Chicago Wine Flock...Magnum Man Opens Great Old Bordeaux

George Trois at Restaurant Michael - Winnetka IL
Tasted Tuesday, July 11, 2017 by Burgundy Al with 352 views

Introduction

Magnum Man and his Magnum Missus opened some glorious magnums of older Cabernet, both from Bordeaux and Napa, with a few other large formats in support. An evening of great wine, camaraderie and food. Superbly well done, Jamie and Linda!

Flight 1 - Blind Champagne to Start (1 Note)

  • 1990 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 94 Points

    France, Champagne

    In magnum. Served blind. Lots of ripe apple with good concentration and weight, then excellent length with minerality. Clearly from a ripe and rich vintage with age (I thought 1989), and clearly showing both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Very powerful and enjoyable, tonight's magnum was much better vs last time tasted one year ago.

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Flight 2 - Double Blind Older Bordeaux (4 Notes)

  • 1949 Château Talbot 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    From magnum. Tasted double blind. Clearly seemed left bank Bordeaux, with mature black plum, cassis and cigarbox aromas. Similar flavors show a little more meaty character. Both black and red cherry flavors, also elegantly mature. Great nose, very good flavors, just less complex, with moderate weight and good+ length. I thought this entire flight was from the 1960s.

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  • 1959 Château Gruaud Larose

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    From magnum. Tasted double blind. Easily seemed the oldest of the flight, I struggled with whether this was from Bordeaux or was an older Cali Cab. Lots of earth and slowly cooked mushrooms with some intriguing dried herbs on nose and palate. Good overall, but the least complex or nuanced of the flight.

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  • 1961 Château Gruaud Larose 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    From magnum. Tasted double blind. Rich and concentrated black fruit aromas with lots of spice. Still nicely fresh, while supported with some forest floor notes. Texturally the most complete and composed of the flight with great length. Group's favorite of the flight, my close #2 behind Talbot 1949.

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  • 1970 Château Gruaud Larose 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    From magnum. Tasted double blind. Black, dense and meaty from start-to-finish. Most firm finish of the flight. Also seemed very left bank Bordeaux, and I thought the entire flight was from the 1960s.

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Flight 3 - Whites with Fish (2 Notes)

Flight 4 - More Double Blind Cabernet with Meat (2 Notes)

  • 1980 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

    From magnum. Tasted double blind. Backward and very powerful black fruit with roasted meat and lots and lots of tannins. Dark and brooding with excellent concentration and length, while just hinting at its full potential.

    The entire group enjoyed this wine but struggled with New vs Old World and even Cabernet vs Syrah. I thought 1989 Bordeaux at first. I then thought Dunn Howell when told it was New World, but thought it a decade younger than its true vintage.

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  • 1980 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Grace Family Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    From magnum. Tasted double blind. Easily seemed like ripe vintage Bordeaux, I was thinking 1990. Black cherry and currant aromas with evident liqueur hints. Both black and red cherry flavors with sweet spice start-to-finish. Great balance, structure. and length. Wow, what a treat!

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Flight 5 - Something Sweet to Finish (1 Note)

  • 1997 Dolce Winery Late Harvest 90 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    From magnum. Served double blind. Apricot with some nutty notes with what seemed like a faint hint of background botrytis. I thought this was Sauternes from a less complex vintage in the 80s.

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