Work Wine Tasting - Chablis & Claret

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Tasted Thursday, March 16, 2017 by SimonG with 338 views

Introduction

A look at Chablis terroir using 2008s, and Bordeaux commune character with some 2000s interspersed with non-Bordeaux cabernet sauvignons of similar age.

Flight 1 (1 Note)

Flight 2 (6 Notes)

The striking thing about the Chablis flight was how one could pick out differences between the vineyards, and how similar the M de Tonnerre from two different producers were to each other — far more similar than any of the Chablisienne premiers to each other. Obviously relatively subtle differences between wines but they all showed as one would have expected on paper, with a marked progression in intensity/grip moving up the ladder.

Flight 3 (10 Notes)

A few quirks, but again the wines performed pretty much as one would expect based on the stereotypes of communal character. I don't know whether this was luck, or whether the wines chosen are reliably typical of their commune, but it worked well. With the exception of the nuanced and complex Vergelegen, and the slightly atypical Farnito, the ringers stood out as relatively one-dimensional, the Penfolds and Mondavi being obvious examples of wines that were true to stereotype.

  • 1997 Carpineto Cabernet Sauvignon Farnito Toscana IGT 89 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

    Mid to full garnet. Fragrant nose, quite plummy. This is relatively evolved, and has moved on from when last tasted six years ago. A freshness and acidity that signals Italy even though the fruit is a little ripe and evolved. Smooth and balanced though, this is probably just starting to ease of its plateau and should probably be drunk up now. ***

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  • 2000 Château Maucaillou 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc

    Deep garnet. An attractive nose of blackcurrant leaf, graphite and cedar with a slightly minerally edge. Similar on the palate. This has interest and freshness with a nice line. A slightly gravelly edge to it. Good. ***

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  • 2000 Château Larmande 87 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Dark and quite brooding. A slightly dusty, dark red fruit with a little graphite. Surprisingly full and quite dense on the palate. A chewy dryness here. This is far more foursquare and burly than I'd anticipated. Some plummy fruit but it quite well disguised.***

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  • 2000 Château d'Aiguilhe 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

    This has been consistently good over the past few years. Nicely rich with soft mulberry and damson fruit. Reasonable mid-palate depth and a decent finish. Easy to drink but reasonable complexity too with some cedar and wet earth notes. Lovely. ***1/2

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  • 1998 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 407 88 Points

    Australia, South Australia

    Mid to full ruby. Classic blackcurrant and blackcurrant leaf nose. Similar on palate with a touch of mint. Ripe and rounded, somewhat one dimensional in the company but does exactly what is says on the label. ***

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  • 2000 Vergelegen Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

    Fully dense ruby. Nicely savoury blackcurrant leaf nose. Quite minerally and refined. Shows well in the company, in binary terms, Bordeaux rather than new world. Again, six years on from last tasting and this has evolved nicely. Still plenty of line but with a nice secondary development and minerally complexity around the core of nuanced fruit. Super. ****

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  • 2000 Château Durfort-Vivens 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Curious one this. Nose constantly changing, from bright violet-scented, to coconut, to stewed porty fruit. Smooth and quite nuanced on the attack. Fruit does seem a little over-ripe on the mid palate though. Finishes well, and there's certainly some complexity. Benefit of the doubt ****

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  • 2000 Château Gloria 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Some cedary complexity to the dark red fruit on the nose. Quite powerful on the attack, plenty of grip, blackcurrant and raspberry fruit with a cigar box tobacco and cedar complexity. Lovely. Really quite full though, verging on being a bit of a bruiser at this stage. Reasonably long. Just about ****

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  • 2000 Château Lynch-Moussas 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Deep ruby. Classic blackcurrant and blackcurrant leaf nose. A touch of graphite. Mid weight with good blackcurrant fruit. Some developmental complexity. Good typicity. ***

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  • 1999 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 86 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    After a run of 2000 Bordeaux, this stood out a little at the end of the tasting with it's more obvious alcohol. Blackcurrant fruit a little stewed and porty, the whole package a little diffuse. OK but probably a little past it, and a little simple in the company. bare ***

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