Bucket List Tasting 2.0

After missing Bucket List 1.0, it was a pleasure to meet fellow forumites for Bucket List 2.0. The theme of this bucket list tasting (not to be confused with a Giamatti-esque dump bucket tasting, which can also be enjoyable in the right setting, with the right people) was to bring a classic, benchmark California red wine, not merely the cult wine of the week, but something with some history. The wines were extraordinary. The plethora of high point scores tonight may be due to the great generosity of the attendees, and to the fact that so many of these wines were right in my proverbial wheelhouse: classic, mature red wines made in a balanced, traditional style. Tonight's ratings are non-blind. I add bonus points for the subjective experience of tasting such rare, old, historically significant wines. Blind scores might be a bit lower, but not much. This caveat is repeated in each applicable tasting note, for those not reading this preface.

We enjoyed the private room at Sbicca in Del Mar. Food, service, and ambiance were excellent. Rankings are by group vote; point scores are my own, and may therefore not match the rankings.

• 1995 Louise Brison Champagne Brut Millésimé 95 Points

  France, Champagne

  Clear light straw color with lazy stream of ultra-fine bubbles. Fabulous bouquet of citrus, quince, almond biscuit, fresh chamomile, ginger and chalk. Pure, precise, with mouth-watering acidity. Superb. My colleagues preferred the 1996 to the 1995 by a vote of 7-2. I was in the minority. 60% pinot noir, 40% chardonnay.

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• 1996 Louise Brison Champagne Brut Millésimé 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Clear straw color with slow, fine bead. Slightly fizzier than the 1995, and perhaps not as expressive. Could this still be improving? Beautiful bouquet of white grapefruit pith, quince, light gingerbread, with hints of alfalfa, sherry, butterscotch, and limestone. I prefer the 1995 by a tad, but my colleagues prefer this wine by a vote of 7-2. 60% pinot noir, 40% chardonnay.

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• 1983 Calera Pinot Noir Jensen Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Mount Harlan

  Hazy medium brick-ruby red color. Not decanted. Initial bouquet of chicken coop, musk, animal fur, mixed red fruit preserves, Asian spices, river clay. An evolved, tertiary bouquet, and also traditional Burgundian in style as we all agreed. Medium body, seamless, balanced, mellow and generous. This wine freshened and improved with air, with the bretty notes receding to the background and the fruit elements moving to the forefront. Group's FIRST PLACE tonight. My colleagues would undoubtedly rate it higher than I did. Thanks DrunkMath and welcome to the group!

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• 1987 Calera Pinot Noir Jensen Vineyard 95 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Mount Harlan

  Not decanted. Clear deep garnet-ruby red. Amazingly youthful in appearance, aroma and flavor. Exuberant, fresh red fruit with notes of menthol, Peppermint Patty, hints of musk, sassafras, and sandalwood. Rich, generous, medium-full body, balanced, delicious. Label indicates "San Benito County."

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• 1964 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve 96 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Pristine condition with mid-neck fill. Not decanted. Cloudy brick-blood red color. Bouquet of bright fresh tart red currants, forest floor, tobacco, earthy mushrooms, toffee, hints of English saddle leather. ShaneT noted "old baseball mitt" and others noted "old leather-bound book" and "brown sugar." Similar on the palate, mellow, balanced, complex, ethereal. An amazing experience. Rated non-blind; a few bonus points added for the subjective experience of tasting such an old, rare, historically important wine. Only the visual appearance prevented a perfect score.

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• 1995 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve 97 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Decanted 1 hour. Clear deep dark youthful garnet color. Soaring aromatics of bright fresh cherries, blackberries, raspberries and their liqueurs, cloves, mocha, forest floor, nutmeg. Full body, balanced, seamless, long finish. Stunning as usual. My #1 tonight.

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• 1991 Ridge Monte Bello 95 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Decanted 1 hour, but continued improving in the glass. Inky deep garnet color. Glorious bouquet of mixed black and red fruit, pen ink, cocoa, eucalyptus, forest floor, baking spices. Similar on the palate, rich, generous, balanced, seamless, full body, magnificent tannic and acidic structure, long finish. Better with extended aeration, still improving after two hours. Amazingly youthful. ShaneT called it "immortal." Group's THIRD PLACE tonight. Thanks SD-Wineaux!

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• 1987 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Decanted 1 hour. Clear dark garnet-blood red color. Initial bouquet of beef blood, green tobacco, mud flats, baked red cherries and rhubarb. Improved with air, showing classic notes of forest floor and cigar humidor. Full body, elegant, balanced. Excellent bottle, if not the wow wine others have exclaimed.

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• 1947 El Gavilan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Casa de Sonoma 96 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

  Purchased at auction in 2015. Original label reads "bottled in 1947" so this was presumably harvested in 1946 or 1945. Secondary label reads "From personal cellar of August Sebastiani, recorked in May 1982." Base neck fill. Not decanted. Hazy mahogany-blood-brick red color. Sublime bouquet of red currants, cashews, maple-candied walnuts, and a suggestion of walking into a wood-paneled library full of old leather-bound books. JulieD noted "maple syrup finish," Racer117 noted "maple-smoked bacon," and DrunkMath mentioned "chocolate milk." Similar on the palate, ultra smooth and mellow, complex, balanced. Certainly showing some maderization, and becoming more so in the glass, but amazing nonetheless. In better shape than most 69 year old humans. My #3 tonight. Rated non-blind, with a few bonus points added for the subjective experience of tasting such an old, rare, historically significant wine.

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• 1984 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Lake 97 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain

  Decanted 1 hour. Clear deep garnet-blood red color. Fabulous bouquet of red cherries, currants, creme de cassis, spicy oak, bourbon vanilla, baking spices. Similar on the palate, full body, balanced, seamless, magnificent structure, polished and refined but also fresh and vigorous. My #2 and group's SECOND PLACE. Thanks ShaneT!

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• 1992 Dunn Vineyards Petite Sirah Howell Mountain 96 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Decanted 2 hours. Clear deep dark garnet, with heavy sediment remaining in bottle. Intense jammy black fruit, black pepper, cloves, cocoa, bourbon vanilla, forest floor. Similar on the palate, rich, generous, full body, long finish. The bold jamminess of a zinfandel, the tannic structure of a cabernet, and the spiciness of a syrah, all in one bottle. Stunningly beautiful wine. 13.6% alcohol.

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Thanks to JulieD and Racer117 for bringing a pair of superb champagnes to kick off the otherwise all-red evening. Thanks to ShaneT and Racer117 for organizing this stellar event, and thanks to all who attended for their generosity and friendship.