Dinner @ B & A's

Tasted Saturday, January 11, 2014 by SimonG with 378 views

Flight 1 (1 Note)

  • 2003 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée 92 Points

    France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

    Blind. I initially thought this was a BdeB with lovely creamy, warm brioche notes, but after a bit of air it's clear there's some Pinot in here too with a slightly meatier element providing some base line grunt. Ripe and round and smooth. I wouldn't have picked this as obviously 03, though that was my guess when our host suggested it was a product of its vintage. Some spice, quite full and deep but with a very approachable, easy drinking quality. Not quite the depth and finesse and breed of yesterday's 98 Comtes, but a lovely drink nonetheless. ****

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Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 2000 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 88 Points

    France, Alsace

    Blind. Deep colour, classic Alsace Riesling nose with some maturity on it. Guess CFE straight away, but back to the 89. Amazed when revealed as 2000. Seems far older. When typing up the note I can see I had a similarly advanced bottle back in 2008. Coincidence? Mature Vaseline and kerosine notes. Some lime and reasonable minerality. Broad, ripe but retaining its dry frame. Hmm, this is far too advanced. Still, holding on and drinkable but a little embarrassed alongside the fresh and vibrant 97. ***

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  • 1997 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 92 Points

    France, Alsace

    Blind. Far paler colour, lightest straw. Again, classic Alsace Riesling nose. Older than it looks considering the reasonably well developed Vaseline top notes. Fresh and correct and focused on the attack. Good lime and mineral frame around which the Vaseline and kerosine and a degree of textural richness sit well. Trimbach too I think, but having pegged the other of the pair as CFE I wonder whether this is CSH. Lots of class and line here. ****

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Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 1986 Château Lynch-Bages 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Blind. Double decanted about 2 hours ahead. Deep ruby to garnet at the rim. Lovely deep rich claret nose. Some plushness and depth here. I don't get any Graves tobacco or St Julien cedar and it feels very floral and fleshy, so I'm drawn to Palmer - reminds me of the 89. No, and not 89 either. 82? No, gosh, this is rich for 86. Pichon Lalande? Ok, really surprised when this is revealed. Lovely and ready. With further air is does start to show a more classic Pauillac blackcurrant density. Also becomes firmer and drier and more as I'd expect for the vintage. Really lovely though. ****

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  • 1986 Château Gruaud Larose 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Blind. Double decanted about 2 hours in advance. A little less open and expressive for me than the (L Bages) alongside, but that may be the bigger-bowled glass it's in. With time it opens up to a lovely, sweet-fruited mellow and smooth claret, more open and approachable (in fact, ready) than a bottle in late 2009. Elegant and persistent. Very proper. Lovely. ****1/2

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Flight 4 (2 Notes)

  • 1999 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Côte Blonde 95 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Blind. A lot deeper and denser in the glass with more alcohol than the previous claret flight. One sniff and this is gloriously in Cote Rotie. Judging by the slight move to garnet at the rim and the quality of the vintage this is probably 99. Dense black fruit with a floral, beautifully polished top line hinting at violets. Dense, ripe, round, smooth and long. Very plush. Long. Very classy. *****

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  • 1999 Patrick Jasmin Côte-Rôtie 92 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    Blind. Similar style to the (Rostaing) alongside but lighter and with a little less flesh and a bit more acidity. Still very round and smooth and classy, but a lighter style that makes me think of Jasmin. Lots of interest here but it is a little out-muscled. However, plenty of fragrant charm for it to trade on and it's none the worse for that. A lovely wine, but on the night I'm seduced by the extra weight and depth and plushness of the Rostaing. For once, silkiness doesn't quite carry the day. ****

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Flight 5 (1 Note)

Flight 6 (1 Note)

  • NV Rutherglen Estates Muscat 90 Points

    Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen

    Blind. Classic - one sniff at this screams Rutherglen. Does just what one expects, a lovely sweet, figgy, slightly caramel drop that is light enough to keep a sense of freshness with decent balancing acidity to prevent cloying. ***1/2

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