Been a while since...

I've tasted the 1982 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild and wow has it changed... I think it's been at least a year and a half. The last time I had this wine it was impenetrable for hours, only to slowly open. This bottle showed what a bit of time has really done... Pure pencil lead on the nose immediately after opening - slowly revealed the beauty that can only be Mouton. The wine is at once elegant and powerful - full of grace and finesse and still able to pack a punch. Notes of cassis, pencil shavings, graphite, leather and cedar were perfectly in sync. The tannins, though present, are well integrated. This wine is still a baby at 26 years of age. Certainly the greatest Mouton I've ever had (though anyone who wants to donate a '66, '45, or '47, I'd gladly cook you a steak or lamb chops...) Incredible length that goes on forever. The scary thing is I think this wine is only getting better - will not reach maturity for another 15-20 years and will age for a century easily. The 1994 (producer not noted, but I will find out this week) Niersteiner Spiegelberg Grauburgunder Beerenauslese was very cool... (Grauburgunder = Pinot Gris). So youthful and showing so much RS, the pinkish-sweet wine was incredibly viscous (as one would expect with a BA). Honeyed caramel, baked apricots, ginger and Asian spices... nice stuff, especially for a Grosslagen wine.

Had a drink with a few friends at a newer restaurant after work last night... Forte di Asprinio. Very cool atmosphere - almost art-deco, but not. Perfect for Clematis Street. Great wine list (some really rare gems here... DRCs, 34 Lafite, etc), nice drinks (ok, anyone who has Anchor Steam is good in my book...), great food (had a few bites of this and that). Started with a glass (or two) of Duval-Leroy Brut Rose... pretty stuff. Bit of raspberry, strawberry and brioche. To stick with the "Leroy" theme... had a bottle of 1999 Leroy Bourgogne (rouge). Pretty, pretty stuff. Amazing how structured this 9 year old "basic" Bourgogne was. Not powerful, needs food, but a great, great bottle. Took 45 minutes to open up. The mid-palate was enrapturing though... I wish more producers could make Grand Cru Burgundy as well as Lalou Bize-Leroy makes her Bourgogne. A steal... Of course finished with an Anchor Steam. I'll definitely be going back time and time again... if you're in the area, check it out. I'm having lunch there on Wednesday and needless to say, I'm excited.