Thursday 17 February 2022

Tasting Dinner With Vintages Ending With A "5"


This was the first tasting dinner in a series of dinners with what you might call a peculiar theme. A mix of wines with one special signature, all vintages ending with a "5". Then there was, as you can see below subthemes in the wines poured.

2005 Brut La Grand Cuvée, Jeepers
A new acquaintance for me and a very nice on at that. The nose is chalky and fine with notes red apples, iron, tangerines and gravel. Stern in a very fine way. Hints of maturity.
The taste is tight and irony with notes of dried apples, chalk, chrushed rocks and dried flowers. A very fine acidity. Very, very good.
92p   (tasted 2022/02)


Flight I
1985 Mercurey, Michel Juillot
Corked.
No rating   (tasted 2022/02)

1985 Chardonnay, Chalone
A large scaled, mature nose with notes of autumn apples, a rubber carpet, smoke and stale nuts. Soft, complex and fine.
The taste is round and mature with notes of toasted bread, dried oranges, smoke and gravel. A very fine dryness. Medium long. Fully mature.
91p   (tasted 2022/02)



2015 Bourgogne Blanc, Lucien le Moine
A young, upfront and spicy nose with notes of cap gun smoke, grilled lemons, fresh flowers and hand cream. Very, very good.
The taste is tight and elegant with notes of lemon cream, butter cookies, spices and smoke. Long and fine. A stunning Bourgogne Blanc.
92p   (tasted 2022/02)

Flight II
1945 Pommard, Morey Pacault
Dusty earth, dusty fruit and dusty all over, this has not faired well over the years. Too bad, since old Pommards´can be great - Barolista: Past Glory´s - A Dinner With Old Pommards 1921 - 1969
62p   (tasted 2022/02)

1945 Pommard,  Antonin Rodet
A tad better than the bottle above, especially on the palate, but alas, this has gone too far.
70p   (tasted 2022/02)



1945 Pommard 1er Cru, Huguenin P&F
This on the other hand is alive and kicking. The nose is low keyed but with a fine depth, with notes of bay leaves, Christmas spices, dried red currants and fir wood. A touch barnyardy. A fine warmth.
The taste is broad and dry with notes of dried red fruits, dried herbs, undergrowth and old furniture. Long with a fine warmth. Very, very good.
89p   (tasted 2022/02)

2015 Roter Berg Grande Réserve Spätburgunder, Stefan Bietighöfer
I opened two backup bottles to replace the two lesser performing Pommard´s. This Spätburgunder shows a young, fruity nose with notes of cherry liquor, earth, damsons and a fine perfumed note.
The taste is earthy and good with notes of leather, wild raspberries and forest floor. A tad compressed. Needs 3+ years
87p   (tasted 2022/02)

1995 Barolo Margheria, Luigi Pira
A dense, stifled nose with notes of dried cherries, dusty earth, old leather and gravel. A nice warmth to the fruit but seems to have been subjected to a bit to much warmth in the bottle for some time.
The taste is more concentrated and tighter than the nose leads you to believe. Lots of dry licorice, cooked cherries and asphalt. A tad short. Good but no more.
85p   (tasted 2022/02)

Flight III
1975 Chianti Classico Riserva, Monte Vertine
A finely matured nose with notes of sandelwood, dried cherries, detergent, undergrowth and a touch of VA. Very complex and fine.
The taste is tight and mature with notes of black tea, dried cherries, forest floor and dried herbs. A long, fine finish. Very fine. Fully mature.
91p   (tasted 2022/02)


1985 Château de la Riviere
From a magnum, this wine really showed of itself. A classic, mature nose with loads of cedar, tobacco, leather, black currants and dried plums. A very fine varmth. Round and generous. Lovely.
The taste is mature, velvety and nicely concentrated with notes of dried black currants, ash, autumn leaves and coffee. A very fine dry finish. Really fine.
93p   (tasted 2022/02)

1995 Château Lafleur
27 years old and behaving like an infant. Lots of depth, intensity, focus and locked up power. Stunning notes of iron, violets, ripening plums and ink. Very, very young.
The taste is cool, intense and multi layered yet still a baby. The tannins has a firm grip around the fruit. Very impressive but needs another 15+ years in the cellar.
95p   (tasted 2022/02)


1995 Vigorello, San Felice
Vigorello with some age keeps impressing. Last time it was the 1990 - Barolista: 1990 Vigorello, San Felice and on this night the 1995 displayed a deep, dark nose with notes of ripe black cherries, moist earth, fried herbs and licorice fudge. Very, very good.
The taste is mature and warm with fine notes of a dried up cherry pie, asphalt, tobacco and herbs. Long and warm. A very nice mouthful.
92p   (tasted 2022/02)

Flight IV
1995 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese No 6, Fritz Haag
Finely matured, with a deep, cool nose with notes of rain wet asphalt, dried apricots, candied orange peel and diesel oil. 
The taste is medium bodied, semi dry and fine with notes of tangerines, wet earth and dry vanilla. Ends on a dry note. Seems fully mature. Very, very good. 
90p   (tasted 2022/02)


1995 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, Joh. Jos. Prüm
This is a beauty! A deep, silky, refined nose with notes of candied oranges, wet stones, rubber boots and warm grass. Very, very fine.
The taste is brilliant, with fruit, acidity and structure in (almost) perfect harmony. Fine notes of white raisins, chalk, dried apricots and sweet minerals. Great wine.
96p   (tasted 2022/02)

2005 Pinot Gris Vendage Tardive, Zind-Humbrecht
A very deep, ripe and sweet nose with notes of orange honey, mango, ripe oranges and minerals. Big and bold.
The taste is big and concentrated with notes of orange juice, sweet minerals, apricots and dried honey. Still very young. A fine acidity.
88p   (tasted 2022/02)

Flight V
1985 Delaforce Vintage Port
How often do you drink Port from a magnum? Not very often, at least yours truly. But tonight we did our best to down a magnum of mature, yummy Port. The nose is round and mature with notes of fried nuts, dried violets, chocolate mousse and Finnish licorice. Very nice.
The taste is deep, complex and medium sweet with notes of cold coffee, milk chocolate, nuts and damsons. Very good but lacks somewhat in complexity.
88p   (tasted 2022/02)


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