Wines 10 years and older (including a 59 Lafleur)

My friend Michael's wife and kids were out of town, so he sent out the call to come over and drink some wine. He set the theme at ten years or older. Eight of us showed up with 14 bottles. The wines were consumed in pairs, blind. We loosely put the pairs together based on table talk (i.e. bigger, earlier, at the end, etc.) Later there was time to go back and revisit the wines. They were revealed after each flight. It was a very fun evening and the wines showed good and bad and everywhere in between.

A sparkler to start the evening.

• NV Champagne Pierre Legras Champagne Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  Silvery gold in color. The nose is slightly toasty with slight lime/citrus. Nice acidity. Slight orange on the finish. Going back to this at the end of the night, it had really opened up more. My palate was shot by then but it had nice verve and a lot going on.

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And a white that had been lost and forgotten in Michael's cellar

• 1995 Landmark Chardonnay Damaris Reserve Flawed

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  Deep golden in color. The nose is nutty but not sherries. Slight fruit. On the palate, not much of anything really going on. Seems pretty dead. I did not spend much time on it though.

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Some older reds with sediment

• 1999 Viña Almaviva S.A. Almaviva Flawed

  Chile, Maipo Valley, Puente Alto

  Purple, ruby youngish looking. The nose has brett, va and green bell pepper. Not very attractive. On the palate, bitter bell pepper. Plenty of tannins. Not a good wine. I got no initial TCA, but going back to it later in the night, it was obvious. This was corked. Bummer.

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• 1985 Château Sociando-Mallet 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Others seemed to like this more than I. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has dust, slight black cherries and slight celery. On the palate, this is tart acidity with nice black cherry fruit. Slight tannins. Soft texture. Drying on the finish. It did put on a bit of weight before settling in. Not that it fell off, as it did not, but never a wow either. Certainly at peak or slightly past depending on the bottle, but it is 30 years old. Given that, a real treat.

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An non-blind Angelus flight

• 1994 Château Angélus 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  We let this sit for a while in the glass to open up. A nice showing. Not a great vintage, but this seems to be at peak but not past. Purple in color. The nose has cherries, cassis, slight cigar tobacco. On the palate, this is soft yet tannic. Nice black cherry fruit with bit of dried brown tobacco. A very nice complexity here. A real pleasure to drink and it might have seemed even better if not next to the 95.

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• 1995 Château Angélus 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  My WOTN. Purple in color, ruby at the core. Very tight on pouring so we let it sit for a while. Got some more at the end of the night as well. Just a fantastic wine. The nose has dark cherries, cassis, pencil lead, and vanilla. On the palate, this is still quite youthful. Firm tannins. This is 20 years old and seems more like 10. As it opens in the glass, it comes together with layers of dark cherries, black raspberries and earthiness. The tannins are still formidable but there is a lot of fruit there. I would hold these or give them a lot of air.

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A Jadot flight (know only to myself and Michael)

• 2002 Louis Jadot Pinot Noir Bourgogne 82 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

  Ruby in color. The nose has cherries and a slight funk. On the palate, there is some faint cherry juice. This doesn't taste old, just not a lot of stuffing. Pleasant but I would not hold these.

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• 2005 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Couchereaux Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

  Meh. It's ok. For a 2005, it certainly is drinking at or near peak. I would have hoped for a bit more though. Ruby, clear and bright. The nose is about black cherries. Deep enough but simple. On the palate, thinner texture. Cherries and dark cherries. Slight tannins. Nice acidity. Going back later, it had not really changed. Bought on release for $45 locally, this should have given/developed more. A fine enough wine, but....

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Some Cabs by chance

• 1999 Les Forts de Latour 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Drinking quite well now. If you have any, I would guess at peak and they should be opened. A nose of cassis with slight tobacco and cedar. Nice texture. Nice depth and complexity. Good cassis fruit with some chocolate/coffee notes. A slight heat on the finish, but that seemed to go away with air. It was decanted an hour or so prior and put back in the bottle. Still seemed to improve in the glass, so give it a bit of air.

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• 2006 Scherrer Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Scherrer Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  Inky purple. Black cherries, black raspberries, some tobacco and leather. On the palate, lovely juicy texture. Black raspberry fruit. Very young and smooth. Not sure how much better this gets but a long life ahead. Everything you would expect in a Sonoma Cab.

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Some bigger wines

• 2006 Bevan Cellars Syrah Dry Stack Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

  I had this a couple of times back a few years ago. This seemed to have improved significantly since then. Inky purple in color. The nose is great with black raspberries, black pepper, and just a bit of plums. On the palate, this is big and juicy black raspberry fruit. Slight black pepper. Blind, I though Paso or a more warmer weather Syrah. This is delicious. Great showing.

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• 2005 Mollydooker Enchanted Path 91 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  This is still young with everyone to love/hate about it. Blind, Michael guessed Amarone which was not a bad guess. Inky purple in color. The nose is rasiny with kirsch. Nice, full bodied texture. Lots of rasiny black raspberry fruit. That said, there is a certainly deliciousness to this that is quite enjoyable. Obviously some will hate it, but I really enjoyed it. Very ripe but ageing just fine.

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A red to finish

• 2005 Lenotti Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 90 Points

  Italy, Veneto, Valpolicella, Amarone della Valpolicella Classico

  Purple/ruby in color. The nose has a tarry note. Black cherries. On the palate, more plums. Soft. I did not pick up any dried fruit notes. Also lacking the acidity I would expect. What I did get was a very tasty and fruity wine that has life left. More than just easy drinking but it is that. Good fruit. Very nice.

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A last minute addition (not blind)

• 1959 Château Lafleur 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Jeff opened this bottle. It had been purchased in the mid 1980's. He had been hoping to save it for his 60th birthday in a few years but the ullage in this was mid-shoulder and he was worried about it. The cork was mostly disintegrated he said. A real treat if probably a bit past prime. The nose was great. Purple/ruby at the rim, no real browning. It took some time to blow of bottle stink but then presented quite nicely IMO. The nose had some funk also some dried currants and a bit of cherries. On the palate, there is still some cherry fruit left. A bit drying. Very concentrated and complex. Good balance to it. Some slight tannins left. In short, it drank like a 20 or 30 year old Bordeaux from a good vintage. Quite a treat.

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A white

• 2007 Wolfberger Pinot Gris Rangen 90 Points

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  Tommy brought this even though it was a bit "young" so we could have a dessert wine to finish. Nice showing. Deep golden in color. The nose is beautiful with honey and apricots and maybe some grapefruit. Nice texture. Sweet although i saw no label indication (such as VT). A nice complexity. Decent acidity. Nice finish to a fun night.

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Thanks to Michael for hosting and everyone for bringing some great wines, but especially Jeff K who brought the 95 Angelus and 59 Lafleur!