It was yet again time for our annual tasting dinner - the years just rushes by. A great evening as always with yummy food and great bottles of wine!
All bottles, except for, in my case the white Burgundies, tasted double blind.
2002 Cuvée Louise, Pommery
A youngish, cool nose with notes of yellow apples, crushed rocks, nuts and freshly washed clothes. Pure and fine, but verging on anemic.
The taste is tight and elegant with notes of lemon cream, yellow apples, wet stones and minerals. Some maturity. A medium bodied finish with a good acidity. A fine wine but without a clear character.
90p (tasted 2016/10)
1995 Blanc de Millénaires, Charles Heidsieck
This, on the other hand, has character in spades! A racy, deep and handsome nose with notes of lime peel, dry vanilla fudge, a cold Tarte tatin and some saw dust scents. Very refined. Some mature notes but this has a long way to go.
The taste is intense and focused with notes of dried apples, lime cream, toasted bread and sweet minerals. The finish is long, long and sporting a cleansing acidity. Great wine!
96p (tasted 2016/10)
2008 Brut, Camille Savés
Presented itself as it did a year ago, only a tad better and deeper. Should get even better with 2-3 years time in the cellar.
91p (tasted 2016/10)
NV Les Maillons Blanc de Noir, Ulysse Collin
This 100% PInot Noir sport a young, steely, smoky nose with notes of ripe red apples, red currants, bakelite, dark caramel and a touch of band aid. Very complex and fine.
The taste is broad, concentrated and deep with notes of ripe red apples, forest floor, spices and a touch of wood. A long, intense finish with a great acidity. This is really fine.
93p (tasted 2016/10)
The first course was a lobster and sweetbread ragu served in the lobster shell, by yours truly. I had brought three mature white Burgundies to go along.
1983 Chablis Grand Cru Moutonne, Long Depaquit
This Monopole shows a deep, mature nose with notes of candle grease, dried orange peels, flower water and minerals. A fine maturity. Kept well in the glass. Very good.
The taste is broad and velvety with notes of dried apricots, clay, dried flowers and a touch of band aid. A medium long finish tha ends soft and dry. A very good drink with the food. Fully mature.
88p (tasted 2016/10)
1986 Puligny-Montrachet Champ-Canet, Etienne Sauzet
At first, a bit restrained, even a hint of sulphur (that magic mixture), but then. Oh boy. The nose oozes up from the glass with notes of yellow beets, iodine, roasted sea shells and a hint of saffron. Lots of energy and complexity. Still young. Really, really fine.
The taste is rich, concentrated and fresh with stunning fruit, a cleansing acidity and a looooooong finish. This is great. It keeps on evolving and the last drops, ca 3 hours after the first pour, are the best ones. Bottles like this will go on for 20 years. Glad I have one more. Stunning juice.
97p (tasted 2016/10)
1989 Meursault Charmes, G. Michelot
A big, round, mature nose with notes of almond paste, dark fudge, Tarte tatin and forest floor. Full bodied and fine. Some roasted nuts comes through after a while. Very, very good.
The taste is steady and rich with notes of spicy lemons, wet stones, dried apricots and warm grass. A long, wide finish. A fine body. A lovely dried up sweetness. Long. Really good.
92p (tasted 2016/10)
The main dish was succulent fillets of deer with root vegetables and shaved white truffle from Gotland. And some wines to go along...
1983 Mazis-Chambertin, Domaine Maume
The first wine has a deep, mature, lovely nose with notes of damp forest floor, rosehips, dried raspberries and some light meaty scents. Very, very good. A fine dried up sweetness.
The taste is mature, round and dry with notes of dried wild strawberries, dusty earth and dry liquorice. A long, fine finish. This is drinking great this night. Just lovely.
93p (tasted 2016/10)
1976 Mazis-Chambertin, Domaine Maume
"#&%¤"#¤&"! Corked!
1966 Mazoyeres-Chambertin, Henri Richard
This was kindly poured as a replacement for the bottle above. The nose is beautifully mature with notes of sweet red bell peppers, dried raspberries, veal stock, undergrowth and deacying flowers. A high, fins nose with a touch of VA. Very, very good.
The taste is mature and dry with notes of dried red currants, forest floor, warm tiles and dry tobacco. A long, round finish with a fine warmth. This has kept very well. A fine smokiness in the finish.
90p (tasted 2016/10)
1997 Barolo Colonello, Aldo Conterno
An ermine among the cats...did we notice? Nope. The nose is deep, compact, still young and vibrant with notes of raspberry liquorice, dark flowers, forest floor and a hint of dark chocolate. Deep, impressive and structured. Lots of potential here.
The taste is young, lively and dark fruity with notes of ripe strawberries, rosehips, oriental spices and dark earth. Very, very long. Seedy. This is gooood, and is going to get even better in 5+ years. But did I peg it as a Barolo.....no.
93p (tasted 2016/10)
2006 Bonnes Mares, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé
A deep, dense, concentrated nose with notes of ripe raspberries, Asian spices, forest floor and rich coffee. Seamless an very fine. Some smoky notes evolve with time. This is really good. Still young.
The taste is refined and racy with notes of wild raspberries, red currants, earth and expensive tobacco. Very long and intense. Needs time. A very fine mouthfeel. A hint of oak in the finish. Great wine.
93p (tasted 2016/10)
1943 Riversaltes, Delving
A seedy, mature, cool nose with notes of dried orange peel, tangerines, assorted nuts and some saw dust. Medium deep, and a bit hollow in the middle.
The taste is bigger than the nose leads you to believe with notes of red fruits soaked in alcohol, wood and bakelite. A long warm finish. Feels a bit disjointed. I have tasted far better Riversaltes.
81p (tasted 2016/10)
1969 Bual, Cossart Gordon
A distinct, deep, focused nose with notes of green tea, almond paste, wet ash, overripe grey pears, plastic, and lots, lots more. Sooo deep and wonderful. Layers upon layers of the most fantastic things. Some VA. Intensity of the charts. Stunning.
The taste is high-pitched, vivid, intense and immortal, with notes of dried lime peel, burnt plastic, stale nuts, plywood and green tea. The finish goes on for ever, it seems. The acidity cuts like a blade. The first touch on the tongue feels semi sweet but the ending is dry. Breathtakingly beautiful.
97p (tasted 2016/10)
Previous Tasting Dinners:
2011 Tasting Dinner
2012 Tasting Dinner
2013 Tasting Dinner
2014 Tasting Dinner
2015 Tasting Dinner
No comments:
Post a Comment