Tasting Dinner With 12 Bottles Of 1964 St Emilion

As I noted in my previous post it was time to almost evaporate my stock of 1964 St Emilion. Friends were invited, food was prepared and this is how it went.

We started with some foie gras de canard and a truffle tapenade and a bottle of

1964 Blason de France, Perrier-Jouet

A rich, mature nose with a lovely scent of an old apple cellar alongside notes of almond paste, model clay, dried flowers and a touch of ginger. There is a whiff that reminds me of a fine Manzanilla, but ever so slightly. Perfectly mature.
The taste is gorgeous with tiny, tiny bubbles and notes of dried flowers, fudge, sweet minerals and a cold Tarte Tatin. Long and rewarding. Fully mature and drinking great.
92p   (tasted 2014/10)

I had split the twelve bottles of St Emilion into four flights. All wines got one hour breathing time in a decanter before the first pour.

To go with the first flight I served a terrine of sweetbreads.

1964 Château Cadet-Piola

The Cadet-Piola has a mature, round nose with a fine coffee scent paired with notes of dried plums, stable leather and autumn leaves. Very good but lacks a bit of definition.

The taste is mature, dry and medium bodied with notes of red currants, plums, tobacco and iron. Soft tannins. The finish is on the short side. The taste of iron gets more pronounced with air. Very good.

85p   (tasted 2014/10)

1964 Château La Dominique

A rather big, warm and mature nose with notes of ripe red currants, dried strawberries, tobacco and a rich earthiness. A very fine warmth. Some cold coffee scents with air.

The taste is medium bodied with a nice warmth and notes of red currants, tobacco, old leather and warm tiles. A long, finely tuned finish. Fully resolved tannins. Drinking fine tonight.

88p   (tasted 2014/10)

1964 Château Grand-Mayne

The winner of the first flight. A hedonistic, deep nose with notes of black plums, cherry chocolate, sugared coffee, aurumn leaves and some funky stable scents. Really good.

The taste is big, warm and steady with notes of black plums, pipe tobacco, worn leather and a warm earthiness. Very long and structured. Mature but there is no hurry to drink any remaining bottles. Very, very fine.

92p   (tasted 2014/10)

Flight two was served with a chanterelle risotto.

1964 Château l'Arrosee

As good as flight 1 is, the seconf flight is even better! The l´Arrossé opens with a stunningly ripe, intense nose with notes of sweet plums, Cohiba cigarrs, coffee powder, leather and a touch of mint. This is a beauty. Deep and complex.
The taste is tighter than the nose leads you to believe with lovely notes of red and black currants, graphite, cold coffe and iron like minerality. Long and taut with some sandy tannins. Very, very good. Mature but not overly so.
93p   (tasted 2014/10)

1964 Chateau Pavie Decesse

And it keps getting even better! I can´t say that I have tasted many older Pavie Decesse and if the 1964 is anything to go on, I have missing out!
The nose is delectable with aromas of dark tobacco, plums, sandelwood and coffee. With air a stunning combination of meat and flowers rises from the glass. Really something special. Feels old viney. Great!
The taste is as good as the nose with creamy fruit, a fine tannin structure for support and long, long warm finish with a upliftning freshness. This bottle has faired well over the years. A treat.
94p   (tasted 2014/10) 

1964 Chateau Troplong Mondot

The last one this flight didn´t match the previous two, but was still a decent drink. The nose is mature, dry and a bit foursquare with notes of cooked plums, red currants, chocolate biscuits and autumn leaves. It evolves with air and becomes a bit softer and less squary (if that is a word...).
The taste is dry and mature with a rich plum fruit, some not so finely sanded tannins still present and a nice warmth. Notes of cigarr ashes, red currants, hot earth and coffee. A bit barnyardy. Hanging is there but after reading several reviews, I would guess that there could be beter bottles out there.
84p   (tasted 2014/10)

Flight three was the creme de la creme of St Emilion, and they proved their part.

1964 Chateau Ausone
The most willful and yet fantastic nose of the whole line up. And that is spectacular, given that this bottle had the lowest fill of the all. If you look at - länk - the Ausone is in the middle with a mid shoulder fill. And yet, it performed. The nose is deep and complex with notes of pipe tobacco that have been lying in the rain, smoked sausages, warm earth, plum marmelade and cold coffee. Impressive, different and just gorgeous.
The taste is tight, intense and also different from the crowd with notes of cranberries, smoke, hot earth and some dental notes! Long, long and impressive in structure and complexity. This I would love to drink every day. Well almost.
95p   (tasted 2014/10)

1964 Chateau Cheval-Blanc

Aaaaaaaah! On paper the best. Beforehand the expectations were, of course, sky high. Did it fulfill? Oh yes...
The nose is to die for - a deep, complex, hedonistic nose with notes of sweet plums, smoke, mint, expensive leather and the best chocolate money can buy. Soo deep. Soo complex. Soo beautiful. And still young. Keeps on evolving all night long.
The taste is the proverbial "iron fist in a velvet glove" with its structure, sweet plum fruit and its long, long finish full of finesse and backbone. It doesn´t get much better than this.
98p   (tasted 2014/10)

With flight four I had prepared lamb filets baked in puff pastry with a red wine sauce.

1964 Chateau Beausejour

The last flight started with a return to reality. A mature, nice going, mature Bordeaux. The nose is cool and lean with notes of ripe red currants, old leather, autumn leaves and some iron. Good.
The taste is mature, tight and warm with notes of red and black currants, fresh stables, old leather and a nice warmth. The finish is medium long and dry. Has kept well. Good.
86p   (tasted 2014/10)

1964 Chateau Belair

This is strange - good but not in a Bordeaux kind of way. The nose is big and expressive with notes of sugared coffee, animal scents, rubber and lightly peppered meat. Given this blind I wouldn´t have guessed Bordeuax... And still it is good.
The taste is warm, caressing and fine with notes of black fruits, smoke, old leather and tobacco. The taste is more restrained than the nose. Very good. Maybe not the most St Emilion poster child, but I like it.
88p   (tasted 2014/10)

1964 Chateau Figeac

This kept on growing in the glass all night. Offers up gorgeous aromas of ripe plums, dark chocolate, tobacco and forest floor. Very rich fruit. Deep, dark and profound. A high density. This is very, very good.
The taste is opulent, velvety and perfectly mature with dark, creamy plum and black currant fruit and some additional notes of sugared coffee, leather and fresh stables. Very long and mouth filling. A lovely drink.
94p   (tasted 2014/10) 

1964 Chateau Pavie

The last wine is surely not the least. On the contrary, besides Ausone and Cheval Blanc, the best wine in the line up. Deep, complex, mature notes of red and black currants, cigarr smoke, moist autumn leaves and expensive leather oozes up from the glass. Layers upon layers of sweet, ripe fruit. Some warm tiles. Stunning!
The taste is rich, velvety and focused with notes of sweet lingonberries, red currants, tobacco leaves, iron and graphite. A very finely tuned finish. Ends with a nice dry twist. Very refined. Mature but could live on for many years. Grand Vin!
95p   (tasted 2014/10)

Last but not least

1964 Boal, Blandy's

The two Boal´s were decanted three days before the tasting, to really open up. The Blandy version has a high pitched, interesting, complex nose with notes of molasses, old chocolate, detergent, saw dust and assorted nuts. Very, very good.
The taste is powerful and intense with notes of nuts, figs, candied orange peel, black tea and nuts. The acidity is high and mighty and the finish can be counted in minutes. This is a stunner!
93p   (tasted 2014/10) 

1964 Boal, Justino Henriques

The second Boal doesn´t have the power and intensity of the first one but offers up a fine enjoyment nevertheless. The nose is deep, rich and medium sweet with notes of roasted nuts, nougat, chocolate and some band aid scents. Very good.
The taste is big and mature with dried black fruit and notes of chocolate biscuits, nuts, molasses and the same band aid note as on the nose. Long and fine. More mature than the Blandy.
89p   (tasted 2014/10)

 

More impressions here.

 

 

Preparing For Tonight

Tonight I will further diminish my stockpiles of bottles from the greatest vintage ever. We will, hopefully, be drinking some fine, mature bottles from Bordeaux.
And a few other ones as well, there will be 15 bottles in total. Notes to follow.

Could They Have Survived? A Tale Of Two 1964 Barbera Bottles

You shouldn´t think so. The people's wine, as Barbera is called by Burton Anderson, was not meant to be kept for 50 years. Victor Hazan, in his book Italian Wine from 1982, states with reference to Barbera d'Alba - "It is the most long-lived of Barberas, in some cases capable of entering well into its second decade without signs of fatigue". Not 50 years. 

These were also produced 20 years before Braida presented Bricco dell'Uccellone, a Barbera from selected spots and use of new oak, which changed the perception of what Barbera could be.

The question lingers, could they have survived? Lets pull the corks and find out. Both popped and poured.

1964 Barbera Riserva, Cantina Vinicola Ariani
The first impression is a big, mature, funky nose wiith notes of overripe strawberries, meat stock, moist earth and some dog fur. Still clinging to life, but with air it becomes more unsound and funky. After three hours the smell of decay is strong.

The taste keeps better over time, and has a mature, dry taste with notes of lingonberries, dried raspberries, autumn leaves and canned mushrooms. Rather short. On a downward slope, but still breathing. Still drinkable after three hours if you don't smell it... The score reflects the first two hours.
Interesting enough, and something you don´t see everyday, the producer have both their adress and phone number on the label!

74p   (tasted 2014/10)

1964 Barbera Riserva Speciale, Luigi Bosca
This bottle has stood the test of time better than the previous one. The nose is big, mature and spicy with notes of lightly peppered raspberries, bonfire, orange peel and autumn leaves. This keeps well in the glass. Not deep and complex but soundly mature and good.

The taste is medium bodied, dry and mature with notes of dried raspberries, dusty earth, smoke and forest floor. Reminds me of a mature, simpler Burgundy. A high acidity in the medium long finish. This is actually drinking pretty well. Not a fine wine by any standards, but a sound, mature wine that went down well with a creamy chicken dish.

81p   (tasted 2014/10)

2010 Bourgueil Les Perriéres, Catherine & Pierre Breton

Ok, the 2012 Les Calichets didn´t rock my world. How about the two year older big brother then?

2010 Bourgueil Les Perriéres, Catherine & Pierre Breton
No, this doesn´t do it for me either. Don´t get me wrong, it is a good wine, better than the Les Calichets. But...
I opened this for lunch yesterday (working from home some days has its perks...) and followed it all day long. It starts out a bit restrained on the nose but with air it opens up and displays aromas of roasted green peppers, red apples, warm tiles, gingerbread cookies and lots of gravel. Very clean. Almost ascetic. Every knot and bolt in perfect order. And that makes it a bit boring.
The taste is young and seedy with notes of red apples, red currants, fresh herbs, lots of gravel and rocks and a hint of white peppar. The finish is long, sleak and full of very finely sanded tannins. Very restrained, and that is not only because its young, it is the structure and nature of this wine. Verging on anemic. It is like a highly intellectual, well mannered nun, it lacks something, some carnal knowledge, something rowdy. But as we all know, as Mercyful Fate puts it, Nuns have no fun. And with this wine, me neither.
87p   (tasted 2014/10)

Summing Up Two Trade Tastings - 120 Wines Tasted - Part II

Part I here.

How often do you taste a wine from Japan? From my recollection and in my case, never! The 2012 Grace Koshu has a cool, light, a tad bland nose and a light, fresh taste that is correct but anonymous (~83p). Two bottles of Sauvignon Blanc from New Zeeland suited med better - the 2012 Nautilus has lots of grass, gooseberries and yes, cat pee! The taste is dry, clean a whistle and ready for drinking (~85p). The 2013 Walnut Collectables is even better with an added elegance and spice on the nose and a complex grassy taste (~88p).
Next wine poured turned out to be a stunner - 2008 Cosme Blanco 1894, Hijos de Antonio Barceló - it oozes up from the glass with gorgeous aromas of melted butter, nuts, flowers, sun screen and sea shells. Deep and complex. The taste is equally fine with raciness, complexity and layers upon layers of ripe yellow fruit. Would love to match this against some fine Burgundies. I´m buying! (~94p).

On to the American whites! First another Sauvignon Blanc, the 2010 Alienor, Notre Vin which has a deep, interest nose with grass, chives and model clay. The taste is young, taut and impressive. Not a typical SB but a fine wine (~90p).
Then it was only Chardonnay poured. The 2012 Charles & Chardonnay, Charles Smith Wines shows some ripe pears and vanilla spiked fruit with a medium bodied, clean taste (~85p). 2012 Menage á Trois from Folie à Deux has a cool, spicy, elegant nose and a young, creamy taste with a fine structure and a good length. Really good (~88p).

A four-leaf clover of fine Chardonnay was then bestowed upon me - the Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch has a lovely blend of weight and weightlessness with notes of lemon cream, dried flowers and some pine apple. The taste is ripe and focused with a great length (~92p). Equally fine, is 2011 Old Stones, Bergström with its purity and freshness and an impressive spine in the wine (~92p). The 2010 Walter Hansel Estate shows a vivid nose with notes of melted butter, dry caramel and summer flowers and follows it up in the mouth with a fine tightness, great acidity and ripe fruit (~91p). Finally, I get the 2009 Wind Gap Yuen in the glass and this is the real thing. A big, yet highstrung and interesting nose with spicy lemons, butter cookies and warm hay. The taste is refined, shows a bit of maturity and has boatloads of lemon fruit and a cleansing acidity. Great! (~93p).

The reds started with a great Argentian Malbec in the shape of 2008 Catena Adrianna. The nose is deep, funky and intense while the taste shows a bit of maturity and lots of ripe black fruit. This is realy fine (~92p).
The 2012 2% Barossa Shiraz from First Drop Wines is a mess - full of VA, cooked and over-the-top sweet fruit. No (~72p). 2009 The Ironstone Pressing GSM, d´Arenberg is deep, concentrated and somehat mature with a sandy, expressive taste with some maturity (~91p). Even better is 2006 Jom Barry PB Shiraz Cabernet which displays a intense, minty, classy nose paired with a big, structured taste with both power and refinement (~93p)
Two wines from Mollydooker was poured next, the 2011 Gigglepot Cabernet Sauvignon shows a big, concentrated Cabernet fruit on the nose, but keeps it together. The taste is big and broad and displays a fine mix of power, structure and balance. Really good (~91p). The 2011 Carnival of Love Shiraz doesn´t get as much love from me, in a way that it is impressive with its massive fruit and body. But the VA is a bit high and the tannins seems not to be integrated in the wine biut sort of laying on the side (~86p).

Hard at work...

Moving on to France I began with three bottles from Domaine Jules Desjourneys - the 2009 Fleurie is upfront and juicy with fine lingonberyy fruit and a cool, fresh, salivating taste (~89p). The L´Interdit is deeper, darker and more structured with a long lasting taste of ripe strawberries and earth. Very, very good (~91p). Last up, and least of the three, is the 2010 Moulin à Vent which shows a meaty, ripe character but at the same time has a vegetal note to it, and I find it a bit unbalanced on the whole (~84p).
Jadot´s 2011 Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Couchereaux has a nice, spicy Pinot nose and a elegant, tight, enjoyable taste. Will turn out fine (~90p). Another wine from Jadot was their 2009 Pommard 1er Cru Epenots that presented itself with a big, sturdy nose with red cherries and warm raspberries. The taste is young, a bit foursquare at the moment and there is more structure than pleasure for now. Give it at least 6+ years (~88p).

It has been a while since I last tasted a vintage of  Braida´s Ai Suma. Too bad, since the 2010 is a stunner. The nose is all about creamy cherries, gravel and licorice and the taste is focused and hedonistic. Gotta get me some of those! (~93p). The 2010 Doppiozeta, Marcheis Mazzei has an interesting blend of 65% Nero d´Avola, 25% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Franc. The nose is deep and shows notes of peppered cherries, a moist forest and minerals while the taste is full, broad and rich. This will need some time in the cellar but the potential is there (~91p).
I have earlier extolled the virtues of the 2010 Castello di Brolio, Barone Ricasoli and tasting it again is always a treat (~94p).

Since my Brunello project I am always eager when I get a chance to taste more Brunello´s! The 2009 Brunello di Montalcino, Castiglion del Bosco has a young, fine nose with notes of ripe black cherries, gravel and rosehips, with a following cool, refined taste with a fine backbone (~91p). Unfortunately, the 2006 Brunello di Montalcino, Cecchi isn´t up to scratch with its cooked nose and its warm, almost fiery taste (~77p). But the 2005 Brunello di Montalcino, Fuligni put things straight with a deep, intense nose with a gorgeous sweet/sour cherry note and a firm, concentrated taste. Will be great (~91p.

Two bottles from Poggio al Tesoro was poured next. The 2009 Sondraia has a big, fruity, outgoing nose with a lot of interest and a warm, tight, cherry flavoured taste. Very good but a tad anonymous (~88p). On the other, the 2005 Dedicato a Walter, is a posterchild for spicy, ripe, wonderful Cabernet Franc with a cool, generous taste with a wonderful green streak through the ripe cherry fruit. Great! (~93p). The two last Italian wines came from Allegrini. First out is 2010 La Gola Limited Edition with its big, ripe, warm nose and exactly the same taste. I liked La Grola better in the past (~85p). The 2009 La Poja is a better wine all together and highly enjoyable but it doesn´t really gets me going, like it used to (~89p).

On the last table for me some American wines caught my interest. The 2011 Shafer Merlot has a deep, plummy nose and a long, warm, cuddly taste with a fine backbone. Drinking great now (~90p). 2009 Alienor Grand Vin, Notre is a Merlot, Cabernet blend with a miniscule amount of Petit Verdot. It smells and taste like a elegant Bordeaux blend from Napa and I liked it very much (~90p).
To send me home with a smile on my face, the 2010 Prince of Hearts, Blankiet and 2009 Endre, Kapcsándy was poured. Both are blends of Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot and both performed stunningly. Hauntingly beautiful ripe black currants, graphite, expensive leather and coffe on the nose and a minute long, seamsless taste with velvety yet firm tannins. Both equally great. Pricy, yes, but stunningly good wines. Both (~95p).

An Experiment - A Portified Bordeaux

I am still on my quest to open and drink all of my 1964 bottles..
And then it was this bottle. A humble Bordeaux Superieur. A decent level, but still. Would it be dry and over the hill? At all drinkable?

I then remembered an article in a old copy of Decanter in which Hugh Johnson described a English way to deal with mature Bordeaux bottles from lesser vintages or lesser producers. Portify them.
In short, for a full bottle of wine, mix in 5 cl Port. And suddenly, according to the article, you get a fresher, healthier, fuller wine. Well, lets try!

I opened the bottle and took a sip. Yes, still alive but rather dry and foursquare. A perfect candidate for my experiment. I then decanted the bottle into three decanters, two with 25 cl each and a third with a little less.
In the first decanter I poured 3 cl Port, which equals 9 cl for a full bottle. In decanter number two I poured 1,5 cl Port = 4,5 cl for a full bottle, which was about the amount that Hugh Johnson recommended. The third decanter contained the rest of the bottle, intact.

How did the three different versions perform then?

1964 Bordeaux Superieur, Quien - No Port added
The original wine displays a old, skinny nose with notes of barely ripe black currants, old leather, rowan berries and dusty earth. Some warm grass scents after a while. A bit hollow.
The taste is mature, dry and foursquare with notes of red currants, grass, dry leather and hot earth. The finish is short. Still breathing but clinging to its life with its last breaths.
70p   (tasted 2014/10)

1964 Bordeaux Superieur, Quien - 1,5 cl Port added to 25 cl wine
What a difference! All of a sudden there is fruit and a mature warmth that greats the nose. There is notes of red and black currants, sugared coffee, leather and graphite. Very much more alive. Not a single hint of anything added.
The taste is still on the dry side but there is a more volume and sweetness to the fruit, and the Port lifts the original character without taking over. A longer finish with a nice warmth. I would not in a million year guessed that some Port had been added if I have got this blind. I would have guessed a mature, lesser Bordeaux from a good year. This turned out to be a success.
84p   (tasted 2014/10)

1964 Bordeaux Superieur, Quien - 3 cl Port added to 25 cl wine
This was on the other hand a failure. You can feel on the nose that something is strange. The fruit has a cooked feeling and there is hints of figs, red currants and hot earth. Clumsy. This isn´t a good blend.
The taste is hot and unbalanced where the Bordeaux characteristics have disappeared. I would have been lost guessing this if I had gotten this blind.
64p   (tasted 2014/10)

Bringing Back Memories - 1994 Montecillo Gran Reserva Seleccion Especial

As I noted in a previous post, I used to drink a lot of Rioja. But not lately. This wine was highly recommended by a friend so I bought a bottle.

1994 Montecillo Gran Reserva Seleccion Especial

Popped and poured. A mellow yet focused and complex nose with notes of dried strawberries, decayed soil, old leather, freeze dried coffee and a hint of dill. Old fashioned in a restrained and aristocratic way. Very, very good.
The taste is mature, intense and warm with notes of dried strawberries, red currants, dusty earth, dill and warm earth. A long, finely balanced finish. This is in a perfectly mature condition. A great mouth feel. Drinking great. A lovely dryness in the end. This I like. When you can buy a perfectly mature Rioja for 30 Euro - life is good.
92p   (tasted 2014/10)
 

2012 Bourgueil Les Calichets, Catherine & Pierre Breton

Opened this Cabernet Franc that I heard and read good things about. I was not impressed.

2012 Bourgueil Les Galichets, Catherine & Pierre Breton

Opened and drunk over some hours. The nose is young, upfront and lively with notes of red currants, black currants leaves, flint and a fresh herbal note. Nice, but rather anonymous and with no depth to talk about.

The taste is nice enough with notes of a mix of mashed lingonberries and blueberries, herbs and a touch of smoke. A good acidity. Cleanly made but, again, anonymous, and, to be honest, a tad boring. Will have to check out their Les Perrieres to see if that will put a smile on my face. This doesn´t.

82p   (tasted 2014/09)

On The Road - 1990 Barolo, Cordero di Montezemolo

I yearned for a mature Barolo to go with some fine Italian delicatessen - truffle and fennel salami, aged Serrano ham, a rabbit paté and some cheeses from a local producer on Öland. I opened this Barolo and it worked wonders with the food and on its own.

1990 Barolo, Cordero di Montezemolo
Right out of the gate this aged beauty displays aromas of a damp mushroom forest, red cherries, sweet beet roots, veal stock and some haunting truffle scents. Very, very good. Perfectly mature. A very fine sweetness to the fruit. Round and fine.

The taste is mature, dry and old fashioned with notes of red cherries, autumn leaves, rosehips and dried mushrooms. The finish is long, sturdy and warm. Very drinkable. Fully mature. Some foursquare tannins at the very end. Very, very good. Behaved exactly the same on day two.

91p   (tasted 2014/09)

On The Road - MV Les Aventures, AR Lenoble

Not a non vintage per se but rather a multi vintage, this beauty is opened at the south of Öland in Sweden, looking out over the ocean.
This version consist of the three great vintages - 1990, 1995 and 1996. There is only 10.000 bottles of each blend of Les Aventures and this was bottle number 8.440 and was degorged on the 24th of June 1997.

MV Les Aventures, AR Lenoble
The real thing. A mature, creamy, lovely nose with a beautiful depth and notes of white currants, dry bread, butterscotch, hay, buckthorne, lemon coulis and some cap gun smoke. This has elegance, structure, refinement and class. I get a desire to drink large mouthful of this, and wait a minute....I do just that.
The taste is cool, very elegant, focused and fresh with notes of hyacinth, lemon honey, candied lemon peel, lemon cream and some butter fried nuts. The acidity is high and cleansing. Really, really fine. And still on the young side. As great on day two as on day one.
95p   (tasted 2014/09)

Tasting Lunch With Wines From Jacquesson

I was invited by Vinovum to a lunch tasting where Jean-Hervé Chiquet, presenting wines from Jacquesson. I accepted of course!

Upon arriving we were given a glass of Champagne, poured from a magnum. It was
Cuvée 737
This is the present cuvée, the 738, see below, is to be released in November this year. I tasted this just two weeks ago, but I got more time with it now. The nose is fine, elegant and racy with notes of hyachint, yellow apples, flint and a cool dry caramel note. Very, very good.
The taste is young, tight and refined with notes of white currants, dried flowers, butter cookies and a fine, searing acidity. The finish is long and fone with a nice bitterness. This is very good and should evolve into something ever nicer with 3-5 years.
90p   (tasted 2014/09)

Cuvée 738
The new cuvée is young and fruity with notes of lemon peel, wet rocks, a cool grassy scent and some spunge cake. A bit juvenile but very good.
The taste is young, tight and fresh with notes of lemon and lime peel, chalk and a touch of chives. A high, fine acidity. This needs time, and it has potential but is a tad foursquare for now.
88p   (tasted 2014/09)

Cuvée 733
This late degorced beauty is fine and refined with notes of lemon cream, sea shells and freshly washed clothes. This has a very fine depth. Very, very good.
The taste is a tad mature with a creamy character and fine notes of ripe yellow apples, gravel, some smoke and minerals. A long, fine finish with a high acidity. Very good and will surely survive for many years but will not get any better.
90p   (tasted 2014/09)

The next trio was an interesting one - three 2004 from three different villages.
2004 Dizy Corne Bautray
The Dizy shows a racy, elegant nose with notes of day old bread, warm stones, dry fudge and some cap gun smoke. Lively and interesting. Classy.

The taste is still young and tight with notes of ripe yellow apples, hyachint, wet rocks and butter cookies. A high, fine acidity. This is just reaching its drinking window, will keep for 10+ years.

92p   (tasted 2014/09)

2004 Avize Champ Cain
The gorgeous smoky, flinty scent that comes out of the glass is spine tingling. Together with additional aromas of spicy yellow fruit, warm grass, toasted bread and a pure after-the-rain note, makes this a must have bottle. Still young, this will need 5+ years to really unfold.
The taste is young, tight and refined with notes of hazel nuts, yellow apples, summer flowers and cold creme caramel. The finish is long, firm and aristocratic with a lovely cleansing acidity. Great wine!
94p   (tasted 2014/09)

2004 Ay Vauzelle Terme
The Ay is darker and warmer than the two previous wines, that displays scents of ripe red apples, gravel, smoke and a touch of leather. Deep, creamy and fine.
The taste is broad, ripe and warm with notes of red apples, red currants, sandelwood and gravel. A firm acidity that fnish the long aftertaste. Round and rewarding, this is for drinking now and 8+ years forward.
90p   (tasted 2014/09)

On The Road - 1999 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano,Valdicava

We are on tour in the south of Sweden for a couple of days. And of course I bring my own entourage of bottles... :-)
During my Brunello project I tasted a few vintages from Valdicava and liked them all, especially the stunning 1990, see below. This is the first bottle of Valdicava´s Riserva wine I open.

1999 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano, Valdicava
Popped and poured, this beauty needed some time to come around. At first, the nose is restrained and just dark and brooding. With some air things start to happen, at first sweet rosemary aromas appears, then lots of ripe red and black cherries makes their way up my nose, to be followed by the scent of a Tuscan gravel road in the summer. All evening long the nose unfurls and offer up a magnificent complexity and depth. Still on the young side of things, but oh boy, this is great!

The taste delivers quite a punch with the first sips but when the fruit emerges it gets more and more harmonious, and with a perfectly seared, bloody steak, it creates one of those moments when one and one becomes three. Gorgeous notes of black cherries, licorice, warm tiles and warm rosemary coats the tongue. There is still some perky tannins in the minute long finish so there is no rush getting the corkscrew out. This will be drinking great for, at least, 10 years.
Day two - the same gorgoeus nose but the taste is more velvety and multi dimensional. This is a winner!
97p   (tasted 2014/09)

Earlier vintages tasted:
1990
1995
1998

Summing Up Two Trade Tastings - 120 Wines Tasted - Part I

It has been a lot of wine tasted the last weeks. Beside the lunch tasting with Bründlmayer I attended Vingruppens tasting of their assortment. Due to the current work load I arrived late and bottles of 2006 Cristal and 2011 Meursault Perriéres, Lucien le Moine from magnum had already been drained by greedy fellow tasters - I know who you are! :-)

But there was still lots of intersting things on the tables to taste, below are short notes of some of the wines I tasted, with a approximate score. It is fun and you learn a lot by this kind of speed tasting, but at the same time it is like cykling through a museum, you get a glimpse but there is no time for deeper analysis.

What better way to starte then with Champagne - none! From Louis Roederer the NV Brut Premier shows a steely, chalky pure nose and a crisp taste that lacks a bit of oomph (~86p), their 2007 Brut Vintage sports a creamy nose full of ripe yellow apples and a soft, very good taste (~88p), and the best of the bunch (since the Cristal stood their in empty majesty...), the 2009 Brut Rosé with its upfront, elegant starwberry scent paired with a lusty, creamy, lingering taste (~92p).

I moved on to another trio, this time from Pierre Péters. The NV Réserve Oubliée has a gorgeous caramelly note and lots of freshness. The taste is young, tight and focused. This has to be bought. (~92p). It time, the 2006 Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons will surely eclipse the Oubliée, but for now it shows of a restrained, refined and laid back nose and a concentrated, racy taste that reveal its potential but doesn´t bring much enjoyment today (~90p). Their Rosé for Albane has a pure, simple, upfront nose and a rather foursquare, tight taste with some dried raspberries. Good but lacks spirit (~82p).

I took the opportunity to retaste Lenoble Cuvée Intense Brut and Lenoble Rosé Brut and they showed the same as on the tasting lunch a while back.
The NV André Clouet Silver Brut Nature has a young, fresh, apply nose and a fresh, salivating taste with a high acidity and ripe yellow fruit. This is very good (~89p). Last  bottle tasted from the Champgane table was the NV Jacquesson Cuvée No 737. The nose is very elegant, poised and creamy with chalk, red apples and hyachint. The taste is young and perky with lots of sweet lemons, minerals and a hint of chocolate. Really fine (~91p).

I moved on the white wines and started with a duo from Catena. I retasted 2013 Chardonnay and it behaved exactly the same. The 2010 White Stones Chardonnay has a stony, elegant, withdrawn nose and a tight, juicy taste with yellow fruit and cap gun smoke. A bit narrow in the middle taste, although very good (~88p). I then poured the 2011 Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay and was met with a stunning nose full of ripe lemons, butter cookies and assorted nuts. The taste is long and intense and filled with gorgeous fruit and a firm backbone. This is a stunner and a must buy (~94p).

White Burgundy is one of my favourite wines and the next bottles was fun to taste. 2011 Meursault and 2011 Meursault Clos des Ambres, both from Domaine Arnaud Ente both showed ripe, spicy Chardonnay fruit paired with a chalky, pure taste with a fine intensity. The Clos des Ambres has a fatter character and slightly more depth. Both were great examples of young white Burgundy, (~92p) and (~93p).
Another 2011 was poured next, the Savigny lés Beaune Clos des Guettes from Louis Jadot. The nose is young, cool and hebal with finely tuned lemon fruit. The taste is lean (in a positive way) with lots of lime and lemons, and some additional dry butter cookies. Very, very good (~90p).
La Chablisienne was represented by two bottles, the first was 2012 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre that showed a young, flinty nose with a fine nerve. The taste is racy, finely tuned and with a high, refreshing acidity (~91p). The Crand Cru, 2010 Château Grenouille is a gorgeous creature with finesse, refinement and purity. The taste has a laser like focus and notes of lemon cream, chalk and a impressive length. Give this beauty at least 5 years (~93p).

The 2011 Clos Mireille Blanc de Blanc from Domaine Ott displays a upfront, gorgeous, summery nose with gooseberries, grass and white currants and has a wilful. cool, fresh taste. This I really like (~91p).
JA Ferret´s 2010 Pouilly Fuissé Author de Fuissé has a fine, elegant, grassy nose and a delicate, young taste with a fine acidity (~90p). Next up is two bottles of Sancerre, the 2012 Pierre Deschamps is light and friendly both on the nose and taste with fresh gooseberries and minerals (~86p). The 2013 Les Belles Dames, Gitton is pure and correct but rather anonymous (~83p).
Lastly, in this part, I tasted the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Magis Blanc from Lucien le Moine. I usually love the wines from le Moine, but not this one. A over the top, sweet nose with overripe yellow apples and glue. The taste is intense and hot with some bitterness in the end. No (~78p).