Ramonet and Romanee Conti

We drank these wines on my 50th birthday, or Saturday 25th May at Texture restaurant on Portman Square.

Both bottles were opened at 6pm, before our 730pm booking. The corks on both wines came out in one piece.

At the restaurant we drank a superb glass of Pol Roger 2002. The restaurant manager suggested we give the wines to the sommelier, but we declined their kind offer. These wines were fine, we didn't need a second opinion, neither did we need them to sample the wines for us. 

We paid corkage and poured the wines ourselves.

Ramonet Montrachet 1988

Bright vibrant colour, tinged with gold. It has an exotic nose, with melted butter, brioche, lemon tree and lime, lemon meringue/curd and overtones of truffle, wild mushrooms, fennel and a smorgasbord of other herbs. On the palate it is full-bodied, mouth-coating, opulent, concentrated, extremely rich and powerful and exotic, at the same time as smooth as silk, with a strong acidic backbone and a very, very long finish. After 3-4 hours it is really singing and going from strength to strength. This wine is in a very good place but will easily last another decade or more.

Domaine De La Romanee Conti Romanee Conti 1980

The initial colour is a sherry-like translucent brown. Don’t panic! Been there before. While the colour is translucent, it is at the same time a deep marauding dark maroon with a vibrancy to it. Any fears are immediately assuaged by the exotic bouquet of molasses, which soars from the glass.  As you smell the wine it mesmerises you with a smorgasbord of Asian spices, Cairo spice bazaar, truffle and porcini mushrooms, then hung gamey notes and a carnal meatiness. That is just to start. It is a wine, which is continually evolving and metamorphosing.  Soon you have notes of bonfire and peat bog, then Cuban cigar box/cigar wrapper, before saline notes somehow appear. Salt ‘n’ vinegar and fish ‘n’chips! Balsamico. Sea spray, seashore and seashells. Then soy, sesame.

It’s so alluring as it mesmerises you like the pied piper...it takes you on a surreal journey. A levitating out of body experience, you are floating in the clouds, soaring like an eagle.  Nothing else matters. Least of all the food, which is rendered utterly redundant. The palate is extraordinary: delicate, subtle and smooth on the one hand, but with a strong backbone, enormous power and mouth filling richness on the other, and an eternal finish. Mineral slate notes emerge, wet stones; then strong woodsy, sous-bois takes over; wild forest mushrooms. Next it is sweet morello cherries, ripe plums  and chocolate strawberries, which come on strong. Over time the wine is firming up and transmogrifying. By now the colour is an authoritative, regal dark translucent maroon.  After 3-4 hours it is at a maximum intensity, like the climax to a Beethoven symphony. It is an extraordinary wine. Kaleidoscopic and Kafkaesque, it has everything and leaves everything else trailing in its wake.  

To finish off we had:

Keller, Trockenbeerenauslese, 2008

A deep orange, young and concentrated, with precise apricot and marmalade notes. It couldn't compete with what went before it. I suspect that only a Chateau d'Yquem could. On its own it would be a very good wine. 

Chateau Latour

A Latour trifecta as the big day approaches.

All of these wines were double decanted and drank side by side at Nigel Platts Martin’s Glasshouse restaurant in Kew Gardens, West London. All three wines were in perfect condition.

1983

Translucent maroon; intriguing and subtle notes of cedar, leather, sweet berries, other dark fruits, herbs, tea, forest floor, hints of pencil lead; on the palate very classy and refined; medium bodied, and very smooth; perfectly judged; quite soft because the tannins are fully integrated, but it is not lacking for grip or persistence; it has exquisite poise; it is elegant, classy, fresh, persistent with a satisfying finish. Somewhat old school, it is a wine which whispers rather than shouts out its class. This wine is in a perfect place right now. It should continue to drink well for another 10+ year. I would give it 95 points on the night.

1985

This had a somewhat brighter ruby colour and less bricking than the ’83. More expressive nose with lashings of pencil lead, attenuated cedar, berries, cassis, meat and tobacco notes. The tannins are not quite fully integrated and it has a grippier, livelier, mouth feel. It is more exuberant and has a thrilling, mouth filling palate. An enthralling wine, which just gets better with every glass, and with every bottle opened (this is the third in a year). It is just about entering its drinking window, and will probably get even better. 96 points

1982

It had a deeper, darker more marauding maroon nose than the 1983. On pouring the bouquet jumped out of the glass. Complex notes of cedar, cassis, perfectly ripe berries and dark fruits, hints of pencil lead in the background, with truffle, spice box, cigar wrapper and meaty notes overlaid; it is utterly intoxicating. The tannins are almost fully resolved and integrated, and the palate is so smooth, silky and velvety; so expansive and mouth filing. There are absolutely no hard edges to this. It has layers and layers of nuance and complexity, and much more power, presence and persistence on the mid-palate than the other two wines. It really is a step up and perfect in every way. The best example of this iconic wine I have ever tried. My guess is that it is 5-6 years into a 20-30 year drinking window. Easily deserves a triple digit score.

Chateau Margaux

We attended a Chateau Margaux 'Masterclass' hosted by Paul Pontallier and Alexandre Mentzelopoulus. He is charming, charismatic and knowledgeable. A shrewd businessman to boot, he imparted not just a few pearls of wisdom, but boy is he long winded. Poor Alex hardly got a word in edgeways because Monsieur Pontallier was waxing lyrical virtually the whole time, in the process subjecting us to an astonishing litany of platitudes remarkable even by French-philosopher standards. "Together we can dare to challenge ze future. " 

We had two vintages of Pavillon Blanc, two Pavillon Rouge and six vintages of the Grand Vin, including the 09 and 10' which Paul regards as his finest yet. After 30 minutes of verbal incontinence we finally got started. 

Pavillon Blanc 2011

Tropical notes with basil and other herbs. Fresh and lifted with a satisfying finish, and a touch of heat. PP reckons this is the best ever vintage. I would give it 91 points. 

Pavillon Blanc 2003

From a hot year this was a revelation. Not at all hot and bothered. Cheesiness gave way to exotic fruits and a wonderfully lush and full finish. Bit like a Viognier. 93

The Pavillon Blanc is not a second wine and only 15k bottles are produced compared to 130 k for the Grand Vin and its second wine Pavillon Rouge. These wines benefit from being drunk not too cold.

Pavillon Rouge 2010

Notes of tobacco and ash, minerally and gravelly. Elevated tannins, needs time. 89

Pavillon Rouge 2009

Hints of cassis but otherwise not showing much. But more accessible than the '10. 89

Neither of these were interesting compared too what was about to come.

Chateau Margaux 2010

A quantum leap in quality. From the first sniff you know this is something special. It moves you. You know straight away that you are in the presence of greatness. You can almost feel the earth moving beneath you. An extraordinary wine with a nose of violets, ash, charcoal, and perfectly ripe berries. But the best is yet to come. The mouth feel is so polished and silky, and the wine is so harmonious, but there is so much power there; yet the tannins are so fine. It is a wine with extraordinary breadth and depth, which fills every nook and cranny of your mouth. The finish lasts for two minutes and there is no noticeable heat. A moving experience and an extraordinary wine. The balance and finesse of this wine is astonishing. To say it is an iron fist in a velvet glove would be to do it an injustice. The greatest young wine I have ever tasted, taking away the mantle from a wine we tasted later which is now in its late adolescence. I think scoring this would be redundant. Lets just say three digits.

Chateau Margaux 2009

This had a rounder more opulent personality than the 2010. More expressive notes of ash, menthol, vanilla, berries and white flowers. The palate was opulent and scintillating, lush, mouth filling and very long. It is a fabulous wine, but at the margin it lacked the extraordinary balance, subtlety and equilibrium of the 2010. The vanilla oak was more noticeable and there was a touch of heat on the back palate, similar to Pontet Canet, a wine of similar calibre. No question this is an extraordinary wine, which Pontallier rated as his best ever at the time, but the 2010 is another step up. 98

Chateau Margaux 2008 

Still young and not far evolved, This had notes of white pepper in addition to the flowers but also a more assertive note of graphite. The tannins are quite elevated, and the finish cannot compete with the 09 and 10. Still it is a 'classic' style of Margaux. 93

Chateau Margaux 2006

This had a much more evolved colour, and was much more accessible. If you were a Palm Beach trust fund babe or basically so effing rich that you couldn't give a monkeys you could happily order this and enjoy this in a restaurant. I was really enjoying quaffing this until Monsieur Pontallier pointed out that it had a little bit of a harsh note on the back palate. He was right but you wouldn't notice that if you we're eating a ribeye. I still think it is a very nice wine; but it is clearly not a great Margaux. 92

Chateau Margaux 2001

I backed this dark horse and I was right. This is Chateau Margaux at its best. It is soft, silky and seductive, yet as fresh as a daisy. It is easy to drink now but will be even better in 20 years for those with the patience to wait. It is delicious, seductive and charming. It is smooth and gorgeous. It has no hard edges. It is a faultless wine you instantly fall in love with. 97

Chateau Margaux 1996

My favourite wine from this estate. My confidence was shaken a little by an indifferent showing in 2011 in New York but my confidence is now restored. It has barnyard initially but otherwise it is quintessentially Margaux. It has complex leafy, tobacco and cigar box notes in addition to the berry fruit, which are just to die for. It has extraordinary complexity and breadth and depth on the palate. This is a quintessential and complete Chateau Margaux, now, at age 17, in its late adolescence. Clearly the best is yet to come. But it is already extraordinary. 100.

The 1996 vintage was the first that reduced the merlot content from around 20% to around 10%. The Cabernet grown at the estate is far superior to the merlot, so that the latter is now relegated to a bit part player. 

Going back to taste the Pavilions after the Grand Vin was a huge step down. There really is a gulf in quality between the two. 

All in all an enthralling two hours. Highlights were the 10, 01 and 96. 

Dale Williams disclaimer: My scores make no claims for accuracy, consistency or fairness.

My top wines of Q1 2013

17.Chateau Certan De May 2001

16.Armand Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin Clos St-Jacques, 2007

15.Chateau Grillet 2005

14.Chateau  Vieux Chateau Certan 1989

13.Guigal CoteRotie La Landonne 1992

12.Chateau Certan De May 1990

11. Chateau Beaucastel 1994

10.Michel Colin Deleger Chassagne Montrachet En Remilly 2011

9. Bernard Moreau Chassagne Montrachet, 1erCru, Grandes Ruchottes, 2007

8.Chateau Latour 1981

7.Robert Arnoux Clos De Vougeot 2002

6. Chateau La Conseillante 1989

5. Chateau La Conseillante 1990

4. Chateau Lafleur-Petrus 1971

3. Chateau Latour 1970

2. Chateau Lafleur 1995

1. Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1985