Birthday and other wines

Birthday and recent wines On Friday 25th May at Boundary Chave Hermitage Blanc 1993 Fully mature and in a great spot it waxed lyrical with nutty notes, it tasted fresh and vibrant ***** Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1985 From a half this was smooth and refined with subtle notes of cigar box, tobacco, cedar, lead pencil, graphite, autumn leaves and subtle red fruits. Understated and classy it just glides across the palate and finishes long. This has perfect poise and is as good a glass of claret as you will ever encounter. ******(*) Chateau Latour 1985 More fruity and exuberant than the Lafite, this started off quite stern but really opened beautifully; it has cedar, saddle leather and plenty of ripe exuberant fruit. It is not a behemouth Latour but has plenty of structure and integrity to last for decades. *****(*) On Thursday 24th May at the Ledbury  Guigal Condrieu La Doriane 2007 First time tried this. It was young and a bit clumsy but clearly has many years to evolve with acacia and honey notes. **(**) Mullineux Schist Syrah 2010 It ran rings around two decidedly ordinary syrahs from Napa and Hunter. It was very classic northern rhone in style with good balance, acidity and tension, with good quality fruit. A touch hot on the finish but a very complete wine. This sells for £50 which seems ambitious given its roots but there is very little of it. ***(**) Chave Hermitage 1988 Ruby colour, restrained, elegant, quite lean but very complex with meaty, smokey, gamey, spicey, minerally overtones with a nod to elegance and finesse over power. ***** Hermitage La Chapelle 1990 This example was tight and wound up, despite being a tad too warm. Not showing very much of its huge potential. Was this a slightly off bottle or does this wine need another decade to evolve.?**(***) On 16th May "right bank" Dinner at RSJ Chateau Belair 1985 Initially tastes thin an reticent then opens delightfully. A stylidh old school right bank. **** Chateau Leoville Lascases 1945 This is timeless, long and hard, it is austere and has no charm, but it is immortal, Churchillian and quite thrilling. **** Chateau Rivesaltes 1930 Lively, with figgy notes. Glorious. ****

A tale of two Versets

Courtesy Richard Katz, I drank these on Friday in the company of someone who, when it comes to charm, looks and brains, is very much at the front of the queue. 

Noel Verset Cornas 1990 

Translucent garnet; perfumed, sauvage. Mushroom (hint of morello?), decay, cured meats. Smokey overtones, rich, and decadent; secondary opulent raspberry compote and plums; so smooth on the palate; somewhat burgundian, but unique; dignified, cerebral and kaleidoscopic with hints of coffee and menthol; faintly woodsy. A wine which whispers rather than shouts its wares; no wonder it gets lost in a ‘me too’ shouting match; this has poise and gravitas, an intellectual wine. 

Noel Verset Cornas 1995

Deep ruby maroon, more opaque, more woodsy, wispy, smoky ‘n’ gamey than the 1990. Bonfire, brine and seaspray; savoury, with spicey sausage, celery, nettles and raspberry notes with grippy, raspy tannins. Somewhat uncouth relative to the 1990, and that becomes more apparent as the night progresses. Not as smooth, nor as poised as the 1990, with some stalky notes. Nonetheless this is a smashing wine. 

Both decanted we initially mixed them up but it wasn’t difficult to tell which was which. The 1990 would get lost in a larger comparative tasting, but tasted next to its younger sibling it shows it class. Not that the 1995 was disappointing...it was a captivating example of traditional Cornas from this legendary producer...it was just that the 1990 was at another level.

Figeac, Haisma and PYCM

Three terrific wines this weekend.

Chateau Figeac 1980 - this is officially our favourite Bordeaux chateau for reasons that will never see the light of day. It was glorious with liquid milk chocolate, old leather shoes and various iterations of tobacco, medium weight. Inspired. It is better than the two 1982 Figeacs we had this year.

Mark Haisma Chambertin Clos De Beze 2009 - wild raspberries, red fruits, plums, rich Christmas cake, myriad spices, cinnamon, nutmeg...rich and imperious with marvellous complexity. A superstar of the future.

Pierre-Yves Colin Morey Meursault Genevrieres 2008 - had a rich, oily texture, with power and wonderful piercing acidity giving it laser like focus. Stone and citrus fruits with mineral complexity. At a recent dinner it torched two 02 Corton Charlemagnes. It is inspired stuff.

Three triumphant wines on Friday night.

Pictured below is my wine tasting partner, from a previous event chronicled in the thread below.

1982 Bordeaux

Last week a group of us tried a selected batch of 1982s at the Square in London's Mayfair district, which provided a brilliant - yet unobtrusive - menu featuring some philosphically contented white park beef.

Some of the contenders at the pre-tournament weigh in:

Flight one - right banks

Risotto of morels with mimolette and snails

Cheval Blanc - poignant, alluring and thrilling nose of leafy tobacco and decay that carries into a silky, luxurious and expansive palate and a long lingering finish. It is beautifully poised, and never heavy as it glides across the palate. Nothing forced or contrived, this is a perfect glass of mature Cheval Blanc which eclipses the 1983 and 1985.

Figeac - woodsy, greenish, creosote, fruit- shy, improved over the night, over time tobacco and leafy notes. Different to the one we had in Febraury; less thrilling but less flawed. Outclassed by the Cheval Blanc.

Latour A Pomerol - corked, good wine underneath.

Flight two - southern first growths

Haut Brion - impeccable poise and grivatas, understated and restrained with subtle notes of earth, damp gravel, melted road tar, rocks, minerals and spices. While this may come across as shy next to a 1989 it is fully mature and in the perfect place. It is the better wine to drink now.

Margaux - another wine which is a triumph of finesse over power, somewhat reticent it always tends to skulk when subjected to the indignity of comparative tastings. It is subtly fragrant with floral, cedary with tobacco notes. A wine which whispers rather than shouts its wares, it will always be there or thereabouts.

Flight three - Pauillac first growths

Fillet of white park beef with smoked tendons, stuffed shallots and bone marrow

Lafite - purple at the rim like a ten-year old, it was subdued and shy on the nose. Initially not showing much on the palate either it is still cocooned and tightly wound up; but as the evening progresses it slowly starts to express itself. Aristocratic and elegant, it is seamless and smooth with its best years ahead of it. It still needs 10-20 years; by then it will be challenging Latour for the mantle of 'wine of the vintage.'

Mouton - a more expressive wine with soy and coffee bean and a full-bodied, mouth-filling, palate of berries, spice, mocha and tobacco. Marvellously thrilling and exuberant, the tannins are still not fully integrated, nor dispersed. Well stored bottes should continue to improve.

Latour - a powerful, forceful wine, which is approaching full maturity. This has oodles of fruit, cigar box, minerals, slate, graphite...just about everything. The only slight quibble is that it lacks the beguiling complexity and the under-stated elegance of some of the other wines here, nor, perhaps, is it as delicious as the 1990 Latour. But it is undoubtedly a monumental - Churchillian - Latour with its best years ahead of it.

Flight four: Super seconds

Glazed short rib of white park beef with creamed potato and truffle

Leoville-Lascases - pure and young, it continues to age glacially. This example had a purple rim and an integrity and dexterity of pure fruits, and some lead pencil , but not as much as last time. Like the 1986 it is an impeccable wine but it lacks the personality of some of its more illustrious peers.

Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande - a maroon robe, still delicious and gorgeous, but some of the burnt raspberry vibrancy has faded, and this wine now lacks the grip it once had. Maybe this was atypical, but on this showing, this has now been overtaken by Latour in the Great 1982 horse race.

Gruaud-Larose - I expected this to be outclassed by its two super second flight mates, but in some ways it was the more complete wine with arousing beefy overtones with little of the Cordier funk and brett on show. It was tighter and grippier than the Pichon, but more sybaritic than the Lascases.

My pecking order - in reverse order (not including LaP)

10. Figeac
9. Pichon Lalande
8. Leoville Lascases
7. Margaux
6. Gruaud-Larose
5. Latour
4. Mouton
3. Lafite
2. Haut-Brion
1. Cheval Blanc

The group's wotn was Latour, followed by Cheval Blanc and Haut-Brion

We finished of with Chateau d'Yquem 1986, which was a rich burnt rusty orange, with marmalade more than citrus-exotic fruit notes as it enters middle age.

Howard and Maureen...

And no intro required

My top wines of 2012

Top 50 wines so far in 2012

50. Dr Pauly Berweiler Bernkasteler Bastube am Docterberg Riesling Spatlese 2001 - longwinded but worth it
49. Jadot Clos Saint Denis 1996 - petillance
48. Burgaud Cote Rotie 1988 - off-piste
47. Chateau Rausan Segla 2001 - sweet
46. Raveneau Chablis Montee de Tonnere 2002 - evolving as we expect
45. Condrieu Domaine Vernay 2004 - well-judged weight and aged
44. Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Le Clos 2008 - full
43. Jean Grivot Nuits-Saint Georges Les Boudots 1993 - shy
42. Jean-Marc Millot Echezeaux 1999 - poised
41. Allemand Cornas Reynard 1994 - carnal
40. Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1982 - bacon sarnie
39. Chateau Figeac 1982 - thrilling showing cracks
38. Chateau Branaire-Ducru 2001 - modern classic
37. Jouard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Gains 2004 - tight joyful
36. Denis Mortet Chambolle Musigny Les Beaux  Bruns 1993 - haunting
35. Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues Batard Montrachet 2000 - polished article
34. Dauvissat Chablis Le Clos 2000 - bumptious
33. Raveneau Chablis Foret 1996 - hints at greatness
32. Chateau Rieussec 1999 - dark horse
31. Chateau Figeac 2000 - delivers ignore the naysayers
30. Ponsot Clos De La Roche 2001 - thinking woman's cdlr/ponsot
29. Jasmin Cote Rotie 1984 - never disappoints
28. Clape Cornas 1991 -
27. Kooyong Ferrous Pinot Noir  2005 - iron delight
26. Maurice Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Hospices De Beaune 2002 -
25. Chateau Cheval Blanc 1993
24. Chateau Margaux 1985 - restrained gravitas
23. Gonon Saint Joseph 1990 - revelation
22. Fontaine Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet La Boudroitte 2007 - hedonism
21. Chateau Vieux Chateau Certan 2000 - brooding brilliance
20. Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste 1996 - lead pencil
19. Fourrier Griottes Chambertin 1997
18. Denis Bachelet Charmes Chambertin 1998
17. Louis Jadot Corton 1995
16. Tattinger Comtes De Champagne Blancs de Blancs 1988
15. Dom Perignon 1990
14. Dujac Clos Saint Denis 2002
13. Chateau Lafite 1981
12. Chateau Cheval Blanc 1983
11. Noel Verset Cornas trilogy 1989/90/91
10. Chateau Grillet 2005
9. Noel Verset Cornas 1995
8. Fonseca Port 1985
7. Chateau Rieussec 2001
6.  Domaine Ponsot Clos De La Roche 1999
5. Domaine De Lambrays Clos De Lambrays 1997
4. Chateau Palmer 1986
3. Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf De Papes Cuvee Marie Beurrier 1988
2. Jasmin Cote Rotie 1990
1. Gentaz Dervieux Cote Rotie 1991

A Northern Rhone Odyssey

Maureen organised a brilliant northern rhone dinner last Thursday, with a star-studded line up of rare and esoteric wines, connoisseurs and relics...

We started off on a high note...

Chateau Grillet, 2005

Pale but radiant; exceptionally light on its feet with subtle stone fruits, igneous slate and minerals; beguiling and complex; its firm acidic backbone will allow this to age effortlessly. A wine with impeccable balance and dexterity.

Condrieu ‘Coteau de Vernon’ Domaine Vernay 2004

Mature, aromatic with fine texture, honey-blossom, acacia and apricots.

On to the first flight of reds, Cote Roties:

Burgaud Cote Rotie 1988

Off-piste; meaty, carnal, brawny, foursquare, sous-bois; verdant.

Jasmin Cote Rotie 1990 en magnum

Gamey and earthy this wine displays a surreal symbiosis of floral femininity and masculine backbone and punch. Intricately woven and kaleidoscopic, it has an ethereal levity and a pleasing tension with subtle notes of Madagascar cocoa, wolframite, mysterious dark fruits, Mediterranean olives, wet fox, iodine and black and white pepper.

This is perhaps the quintessential expression of northern rhone and the syrah grape. It was deservedly the wine of the night.

Jamet Cote Rotie 1988

Brutal, marauding and powerful, but somewhat lacking in elegance compared to the Jasmin; masculine, brawny and chewy with lashings of bacon fat and smatterings of olives/tapenade, leather and Mediterranean herbs. A bit of VA permeated this wine, and the finish wasn't smooth. This bottle was not as good as one we tasted in April 2011.

Noel Verset Cornas 1989

Delicate, ethereal and earthy with leather, bramble and sour cherries; it had gamey, bacon notes, tobacco, mocha and mineral, impeccably balanced. Transcendental.

Noel Verset Cornas 1990

Initially quite closed, and somewhat curmudgeonly this had hints of autumn leaves, earth, iodine, feldspar, smoke, bacon fat, and animal hides. An intellectual wine which mesmerises you as it metamorphoses with its intricately woven tapestry, Delphic personality and cognitive dissonance.

Noel Verset Cornas 1991

Complex, animal hide, earthy and spicy. A perfectly judged expression of mature syrah, another cerebral wine, which weaves its charms with an almost Kafka-esque reflexivity.

August Clape Cornas 1991

A much more expressive nose of mushroom, olives, tapenade, flowers, machine oil, tungsten carbide and mahogany; plummy and beefy, St-James's Street tobacconist. Lithe and svelte on the palate.

Allemand Cornas Reynard 94

Masculine and fruit forward, beefy cow hide, savoury, minerally, and olive/tapenade. This young wine lacked the subtlety and complexity of some of the others but was thrillingly raw and intense.

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1982

Gamey, spicy, dried flowers, opaque. Bacon fat, dried herbs, sous-bois, umami, rose petals, Romeo y Julieta robusto. Dried plums and orange peel, savoury with lively acidity but mellow at the same time.

This dinner would not have been what it was without the generosity of Richard Katz the North London Northern Rhone Maestro, who could not attend in the flesh but was with us spiritually.

Some Bordeaux and non-Bordeaux wines

From the last month or two

Bordeaux wines

Chateau Chasse Spleen 1981

Still elegant and fresh with hints of strawberries and plums, tobacco, cedar and minerals. Super bottle. Parker rating 79 – my rating 91

Chateau Giscours 1982

Fully mature, but vibrant and rich with berry, earth, meat and tobacco notes. Splendid wine. Parker rating 86 – my rating 93

Chateau Lafite 1981

Very muted at first, then it came out of its shell; maroon, medium-bodied, stylish, complex with tobacco, cedar and cigar box; fresh and elegant, refined palate and a long finish; really starting to hit its stride. Parker rating 93 – my rating 94

Chateau Margaux 1985

Tasted next to Opus One, a tortoise next to a hare. This was really slow out of the blocks as if it had been rudely awaken from a deep slumber. Then it started to get its act together and strut its stuff. But it is still a remarkably backward wine and quite closed up; it is dense, powerful and brooding for the vintage but in an unobtrusive way; it has all the hallmarks of a classic well-proportioned Margaux. Parker rating 95 – my rating 93 ++

Chateau Figeac 1982

Fully mature with notes of earth, gravel, tobacco and compost, which is really thrilling; this particular example was a bit cracked on the finish which suggested it didn’t have much time left. Parker rating 92 – my rating 93

Chateau Cheval Blanc 1993

Cherry menthol, eucalyptus, tobacco, green tea and green peppers; spicey, complex with some gamey notes. Superb wine. Parker rating 86 – my rating 94

Chateau Trotanoy 1999

Lush plumy and tobacco notes, this is still young and fairly one dimensional. It should gain in complexity over time, however. Parker rating - Parker rating 89-92 my rating 89+

Chateau Branaire Ducru 2001

Quite a modern and smooth wine for this estate but it really delivers the goods; some oak, red and black fruits with cedar with some earthy-gravelly notes. Excellent wine. Parker rating 89-91 – my rating 92

Chateau Batailley 2001

Still on the young side a pleasant Pauillac true to its appellation. Reasonable fruit but not particularly complex...more of a luncheon claret really. Parker rating 87-88 – my rating 88.

Le Dome (St-Emilion) 2004

Easy to drink, boring and one dimensional. Like a $20 Californian merlot. Parker rating 90-92 – my rating 85.

Chateau La Tour De By, Cuvee Prestige 2000

A wine only made in certain vintages this is still remarkably austere, closed up, tannic, and conspicuously lacking in fruit...as if to say ‘we don’t do fruit here.’ A throw back to the old days perhaps? Given its curmudgeonly state it does need food. Guess I should bury the magnum of this somewhere. Parker rating n/a – my rating 87+

Non-Bordeaux wines

Dom Perignon 1990

This wine is in a sweet spot. Now displaying delightful strawberries and cream notes, and luxurious and silky on the palate. Dream champagne. 96

Fourrier Griottes Chambertin 1997

Dark, rich, with minerals and cherry; good structure and purity; fine length on the palate. 93

Jasmin Cote Rotie 1984

A wine that never fails to impress, regardless of what else is on the table. Delightful cherry, smokey, mineral aromas. 93

Opus One 2002

Pure seductive cabernet fruit out of the gate, low tannins and acidity; the charms quickly wear off and it is a bit one dimensional. Just fine for well heeled divas. 89

Kooyong Ferrous Pinot Noir 2005

Cool pinot fruit from Mornington Peninsular in Victoria, this has iron & mineral notes and herb (dill) nuances. One of the best new world pinots you will find anywhere. 94

Fontaine Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte 2007

A sultry, utterly delicious and very seductive chassagne; has good acidity and balance however. 93

Fontaine Gagnard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St-Jean 2007

Much more austere and structured than the Boudroittes, less pleasurable. 91

Jouard Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Gain 2004

A hypothetical mix combining the best of the above two wines and not a hint of pox. 93