Tuesday, 26 November 2013

Another Great Dinner Tasting

A few week ago it was time again for one of our semi annual tasting dinners in our tasting group. We have had some amazing dinners in the past and this turned out to be equally great.

Great food, stunning wines and a fantastic good time! Thanks all!
All wines tasted double blind, except the ones we brought.

NV Georges Laval Cumières Premier Cru Brut Nature
A fine, somewhat mature nose with notes of ripe red apples, smoke, day old bread, red licorice and grapefruit. Complex. Very, very good.
The taste is elegant and pure and with notes of mature red apples, pomegranate, sea shells and minerals. A very fine acidity. A medium long, balanced finish. This is very fine.
A lot of info about Georges Laval here.
91p   (tasted 2013/11)


2004 Diebolt-Vallois Fleur de Passion Non Dosé
This was an interesting comparison side by side, the same vintage of Fleur de Passion, the normal one and one without any dosage. The non dosé has a young, flinty, salivating nose with notes of white currants, lemon peel, elderberries and a touch of ginger. Lots and lots of crushed rocks. Very, very good.
The taste is young, very fresh and dry with notes of lime and lemon peel, elderberries and lots of slate. Long and dry. A fine, high acidity. Elegant. Still young.
92p   (tasted 2013/11)


2004 Diebolt-Vallois Fleur de Passion
The dosage version is, in my opion, even better. The nose is deep, steely and focused with notes of yellow apples, lemon cream, cap gun smoke, elderberries and a lovely scent of freshly washed clothes. Very fine. A touch of freshly grounded coffee after a while. Really lovely.
The taste is young, refined and racy with notes of sweet and sour lemons, white currants, dry fudge and lots of sweet minerals. A long finish with a lot of finesse. A stunning acidity. Drop dead gorgeous!
95p   (tasted 2013/11)

1996 Orpale Blanc de Blancs
Hmmm, not sure of this one. From time to time there is a tiny hint of TCA. Not much, and contrary to the normal sequence of events, it doesn´t get any worse during the evening. But there is something there that shouldn´t be. Judgement referred.
Not rated   (tasted 2013/11)




2002 Chablis Le Clos, Brocard
A cool, elegant nose with notes of white currants, chamomile, light caramel and som fishy notes (in a positive sense). Very good. Some maturity.
The taste is medium bodied and fresh with notes of white currants, dry honey, butter biscuits and a touch of banana peel. A long, persistent finish with a fine acidity. Dry caramel. Vert, very good.
90p   (tasted 2013/11)


2002 Puligny-Montrachet La Garenne, Etienne Sauzet
A delicate yet creamy nose with notes of lemon cream, cold butter, yellow apples, cap gun smoke and table tennis balls! Very, very fine. A streak of menthol through the fruit. Just lovely.
The taste is powerful yet refined with notes of pickled lemons, ripe yellow apples, white currants and lots of minerals. Really creamy and fine. Very long. This has a lovely warmth in the finish. Great stuff.
94p   (tasted 2013/11)


2002 Corton-Charlemagne, Dubreil-Fontaine
A relatively young, potent, tight nose with notes of ripe yellow apples, caramel, dried flowers and matchbox. Very fine. A rouch of rubber. Very deep.
The taste is big, warm and concentrated with notes of lemon cream, white currants, dried flowers and smoke. Very elegant in spite of its size. A fine warmth. This still has some maturing to do.
92p   (tasted 2013/11)

2002 Meursault Les Perrières, Leroy
Aaaaaah, what a beauty, from the first sniff to the last drop this is a masterpiece. The nose is deep and profound with gorgeous notes of lemon cream, candied orange peel, matchbox, melted butter and dark fudge. After some in the glass the scents of assorted nuts oozes up from the glass. Utterly fresh and multi dimensional.
The taste is big, broad and creamy with notes of lemon cream, dried flowers, warm rocks, butter fried nuts and lots of smoke. The finish is over minute long and has a teeth gripping intensity. Just stunning. This has started its way to maturity but the peek is +5 years away. Impressive!
97p   (tasted 2013/11)



1999 Promis, Gaja
A big, open, ripe nose with notes of black currants, black cherries, sugared coffee, tobacco, tar and stables in a distance. Very yummy. Lovely sweet fruit.
The taste is tighter than the nose leads you to believe. Finely polished tannins and notes of black cherries, leather, coffee and moist earth. A long warm finish. Very, very good. Almost fully mature.
91p   (tasted 2013/11)


1995 Château Lynch Bages
A cool, semi mature, fresh nose with notes of red and black currants, cigarette ashes, graphite and road dust. There is some rosehips and old leather arising from the glass with air. Fine. Elegant.
The taste is tight, linear and somewthat withdrawn with notes of lingonberries, red and black currants, grapthite, cold coffee and old leather. This is almost fully mature and it becomed more harmonious with air. Old school Bordeaux. Very good but the 1996 is better.
90p   (tasted 2013/11)



1993 Château Latour
A fine, mature, expressive nose with notes of ripe black currants, tobacco, milk chocolate, autumn leaves and a touch of dog fur - in a positive way! Deep and fine. A bonfire scent after some time in the glass. Not a powerhouse but lots and lots of refinement.
The taste is medium bodied, almost fully mature and very intense with notes of cool black currants, lead pencil shavings, autumn leaves and a fine mineral note. Very long and balanced. In a perfect drinking stage. Lovely.
93p   (tasted 2013/11)

1995 Château Pichon-Baron
Yet again, the 1996 is better. But this is no slouch! A warm, fine, mature nose with notes of creamy black currants, dark chocolate, leather, cedar wood and a touch of ginger. Very good. Deep.
The taste is tight, intense and dry with notes of black currants, autumn leaves, cherry pips, old leather and graphite. The finish is long, warm and intense. Almost fully mature, this is drinking well tonight but I won´t venture that it will get any better.
92p   (tasted 2013/11)


1997 Tignanello
A deep, warm and concentrated nose with notes of black currants and cherries with some dark chocolate, dried flowers, autumn leaves and bonfire tossed in. A ripe, sweet, dark fruit. Very, very good.
The taste is tight, intense and focused with notes of black cherries, violets, graphite, warm gravel and leather. The finish is long, warm and intense with nicely matured tannins. Not really fully mature this should evolve some more the coming 3-5 years.
91p   (tasted 2013/11)


1997 Sassicaia
This beauty shows class and focus from start to finish. The nose is deep, velvety and intense with gorgeous black currant fruit paired with notes of expensive leather, violets, freshly grounded coffe and a lovely perfumed note. Really hedonistic. Great stuff!
The taste is purity and intensity liquefied with some hedonism thrown in. Notes of sweet black currants, chocolate covered cherries, warm tiles, dried flowers and leather. The finish goes on for, seemingly, minutes. Perfect to drink now but this will keep for 8+ years at this level.
Having drunk this six times over the years, I can say one thing for certain - this is not a 87p wine!!
96p   (tasted 2013/11)


1975 Château de Rayne Vigneau
Unfortunately corked "#¤%&¤#"&%!!

1945 Loupiac
Unknown producer. This had gone a bit too far, even by my necrofiliac standards... The nose is big, sweet and high pitched with notes of dried fruits, canned mushrooms, moist earth and wet dog fur.
The taste is better than the nose with lots of dried fruits, dried mushrooms, dried honey and forest floor. There is more concentration and focus in the taste. Long and warm. Too mature though.
70p   (tasted 2013/11)


1975 Château Rieussec
A wonderful sweet and sour nose that soars up from the glass with notes of dried pineapple, blood orange peel, pickled ginger, cold honeyed tea, rose water and a touch of detergent. Deep, complex and intriguing. Very, very fine.
The taste is massive and concentrated with notes of dried apricots, sweet and sour lemons, dried honey, green tea leaves and a beautiful creamy taste. The finish that goes on for over a minute ends semi dry. This has matured into a fascinating bottle of wine.
94p   (tasted 2013/11)

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