It was time for our semi annually wine tasting (drinking...) dinner. Great food, wine and fun as usual! This time me and HG was responsible for the dessert.
This is how it went. All wines except our own tasted double blind.
1996 Brut, Henriot
A light smoky, mature nose with notes of dried apricots, lemon licorice, soap and dry biscuits. Medium deep and fine.
The taste is fine and balanced with notes of cookie dough, grilled lemons, minerals and dried flowers. A fine, long finish with a cleansing acidity. For drinking now and the coming 5+ years.
90p (tasted 2018/11)
NV Cuvée Des Grands Vintages, Eric Rodez
To my recollaction, I have never tasted anything from this producer. The nose is stony and smoky with notes of steel, white currants and dried lingonberries, A tad anemic.
The taste is tight and concentrated with a high acidity and notes of iron, white currants, grass and minerals. Somewhat foursquare.
85p (tasted 2018/11)
1990 La Grande Dame, Veuve Clicquot
A lovely mature nose with notes of orange peel, ripe yellow apples, undergrowth, dry fudge and a hint of band aid. Complex and fine.
The taste is round, creamy and mature with notes of dried up Tarte Tatin, pecan nuts, lemon cream and earth. Yummy! A fine mature intensity.
94p (tasted 2018/11)
2004 Blanc des Millénaires, Charles Heidsieck
A very deep, still young nose with notes of lemon peel, Thai basil, minerals and white peach. Racy and refined. Very young.
The taste is tight and seedy with notes of lime juice, birch leaves, chalk and grey pears. A long, strict finish with a high, cleansing acidity. Will need 8+ years to become more like the 1995.
92p (tasted 2018/11)
2003 Batard-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes, Rijckaert
An unknown producer for me, this 15 year old Batard, even though displaying a high degree of maturity, was a treat.
The nose is deep, mature and lovely with notes of dried flowers, shellfish shell, apriocts, glue and caramel, in a gorgeous mix. Very complex and fine.
The taste is round and mature with notes of tangerines, almond paste, dry fudge and grilled lemons. A long, structured finish with plenty of power still. Could never have guessed it to be from a hot year, very balanced and racy.
94p (tasted 2018/11)
2002 Batard-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes, Rijckaert
The 02, from a supposedly greater vintage than the previous wine, doesn´t do the vintage justice. The nose is big and brawny with notes of cellar apples, orange peel, clay and autumn leaves.
The taste is large scaled with lots of bitter oranges and additional notes of cooked apples, dried up tangerine jam and undergrowth. A hint of oxidation. Good but a far cry from the 03.
84p (tasted 02018/11)
2002 Meursault-Charmes, Henri Germain
This felt, at least, ten years younger than the previous wine, although coming from the same vintage. A high, earthy and spicy nose with notes of grass, lemons, white currants and cap gun smoke. A fine structure, leaning towards the anemic.
The taste is young, focused and fine with notes of chive, white currants, flint and grass. A fine acidity and intensity. Very, very good. 6+ years.
91p (tasted 2018/11)
2013 Esprit Blanc, Tablas Creek
A round, fluffy nose with notes with notes of yellow plums, herbs, pears and smoke. A fine note of handcream after a while. Very good.
The taste is creamy and fresh with notes of plums, minerals, banana peel, ginger and smoke. A long, fine finish. Maybe a tad low in acidity.
88p (tasted 2018/11)
2015 Hermitage Le Chevalier de Sterimberg, Jaboulet
Tasted for the third time this year, and it behaved exactly the same on this night, a gorgeous wine.
93p (tasted 2018/11)
2014 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard, Peavy
This flight was the easiest, we all pegged it as Pinot all the way through, but the origin of the bottles - well, the Omerta rules apply...
Same vineyard, two producers, two fine wines. The Peay (a new producer for me) shows a cool, refined nose with notes of ripe lingonberries, earth, bakelite and fresh herbs. Very lively and fine.
The taste is pure and racy with a lovely Pinot fruit, with notes of freshly chrushed strawberries, herbs, a hint of tobacco and forest floor. Intense and vivid. Very fine.
93p (tasted 2018/11)
2013 Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard, Littorai
The Littorai displays a more laid back, elegant nose with notes of wild raspberries, ski wax and gravel. The fruit feels a bit warmer than the Peay. Very good.
The taste is tight and fine with notes of ripe lingonberries with some blueberries tossed in, bakelite, gravel and undergrowth. A bit withdrawn, needs a couple of year in the cellar.
91p (tasted 2018/11)
2011 Charmes-Chambertin, Domaine Arlaud
A deep, lovely and lively nose with notes of root vegetables, red beet juice, candle grease and some smoky scents. Very intoxicating and fine. A very fine sweetness to the fruit. Gorgeous.
The taste is pure, fresh and spirited with notes of wild raspberries, forest floor, red beets, sun warm rocks and a hint of leather. Long and distinct, with a very fine acidity. 5+ years. Great wine.
95p (tasted 2018/11)
2014 Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Bachelet
Even better, the Bachelet offers up a deep, tight, drop dead gorgeous nose with notes of ripe wild strawberries, forest floor, earth, licorice, incense and a hint of fir wood. Very complex. Just stunning.
The taste is pure and focused with notes of strawberry licorice, root vegetables, chrushed rocks, a hint of smoke and sandelwood. The finish goes on and on. A great wine now, perfection in 8 years.
96p (tasted 2018/11)
1890 Malmsey, Freitas Martins
What dreams are made of - mine at least! Opened and deacanted one week before the tasting, old Madeira needs lots of air. The nose is just perfect, multi layered with notes of fried nuts, linoleum, cold coffee, rubber, Finnish green marmelade, fir, old leather and thousand other aromas. Bottomless deep.
The taste goes on for minutes, gentle and rich with a pearcing acidity and notes of eggnog, old chocolate, nuts, linoleum, glue and dark incense. Brilliant. Packing quite a punch. Could go on for another 128 years...
99p (tasted 2018/11)
1968 Boal Resrva, d´Olivieras
Tasted eight years ago, and equally great on this night, I just love Madeira!
97p (tasted 2018/11)
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