large cork, coming out of the imperial (6 lt bottle)

Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac 1988 - Label art by Keith Haring, New York City artist.  This wine showing some terroir love.  Deep dark fruit, but most of all strong mushroom, forest, and herbs all over the place.  Complex, Smooth, and drank beautifully the next day as well, not showing any flaws after 24 hours.  Watch Christelle open this monster on vimeo below...

Opening an Imperial of Mouton Rothschild 1988 with Christelle Cotar from croosadabilia on Vimeo.

The chateau d'yquem 1988 was straight gorgeous.

Was great poppin' a magnum of 2002 Cristal Rosè at midnight, but I was a bit disappointed and expected much more out of this bottle.
At midnight Christelle brought us out side scurrying over to release three balloons representing three wishes for the new year in french tradition.
Happy new years brothers and sisters!
drink well

some La Tache and Lafite

Tasted a wonderful DRC 2001 La Tache last night after pouring for a wine dinner.  Still way too young for me but nice fruit and a very stunning finish, lasting more than a couple of minutes in the mouth with beautiful rich red fruits. wowwww

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1986

Opened this first growth, which happened to be finely corked... not extremely unapealing though for a not so fine vintage in bordeaux..

deep deep forest aromas, a little too musty on the palate...but not a total loss of fruits and acidity..

opened a second bottle which was much more explosive with fresher fruit, acidity and complexity, much more enjoyable!

afterall we are talking about a first growth here.. jesus....

from the Romanée-Conti diaries pt. 2.....

Quite the treat being able to taste this Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 2005 Montrachet,  this sunday.

Although very very young, it was incredible nonetheless to take a look at this wine, and into it's future.  I like how my friend and sommelier Billy D responded to the tasting of this wine by calling it ''infanticide''.

Grape variety: Chardonnay

Vineyard holding: 0.67 hectares (1.65 acres)
Average age of vines: 62 years
Average production: 250 cases 

Often called the most prestigious label in the world, DRC wines are a must taste at least once in a lifetime for every wine lover.  My first experience with DRC a few months ago was with a '96 La Tache.  With this Montrachet however, I had more time to evaluate and see what was happening.  In the Blantyre cellar we also have the 89, 90, 94, 03, 04 vintages.

Going in for a sniff here, the nose just explodes out of the glass. A burst of excitement....

At first you notice heaps of toasty notes.  Somewhere between a toasted almond, and burnt hair.  If burnt hair could be elegant and enticing!  Wait five minutes keep swirling and you will receive a whole other layer of aromas unraveling... white flowers, vanilla, citrus...

on the palate you receive a powerful wave of a thick, pure one of a kind juice... a beautiful dried apricot, a long finish and a tightness that says let me age and grow.  I really want to revisit this wine in ten years but that is like getting struck by fucking lightening twice...

Sommelier Christelle Cotar, with the precious montrachet

bottle number 84 of just 3,413 bottles produced

rainbows do bring magical things, like this september 4th here in the berkshires

Later I tasted an Italian delight, which was my first time to taste a Sassicaia.  In this case a 2002 Sassicaia... a crumby year for most of Italy with lots of rain, but for super tuscans maybe not as bad.  The sangiovese and it's thinner skin suffered more from the rain.

This wine, was packed with an amazing nose, unleashing with very pleasant fruits and spices.
A bit misleading because on the palate it was not as long and smooth.  starts out with very nice fruits and then hits a slightly watery note followed by a slighty bitter astringency, and then strong tannin. No doubt this wine would go better with food, but for the high price of this wine I don't recommend at least the 2002.

shots from the chateau

 (above: the Blantyre Castle in Lenox, Massachusetts.)
With about 21,000 bottles there isn't much competition with the Blantyre cellar around these parts, especially in the french department... and finishing up a wounded soldier isn't so bad, when it's a 1996 Domaine De La Romanèe Conti ''La Tache''

A splendid Amedei toscano black chocolate and raspberry vacherin, presented by Chef de Cuisine Arnaud Cotar in the kitchen at Blantyre.