| | Second instalment of my bid to drink more lovely wines from Pomerol, and the line-up, if slightly younger, looked just as tempting as the first. Champers - 2011 Larmandier-Bernier Champagne Grand Cru Vieille Vigne du Levant Extra Brut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
More subtle than a bottle tried last year, and less spectacularly creamy, but still damn delicious. Charming, ripe and rounded in feel, with lots of pretty fruit (in particular, pineapple), some smoke, and an overall feeling of elegance and drinkability. (93 pts.)
- N.V. Louis Roederer Champagne Collection 241 - France, Champagne
Magnum. Bright and lifted compared to the Larmandier-Bernier that preceded it, and a lot more classic/MOR in style. Vaguely floral, green and grippy with a limey, quininey bitterness. Irreproachable in terms of balance, but needed a bit more of an 'edge' to be truly exciting. (91 pts.)
Youngish reds - 2012 Château Gazin Pomerol - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
A big nose that appealed as soon as I smelled it, with pine needles, some syrupy dark fruit and bitter chocolate. Similar notes found on the palate - chocolate and bitter gravel - although I preferred the nose, as the wine could've done with a little more structure, being just that bit too silky and therefore verging on looseness. Lots of primary dark fruit, too, that was especially noticeable upon returning to this wine after drinking some more mature bottles. Certainly tempting and ready to enjoy, though. (93 pts.)
- 2010 Château La Conseillante - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Hoo, this was superb. Perfectly ripe nose, with red fruit, spice, Zanzibar chest and a touch of game - sexy, with a sense of completeness. I could still sense the new wood, which seemed of excellent quality and really well integrated with the fruit. Substantial and almost brooding on the palate, with rich blue fruit and espresso. Fine powdery tannins that provided structure and emphasised the wine's nobility, and will ensure a long life, and good length to the finish. My #2, group WOTN. (95 pts.)
- 2009 Château du Domaine de L'Eglise - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Notably saline across both nose and palate, with lots of dark fruit that verged on having a roasted quality, and hints of greenness and even mothballs. Chunky on the palate, with sweet truffle and a slight want of precision. We enjoyed this wine, but it suffered a bit next to the Cons '10. Felt ready or perhaps even slightly past peak. (91 pts.)
Matureish reds - 2008 Château La Fleur-Pétrus - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Another excellent LF-P, following the '95 and '98 last week. Notably fresher on the nose than tonight's other reds, with a leafy, cigary aroma as well as some smoke and plummy fruit. Bigger on the palate than the nose implied, with a chewy, grippy quality (plenty of sinew left in this wine), lots of pure dark fruit, some black tea, and then some chocolate on the finish. A refined and refreshing wine. (94 pts.)
- 2006 Château La Conseillante - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Mildly disappointing at first, seeming a long way behind the 2010 in terms of both pleasure today and potential for the future, but this wine seemed to change more in the glass than the others tonight, and it was excellent by the end of dinner. The nose was lovely throughout, well-defined with an attractive menthol note, and increasingly savoury with air. The slightly austere, saline palate initially lacked impact, needing more energy and depth, though the elegant character of the nose eventually imposed itself the wine then shared some of the nobility of the 2010. Revisit in five years? (93 pts.)
- 2004 Clos l'Église (Pomerol) - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Somewhat youthful compared to its flight-mates, with a creme fraiche quality to the nose that wasn't altogether enjoyable, but there was a good wine to enjoy all the same. Creamy dark fruit, fresh and grippy with crisp acidity and a touch of tannin. I'd have liked some more oomph though. (91 pts.)
- 2004 Château L'Eglise-Clinet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Doubtful that this was a perfect bottle, seeming just a bit oxidised. That did generate some pleasing notes of maturity, such as truffle, that weren't particularly prominent in tonight's other wines, and there was a pleasantly understated graphitey quality to the wine, as well as some sleek fruit, but there was an overtone of 'old wine'. Ah well! (90 pts.)
The oldest reds - 2001 Château L'Evangile - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Opulent and seductive, even sexy, this wine (along, perhaps, with the Gazin) exemplified the richer, Merlot-dominant side of Pomerol (although the proportions of Merlot vs CF were roughly similar in most of tonight's wines, c. 80/20). Soft, truffley nose, and plump on the palate, with plenty of attractive red fruit and bright acidity that kept things vital and refreshing. Grippy finish, too. Rich and complete, and likely at peak. My #3 tonight. (94 pts.)
- 1998 Vieux Château Certan - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
A bit ahead of last week's bottle, and very delicious. Really savoury, with the Cabernet Franc to the fore, and accordingly there was a greenish tinge to the fruit, too. Lots of energy as well as flavour, and seemed to have more to give, rather than being past peak as last week's had seemed. Slightly blowsy compared to the 1996, but it smelled and tasted even better. My WOTN (just about). (95 pts.)
- 1996 Vieux Château Certan - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
The most "Left Bankish" of these wines, with a fresh, airy and elegant feel and notes of cigar. Sensual on the palate, lots of beautiful red fruit, and a crisp, grippy feeling to the finish. One to enjoy at Sunday lunch, ideally with not more than one other person. (94 pts.)
Digestif - 1995 Von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling Auslese Nr. 91 - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Star-bright mid orange - very pretty. Bright on the nose, too, and delicate, with tangerine, saffron and cedar. Easy and elegant on the palate, with an interesting balance between richer spongecake flavours and the tartness of lime cordial. After a few minutes in the glass a strong note on slightly underripe mango developed - delicious. Lingering finish, too. A lovely wine! (93 pts.)
Very, very good set of wines, with the 'top 5' (Cons '10, LF-P '08, L'Ev '01, VCC '98 and '96) all excellent in their way, and hard to separate in terms of quality. We'll have to do this again in a couple of years. |
