Ten Bottles Of Syrah & One Great Tannat

Peter arranged this tasting around a couple of mature Syrah´s. We were asked to bring one bottle to go with the theme. It became a great evening, with a Tannat almost stealing the show...
All wines tasted double blind even though we knew that there were 3 bottles of 1990 Côte-Rôtie somewhere in the lineup.

Flight I
1989 Côte-Rôtie, Pierre Barge
From a magnum. This old school Côte-Rôtie has a lovely, mature nose with notes of cooked beets, autumn leaves, dried up lingonberry jam and dried flowers. Some veal stock scents after a while. A fine, round maturity. Opens up nicely all evening long.
The taste is mature, cool and lightly peppery with notes of cranberries, dry herbs, earth and some rubber notes. A medium long, distinct finish. This is very, very good. A very fine dry character.
92p   (tasted 2016/05)

1990 Côte-Rôtie, Chapoutier
The wines from Chapoutier doesn't usually strike a chord with me, and this one didn´t either. It is a good wine, with notes of dry red berries, bakelite and dusty earth. A good warmth. A bit plain.
The taste is dry, mature and herbal with notes of lingon- and blueberries, diesel oil and beef jerky. The finish is medium long and dry. A nice, mature wine.
85p   (tasted 2016/05)

1990 Côte-Rôtie, Guigal
A fine, mature, warm nose with notes of ripe blueberries, ink, fire smoke and fresh stables. Very, very good. Feels younger than a 90, the fruit still got a lot of power.
The taste is big, round and mature with notes of damson, blueberries, coffe grounds and dried meat. A long, warm, broad finish. Very, very good. Some rosehips. Could still evolve some.
90p   (tasted 2016/05)

1990 Côte-Rôtie, Delas
The 90 Delas has not matured nicely (or maybe it is this bottle). The nose is light and mature with notes of feeble fruit, some smoke and a gymnastic rubber carpet.
The taste is a tad better, with notes of dried lingonberries, gravel and ash. Light, dry tannins. Went ok with the food but to light and dry on its own.
77p   (tasted 2016/05)

1998 Côte-Rôtie La Turque, Guigal
When the bottle was revealed I felt a bit let down. It is a really good wine, but not La La-level as we know it. The nose is big and bold with lots of sweet black fruit and notes of smoke, balsamico vinegar and mint. Very deep. A bit of a slugger.
The taste is big, tight and warm with notes of ripe blackberries, bacon fat, sweet flowers and violets. Very intense. There is lot going on here, but it lacks a bit of balance. Very long. Some mint if the finish. Very, very, very good, but...
91p   (tasted 2016/05)

1990 Cuvée Prestige, Montus
Ah, the hindsight. Looking at my notes after all bottles were revealed I see that there are some differences, but did I pegged this as different from the others? No...
The nose is deep, tight and concentrated with lots of black fruits and additional notes of violets, stables, band aid and plums. A lovely sweetness to the fruit. Definitely best in the first flight. Still on the young side of things.
The taste is big, focused and somewhat mature with notes of plums, autumn leaves, iodine and dried flowers. There is still some hefty tannins left in the long, long finish. As great as three years ago. Gorgeous wine.
94p   (tasted 2016/05)

Flight II
2005 Cornas, A. Clape
A young, open nose with a mix of lingon- and blueberries an notes of fresh mushrooms, earth and some peppery aromas. Very, very good. Fresh and salivating.
The taste is young and tight with notes of bakelite, blueberries, violets and a touch of tobacco. A long, seedy finish with a fine structure. Really good, and will be even better in 3+ years.
91p   (tasted 2016/05)

2000 Hermitage Marquis de la Tourette, Delas
The older of the two Tourette´s has a big, warm and dusty nose with notes of glue, dried red berries, smoke and forest smoke. A bit on the hot, dry side. Good.

The taste is warm and concentrated with notes of ripe blueberries, earth, diesel oil and rubber. A touch of bitterness in the end. Good but a touch marked of a hot year.

85p   (tasted 2016/05)

2005 Hermitage Marquis de la Tourette, Delas
The 05 is way better than the 00, with a nose filled to the brim with ripe blueberries, blackberries and additional notes of geranium, violets and rose pepper. Very fine. Cool, a bit restrained and very promising.

The taste is tight and seedy with notes of red currants, crushed white peppers, band aid and tobacco leaves. Long, long and very, very good. The ripe tannins shows themselves at the end of the finish. Give this 5+ years in the cellar.

92p   (tasted 2016/05)

2004 Côte-Rôtie, Jamet
A large, meaty, beautiful nose with notes of burnt rubber, crushed blackberries, dark perfume and blue ski wax. This is gooood! A high, intense nose. Brilliant fruit. Just lovely.

The taste is deep, dark and broading with stunning notes of ripe blackberries, rubber, forest floor and expensive leather. The finish is long, structured, warm and potent. Loving this. Great now, great in 10 years time.

96p   (tasted 2016/05)

2007 Côte-Rôte, Jamet
A big, peppery, spicy nose with fine notes of bay leaves, blueberries, bakelite and sausages. Very, very good. Still very young. Concentrated dark lingonberry fruit. Very, very good.

The taste is tight and focused with notes of ripe blueberries, crushed rocks, a touch of rubber and black pepper. A long finish with a fine warmth and some still sturdy tannins. Give this another 5+ years for even more joy.

93p   (tasted 2016/05)