Sparkling at 70
Ekatahuna, New Zealand
Tasted Saturday, November 19, 2016 by Marc with 381 views
Introduction
Two Spoons
Daikon with Chicken Sauce
Scallops with Citrus
Gurnard with Hazelnut Sauce
Eggplant and Potato Cannelloni
Mushroom and Pomegranate
Braised Lamb Pie
Venison Steak with Sea Urchin and Wasabi Butter
Lemon Parfait and Raspberries
Strawberry Shortcake
1990 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 85 Points
France, Champagne
Clearly aged, with a deep gold hue, with hints of browning. Clearly a chardonnay wine. This aged appearance is confirmed on the palate - the vibrancy of the effervescence is much reduced and the (full and complex) flavours of the wine betray the age of the wine. The wine needs more cut from the balance and comes across as slightly unfocused. It certainly has a certain richness in the palate which is outstanding in character. This has been outstanding in the past (although never at the highest levels that other vintages can possess). This example came from a very cold temperature controlled cellar. This was better 3 years ago,but perhaps an unrepresentative bottle.
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1990 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 94 Points
France, Champagne
Tasted directly after a Salon 1990, this was clearly the finer and more profound wine. Displaying fully mature aromas and flavours, but also a very healthy hue, with a reasonably vibrant hue - this wine has beautiful balance and structure. Multi-layered, very biscuity and intensely flavoured. Very fine luxury cuvee drinking at a peak of late maturity.
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1952 Jean Bourdy Côtes du Jura Rouge 90 Points
France, Jura, Côtes du Jura
Perfect light mature hue. Very much like a 20 year old Pommard on the nose. In the mouth, the sense of an almost Pinot balance is confirmed, but with a surprisingly tannic structure. This wine tastes and looks like a light 20 year old red wine, in perfect condition. Very clean, very complex, and a stunning food wine. This held up in the glass very well.
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1997 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Rangen de Thann Clos St. Urbain 92 Points
France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Rich and intense with a modicum of residual sugar. A touch of botrytis on the nose and palate add to an ostentatious and fine bottle of Riesling. Opulent fruit with considerable minerality. The opulence is emphasised by the lower acid nature of the wine. The thick texture of the wine was a special feature. Certainly fully mature and a beautiful drink.
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2000 Etienne Sauzet Bâtard-Montrachet 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Drinking beautiful without a trace of oxidation. An opulent example of the wine with plenty of butterscotch and mealy complexity. Broad palate and very approachable. Opened beautifully in the glass and very classy. Excellent food wine. Most impressive.
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2000 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Bâtard-Montrachet 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Drunk next to the Sauzet 2000, this came across as less developed, more intense and extremely mineral and focused in personality. Less opulent and overtly ripe than the Sauzet, this wine is equally fine, but certainly in need of another 5 - 10 years, with bottles in this condition. This will always have an intense focus and will impress on its structure and linear nature. 92+
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1995 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Hengst 90 Points
France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Outstanding and focused Gewurtztraminer - the opulence, spice and slight residual sugar is fully balanced by the beautifully judged structure of the wine. Ageing beautifully with classic lychee and bacon fat note, but with an extra dimension of complexity from the intensity of the fruit and the 21 years of ageing.
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1998 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru
Spectacular and profound nose of iron ore, earth, truffle and intense red and blue fruits. In the mouth, this intensity is confirmed in a granite-like, massively structural wine, that is crying our for 15 - 20 additional years of ageing. This wine will age effortlessly, but will always be a linear, structural wine. Great burgundy in a cerebral and firm style. A iron fist in a granite glove. For the style, 92+++ But one could say that it is currently underperforming, for its pedigree and price level.
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1996 Château Léoville Las Cases 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Second time drunk this year - this time from a colder cellar than the previous bottle. Still very young and primary. This bottle was very much informed by its oak regime. Classic cigar box, vanilla and perfect blackcurrants. It was approachable, but this bottle had not begun to develop more tertiary qualities. Absolutely outstanding, but in need of time, before its full potential is to be realised. 92+ for this bottle - but its last outing suggests where the wine will go
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1997 Spring Mountain Vineyard Reserve 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
Drunk next to the 1996 Leoville Las Cases, this wine was playing in a similar league, albeit with a style that did not really speak of Bordeaux. Very (old-school) Napa on the nose, with a touch of herbaceousness which suggested that the bordeaux had picked the riper fruit. In the mouth, broad and wonderfully balanced. Excellent grip, beautiful cassis fruit and a long and complex finish. Very fine new-world cabernet dominant wine. Showed mountain fruit character, which added to the appeal.
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1995 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Château d'Ampuis 90 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
Intriguing nose of bush honey, alongside very clean Syrah fruit. Notes of smoke and bacon fat add considerable interest. Feels fully mature tonight, with a suave texture and lovely balance. The oak did not intrude in any way. Ultimately, I was a little disappointed....
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1999 Tardieu-Laurent Côte-Rôtie 91 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie
More intense and sturdy that the 1995 Guigal Ampuis, tasted at the same time - this showed a darker expression of syrah fruit. Fine balance and in early to mid maturity.
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1999 Château d'Yquem 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Drunk from a half bottle, this is opulent, with beautiful toffee apple character, alongside buttery oak and a suave, long and modulated finish. Still in a simplistic stage - not an overly complex of Yquem.
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