Birthday Celebration

Chicago, IL
Tasted Friday, May 24, 2013 by Burgundy Al with 623 views

Introduction

A few friends got together to celebrate another friend's birthday. A few good bottles got opened. I know I've forgotten a few.

Flight 1 (16 Notes)

  • 2001 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 91 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

    Tasting. Lots of mostly fresh apple and pear with moderate density and length. Spice hints poked through once in a while. Not quite at the same level as another bottle from earlier this year, perhaps this wine just needs time and reflection.

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  • 2001 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Flawed

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

    An odd bottle with a reasonable aromatic start but showing little fruit on palate and a bitter finish.

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  • 2001 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

    Tasting. I don't recall having this in at least 5+ years, and it is much better than I remember from earlier. Lots of apple and pear with good intensity, minerality and an energetic edge from middle to finish. Very good length.

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  • 1985 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon

    France, Champagne

    Tasting. Disgorged in 1999. Lots of fresh fruit, hints of toasty elements in support. Very good energy and precision remains.

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  • 1990 Mongeard-Mugneret Clos Vougeot 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

    Lots of very ripe black fruit in front of emerging mushroom aromas and flavors. Very nice today, I'd like to have seen a bit more supporting structure and acidity that isn't there, so this is most likely best now. But very pleasurable now.

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  • 1999 Domaine Denis Bachelet Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

    From magnum. Wow, this is the wine I kept revisiting all evening and it kept getting better for several hours. Lots of dense black cherry and blackberry aromas with great spice. Tannins seemed perfectly integrated and balanced, helping support and lengthen from start-to-finish. My favorite tonight.

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  • 1964 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino Speciale Flawed

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    So sad, another bottle beyond tired. I think this was from the same source as another tired bottle brought by a friend last year.

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  • 1985 Cain Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    From magnum. An interesting start with black fruit, cassis, lots of earth and tobacco that could easily have convinced me this from Bordeaux. Much less interesting on the palate with mature, very ripe black fruit, less charm or nuance. 90 point aromas, 80 point flavors.

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  • 1998 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart Flawed

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de Tart Grand Cru

    An odd bottle that I would have to think flawed even though I haven't tried this wine in several years. This came across as somewhat muddy and stewed, not terribly, but somehow showing as if heat damaged. Others disagreed.

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  • 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

    Popped, decanted and poured. This never really showed what I expected/hoped over the 2-3 hours period, in which I tried it 3 times. It was certainly starting to express Asian spice and red fruit, but alas almost everything was hidden and backward tonight.

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  • 2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

    Popped and poured. Really sensational wine tonight. Good combination of black and red cherry with meaty spice and great density. Everything was in harmony from start-to-finish, this wine is at a great place today but still has great potential to evolve, pick up more weight and nuance.

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  • 2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

    Lots of bold, mostly black fruit to start. Good spice aromas as well, oak still a bit pronounced. Palate again has lots of black fruit, but this didn't come across and yet integrated, with the oak, acidity and fruit each coming across distinctly vs. as a harmonious package. There were some reasonable differences of opinion on this wine tonight. I think it has great raw material, 92-94 point potential, but not tonight.

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  • 1994 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único 94 Points

    Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

    Tasting. Open the night before...this was just about ready to enjoy tonight! Huge blackberry and boysenberry aromas with floral notes and spice. Great fruit, spice flavors with explosive energy and incredible power.

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  • 2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Five Shooter

    USA, California, Central Coast

    Tasting. While i like my SQN Syrah shortly after release, I find it takes a year or three to really show its potential, but this is showing nice black fruit with sweet baking spice, floral charm, everything well supported now by lots of energy and textures. A bit sweet at the end , but i expect that will soften.

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  • 2000 Domaine Leroy Richebourg 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Richebourg Grand Cru

    Popped and poured. Sensational aromas of red fruit, cinnamon, allspice, summer flowers and some cocoa are incredibly alluring. While palate is similar, the red cherry and strawberry flavors are rather advanced and mature. Bottle variation is not uncommon with Leroy, but if this bottle is representative, i would drink this sooner rather than later. However, another bottle from earlier this year was less advanced and more "complete."

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  • 1964 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Aszú Essencia 93 Points

    Hungary, Tokaji

    Apricot and creme brulee character with a touch of lemon zest. Long and intense with an unctuous consistency. Can this last 100 years?

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