Boston CT Offline

Worked with Englishman's Claret to form a group in the Boston area, and this was our first meeting. The decision was to do two flights of Bordeaux (1990 and 1986 vintages) and take the opportunity to drink wines we would not normally be able to enjoy in the context of its peers.

It was a successful afternoon and hopefully the first of many tastings for this growing group.

• 1986 Château Montrose Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  The Montrose was initially somewhat muted and showed a bit of TCA taint. The flaw grew as the day went on and it was clearly corked. Too bad as it was clear that a very nice wine was beneath the cork taint.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1986 Château Léoville Barton 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Nose: Truffle, Cassis, Black Cherry, Chocolate, Tar, Licorice and some earth notes. Very Dark nose. Palate: Surprisingly fully of dark fruit and some sweet blackberry. Tobacco and licorice notes as well. Finish: Medium showing dark berries and some smoke/tar notes at times.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Nose: Tropical Red Fruit, Coconut, Vanilla, Spice and Cedar. Very elegant and perfumed. Really evolved as it opened. Palate: Very soft and resolved with a nice polish to the mouthfeel. Silky and filled with Cherry, Plum, allspice and some sweet cherry/vanilla notes. Finish: Lingers with drying tannin and nice fruit notes.
  
  Just a gorgeous wine.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Nose: Leather, Plum, Cherry, Roasted Strawberry and Clay soil. Palate: Smokey Cherry and Strawberry with leather cedar and some nice herbal notes. Nice palate feel. Finish: Cherry, Blackberry and some herbs carry a nice clay soil character.
  
  Not quite as good as the prior bottle I had, but still great. Slightly cloudy appearance.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 Château Sociando-Mallet Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Oxidized. Fruit was coming across as prune/ink. Very dark and macerated. Storage may have been an issue at some point.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1990 Château Gruaud Larose 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Nose: Holy Smokes!! Olive, Green Tobacco, Creme de Cassis, Vanillin, Fur and smoke notes. Palate: Elegant at times yet retained some of the rough Gruaud notes of smoked berries and tobacco. Herbal Tea, Raspberry, Mint, and Blackberry. Finish: Persistant and long with more tobacco, sweet blackberry and olive tapenade.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1983 Château Talbot 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Best bottle of this yet, and really showed well right from the get go tonight.
  
  Nose: Tobacco, Cigar, Leather and Earth. Palate: Silky feel that is nicely resolved, yet has some weight. Blackberry, Cassis, Tobacco, Bacon and smoke. Finish: Wow. Just persistent with cigar, smoke and berry notes that are so well melded.
  
  This is Gruaud Larose 90 were exceptional examples of what I love about St. Julian.

  Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2008 Corra Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Strikingly large scaled in comparison to the Bordeaux wines consumed earlier in the night. Loaded with Blackberry and a nice characteristic chocolate and mineral note. Few notes, but this is once again excellent. Just a bit out of place.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue