Jason's Birthday Wine Night 2015

"First Growth Standard" Wines, min. $300 on wine-searcher.com, double blind tasting. Who dares to rival Jason's 1996 Mouton Rothschild? Wonderful Italian food ordered from Al Forno's. The 6 wines revealed at the end of the party were (in order of tasting): (1) 2003 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru (by Chia Perq Jon); (2) 2003 Clarendon Hills Astralis Shiraz (by Choong Yew Bong); (3) 2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon (by Hui Suan); (4) 1987 Chateau L'Angelus (by myself); (5) 1996 Chateau Mouton Rothschild (by Jason Soh); and (6) 1997 Gaja Darmagi Langhe (by Derek Leong).

• 2003 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

  The wine feels 7-10 years, elegant on the palate, earthy French nose, floral, medium bodied, still quite youthful, fruity, pencil lead and shavings, some herbs, elegant, acidity quite high, hint of milk chocolate, evidence of oak, blackcurrant, tannins were silky and velvety. Quite dense and perhaps chewy, didn't feel like a pinot noir initially until it started opening up about an hour later.

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

• 2003 Clarendon Hills Astralis 96 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

  Sweet nose of vanilla bean, very dark black colour, licorice note, the nose is mind-blowing - sweet and creamy, not spicy, chewy and dense, milky tannins, like milk chocolate, high tannins yet smooth and velvety, clearly new world style, fruit bomb, black cherries, evidence of toasty oak. High alcohol that was well integrated. Can be overpowering for some. A glamorous wine indeed! Blown away by the nose this time, and was completely different from the last time I tasted it just months ago (in April 2015). A hedonistic wine indeed. I noted that this was only decanted for one hour prior to tasting. My (and my wife's) wine of the night!

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

• 2005 M. Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

  Superbly floral on the nose, highly elegant wine, showing notes of graphite, pencil shavings, sweet blackcurrant, and dark cherries. Slightly dusty, French nose. Hint of earth. On the palate, quite fruity, tannic, and dry, ultra smooth, silky tannins, and a long finish. Still feels youthful and can be cellared long. It was the overall wine of the night, though it ranked 2nd of 6 wines on my list!

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

• 1987 Château Angélus 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Unique dried leafy tobacco nose, ash, graphite, pencil shavings, complex, tertiary nose, like literally licking a pencil lead, herbaceous, elegant, Bordeaux nose, fading red fruits, seems cab franc heavy, clean tasting, medium finish, chewing tobacco on the palate, evidence of oak. Some green capsicum. Not a very ripe year. Quite aged. Overall ranked 6th of 6 wines brought this evening - unfortunately the "unloved" bottle by most in this flight. Drink up, as the fruits are fading / drying up. I contributed this.

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

• 1996 Château Mouton Rothschild 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Quite fruity, also showing notes of pencil lead / graphite, pencil shavings, and some herbs. This is an elegant wine, displaying sweet fruits on the palate, definitely Cabernet dominant, and the acidity is still quite high despite its age. There is a lot of life left in this bottle. It has an obvious Bordeaux nose. Showing a hint of milk chocolate, oak, and blackcurrants on the palate. The tannins were silky and velvety. Not my favourite for the evening, and most of us were surprised that this was the Mouton! I felt that it was quite restrained, even after 2 hours in the decanter. Again, disappointed by a Mouton. Was shocked that I rated it 5th of the 6 wines in this flight.

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

• 1997 Gaja Langhe Darmagi 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Smells better than its tastes, notes of pencil lead and shavings, Bordeaux nose (?), black-inky colour, dense and chewy on the palate, feels youngish like a 7-10 year old wine. Detected a hint of leafiness, milk chocolate, dark cherries, and forest floor on the palate.

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

Overall Rankings: 1st - Le Pavillon, 2nd - Gaja Darmagi, 3rd - Astralis, 4th - Bonnes-Mares, 5th - Mouton, and 6th - Angelus.
My Personal Rankings: 1st - Astralis, 2nd - Le Pavillon, 3rd - Bonnes-Mares, 4th - Gaja Darmagi, 5th - Angelus, 6th - Mouton.

Looks like Bordeaux took a beating today! Shiraz/Syrah led the way for me (and for most of us). We ended off with an excellent 2001 Chateau de Malle from Sauternes, though I think many were suffering from "palate fatigue" and couldn't really appreciate this decadent beauty fully (note: WS: 95/100).