This past week, on an unassuming Wednesday, I decided to drive to Buffalo. Spurred on by a toothache (Joe is a dentist) and a need for some fine wine, I headed west. Every visit to Joe’s is spectacular. He simply will not have it any other way. The wines will show well, and if they don’t, Joe just keeps popping corks until they start to hit on all cylinders. Not only would I bask in the Vinous depths of Joe’s cellar and tasting room, but this time my Friend a fellow sommelier Scott Waller would enter in this world with me.
I arrived at the dental office for a quick check up on some tooth sensitivity. Joe quickly diagnosed small vertical cracks in my teeth that were not normal for my age. I knew the explanation before Joe could blurt it out. It is easily explained by years of prolonged 5G force applications as I rip down ice covered tracks and the intense weight training involved. “ No big deal,” replies Joe, just a quick coating of this magic liquid and a switch to sensodyne toothpaste and I would be back to normal.
As we left the office Joe turned to me and said something he only says every few visits. “Were gonna get stupid tonight.” When Joe says this I don’t know exactly what wines he has in store, Just that the mood, time and people are in perfect alignment for something BIG. As we entered premier Joe charged the reserve room with a sense of purpose. There was no wandering around the isles pointing out what’s drinking well at 20 bucks. This man was on a mission. With the store manager and mysef clinging to his heels like dogs following their master, Joe charged the back wall where 3 wines sat side by side. Joe glances at me and I at him, staring at us are the big 3. La Landonne, La Mouline and La Turque, the greatest syrah based wines in the world, if not the single greatest wines in the world. Joe asks a simple question, “what would you like to drink tonight?” I reply, “that’s kind of an unfair question Joe, how do you pick between the 3?” Joe responds, “lets complete your tri-fecta.” Having had the 1998 La Landonne (Cote Brune, 100% Syrah) and scoring it 100pts and the 1999 La Mouline ( Cote Blonde 89% Syrah, 11% Viognier) and scoring it 99 points, the 2000 La Turque ( Cote Brune, Single vineyard Lieu dit) was the next wine in line.
Arriving at Joe’s house, we enter the cellar and line evenings bottles up in order of progression. The salumi, bread and cheese are passed, olive oil and balsamic poured and we are off to the races. The evening’s guests are layed out below and would each deserve discussion if not for one wine and its performance the Casanova Di Neri Brunello Di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova.
1998 Pichon Baron Pauillac (94 pts)
1999 Andersons Conn Valley Reserve (88pts)
2001 Setti Ponti Oreno (90 pts)
2001 Sierra Cantabria Rioja (93pts)
2007 Cervio Sant Antimo Cabernet (91+ pts)
2004 Veglio Barolo (90pts)
2003 Collazzi (98pts)
2001 Sandrone Le Vigne Barolo (95 pts)
2000 La Turque (96pts)
2001 Casanova Di Neri Brunello Di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova (100 pts)
2003 Rieussec Sauternes (93 pts)
As you can see there was a personal 100 point wine in the mix. These experiences do not happen often, and when they do you count yourself blessed for having one of the most rare and sought after experiences in wine. The point of this article is not to talk about the differences in Turque, Mouline and Landonne or to speak of Sandrone’s modern styled baroli. While a night of wines like these would otherwise demand thoughts regarding these topics, when perfection occurs, you bow to it. For wine that is perfect, perfect attention is demanded.
It is time. Joe has been waiting, watching this wine with anticipation, Constantly nosing the wine, as if coming into first contact with a new lover. He pushes it back in the tasting order. I know that something special is coming, I wait and ponder over the La Turque. I fully expected the Casanova Di Neri to come first, but Joe’s in a weird mood tonight. There is magic in the air, the kind of magic that I have been lucky enough to experience on countless random weekdays in Buffalo, New York. Finally the wine enters the glass and my nose quickly follows. Leather, cured meats, balsamic, ink, chocolate, umami, iron, dark black fruits sing their praises together. They are deep, they are dark and they are brooding. They are Tuscan, deeply planted in an past time and way of life. But yet this is Sangiovese Grosso in all of its modern glory, slathered in Barrique but still aromatically true to the essence of the grape and place. The wine enters my mouth, it is indescribably silky in texture, layers after layer of flavor, depth and complexity. The progression of this wine makes me think of a black river with immense depth and power. Layer after layer of flavor attacks me from different angles. I need but one sip to enjoy minutes of alternating flavors and experiences. The wine has enveloped me in its world. For the time being I am wrapped in its perfection. Perhaps not unlike the rare perfect runs in the sport of skeleton where every twist of the track is taken in absolute perfection, melding together to produce an unparalleled and indescribable experience of pure acceleration. The world and people around me cease to exist. Small conversations persist but I am unaware. It is hard to imagine fermented grape juice being able to bring this much pleasure. Perfect wine gives you no choice but to call it perfect, there is no room for fault, there are never questions about a deficiency in any part of the wine….aromatics, length, flavor, complexity, texture, development. This wine gave me no choice but to recognize it as perfect and for that no more words are necessary, it will always hold a special place in my heart.
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