Too bad. I was expecting a lot of bottles from the stellar year of 1965, but instead we had to make due with these...:-)
All tasted non blind.
1996 Comtes de Champagne, Taittinger
Second time this year - life is good. The nose is deep, racy and still young with notes of toast, steel, candied lemons, birch sap and smoke. Very refined - lika a ballerina. Gets better and better in the glass. Stunning.
The taste is pure, tight and refined with notes of ripe yellow apples, matchbox, yellow pears, toast and a touch of fudge. The finish goes on and on with a racy acidity. This has a long life ahead of itself. Gorgeous juice.
97p (tasted 2015/12)
1996 Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray
This was not up to par. Not bad per se, but it displays some oxidative notes, both on the nose and on the palate. Very drinkable but not as it should be.
85p (tasted 2015/12)
2011 G-Max, Keller
The 11 G-Max is a youngster, but a great one! The nose is cool, seedy and layered with notes of white currants, rock dust, ripening peaches, chalk and expensive soap. A very handsome wine.
The taste is young, tight and focused with notes of grey pears, chrushed rocks, chlorophyll and steel. A long, intense finish with a lovely purity. Give this beauty 4-6+ years in the cellar.
95p (tasted 2015/12)
2014 Nierstein (Pettenthal) Riesling Kabinett -P-, Keller
A young, elegant, fresh nose with notes of ripe pears, ginger, slate, lime and pine nuts. This is good, albeit very primary. Lots of crushed rocks comes through with a bit of air. Great stuff.
The taste is luscious, racy and semi dry with notes of grapefruit, white pears, lime peel and slate. Long and fine, sporting a cleansing acidity. Juicy! Not as great as the 2012 though.
92p (tasted 2015/12)
2007 Piesporter Goldtröpchen Riesling Spätlese, Reinhold Haart
A cool, refined, somewhat mature nose with notes of ripe peach, melted butter, dried pine apple, crushed rocks and earth. A fine warmth. Very, very good.
The taste is creamy and polished with a lovely acidity and notes of ripe pears, dried flowers, gravel and flint. Long and silky. Drinking beautifully now.
91p (tasted 2015/12)
1996 Barolo Falletti di Serralunga Riserva, Bruno Giacosa
The red wines starts with a booom! Last time I tasted this was in 2009 and it was then an infant. Six years later nothing much has happened, this is a slow developer. The nose is just amazing with a laser like focus and intensity with stunning aromas of sweet rosehips, dried ceps, hard cherry candy, veal stock, liquorice and forest floor. Breathtakingly beautiful.
The taste is well structured, firm and balanced with everything, except maturity, in place. Notes of ripe cherries, plums, mushrooms, liquorice and moist earth flows over the palate. The finish goes on for minutes and displays some still muscular tannins. This is perfection in the making, just wait another 8+ years for the next bottle.
99p (tasted 2015/12)
1993 Barolo Rocche dell´Annunziata, Paolo Scavino
As I have written before, 1993 is a underrated vintage in Piemonte, and here is another example of that. The nose is deep and somewhat mature with lovely notes of dried mushrooms, cherry jam, moist forest floor, pipe tobacco and dried flowers. A very fine warmth to the fruit. Almost fully mature. Very, very good.
The taste is tighter than the nose leads you to believe, with fine notes of red and black cherries, rosehips, mushrooms, red liquorice and some dark chocolate. A long, firm finish with cool tannins. Should hit full maturity in 4-6 years. A very fine wine.
93p (tasted 2015/12)
2005 Château Pontet Canet
Over to Bordeaux! The 05 Pontet Canet sports a deep, creamy, upfront nose with masses of sweet black currants, tobacco, plums, fresh stables, dark chocolate and scorched earth. Although it is a bit of a in-your-face wine, it shows it origin. Great intensity.
The taste is broad, seedy and warm with notes of creamy black currants, wood smoke, sweet minerals, dark chocolate and graphite. A very long, generous finish with firm, sweet tannins. This is really good and I guess that 5-7 more years in the cellar will benefit it further.
94p (tasted 2015/12)
1995 Côte-Rôtie La Turque, Guigal
I should drink La Turque more often. But then there is La Landonne also. Not forgetting La Mouline, my favourite. Ah well, over to the bottle in question, and what a wine! The nose oozes up from the glass with stunning scents of ripe blueberries, peppered meat, perfume, violets and dusty earth. Very deep and focused. Just wonderful. Some maturity, but this has places to go.
The taste is tight, intense and meaty with notes of blueberries, blackberries, bakelite, violets, seared meat and perfume. A long, seamless finish with brilliant tannins and refinement. Drinking beautifully on this evening but I bet it will be doing that for another 10+ years.
97p (tasted 2015/12)
2009 Authenticity, Epoch Estate
This is according to Miran hard to get hold of. Made in 504 cases from grapes from the Paderewski vineyard in Paso Robles, and the blend is 64% Syrah and 36% Mourvèdre. It was aged for 23 months in 45% new barrels. The nose is very big and concentrated with notes of (over)ripe blackberries, iodine, plums, boiled red beets and rubber. Very intense. Needs time.
The taste is big and brawny with notes of blackberry jam, dried raspberries, dark fudge, rubber and violet pastilles. The finish is long, long and warm, verging on hot. More impressive than really enjoyable tonight, but there is quality here, and I would love to taste it in 6+ years time.
92p (tasted 2015/12)
2010 Saint-Aubin En Remilly, Hubert Lamy
Miran asked if we were interested in something cold, dry and fresh before the dessert - does the Pope wear a funny hat?! The nose is deep and focused with notes of orange peel, summer flowers, expensive soap, Jerusalem artichokes and butter cookies. Very fine, young and creamy.
The taste is tight and pure with a really fine acidity and notes of tangerines, lemon cream, sweet minerals, smoke and summer flowers. A fine structure for the future. Great wine.
92p (tasted 2015/12)
1990 Vouvray Moelleux 1er Trie Le Mont, Huet
Are the 90´s from Huet starting their (slow) downhill climb? This perennial 100 point wine was no slacker on this night, but it didn´t really have the usual perfect persistent finish and focus. Still, a great wine for ending a great evening - thanks Miran!
95p (tasted 2015/12)
No comments:
Post a Comment