Acker Merrall 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux Dinner

Balsan - Chicago IL
Tasted Tuesday, October 18, 2011 by Burgundy Al with 832 views

Introduction

John Kapon comes to Chicago to celebrate Acker Merrall's first Chicago auction. This is the first of several "warm up" dinners!

Flight 1 - Champagne to Start (1 Note)

  • NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 92 Points

    France, Champagne

    Slightly tropical on the nose with lots of leesy, bready character. Palate shows same yeasty elements but with plenty of brightening lemon and lemon peel as well. Lots of energy on finish, plenty of lush fruit and concentration as well.

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Flight 2 - Odds and Ends (4 Notes)

  • 1996 Château Pape Clément 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Lush, ripe and extravagant aromas of black fruit and cassis. Slightly less forward on the palate, but still lush and powerful. Long spicy finish with great textures.

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  • 1996 Château Palmer 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Black cherry on nose with sweet spices and just hints of secondary development. Elegant all the way through from aromas to finish. Moderate level of fruit on palate, still quite structured and slightly shut down. Good spice comes through on finish. I'd keep this in the cellar for another decade+.

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  • 1996 Château Cos d'Estournel 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    Big fruit, already accessible tonight, all quite primary. Nose of black currant, cherry liqueur, espresso and oak spices. Similar on palate. Persistent from beginning to end. Really showing nicely, even if not quite the powerhouse I might have expected.

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  • 1996 Château Calon-Ségur 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    Perhaps a disappointing bottle or this is at an awkward phase, but this didn't show the level of fruit, spice or nuance I would expect. Came across as acidic and tannic, still quite structured, without much pleasure provided today. I don't know exactly when opened and decanted, but this wasn't popped-and poured and I think was given reasonable treatment in order for it to show well.

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Flight 3 - Pauillac (4 Notes)

  • 1996 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Despite being open a few hours and decanted, this also didn't show well. Perhaps an off bottle, more likely awkward and in need of more sleep in the cellar. A bit or ripe fruit coming through on the palate but not the spice I'd expect. Not much of anything on the palate, very lean and austere, with a finish that bordered on bitter.

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  • 1996 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Ripe black cherry and black currant on nose with cassis tones as well, accompanied by some good oak spices. A bit tart at the beginning, the flavors unfolded from the middle to the end nicely. Like almost every 1996 tonight, this needs more time but this is on a really good trajectory, perhaps worth opening seriously starting around 2020.

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  • 1996 Château Pontet-Canet 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Red and black fruit on the nose. Dense black fruit to start with very good spice, but seriously backward from the middle to the end, giving it a harsh and seemingly unfriendly "good-bye." I would give this until 2020 or later as well given the clear high quality of the fruit.

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  • 1996 Château Lynch-Bages 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Big aromas of oak spice and black cherry and plum. Dense, dark and brooding on the palate, clearly very backward but still balanced in that the tannins didn't seem harsh, acidity didn't protrude and primary fruit was prominent. Good spice came through on a very long finish. Again, hold for another decade.

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Flight 4 - St. Julien (4 Notes)

  • 1996 Château Léoville Las Cases Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Corked.

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  • 1996 Château Léoville Poyferré 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Black currant and good spice on the nose. Palate showed a similar flavor profile, already starting to come across as accessible, with moderate fruit spice, density and length.

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  • 1996 Château Léoville Barton 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Blackberry and black currant aromas with some hints of liqueur. Dense fruit on palate but not as powerful as its start or aromas suggested. Moderate spice comes through in middle and finish along with some nice emerging earthy character. Give another few years before revisiting.

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  • 1996 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Black currant and plum on nose with plenty of spice. Same fruit profile on the palate with good anise and oak spice. Starts nicely, then keeps picking up power through the middle towards its big, impressive finish. Tannic and certainly well structured, but really well balanced.

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Flight 5 - First Growth 1996 plus a Bonus Wine (5 Notes)

  • 1996 Château Haut-Brion

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Considerable earthy and tobacco aromas were more pronounced that the black fruit. Reasonable amount of oak. The palate was a combination of black fruit, strong flavors of earth and lots of muscular tannins. To me this showed as around a "90 point" wine but alas, tonight's four1996 1st Growths were served in new glasses that all seemed tainted by an odd combination of dust and soap residue, making them hard to fairly assess.

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  • 1996 Château Margaux

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Ripe fruit stands out to start on the nose with big oak and spice elements. Dense and very muscular on the palate that mostly seems to have good textures and good overall balance, other than some heat on the finish. Also, tonight's four1996 1st Growths were served in new glasses that all seemed tainted by an odd combination of dust and soap residue, making them hard to fairly assess.

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  • 1996 Château Mouton Rothschild

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Dark and dense black fruit aromas with really impressive spice. Plum, black currant and black cherry flavors, with hints of cocoa and dark coffee. Good spice comes through in middle and finish, along with some very good power. Tonight this seemed like a "94 point" wine but alas, tonight's four1996 1st Growths were served in new glasses that all seemed tainted by an odd combination of dust and soap residue, making them hard to fairly assess.

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  • 1996 Château Latour Grand Vin

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Black fruit and really big spice on the nose. Dense, concentrated and almost chewy, but still balanced and harmonious in every way. Obviously just a baby, this has 96-98 point potential Alas, tonight's four1996 1st Growths were served in new glasses that all seemed tainted by an odd combination of dust and soap residue, making them hard to fairly assess.

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  • 1970 Château Latour Grand Vin 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Tasted blind, showed much younger than 40 years old. Black fruit still quite prominent with some cherry liqueur and aromas of leather. Background hints of tobacco. Intricate fruit nuances come through on the palate with delicate, almost lacy, fruit and textures. Really elegant fruit and spice on the finish, complemented by some mushroom elements. Not a powerhouse but a very impressive wine.

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Closing

Thank you, Edward and John!

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