HDH auction tasting at Tru

Chicago, IL
Tasted Thursday, September 14, 2017 - Saturday, September 16, 2017 by acyso with 581 views

Introduction

The last HDH auction at Tru; an era comes to a close.

Flight 1 - Thursday (8 Notes)

  • NV Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Cuvée de Réserve 88 Points

    France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

    (9/14/2017)

    Crisp, clean, and chalky. The nose has a bit of Rainier cherry, apricots, and a touch of biscuit. The palate is crisp, with a nice hit of acidity and minerality. There's a light bit of chalk on the finish. Driven by fruit, this is a pleasant, if not too complicated champagne.

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  • 1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Flawed

    France, Champagne

    (9/14/2017)

    That touch of wet cardboard killed it. Which is a shame because this was actually pretty good.

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  • 2015 Domaine Leflaive Rully 1er Cru Blanc 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Rully 1er Cru

    (9/14/2017)

    This is actually quite nice; it's a bit of a return to that older Leflaive style with a really nice hit of reduction to start. The palate is fairly full-bodied, and there's a nice dose of fruit here. A bit simple and obviously young at the moment. Slight bitterness on the finish detracts from an otherwise deliciously young white Burgundy.

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  • 1995 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 90 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    (9/14/2017)

    #2328 of 18494. A nose that shows a slight bit of soy and drying fruit, but there is some really nice elements here. The palate is still fairly chewy with a good amount of tannin. The acidity is a little tart, and the red fruit evokes cranberries. It's not quite integrated yet, and with the seemingly fading fruit, I am not sure if everything will resolve in this wine at the same time. As psmith remarked, this is a bit autumnal. It's a fairly apt descriptor.

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  • 2013 Remoissenet Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Poissenot 85 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

    (9/14/2017)

    Pretty much as I remember it, this is really dark and polished. As far as Burgundy goes, I don't think this is too typical. A bit acidic and shrill right now, and a massive amount of oak. As with last time, I'm more interested to see where this goes with time than drinking this right now.

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  • 2015 Willi Schaefer Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 95 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    (9/14/2017)

    Really incredible stuff. Honeyed and sweet on the nose, with a lot of sweet white fruit on the nose. This has a lovely density on the palate that is just so damn convincing. Bright white fruit that is just the hallmark of the vintage. Dense, sweet, and honeyed. So good. This doesn't have the huge minerality that the Graach wines tend to have; perhaps the vines aren't old enough yet?

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  • 2006 Domaine Dominique Mugneret Romanée St. Vivant 85 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Romanée St. Vivant Grand Cru

    (9/14/2017)

    The nose on this shows a little bit of stinkiness that I'm not too keen about. Beside that is a very dark and potent wine, with lots and lots of black fruit. The palate is heavy, with too many oak influences leading to some really bitter tannin. Perhaps this could use some air or time to integrate, but it's just not showing its stuff right now.

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  • 2005 Dönnhoff Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spätlese 93 Points

    Germany, Nahe

    (9/14/2017)

    #06-06, 8.5% abv. A fairly classic Donnhoff nose, with some fresh green herbs, light white fruits, and a touch of honeyed sweetness. The palate is quite ripe, with a touch of creaminess, though there is plenty of good acidity to cut it. Some kaffir lime, red apples, and stone fruit; this is fresh and racy but without too much bracing acidity.

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Flight 2 - Friday (8 Notes)

  • 1998 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 95 Points

    Germany, Nahe

    (9/15/2017)

    #19-99, 8.5% abv. From half-bottle. This is absolutely phenomenal Auslese, which makes me even sadder for the dead bottle I opened a few weeks ago. The nose shows a bit of a crispness that you find in the ice wines. Tons of sweet stone fruit on the nose, and you can almost smell the acidic drive as well. The palate is of a baby Eiswein. Knee-buckling acidity that is balanced against incredible sweetness and fruit. So thick and ripe, but remarkably precise at the same time.

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  • 2002 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot 95 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

    (9/15/2017)

    A benchmark. This is the sort of wine I think of when I think of Burgundy. If someone asked me to describe what a great Burgundy ought to taste like, I'd just open one of these. The nose on this has a beautiful balance of florals and crisp red fruit, as well as a modicum of earth and iron. This doesn't have any animale or too much decaying matter -- this is linear, crisp, and clear. The fruit on the palate is also fairly crunchy, and the ripeness plays well with the larger structure here. Brilliant freshness, without any of the flabbiness of the vintage.

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  • 2014 Trimbach Riesling Alsace Grand Cru Schlossberg 93 Points

    France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

    (9/15/2017)

    A slightly high-toned nose, with notes of white peach, lemon grass, and other exotica. The palate is refreshing, crisp, concentrated, with tons of riesling flavours, as well as a crispness that I didn't expect to find in an Alsatian wine. Dry, but sufficiently fruity that this doesn't feel that way. Maybe I'm coming around to dry riesling -- this is yet another wine that I find wholly convincing. (Full disclosure: I am a massive sucker for CSH.)

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  • 2003 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses 93 Points

    France, Champagne

    (9/15/2017)

    Disgorged August 2012. Served blind with regards to vintage, but I guessed the vintage correctly. This does show a slight bit of roastedness that gave it away to me, but it added interest rather than detracted from anything. There's really nice bracing acidity and power here. A very convincing champagne from a questionable vintage. This handily tops the DP and Krug this vintage.

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  • 2015 Maison Leroy Bourgogne 88 Points

    France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

    (9/15/2017)

    Candied tropical red fruit. Simplistic and crunchy, with some of that new wine smell and taste. Quite fleshy, but slightly ruined by the bitter tannins on the finish.

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  • 2008 Domaine Dublère Corton-Charlemagne 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

    (9/15/2017)

    Served double-blind, but from a Burgundy enthusiast. Huge amount of reduction on the nose. A fair touch of ripeness here, with some sweeter white fruit on the palate. Easily called this as white Burgundy, and I was thinking this was the 2012 Bonneau de Martray.

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  • 1966 Domaine Pierre Gelin Chambertin-Clos de Bèze 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru

    (9/15/2017)

    This is about as autumnal as wine gets: "Vermont compost heap." Fully mature, with some cooked mushroom and meat notes. The palate has a distinct hawthorn taste, as well as some lovely earthy elements and a fair bit of acidity.

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  • 2007 Lucien Le Moine Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 88 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru

    (9/15/2017)

    A lovely nose with crispy red fruit that really exemplifies the brightness and lightness of the vintage. The palate is quite fresh, but shows a little bit of oak influence, and there's an odd acidity at the end that reminds me of the American oak in traditional Rioja. The tannins are quite taut as well; it's not the best for drinking now; we'll see with time if this integrates.

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