Bobby's Birthday Bash

A gathering to mark Bobby's umpteenth official birthday of the year.

• 1988 Champagne Le Mesnil Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Millésimé

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Oenotheque release. Mid gold, lovely oxidative, slightly caramel, honey and yeasty nose. Quite rich on the attack, reasonably mineral mid-palate and a bit of bite on the finish before falling off to a gentle end blacks complexity and persistence for top flight butthis is showing very well. ***1/2

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1985 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile

  France, Alsace

  Quite an intense, petrolly, Riesling nose. Lovely mineral, lean and understated. Positive attack, long and fresh. Shows the vintage cf the richer 89. Lovely ****

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1989 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile

  France, Alsace

  Similar nose to the 85 but more floral and scented. An extra dimension here. Positive attack, more weight here than the 85 but absolutely cut from the same cloth. Very good indeed. ****1/2

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1989 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts

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

  Ruby to mid garnet. Seems a little closed on the nose initially but opens up to a slightly caramel, spice, leather and 'burgundy' nose. Not the freshest or the greatest but once it's been cooled down a bit this is perfectly drinkable and pleasant. On the downslope but ok. Very fine sediment haze throughout. ***

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1985 Château de Fieuzal

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Less expressive nose than the others in the flight. A lovely texture and density here though. More at the front than the finish, quite dry fruit and a touch of liquorish on the finish. Showing well. *** to ***1/2

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1985 Domaine de Chevalier

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  A little lactic, bretty,'quite fragrant on the nose. Positive attack, fresh, good acidity and length. Lovely, fresh, refreshing. Not the best bottle from the case but still very good. ****1/2

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1985 Château Haut-Brion

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Lovely dense nose. Plush fruit with a touch of graphite and a classic Graves tobacco and slightly cedary nose. A sweetness here. Stunning nose and car denser on the palate than the others. Lacks freshness though and finishes a litte foresquare and lacking cut. **** to ****1/2

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1971 Château Cos d'Estournel

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Sweet-fruited, mineraly. No great star but showing well. A freshness and a vivacity to it..
  Holds well across the evening. ***1/2

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1991 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Softer, slightly minty, fragrant and slightly lifted nose. Similar on palate. Quite minty. Decent length, not that complex but very decent. Possible starting to fade slightly. ***1/2

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1996 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Stylistically similar to the 91 but without the mint. Obviously younger and fuller, but it does leave me with a sense of the alcohol. More fruit, more primary, a little tighter and stricter. ***

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1996 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Quite flrshy, dense fruit. A nice density here but also a fragrant, slightly spicy mid-palate and finish. This is good and showing some class. ****

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1971 Château Coutet Barsac

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

  Really orangey, almost copper in colour. Far darker than a recent bottle of the 52. A touch of marmelade on the nose. Initially quite smooth and sweet, a touch leaner across the mid-palate. Decent. ***

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1963 Berry Bros. & Rudd Porto Vintage

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Slightly minty nose. A touch spirity. Hmm, maybe this is par for the course with port, but I'm really not convinced by this. Volatile. **

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue