Monthly Wine Group: Bordeaux 2005 and Older

We had a nice group of seventeen at two tables for an evening of Bordeaux with a reasonable bit of age.

• NV R. & L. Legras Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut 90 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Light gold color. From the latest batch I suspect. Probably disgorged mid 2016. Apple, apple skin, some chalk on the palate. A very solid and enjoyable BdB. 90+pts.

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• NV Domaine de la Voute des Crozes Effervescence 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais

  Small pour. Pale gold color. I found this pretty interesting. I like the stark minerality and ans white fruits and subtle flowers/ Very mineral driven. I look forward to tasting this with a little more time to explore.

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• NV Pannier Champagne Brut Sélection 89 Points

  France, Champagne

  Small pour. This was pretty fresh, apple, yeast, good depth and nice acid and balanced. Medium bodied, I like it, very solid. 89+pts.

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• 2002 Weingut Prinz Hallgartener Jungfer Riesling Spätlese 89 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Small pour that got lost in the shuffle a bit as the food showed up and the reds came fast and furious. I did step back and try to take a bit of notice though. Ripe orchard fruits, peach, a touch of mineral and hints of fusil. Modest and good.

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• 2003 Château Léoville Poyferré 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Very dark red color. Decanted for 5 & 1/2 hours, drank 1 glass over an hour plus. This was showing ripeness with sappy dark red fruits, cassis, sweet graphite, floral notes and really fine grained tannins on a medium plus frame. Absolutely stellar and a bottle to watch down the road. 93+pts.

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• 2000 Château Sociando-Mallet 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Very dark red color. PNP, as a back up to the '03 Giscours; drank a small glass over an hour plus. Most distinctively on the nose, and palate, is a strong green pepper note wrapped around some cherry, youthful wood and wood spice with hints of tobacco on the back end. Solid, would likely have been better with more air had there been an opportunity. As with most SM, they benefit from more aging yet.

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• 2009 Louise Brison Champagne Brut Millésimé 88 Points

  France, Champagne

  No notes. Small pour. Pretty good, citrus, crisp, and a good value.

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• 2004 Château Haut-Bailly 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Very dark purple red color. Small pour over 90 minutes. Dense and deep, full bodied, dark fruits, tar, blackberry, round prominent tannins. Still rather youthful, not a light '04 by any means. This will reward some additional cellaring.

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• 1996 Château Cos d'Estournel 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Very dark red/purple color. Slow-O for 3 hours, then decanted for 2 hours. Drank 1+ glass over 2 hours plus. Pretty much everything I want in my Bordeaux. Great nose with leather, florals, pencil lead, cassis, red berries, and suggestions of cigar. The palate has depth and energy with a lithe lightness and suave sophistication. Leather, pencil, floral, cassis, deep, and medium plus bodied with fine tannins and a very persistent finish. Loved it, my WOTN. This is in a wonderful spot with several decades of life ahead. This is certainly a wine that could show spectacularly at 40 to 50 years when well stored - i hope to have that opportunity. 95(+)pts.

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• 1955 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Medium dark bricked red color with a 15mm transition. Intact, but certainly showing well past prime for this bottle. Some interesting aspects on the nose with reed fruits and metals. The palate shows darker sour cherry, fruits, balsamic, Captain Crunch, and still has some tannins hanging on.

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• 1961 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Medium dark red color with a 1cm more subtle transitional margin. Drank 1 glass over 2 hours. This was a stark reminder of bottle variation, especially given this was from the exact same source and provenance as the last bottle we had which was spectacular. This bottle had life, but really was clinging on life support. There was fading sour cherry, dried cherry, some wood holding on, minerals, and soft tannins. While this was appreciated for its tenacity, it just wasn't anywhere near the splendid bottle we had the pleasure of recently. Still, it is ALWAYS a treat to experience these old bottles - especially in a birth year - which always generates a little more love. Thank you to Jason and Tracy for sharing these treasures. 87+pts.

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• 2001 Château Certan de May 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  This came towards the end, and I only took a small pour, but I was totally impressed. A baby version of the '94 with more intensity and youthful exuberance while still being quite tasty. Spices, black cherry, graphite with round approachable tannins and good length.

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• 2000 Château Moulin Saint-Georges 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Drank a small pour over an hour. Nice, cherries, medium body, elegant, spiced, much better than the previous bottle. 90+pts.

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• 2010 Moreau-Naudet & Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  I really only took a small pour of this just to check in, but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think the depth and intensity is impressive with great saline minerality and excellent cut. Citrus fruits that show some bite and a really give resonance on the palate. long and enveloping. 92+ at the least.

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• 1994 Château Certan de May 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Very dark red/purple color. Small pour, this had gotten some air beforehand, followed over an hour. Rather attractive nose with darker fruits of berries, some sense of florals and earth, but nowhere near the best bottles which were simply fantastic. Plenty of dark red and black fruits, earth with a touch of funk, a sense of the Cab Franc coming through, moderate tannins with a bit of grittiness. 91+pts.

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• 1996 Château Léoville Barton 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Very dark red/purple color. I really only got a small pour of this, but it was everything I've come to expect from and LB and this vintage in particular. This is sleek, balanced and elegant, offering such balance and distinction with a soft red fruited almost feminine character. Ripe red fruits, sweet, and lifted. I'll drink these all day long.

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• 2003 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Very dark/purple red color. Decanted for 3 hours. Drank a small pour over 45 minutes. Good to have a chance to revisit this wine. A little more ripeness than some of the'03's showed tonight with a touch heat; but on the whole it had classic PL character with black fruits, scorched earth, blackberry, earthy, and tobacco infused wood notes.The tannins have mellowed and this is drinking well.

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• 1995 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Small pour. Wow, this was singing - and I loved dit. This might have been the best showing for this to date. Really a wonderful nose with gorgeous potpourri, dried berry fruits, leather, red fruits, very pretty, fine tobacco leaf, quite long and focused. Fantastic. REally glad I've got a few of these -0 they'll drink great now or hold for 10-15 years easily. 93+pts.

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• 1995 Château Léoville Poyferré 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Small pour over 30 minutes. Unsure of any air here. Very good, but showing the rusticity that sometimes comes through on '95. The fruit is there, but a bit more edginess to the tannins, palate and the wood as well.

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• 2001 Château Doisy-Védrines 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Well, its been 4 & 1/2 years since having this...that sure helped a ton. Really fun and lively, nice texture, rich with honey, vanilla, round, sweet ripe fruits, peach, orange, spice, florals, very tasty and quite good length. Very tasty. 92+ to 93pts.

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• 1995 Château Gazin Pomerol 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Consistent with previous note. Very good and in a good spot now.

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• 2003 Château Pavie Decesse 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Very dark purple /red color. Drank a small pour over 20 minutes. Very concentrated, deep, ripe blackberry fruits, deep stained berries, tar, earth, and firm round tannins. Very modern and in the vintage it seems even more so with a very liqueur infused style.

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