Old Burg and Bordeaux at the Capital Grille Tysons

Capital Grille Tysons
Tasted Sunday, October 7, 2012 by dcwino with 802 views

Introduction

I am a big fan of mature wines and I wanted to share the experience with my good friends. I have selected a number of wines that showed really well in the past couple of years. I opened most of the wines in the morning, the first was the 69 Hudelot Musigny, nice floral note and I was relieved, then the 52 and 53 Ausone, both seem a bit tired, the 50 de Sales, live and kicking, the 55 Ausone, great color but seem a bit dirty and lastly the 66 Lafleur, quite damp, possible TCA?

I was expecting most wines to show well and this was a significant letdown. It was damp and rainy throughout the day which didn’t help.

I arrived at the restaurant a half hour early but the restaurant was closed. Soon after, Greg O and Jim C joined me and the hostess let us into our room. RJ also showed up and we started with the 08 Coche which was drinking beautifully. Justin C got to the wrong restaurant waiting for us but soon joined us. Unfortunately Justin B didn’t get the email on time and ended up in Pa drinking a glass of van winkle so we were five.

Flight 1 - Champagne (2 Notes)

  • 1942 Pommery Champagne Brut Millésimé 89 Points

    France, Champagne

    Still youthful color, light amber, a hint of fino sherry and yellow fruits, apricot and herb de provence. Only a slight reminisce of bubbles, medium concentration and sweet finish. With time, it got a bit fresher and sweeter but certain past its prime.

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  • 1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 94 Points

    France, Champagne

    This seems a bit more advance than the last bottle both from my stash. Lemon, honey, a hint of light caramel, tarte tatin, smoke and mineral. Medium mousse, sweet and nice length. IMO, the 90 Dom can vary from very good to great and this is the former.

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Flight 2 - White Burgundy (2 Notes)

  • 2008 Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères 95 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

    It is so hard not to like this wine. A hint of sesame, pure, precise and mineral. Mostly white fruits with a hint of yellow, lemon zests, limestone and smoke. The palate displays intense fruit, bright acidity and minerality. Ibelieve Coche style is modern but just perfectly delicious although very primary.

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  • 1995 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

    Another wine that tend to be consistent. Fat, honey, yellow fruits, caramel and smoke. It is a fat wine with generous fruits. Fully matured and drinking beautifully. As usual, it gets fresher with air.

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Flight 3 - Old Burgundy (1 Note)

I pop and pour the 47 Latricieres Chambertin from an unknown producer, ie the label was torn and only the vintage and the vineyard were legible. Shy strawberry water nose to begin but quickly gained weight raspberry essence, mushroom, truffle and smoke. Beautiful fully matured GC burgundy and 100% pinot. Perhaps WOTN along with the 90 Leroy. If this was served as the 47 Rousseau Chambertin a la Rudy, my rating could have been higher 97 pts.

  • 1969 Domaine Jean Hudelot Musigny 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru

    Opened in the morning, beautifully floral a la musigny but a bit short abrupt finish. Audouzed for 8 hours, Deeply toned dark fruits, still floral, truffle, earth, balsamico and a hint of metal, perhaps ever so slightly maderized. It gained weight, sweet, nice weight, bright acidity but ends a bit short due to oxidation. Lovely overall but not great.

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Flight 4 - Old Bordeaux (5 Notes)

Not a good day, three strike outs and the 66 Lafleur was corked.

  • 1950 Château de Sales 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    In the morning, red fruits, cedar, green pepper, earth, smoke and a hint of VA. Audouzed and gained weight. Still mostly red fruits with a hint of black, baked fruit cakes, earth, vanilla and ash. Medium weight, the sweetness that only comes with long time in the bottle. Lovely.

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  • 1952 Château Ausone 85 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    A bit brown and smell of soy in the morning which is worry some. Audouzed for 8 plus hours, it got better but still relatively simple. Cedar, plum, a bit of petrol . I had a better bottle from the same batch. Oh well, Ces’t la vie!

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  • 1953 Château Ausone 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    A bit better than the 52 but also advanced. A hint of black fruits, cedar, chocolate, fruit cakes and earth. A bit short finish. Once again had a better bottle.

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  • 1955 Château Ausone 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    The color is promising but strangely muted. Audouzed for 8 plus hours, black fruits, ink and earth. Not quite all there compare to the other two bottles from the same batch. This is how it goes sometimes, three strikeouts.

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  • 1966 Château Lafleur Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Corked! Ouch!

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Flight 5 - Thank you Justin C (2 Notes)

We were still thirsty and Justin C kindly brought a couple bottles which were keenly needed. Unfortunately the 83 Margaux was corked.

Flight 6 - Stickies (2 Notes)

Flight 7 - A nightcap (1 Note)

Closing

Although some of the bottles showed less than stellar, it was so much fun sharing wines with good friends. We started at 4 and didn’t leave until 9. This dinner was also educational in that

There are no great old wines, only great bottles

Mature champagne is an acquired taste. I happened to like em but not for everyone.

Audouze can help but can’t cure

A bit of alcohol plus good friends can make one to not notice the flaws. Beauty is in the eye of the wine drinker.

Drinking 40+ top wines without much DOAs is highly unlikely.

TCA sucks and Coche and Leroy rocks!

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