Lots of wines that were good that I liked....I think...oh and it was at Country Cafe

Dinner with a great group of guys. M.C, Y.B, A. R and L.F. Got that?

Started off with a bottle of 1998 Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon Blanc "Cuvee Buster." Wow. Nine year old Touraine Sauvignon Blanc that was still fresh as a daisy. What Didier and Catherine do is sensational. To make the range that they do, for so little money, have high quality and AGEABILITY WITH IMPROVEMENT is just remarkable. Yes certain wines age and kind of just "mellow" and certain wines age and actually "improve." Clos Roche Blanche is in that second category. This had a soaring nose of grass, green melon, honey and citrus. The palate actually started out lean and maybe a bit tight but fleshed out and develeoped a big, ripe mid-palate with classic pure Sauvingon flavors. The citrus, melon, fresh cut grass and a lively yet soft acidity. Not soft in intensity but soft in distance. Seemed farther away than a young CRB Sauvignon but still just as fresh. The finish had length and grip. Minerals abound and great complexity. What a great wine and I bet this was $10 on release. Maybe less.

Next was a bottle of 2005 Hirtzberger Steinterrasen Riesling Smaragd which was great. Hirtzberger made some serious wines across the board in 2005. For being on the "low end" of his range still pretty remarkable stuff. Nose of white flowers, effusive minerals, split pea soup, mint, white peach and white pepper. Palate was translucent with great ripeness but ethereal and light with excellent concentration. Really floated but showed the power and depth of the vintage. Very classy and long.

First red was 2000 Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf-du-Pape. I have been down on Grenache recently and it seems to be heading downhill as a category in general. Was this region a fad? Only time will tell. Remember how Cahors was more famous than Bordeaux? But I stray from the point that this was a really nice wine. The wine was pure, had CDP character but not over the top at all and a solid core of fruit. Really in a good place now as the integration is really clicking. Acid provides freshness and clarity. Delicious and great with the beef carpaccio. I would nor hold on to these much longer at all. Drink up. Not going downhill but not getting that much better either.

Next up was the 1997 Ogier Cote Rotie. I love this vintage for the Northern Rhone. Had some Gallet, Jamet and now Ogier that have been stunning. This had a soaring nose of beef, violets, blueberry, leather and some deep minerality. Palate had a nice silky mouthfeel and good volume. Politely concentrated and very pure with some crisp acids and nice finish. This was very elegant but still showed its size well within the context of the vintage. Great example of a great winemaker going with the vintage and not trying to force something the vintage won't give them.

Then move onto 2001 Podere Elia Barbaresco Serracapelli which was an unexpected surprise and might have been the favorite of the group. Vivid nose of classic pure Nebbiolo with roses, tar, cherries, amber, spice and wet earth. Wine that great balance of 2001 Nebbiolo with excellent concentration and great finesse and lightness. This was powerful but wore it very well. Great acids and ripe sweet tannins. Long and fresh.

There was another wine I brought but I am tired.