Wines in July

Wines in July

Chateau Latour 1986

A deep colour with a classical albeit restrained Cabernet-infused Latour nose of lead pencil, minerals and some forest floor. On the palate it was medium to full bodied, dense and powerful. It is regal with a touch of austerity but a long authoritative finish. This wine has been criticised for falling short of the other Medoc first growths...I am not so sure about that...it is tremendously satisfying to drink now, and will last for another couple of decades. Another under-rated Latour along with the 1983, 1985 and 1988. 94

Chateau Cos D'Estournel 1990

Scrumptious, chewy and savoury, but it lacks a bit of grip on the mid-palate. You can tell this is a wine from a hot vintage with low acid. It doesn't have enough Cabernet gravitas and nervosity. It doesn't have the complexity of the 1989 either.mThis bottle was past its best and the 1989 leaves it trailing, though Cos in my experience is notorious for bottle variation. 90 points is giving it the benefit of the doubt.

Chateau Palmer 1985

It is a nice mature Palmer with hints of Margaux berries, sandalwood and cedar. It has a finely resolved palate with a hint of greeness on the back end. It is not the greatest 1985, nor in the top echelon of Palmers, but it has been drinking nicely for 20 years, and it is holding up just fine. 90

Louis Jadot Chambolle Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoreuses, 1985

An explosive, multifarious and multi-faceted wine. Thrilling and kaleidoscopic. Pyrotechnic even. At the same time it has a 'come hither' seductiveness, and seamless elegance.  It has power and precision in equal measure. 97

Raveneau Chablis Valmur Grand Cru 2002

This is in a good place but it will probably continue to evolve and improve. It has creamy lemon notes initially, then minerals, brine and sea shells. It is finely poised, powerful...and quite youthful, still resolving. It has a stern acidic cut and backbone, as you would expect. It also has a touch of sweetness and a hint of vanilla oak too, which will probably meld in to the wine over the next few years, but becomes more pronounced as the evening proceeds.  94 now, probably higher in ten years from now.

Maume Charmes Chambertin 1997

Garnet colour with red fruits, animale, earthiness, sous bois, evolving beautifully, nicely grippy on the mid-palate. Complex, captivating. Unpretentious and old fashioned. red burgundy as it should be. 93

Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala 2000

Fully resolved and very accomplished, with cherry fruit, roses and tar, full bodied with a touch of sweetness and heat but nevertheless still elegant and poised.  A delicious Barolo for current drinking. 92

Mascarello Monprivato Barolo 2004

It is young but it is still open for business and hasn't closed down. Truffles, roses and tar on a smooth, seamless finish. It's pure, understated and complex. A worthy addition to any cellar. 93