A 40th Birthday Celebration
River North, Chicago IL
Tasted Saturday, December 3, 2016 by Burgundy Al with 759 views
Introduction
A great 40th birthday celebration with plenty of 1976s open to celebrate appropriately. Notes are from memory, written later that night or the next morning. I remember tasting at least 5-10 more wines but don't remember enough about what I tasted.
1976 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
France, Champagne
Small glass, brief note. A great bottle that I particularly enjoyed, despite rarely liking older Champagne. Lemon custard and ripe apple with lots of toasted brioche, and moderate oxidative character. Very rich, powerful and long. A great wine, certainly mid-90s quality level.
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1976 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
France, Champagne
Small glass, brief note. Rich and ripe orchard fruit that might not be fresh, but is still fun. Toasty and reasonably oxidative at this point, but good concentration and enough freshness and energy to keep me entertained. Very enjoyable.
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1976 Domaine Pernot-Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques 86 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Popped and poured, then tasted immediately and again 30 minutes later. Very advanced black fruit hints with leather and animale to start. similar 30 minutes later, but much more earth, less clean or enjoyable. Paired with the Clair-Dau, which excelled.
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1976 Domaine Clair-Daü Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques 95 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Popped and poured, then tasted 3 times over an hour. Black and red cherry, nicely mature with excellent concentration. Roasted meat character with slowly cooked mushrooms. Very elegant and balanced, especially for the vintage. Wow.
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1976 Louis Jadot Meursault
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Small glass, brief note. Dark golden color. Shockingly fresh aromas and flavors for its age, especially given '76 ripeness. Certainly still enjoyable, especially for its level.
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1976 Coron Père et Fils Beaune 1er Cru Cent-Vignes
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru
Small glass, brief note. Past its peak drinking window, the fruit has not quite lasted as long as the structure.
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1976 Morin Pere et fils Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Cailles
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Small glass, brief note. From magnum. Wonderful old Burg aromas with fruit and spice. Slightly backward flavors with slightly more tired flavors. Certainly enjoyable.
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2011 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Red Hills Estate 85 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Small glass, brief note. From 3L. Black and blue fruit comes across moderately ripe with a slightly green note on finish.
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2014 Domaine Perrot-Minot Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru La Combe d'Orveau Cuvée Ultra Vieilles Vignes 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru
Small glass, brief note. Red berry and cherry throughout with subtle floral hints, good savory spice. Very good concentration and length. Slightly backward for now, great potential 2024 forward. Consistent with when tasted at Perrot-Minot this summer.
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2005 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne 94 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Small glass, brief note. Open and decanted an hour+ before tasting. Wonderful and complex cross-section of black and red fruit start-to-finish. Very impressive concentration with an impressive weightlessness. Probably better to cellar a little longer.
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1976 Dr. H Thanisch Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese 92 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Small glass, brief note. Shockingly fresh with very bright fruit, lots of energy. Refreshing and certainly enjoyable.
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2012 Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Blanc 84 Points
France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc
Small glass, brief note. Ripe apple, some lemon on the end. Well balanced and fun for the very near-term, but the ripeness is ever-present.
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1976 Château Ausone 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Small glass, brief note. Ripe black fruit, some liqueur notes. Very good concentration and length. Very good+. Several bottles were opened in the course of the evening, but I think I only tasted this once.
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1976 Château Cheval Blanc 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Small glass, brief note. Ripe black fruit that was very fresh for its age and the vintage. Very dense, balanced and long. My favorite 1976 Bordeaux of the day.
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1976 Château Margaux
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
On death's door.
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1976 Château Palmer 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Small glass, brief note. Ripe fruit, reasonably fresh and vibrant with good spice. Moderate length, good weight. Better than I expected, and better than the last time tasted 5 years ago. Very good.
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1976 Château Haut-Brion
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Small glass, brief note. Fully mature black cherry with lots of earth and mushroom. I found it slightly drying on finish, but others liked this a lot more tonight.
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1976 Château Lafite Rothschild
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small glass, brief note. Mature black fruit, very ripe with cigarbox and cassis hints, plus lots of earth. Some rough edges and tiredness on the finish. Good.
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1976 Château Mouton Rothschild
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small glass, brief note. From magnum. Tasted immediately upon the magnum being opened. I enjoyed this a lot, finding it fresh, powerful and well spiced with earth, cedar and espresso notes. Later in the evening others questioned if it might have been corked.
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1976 Château Latour Grand Vin
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small glass, brief note. Good combination of black fruit, earth, good power. Somewhat firm, not the most elegant vintage of Latour. Good.
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1976 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Small glass, brief note. Ripeness through with cigarbox, mushroom and good spice. I enjoyed this quite a bit, but think there was another bottle opened of lesser quality.
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1976 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 93 Points
USA, California
Small glass, brief note. Lots of black cherry and plum, slightly less earth notes. Great spice. Very good concentration and balance. A great bottle.
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1991 Domaine Leroy Volnay 1er Cru Santenots-Du-Milieu
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru
Small glass, brief note. This bottle had been opened a day (?) earlier, 2/3 consumed, then refrigerated. Lots of fresh fruit with subtle spice and floral hints. Good combination of black and red cherry I really enjoyed. Less typically "Leroy" on the nose than on the palate. Very enjoyable, plus holding up great.
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