CT Texas Offline III

A wonderful CT Texas offline event, focused mainly on white wines that work with the local seafood. Fun was had by all! While the event focused on seafood friendly whites and champagnes, some of the reds on hand were the best I've ever had the pleasure to try.

A wonderful opportunity to try a great set of very classy, very age-worthy wines.

• 1986 Château Pontet-Canet 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (11/18/2011)

  Still lots of herb, spice box, cedar, etc. Wine really isn't tired at all. Really velvety and delicate though. Like a victorian lady. Needs to be treated with a lot of dignity and gentleness, because this wine certainly isn't a "power puncher" any longer. If you treat it like a lady, you'll be repaid with lots of dividends. Opened and left to slow-ox in the bottle for 2 1/2 hours prior to tasting.

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• 1995 Château Pontet-Canet 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (11/18/2011)

  Seems a bit shut down. Maybe will come back to life, or maybe it's just fading away? Nice and delicate like the '86, but not a ton of concentration, and really just no staying power.

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• 2000 Château Pontet-Canet 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (11/18/2011)

  Lots of vegetal on the nose and the palate. But on the palate it's still very smooth and friendly. Some concentration, but not as much as I would have expected. Some roast beef on the nose. Maybe this wine is going through a transition right now---no longer the "power puncher" it once was, the tannins are still settling out to velvety smoothness. Give it a couple more years and I think this wine will peak. Right now it's just starting on that journey.

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• 2001 Château Pontet-Canet 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (11/18/2011)

  Really heavy roast-beef on the front of the palate and on the nose. Super meaty and heavy, with notes of herbs. Great mouth-feel. Slow oxidized in the bottle for 2 1/2 hours prior to tasting. Lots of concentration and notes of cassis, blackberry, almond, and nut. Some good astringency shows that the wine has some time left to mature. Tannins will settle down and smooth out and it will be a really great vintage.

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• 2003 Château Pontet-Canet 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (11/18/2011)

  Tons of fruit and concentration. Lots of tannin, and will be good for a good long time. In 10 years it will be really smooth, silky, and delicate. But right now it's pretty much a tour-de-force, although not 100% as balanced as it should be for what it is. Needs a bit more time to get to that good place. 88 with promise of 90?

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• 2004 Château Pontet-Canet 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (11/18/2011)

  Dark stone fruits, lots of tannin and astringency. Bit bitter. Way too young to drink. Pits, and peach on the middle of the palate. This one is a wild child that is going to take a while to play nice with the rest of the kids. Different style than I've seen in other PCs. Lots of potential, but not going to be there for a good long while. Think this could increase to 91ish after several years.

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• 2005 Château Pontet-Canet 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (11/18/2011)

  Much lighter than I thought it would be. Still dark stone fruits, with hints of peach pit. But more refined than the 2004 for some reason. Still lots of bitter astringency that needs years and years to settle out to a silky smoothness. No idea what this wine will turn in to. But imagine it will be pretty wonderful in 20 years.

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• 2006 Château Pontet-Canet

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (11/18/2011)

  Less concentrated than the '04 and the '05. But a pleasant wine. Still some dark stone fruit, just like the '04 and '05. Did not feel I had enough evaluation time with this wine to provide it with a proper score.

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All wines served with a small tapas-style dinner focused on locally-sourced seafood.

• 1999 Pascal Doquet Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil-sur-Oger 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  (11/18/2011)

  Lots of straw color and flavor. Dry, yeasty, velvety, smooth, extremely tasty and mellow and sophisticated. Almost like it's a dusty taste in a good way. Makes you think of an early-fall day in the mountains---fresh, clean, yet sophisticated. Love it.

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• NV R. & L. Legras Champagne Brut Rosé 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  (11/18/2011)

  Lots of smooth acid, with a nice velvety finish. Strawberry, peach, pear, a bit of almond and other nut aromas, and some spice. More like a substantial rose or a red wine than a run-of-the-mill champagne. Super nice.

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• NV Camille Savès Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé 90 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  (11/18/2011)

  Yeasty, strawberry, a bit of cassis, and still shows some nice acidity and bitterness. But very smooth on the end of the palate. Really pleasant and tasty with or without food.

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• 2008 Jean-Pierre et Jean-Francois Quenard Vin de Savoie Chignin-Bergeron Vieilles Vignes 92 Points

  France, Savoie, Vin de Savoie Chignin-Bergeron

  (11/18/2011)

  Wow. SUPER buttery. A bit of acid on the follow up and a little bit of fruit at the very end of the palate. Definitely citrus on the follow up. Orange, and a bit of lemon. Substantial mouthfeel showing the ageability of the wine. Really enjoyable.

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• 2009 Jean-Pierre et Jean-Francois Quenard Vin de Savoie Chignin-Bergeron Vieilles Vignes 94 Points

  France, Savoie, Vin de Savoie Chignin-Bergeron

  (11/18/2011)

  Grapefruit on the nose. very smooth citrus on the palate. Really amazing and pleasant wine. No butter at all. Just citrus fruit. SUPER enjoyable. Lots of acidity, but wonderful taste. Really balanced and a great wine.

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• 2001 Trimbach Pinot Gris Réserve Personnelle 91 Points

  France, Alsace

  (11/18/2011)

  Chemically on the nose. But buttery smoothness on the palate. A little bit of acidity on the mid-palate. But altogether a really nice wine. Very fresh and acidic, lots of citrus---orange, lemon, lemon zest, etc.---yet refined through the butteriness that the wine shows.

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• 1997 Marcel Deiss Riesling Altenberg de Bergheim 90 Points

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  (11/18/2011)

  Some muted tropical fruit on the nose. Rich, sweet, super-concentrated. Lots of residual sugar. Extremely sweet. Still very tasty though, in the style of a dessert wine. Figure it is low in alcohol because of how smooth and sweet this wine is, but it isn't---13% alcohol shows the wine is extremely well made, and well aged, to show this delicately. Very pleasant wine.

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• 2005 Albert Morot Beaune 1er Cru Les Aigrots Blanc

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

  (11/18/2011)

  So, had immediately after creme brûlée, which may have manipulated the taste a bit. Tasty, but a bit acidic. Seems to be very well balanced though---the acidity was not out of place on this wine. Not cloyingly sweet for sure. Enjoyable.

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• 2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Clos St. Landry Blanc 91 Points

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

  (11/18/2011)

  So much citrus on the nose. And a little bit of ammonia---like windex on the nose. But in a very good way. Really like a white bordeaux, as far as freshness goes, with lots of citrus-fruit notes throughout, except for the fact that it has some buttery, velvety staying power that a white bordeaux simply doesn't usually have.

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• 1997 Ravenswood Pickberry

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain

  (11/18/2011)

  Lots of vegetation in this wine. Green pepper is predominant throughout, with a tad bit of onion. Threw off a good amount of sediment.

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• 2006 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova

  Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

  (11/18/2011)

  So brown you could almost mistake it for madeira or tawny port. Definitely has an earthy, musky heavily-vegetal flavor to it, but also a consistency and mouth-feel that reminds one of port. A monster of a wine for sure! Will last FOREVER!

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• 2000 Paolo Bea Montefalco Rosso Riserva Pipparello 90 Points

  Italy, Umbria, Montefalco, Montefalco Rosso

  (11/18/2011)

  Some vegetal nose. A bit of onion, green pepper, etc. Really mellow and smooth. Some heavy vegetation on the end of the palate that lasts forever. Morphing into a taste of dark, black licorice. almost caramelized. Somewhat bitter at the very end of the palate.

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• 1990 Château Rieussec 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  (11/18/2011)

  Very smooth and full of grapefruit. Really a tasty expression off this historic property. Everything I thought it would be and more. Really exploded with tons of flavor right off the bat, and never let up throughout the entire palate.

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More traditional, heartier fare, still focused on local seafood, but in a heavier way than that done by the West End Restaurant. Very nice choices.

• 1999 Gosset Champagne Brut Grand Millésime 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  (11/19/2011)

  Nice yeasty, smooth, and very tasty. Some peach, plum, pear, and strawberry (just a hint). Extremely well aged and enjoyable.

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• NV Gonet-Médeville Champagne Premier Cru Extra Brut Rosé 90 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  (11/19/2011)

  Strawberry on the nose. Some sweetness. Lots of fruuit throughout the palate. Refreshing, a bit yyeasty on the mid and end palate, and really tasty. Not overly complex. But really pleasant.

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• NV Gonet-Médeville Champagne Premier Cru Brut Blanc de Noirs 89 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  (11/19/2011)

  Fresh, tasty, a bit yeasty on the nose. Some ongoing citrus on the palate. Nice and clean. Not extraordinarily complex it doesn't seem, but still very tasty.

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• 2004 Albert Boxler Riesling Sommerberg Eckberg

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  (11/19/2011)

  Almost like a sauternes on the nose. Very smooth, and floral on the palate. A bit of spice throughout. Peach, pear, and a little bit of strawberry.

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• 2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  (11/19/2011)

  Some vegetal notes on the palate. Grapefruit, citrus, and some peach. Some butter as well at the end of the palate. But still acidity throughout. Nice backbone for sure.

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• 2009 Zepaltas Sauvignon Blanc 91 Points

  USA, California, North Coast, Lake County

  (11/19/2011)

  Tons of citrus. Really smooth. Lots of sweet peach, and some nice bracing acidity, but not bitter at all.

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• 2008 Enkidu Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  (11/19/2011)

  A good amount of strawberry, some yeasty tastes, and a bit of spice and pepper. Some lemon lime. Really tasty wine. Just what a sauvignon blanc should be.

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• 2005 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang 93 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  (11/19/2011)

  Notes of grapefruit on the nose. So delicate and floral. Wonderful wine. Still some backbone of nice acidity, but very smooth, very delicate, very refined. Tried next morning after tasting non-chilled and it still showed AMAZINGLY. Super concentrated, really delicate, yet serious and showing it had power underlying its delicacy. Very impressive wine. Enjoyed greatly, and happy to get to try this wine.

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• 2004 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (11/19/2011)

  Very floral, delicate, some mossy bitter berry, with blueberry, blackberry, and a bit of cassis. Good backbone of acidity, that's for sure. Seems to have lots of aging potential. And a bit of bitter acidity on the end as well.

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• 2008 Dascomb Cellars Roussanne 91 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  (11/19/2011)

  Buttery lemon. But really smooth, without a ton of acidity. Some good butter throughout, with the majority of the taste throughout the palate being butter with hints of acidity. Still very fresh, for having as much butter as it does on the palate. Very pleasant. Some good acidic backbone on the end of the palate though.

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• 2008 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Seasmoke 88 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  (11/19/2011)

  Somewhat bitter and with some notes of vegetation. Still some acidity, and a bit of citrus. Refreshing. Believe it has some notes of stems being over extracted in the juice.

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• 2004 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  (11/19/2011)

  Buttery citrus on the nose and on the palate. Grapefruit, lemon, a hint of orange perhaps, pear, and some peach, along with some real zest. Some good acidity on the palate as well coming from the after-effects of the citrus. Well balanced though. Somewhat cloudy. May not have been filtered? Did not affect the taste of the wine. Actually may have helped.

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• 1973 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 96 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (11/19/2011)

  Lots of sweet vegetation on the nose. Nose says it is just singing right now. What an aroma. WOW. SO MUCH SPICE, so much cedar, so much concentration. Amazing wine. Still has 20 years left. Well, maybe 20 years for it to be in drinkable fashion. But I think it'll stay in this sweet spot for at least 5, if not another 10 years before it starts to decline. Such an amazing wine, and really just perfect right now.

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• 1975 Sterling Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (11/19/2011)

  Vegetal, cedar, oak, and spice / cigar box. Super smooth, with lots of cedar throughout. Vegetation (very smooth though) really is highlighted. Sweet onion, and lots of spice, with a good amount of smooth menthol throughout. Still a lot of astringnent tannin at the very end of the palate. Still some plum, and very very dark stone fruit / prune. Super nice wine, and very enjoyable. Not as amazing as the bottle of 73, but still a great wine!

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• 1976 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  (11/19/2011)

  A nice wine, but seems to have madeiraized. Some caramel, and oxydation. Seems to be a bit over the hill. Or a lot. Well taken care of bottle, but just way past its prime.

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• 2005 Sine Qua Non Grenache Atlantis Fe2O3~2a, b & c 94 Points

  USA, California

  (11/19/2011)

  Super concentrated spicy nose. Completely different on the palate. Butter at the beginning, with cedar, vegetation, and tons and tons and tons of spice at the end of the palate that lasts and lasts. Showing pretty well. Opened about 6 1/2 hours prior to consuming. A GIANT wine. Huge. Some notes of vanilla and lavender. A real privilege to get to try this wine.

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Drunk at pool deck at hotel along with cigars and great fellowship

• 1927 Domaine Bory Rivesaltes Blanc 90 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Rivesaltes

  (11/19/2011)

  Orangy, and Raisony. Very nice on the nose. A tad bit sweet. Lots of dust, tannin, smoothness, strawberry, berry fruit, and very substantial acidity. Some burnt peach as well. Crazy, amazingly young wine for what it is. Really great experience. Has so much left to age and mellow out. Such a young wine.

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• 1970 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  (11/19/2011)

  Spicy, sweet, unctious, thick, really concentrated and full of stone fruit. Great port for sure. Exactly what a well-matured port coming into its own should be. Will be a great experience for years and years.

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Another great CT Texas Offline event. Always look forward to events with this group. Great people, and always great wine.