Paris - Stockholm - Umeå - Tokyo in 6 days

World
Tasted Tuesday, November 26, 2019 - Sunday, December 1, 2019 by StefanAkiko with 321 views

Introduction

When you're on a tight travelling-and-meetings schedule, it's nice to relax for a bit and enjoy a tasting or three :-)
All wines tasted blind.

Flight 1 - Cheese dinner w daughter in Paris (2 Notes)

Spent the day in Paris trying to find a mature Muscadet de S&M and this was the closest I got that wasn't bottled in a magnum.

A selection of fine cheeses, cold cuts and bread. *yumm*

  • 2013 Domaine de Belle Vue Muscadet Gaia 90 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet

    (11/27/2019)

    A maturing Muscadet, still not quite there.
    On the richer and less acidic side for the genre.
    But a very delicious and supple drink with selected cheese and bread.
    Lovely!

    In Paris.

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  • 2012 Domaine Gauby Côtes du Roussillon Villages Vieilles Vignes 93 Points

    France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon Villages

    (11/26/2019)

    Deep aromas of dark berries, a whiff of garrigue some peppery notes and very young.

    A dark juice that stained my teeth. Concentrated and ultra-delicious. Balance is slightly off and length will hopefully increase with age. Should be kept for at least 10 more years.

    In Paris.

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Flight 2 - Bubblies in Stockholm (blind) (3 Notes)

Champagne really isn't my cup of tea. However, the Vilmart was enjoyable.

Flight 3 - Whites in Stockholm (blind) (4 Notes)

The Puligny-Montrachet rocked!
My wine (the Chablis PC - fresh from Charles de Gaulle Airport Tax-Free) sucked.

  • 2017 Lackner-Tinnacher Sauvignon Blanc Flamberg 80 Points

    Austria, Styria, Südsteiermark

    (11/27/2019)

    A rather simple SB that would do great as a drink mixer.

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  • 2018 Jean Luc et Paul Aegerter Chablis 1er Cru 70 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

    (11/27/2019)

    This is a terribly, terribly, terribly poor Chablis. And a joke as a PC. Rounded and rich, nothing in the way of flintstone, minerality and elegance. Even the acids were wrong.
    Like a seriously plump ballerina.
    (My wine, over-priced, oh-la-la, straight from tax-free at CDG.)

    As Greta would put it: "HOW DARE YOU ! ! !"

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  • 2015 Domaine Marc Morey & Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

    (11/27/2019)

    Beautifully oaked, managed and carried out.
    Elegant and stately.
    My guess was a better Rioja from the mid 1990'ies.
    THAT's a high-score in my score-book :-)
    Absolutely sublime pleasures.
    Best white of the flight.
    One of this year's best whites for me!
    Would love to enjoy it again at age 15 and 25.

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  • 2017 Raul Pérez Rías Baixas Sketch 85 Points

    Spain, Galicia, Rías Baixas

    (11/27/2019)

    To neutral and faceless for me to care. Had more fun enjoying the wonderful people at the tasting.
    However, it is balanced and well made so it could, possibly, become interesting with some age.

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Flight 4 - Red flight #1 in Stockholm (blind) (4 Notes)

Three amazing wines + my CdP that was like a fruitf**ker bomb. Quality like a bag-in-box. My mega-sucking wine in this flight also fresh from Charles de Gaulle Airport Tax-Free.
My personal favourite was the Barolo with some mature notes.
Best wine was voted: La Tour Haut-Brion (my vote as well).

  • 1967 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva 99 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    (11/27/2019)

    Difficult to put a score on such sheer perfection. Early maturity plateau with a plethora of wondrous aromas towards autumnal leaves and acidity to cut through any tomato-based food.
    My guess was clear: Barolo from the 60'ies or 70'ies. Could have been a Barbaresco - impossible for me to tell.
    "Sometimes we also drink them young".

    I was graced with fantastic luck as one of the tasters pointed out that he was only interested in learning what this was so that he'd know what to avoid for the rest of his life. I got his ambrosia! Lucky me!

    If you have this, absolutely no need to hurry. It's still only little over a teenager.

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  • 2003 Château La Tour Haut-Brion 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (11/27/2019)

    Best wine of the flight.
    My guess: a mid-90'ies St Emilion.
    Super performing for what it should be. (That's what I love about blind tastings!)
    Could not possibly guess 2003 as this was such a balanced and well-built wine. A lean athlete. Nothing plump at all.
    Will live long!

    As far as BDX goes, this is reasonable QPR.

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  • 2017 Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 85 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (11/27/2019)

    (Picked it up on CDG on my way to the wine-tasting.)
    Compared to the wines of some age, this came across as a stunningly jammy, over-the-top, cheap, bag-in-box wine...
    It had some of the good things that CdP can serve, but with THAT amount of brambles...
    I can only hope that it transforms beautifully as it matures.

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  • 2000 Bodegas y Viñedos Alión Ribera del Duero

    Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

    (11/27/2019)

    This one disappeared from my notes ?!?
    Should have been a wine that I'd be very happy with.

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Flight 5 - Red flight #2 in Stockholm (blind) (5 Notes)

What a wonderful flight! Utter, utter pleasures!
The Opus One was a clear favourite and winner.

The Climens was a rather welcome guest.

  • 1987 Opus One 97 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (11/27/2019)

    Voted best wine of the flight.
    Like a perfect early maturity Bdx from the West shores, and that was also my guess. Lean, elegant, long and complex with that Bdx earth and other typicalities to die for.
    This btl was emptied in a jiffy :-)

    Would happily enjoy again as it pushes on towards 40 and 50 years old.

    Amazing bottle!

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  • 1977 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Etiqueta Blanca 95 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    (11/27/2019)

    This one sent shivers of pleasures down my spine.
    Will probably be just as beautiful 20 years on.

    If you enjoy mature wines, this is a stunner!

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  • 2012 K Vintners Syrah Cattle King Upland Vineyard

    USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley Snipes Mountain

    (11/27/2019)

    This one didn't do anything for me as it was far too young and too much of a fruitfu**er to be interesting. The flight also had other wines commanding my attention.

    To me, this is the kind of wine that I'd need a bottle to myself and a nice dinner, to get to know better. ...but my wallet would cry rivers...

    Nevertheless, it will surely become something beautiful with some age.

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  • 2001 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero P.S.

    Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

    (11/27/2019)

    This wine's tasting note has also been lost :-(
    Have always enjoyed Aaltos.

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  • 2007 Château Climens 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

    (11/27/2019)

    As a dessert-bonus-wine.
    Still a young but already ultra typical Sauternes with everything in place. Perfect nerve and tension in the triangulated focus of acidity - sweetness - body.

    Has all the markers: apricot, honey, honeysuckle, tea leaves, a bit of barrel and some Christmas spice.

    Sauternes only rarely get any better than this.

    Will be refined over many, many years to come!

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Flight 6 - Wine evening in Umeå - up in the North (blind) (5 Notes)

The Rioja nailed it. Clos des Papes is over-hyped. 1982 Château Suduiraut Cuvée Madame was awesome! We've kept 1/3 of the btl in order to return to it in ~February.

Valdespino ruled, Tio Diego is not worth drinking.

Two very interesting sakés to round things off.
(Pizza and cheese plate)

  • 1983 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay 95 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    (11/28/2019)

    A typical and great representative of Rioja and how I prefer to think of this classic region.

    A fine whiff of Bret, some cows walked by. Dill and lingonberry jam in the long, beautiful finish. Some chocolate. Tannins molten, acids ++ and the barrel treatment still shining through in a subdued and beautiful fashion.

    Not saying that "La Nieta" and other black Rioja bombs don't provide pleasure, just that this is why classic Rioja is so amazing.

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  • 2005 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 88 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    (11/28/2019)

    Don't believe the hype!

    This was too jammy and one-dimensional and I agree completely with Zorg's commentary.

    Maybe with some hours of air that it would have faired better?

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  • NV Valdespino Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Solera 1842 20 Year Old Oloroso VOS 96 Points

    Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry

    (11/28/2019)

    This is an Oloroso with everything in perfect place.

    Nutty aromas with dried wood, dried bones, dried Christmas Pudding fruits, soft toffee, chocolatey vanilla. Fabulous oxidization in place!

    Not completely dry with a hefty concentration that is superbly balanced by the acidity. Long and lingering, this is for Sherry lovers.

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  • NV Valdespino Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Amontillado Tio Diego 79 Points

    Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry

    (11/28/2019)

    This is not worth my time.
    Too simple and not living up to even the basic standards of a good Amontillado.

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  • 1982 Château Suduiraut Crème de Tête Cuvée Madame 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    (11/28/2019)

    Woah!
    Had expected it more elegant, but this is almost indescribably opulent and sweet. The acids barely manage to balance this golden, majestic wine. The definition of hedonistic. OM NOM NOM :-)

    Has all of Sauternes' aromas plus that special "Suduiraut" spicy fervour and zest.

    Elevated and amazing!

    We saved 1/3 of the btl for a return tasting in ~February 2020.

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Flight 7 - Dinner tasting in Yokohama (blind) (4 Notes)

The Brunello rocked my ship and the Clerc Milon took a while to get out and show its face. Rioja = *mjuff* :-)

...rounded off with four different Sakés.

  • 1975 Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino 99 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino

    (12/1/2019)

    Difficult to put a score on such sheer perfection.

    On its plateau and will stay there for many years to come.

    Fabolously well-structured with those delicious Brunello acids, some fine tannins and pure fruit with the pleasures of shivers down your spine.

    Would happily drink this classic BdM every day for the rest of my life.
    Thanks Patrik for this extravagant treat!

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  • 1990 Château Clerc Milon 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    (12/1/2019)

    Took a while to wake up.
    Because of logistics, (both bottle and crew flew in to Tokyo today) it wasn't possible to aerate before serving.

    Blind, I felt that it was a muddled pool, like so many older Graves. At first, I couldn't find anything at all. The Pauillac perfumes I could only notice after having seen the label.

    Nevertheless, this is quite a delicious bottle and should be fine for another 20 years or more.

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  • 1983 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay 94 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

    (12/1/2019)

    Ygay: underbar crianza uppe på platån. Lär befinna sig här under åtskilliga fler år. Inget bråttom.

    This is a magnificent Crianza and performing almost as well as it did a few evenings ago in Umeå. More dill in this showing, but other than that: stunningly magnificent!

    Very typical and wonderful!

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  • 1993 Baron de Lajoyosa Cariñena Gran Reserva 84 Points

    Spain, Aragón, Cariñena

    (12/1/2019)

    A Grenache from Carinena can confuse anyone :-)

    It started out in a great way, but this bottle quickly turned into a candy store with Raspberry Bonbons as the major component. The warm climate was not managed too well in this bottle. (Or bottle variation.)

    Började mycket bra men förvandlades alltför snabbt till en flytande godisbutik. Inte alldeles snyggt hanterad varm växtsäsong.

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Closing

Those were the days.
Back to the dull life of sobriety.
...albeit extremely productive, workwise.

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