WWS 2012 - a few TNs including DRCs, Coche Dury, Rousseau and others

The weather at Lake Como was incredible and the world wine symposium 2012 was another great success. My good friend Marie Ahm transcribed the entire event so I will post the comprehensive report when becomes available.

There was a number of great wine makers pouring their wines. I had the pleasure of talking to Axel Heinz, Fred and Carol Schrader, Louis Michel, Eric Rousseau, Arnaud Mortet and others. It always amazes me how people from such a diverse backgrounds can come together by sharing the common passion for wine and become life time friends.

It may be impossible to believe but Schrader was the least crowded table so Kelly and I had good ole time hanging out with Fred and Carol.

• 2010 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon "Old Sparky" Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 98 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  (11/8/2012)

  Monster size wine, inky black, so thick yet not heavy. Need time.

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• 2010 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 97 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  (11/10/2012)

  Slightly more approachable than the 10 Old Sparky. More blue fruits and cool. Silky palate and long finish.

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We sat with our fellow GJE members. There were other great wines but I didn’t take any note. It was a great pleasure talking to Antonio Galloni who sat next to me.

• 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  (11/9/2012)

  Crushed blackberries, blue fruits, mineral, clove and Vosne spice. Still showing very youthful fruits. Excellent concentration, good acidity and seamless finish. Lovely.

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• 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche 97 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru

  (11/9/2012)

  A great contrast to the 99 RSV, although expressive, a bit more subtle. Blackberries, oolong tea, a hint of licorice, stem and vosne spice. Airy and silky palate. Quite expressive and precise. A great example of La Tache. Drinking beautifully, I need to find some.

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• 1980 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (11/9/2012)

  Very pale color. Almost salmon color, not necessarily complex but ethereal bouquet or raspberry essence and delicate flowers. Light and airy palate but beautifully perfumed. Drinking beautifully.

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• 1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  (11/10/2012)

  Red and dark fruits, a hint of fizz, tree bark and earth. Excellent concentration but not a refined wine in lieu of the pedigree.

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• 1933 Château d'Yquem 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  (11/10/2012)

  Good color and correct but not as good as other D'Yquems of the 30s and the 40s. A bit on the thin side, not terribly complex nose and body.

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• 1880 Quinta do Noval Porto Colheita 94 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  (11/10/2012)

  Starts like a Madeira but slightly less intense. With time showing a bit more red fruits. A bit sharp but still lovely.

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Every night, all participating producers poured their wines. I apparently missed the 09 La Romanee and Camuzet Richebourg, 2000 Pavie and other great wines.

• 2006 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (11/10/2012)

  Youthful, not too expressive, red fruits, good concentration, not a polished wine in lieu of being DRC.

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• 2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  (11/10/2012)

  The palate to die for, silky and seamless. A great future ahead but drinking so darn deliciously at the moment.

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• 2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin 99 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

  (11/10/2012)

  Between this and the 09 CSJ, there is no typical ripeness of the 09 vintage. So pure, so silky, so airy and so perfect.

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• 2009 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de Tart Grand Cru

  (11/10/2012)

  Incredibly big and bold. Black fruits. I wish the wine is abit more polished. Not showing well next to the 09 Rousseaus and the Comte Liger Belair.

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• 2009 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée Clos du Château 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  (11/10/2012)

  Showing beautifully, a lot of energy, classic Vosne nose, beautiful silky palate, excellent balance and long finish.

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• 2009 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

  (11/10/2012)

  Another great showing, silky seamless, delicate and delightful palate, vibrant and energetic.

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• 2009 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Echezeaux 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Echezeaux Grand Cru

  (11/10/2012)

  A bit more expressive than aux reignots. Another seamless and silky wine. All three of the 09 Comte Liger-Belair are extremely silky and seamless, much prefer over the 09 Meo Camuzets.

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• 2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

  (11/10/2012)

  A bit bolder than and not as complex as the 01 La Tache. Red fruits, floral and Vosne spice. Excellent concentration and balance. Still very enjoyable and long life ahead.

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A great time was had by all! The coche and Masseto were incredible.

• 1973 Perrier-Jouët Champagne Grand Vintage 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  (11/11/2012)

  Very fresh, sweet fruits, good concentration, neither complex nor polished but aged beautifully. Lovely.

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• 1973 G. H. Mumm & Cie Champagne René Lalou 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  (11/11/2012)

  En Magnum, initially a bit tired/madeira note. With time, it gets sweeter still not as good as the 73 perrier jouet brut.

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• 1999 Maison Leroy Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  (11/11/2012)

  Fat, fresh, oily and lacking acidity, not bad but nothing remarkable.

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• 1996 Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères 97 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  (11/11/2012)

  En magnum, so darn fresh, a hint of toasted oak still but not bothersome, complex, oily, mineral, generous fruits, just incredible showing far exceeding my expectation. The magnum format is the way to go.

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• 2004 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT 99 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  (11/11/2012)

  Christian’s comment is so perfect “the perfect wine without the soul” The wine is so perfect, I am perfectly fine this wine being soulless. Explosive yet polished nose, the texture to die for and incredibly long and seamless finish.

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Kelly and I once again were hosted by our fellow European GJE members, Christian, Roberto, Orazio and Laurent. We had two private dinners and also shared so many wines at the WWS 2012 dinners. Just amazing time with amazing wines and endless laughter!