MB's Bday; '96 DP, '07 Dauvissat GC, '86 Figeac, '96 Lynch B, '98 Telegraphe, '63 Grahams

Le Crocodile, Vancouver, BC
Tasted Saturday, March 23, 2013 by WST with 498 views

Introduction

Birthday dinner for Marybeth. Four couples, five courses. Raided my cellar despite the $50 corkage.

Flight 1 (6 Notes)

  • 1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 95 Points

    France, Champagne

    Balanced and complex, full bodied yet delicate. Rich mouthfeel and firm bead. Sweet lemon and pit fruit, slightly toasty. Amply acidic. No significant oxidative notes. Sweet aftertaste, with heavier dosage than I remembered.

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  • 2007 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

    Young but not too new to open, given the occasion and the meal. Flinty citrus nose and palate, GC density balanced with ample cut. Very good future here.

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  • 1986 Château Figeac 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    This far exceeded my expectations. An elegant beast, I can see why it can be controversial given its size. Swirling, smelling and drinking this is like diving into a liquified dark-fruited humidor, with dense sweet tobacco and cedar. Still has years, probably decades before decline.

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  • 1996 Château Lynch-Bages 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    My concerns this would be too young were unfounded. A nice follow up to the Figeac, this was far more elegant and refined. Dark fruited, pencil lead, and a subtle brown spice note I would have called cedar had the preceding wine not clobbered me with a cigar box. No need to hurry, but no need to wait; this has entered its prime drinking window.

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  • 1998 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 92 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    Lucky me, my second bottle of '98 VT this month. A dignified rather than garish CdP, she followed the Bordeaux's with no apologies. Dark slightly gamy berries, iodine, dry brown hillside summertime herbs (props to Chaz for the latter descriptor).

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  • 1963 Graham Porto Vintage 95 Points

    Portugal, Douro, Porto

    Other than the sediment at the bottom of the bottle that looked like a shrunken shriveled leather wallet, this wine gave no indication of its age. Fresh fruited; dark raspberries and sweet cherries and plums, chocolate, flowers and more. I would have guessed '85 or younger.

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Closing

Fantastic meal, and all six wines were hitting on all twelve cylinders. "If the only prayer you ever uttered was 'thank you' it would suffice" Meister Eckhart 1260-1327.

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