- Krug Collection 1981
- Domaine Trimbach Clos Ste Hune 1983 Alsace
- Domain J-F Coche-Dury Meursault "Perrieres" 1996
- Pahlmeyer Chardonnay 1996 Napa Valley
- Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg 1988
- Domaine Henri Jayer Echezeaux 1998
- Bruno Giacosa Barolo Rionda Riserva 1978
- Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion 1975 Pessac-Leognan
- Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 1982 Bolgheri
- Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon "Monte Bello" 1971
- Vega Sicilia "Unico" 1970 Ribera del Duero
- Domaine Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf du Pape "Reserve des Celestins" 1992
- Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage "La Chapelle" 1978
- Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape 1990
- Chateau Calon-Segur 1947 St. Estephe
- Chateau Petrus 1970 Pomerol
- Chateau Gilette "Creme de Tete" 1970 Sauternes
Besides myself I knew that almost everyone who turned up was greatly anticipating the event. Andy literally worked the wine tonight. I did not see him sit down from the time he showed up at the restaurant at 6 till right about the time the dinner started at half past seven -- pulling out the fragile corks, clearing the mouldy mouths, decanting, arranging the glasses, tasting, ordering and pre-pouring the wines. And to think he started even beyond that in his shop where the wines had been left standing for a few months.
We used some glasses which to me made a world of difference to the wines too. Special mention to the Riedel Sommelier Montrachet and Riedel Vinum Extreme Pinot Noir glasses, the latter proving to be an essential enhancer to the pinot noir, nebbiolo and Rhone-varietal wines. Don't leave home without it.
Enough advertisement, now on to the juices.
The pre-aperitif serving of Lafon's Macon "Clos du Four" displayed the fineness of the 2002 vintage to white burgundies in general, even in such humbler appellations as Macon. Very ripe, plenty of liveliness plus a good touch of minerality.
The Krug Collection hit the nose with a grand and warm concoction of toasted bread crumbs, white plums, steamed dough and marzipan. While suggesting some maderization on the nose, it was kept fresh with suggestions of dried orange peels. On the palate the fine bubbles smothered the senses with a very rich and creamy texture. Very lively thanks to fine acidity.
The Clos Ste Hune was terrific. Tell-tale, ultra-typical nose of riesling -- soil infected lime peels and kerosene tinge. This is a very dry but very rich and ripe riesling. Fat yet bracing, voluminous, layered and textured with no sharp edges in the mouth, it was at once sweet and minerally. Late grapefruits suggestions emerged toward the end. Still plenty of life ahead, but this is definitely the richest and sweetest Clos Ste Hune I've tried so far. Almost became warm toward the back, suggesting that this was probably picked very ripe.
Coche's Meursault Perrieres' nose was out of this world. Warm roasted hazelnuts, smoke and minerally aromas later incorporated white peaches, confectionery and warm butter, complicated by olive oil and white flowers hints. In the mouth, this very youthful wine was bracing and penetrating, typifying the vintage, yet maintains a sense of restrained richness characteristic of a true Perrieres. Lemons, nut oil, liquid stones, apple skins and butter (yet again) on the palate which was actually plump yet was gracefully hidden in a delicate and sleek frame. This is a true lesson of intensity without being oversized. New world chardonnays, pick up a clue here.
The Pahlmeyer Chardonnay was a very good if not outstanding efforts and was excellent especially in the context of its origin and age. Even now, it's surprisingly fresh and cool despite its size. Toasty, honeyed and suggestions of lemon custards, it was huge yet civilized and still quite lively, even minerally. Buttery and generous, but it was completely overshadowed by the preceding burgundy which displayed more profound layers, delicacy and minerality.
DRC's Richebourg hit the nose with a briary profile of stemmy, spicy candied cherries. It entered with a palate coating but finely pitched sweetness featuring plenty of redcurrants and raspberries, and exited with fine but formidable tannic grip. This is not your typical sappy oozy pinot, and although many expected a sweeter showing from this stable, I was very impressed with the thrust, volume and intensity, noting a huge amount of complexity yet to be unfolded over time behind the masculine frame. As in most of the very special red burgs I've tried, this had a late suggestion of haw flakes candy at the end. Special.
Andy's 'mystery' wine turned out to be the legendary Henri Jayer's Echezeaux 1998 -- what a treat! This must have stood up in the glass for an hour or so before we drank it. The early oak-infused elements in the nose had subsided and been replaced by cream-covered black cherries with a suggestion of toast and raspberry jam. In the palate, this was a different story altogether. Refined, delineated and velvety textured, it combined an uncanny balance of sweetness, earthy spices, candied fruits and a subtle complication of bacon fat. I must agree with Andy that this is the best version of the under-achieving grand cru plot of Echezeaux. Yet another lesson about grace, balance and precision from a typically less-than-stellar terroir and vintage. While this is not perfect, I'd be hard pressed to find another Echezeaux (plagued with problematic tannins that year) that could display such refinement and balance.
Giacosa's Barolo showed what a matured nebbiolo wine could become. Smelling younger than its two and a half decade of age, it gave off an oily bouquet of redcurrants, tar, violets and hints of truffles. On the palate it too showed a formidable structure that belied its age, finishing off with rustic tannins which framed its otherwise sweet palate-profile. This wine must have been next-to-impossible to assess when it's young but by now has developed nicely.
La Mission Haut Brion's tell-tale Graves nose of scorched earth, leather and tobaccoes overlaid by smoked-meats suggestions led to a very structured frame that was held up more by its acids than its tannins. I have always admired the 70's decade of Bordeaux. The examples I've tasted, this included, showed such lively acidity which gave the wines wonderful inner mouth energy and enabled positive evolution-in-the-glass experience. This wine turned sweeter with aeration, putting on more flesh and density which evoked sweet plums and ashy overtones.
The 1982 Sassicaia taught me once and for all, that for the very rare few, super Tuscans can actually age. Sporting a Medoc-like aromatic and palate profile, over time, as it very slowly unwound itself in the glass, this very compact wine displayed blackcurrant, soy and a nutmeg impressions on the nose. (I have always found a pitch of nutmeg spice on Sassicaias in general and this is no exception.) My only regret that this wine was not more ready than I had preferred, rendering this as one of the hardest to assess tonight, although on a positive side, I certainly had found lots of other Bordeaux of this vintage to have evolved into its downslopes at this point. Tasty? Not yet. Long-lived? Without a doubt.
The Monte Bello hit the nose with a nicely integrated burnt white chocolates, cinnamon and currants. The palate was very consistent with the nose, and displayed an admirable feel of freshness and cut. In fact I found the taste profile briary, something I rarely accord to older wines. It was a tasty, generously-sized wine which retains its elegance and charm. Tannins were totally resolved but the wine still maintained a sense of structure. A true Californian vin de garde. Quite impressive.
Vega's Unico was an intriguing wine full of surprises. The nose exploded with vanillin, shaved coconuts, ash, smoke, meats and truffle-infused currants. On the palate, however, this wine was pristine in its rendering of redcurrants which hit the senses with such liveliness, purity and a 'pitch' so rare I found this hard to forget. It was suave, textured and long. Notes of soy emerged at the end. Very impressive and memorable.
It would be difficult to replicate Bonneau's Celestins 1992 at the level it showed itself tonight. I have had the fortune of drinking this wine many times, and each time it was impressive. Tonight, it was just out of this world. Briary nose (typical of Bonneau's Celestins cuvees) of pure kirsch and raspberry liqueur, with sour cherries tang, beguiling medicinal aromatics and hints of animal fur. This high-pitched monster caressed the palate with cherries, tangy raspberry jam and roasted spices. It was at once voluminous, energetic, intense and suave. A world-class performance that left the rest behind.
The La Chapelle deserved all the accolades it received, in my humble opinion. Smelling almost bordeaux-like, it set itself apart with a smoked ham overtones. Sporting a bracing acidity, the Medoc-like profile of currants and sweet tobacco with a pervasive nuance of smoke and game, this wine was relentless in the mouth -- suave and layered. Coincidentally just a few nights ago someone remarked to me that the 1978 La Chapelle was actually as good as the legendary 1961, just not quite ready. After tonight, although I have yet to taste the 1961, in terms of evolution, I would tend to agree that statement. It is scary, but I think that this wine probably has an upside of at least another two decades. Now I know how legends were born -- they take decades.
The Rayas, a thoroughly wonderful wine, was somewhat underwhelming. (Perhaps the Bonneau was etched too deeply in my mind?) This had a heady nose of creamy strawberries and kirsch. This was unctous to the point of pretty port-like -- sweet yet lively. It was a very elegant and silky wine, but perhaps too elegant. I wished for my CDP to have that sauvage edge to it and this came across a tad too safe.
The oldest wine featured tonight, the Calon-Segur did not in any way show any sign of retirement. It was densely coloured with a very gradual bricking and orange rim. On the nose I sensed currants, tar, dried raisins and meats. The palate was redolent of minerals and sweet tobacco. Rather than sporting a more effiminate characteristics that very old Bordeaux tends to put on (e.g., liqueur-like sweetness), this had a definitely masculine frame. It was a classic St. Estephe -- still four-square with a tell-tale tobacco-leaf twang to it.
Tasting so many good wines in one night put the Petrus in a very difficult position especially when it was the last dry wine to be tasted. Blueberries and raspberries dominated the palate profile which was decidedly sweet. This wine was all-flesh -- the tannins had melted away, the texture silk-like and the finish nicely warm and fuzzy. I wish I had more words to describe the Petrus, but either I was less-than-impressed (one must remember we're talking about a wine of such lofty standing, not just any other Pomerols here, hence the elevated expectations) or was really unable to coax enough out of the wine tonight. Still this was a great wine, whose texture and natural sweetness other merlots should emulate.
The Gilette Creme de Tete oozes with apricot jam and marmalade extract. It was honeyed but not cloying, indeed a nice fresh end to our vino odyssey tonight. Unlike some other Sauternes which deservedly are called "stickies", this one remained cool and did not sport an overt bortrytis nose. Very pretty.
