An exceptional evening with Jancis Robinson
We were also celebrating the 9th edition of the World Atlas of Wine.
This Sunday I had the honor of attending the 25th anniversary celebration of JancisRobinson.com, hosted by Jancis herself. If you’re not a member yet, read on for a special offer.
Twelve wine families contributed wines to the evening, and the Executive Chef of Manhatta curated the food pairings. It was a unique and memorable experience that will be hard to top.
As a recap, these were the wines:
Pol Roger, Brut Vinothèque 2006 Champagne (in magnum)
FLIGHT #1
Egon Müller, Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 2001 Saar
Marchesi Antinori, Cervaro della Sala 2013 IGT Umbria
Domaine Joseph Drouhin, Le Clos des Mouches 1er Cru 2017 Beaune (in magnum)
FLIGHT #2
Familia Torres, Mas de la Rosa 2019 Priorat
Famille Perrin, Château de Beaucastel, Hommage à Jacques Perrin 2001 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (in magnum)
Tempos Vega Sicilia, Único 2004 Ribera del Duero (in magnum)
FLIGHT #3
Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia 2011 Bolgheri Sassicaia (in magnum)
Château Mouton Rothschild 2009 Pauillac
Château Haut-Brion 2005 Pessac-Léognan
FLIGHT #4
Famille Hugel, Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive 2005 Alsace (in magnum)
Symington Family Estates, Graham’s 1976 Single Harvest Tawny Port
Before the event, I was most excited to try the Joseph Drouhin, Château de Beaucastel, Mouton Rothschild, and Haut-Brion.
Let me first say that all the wines were exceptional. Choosing a favorite is like choosing a favorite pet! That being said, three stood out to me the most:
🍷 Egon Müller, Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett 2001: This was the surprise hit of the evening for me. The Riesling was 25 years old and absolutely bursting with flavor: baked citrus, basked pear, stone fruit, honey, vanilla, petrol, and a super racy, mineral finish. The finish was so long that when I tried to move on to the other wines in the flight, I could still taste this one! This is an experience I’ll be chasing for some time. If I can find a bottle of this I will absolutely be buying it.
🍷 Tempos Vega Sicilia, Único 2004, Ribera del Duero: This wine was at its peak drinking window. It was full-bodied, rich, and complex - and a fantastic pairing with the Amatriciana pasta course, which is a pairing I never would have thought of before.
🍷 Tenuta San Guido, Sassicaia 2011: I can’t explain the flavor explosion in my mouth, between the Sassicaia and the ribeye and cornbread panache it was served with. It was nearly transcendent … I might have said ‘oh my god’ out loud. For the most part, I wasn’t finishing every wine but I couldn’t help myself with this one. In fact, the server came over and said, “I see you’re enjoying the Sassicaia,” and proceeded to pour me more, twice.
In the end, I went home with a signed copy of the new edition of the World Atlas of Wine, a book I’ll treasure forever.
Want to be part of future events like this? Membership gives you access to 300,000+ wine reviews, exclusive articles, and member-only discounts at the online shop. Annual members also get AskJancis, a new AI wine assistant. Head to the link in my bio and use code WORLD20 for 20% off the membership tier of your choice.