Acker Merrall & Condit Bordeaux vs. California Tasting
Michelangelo Hotel
Tasted Thursday, October 10, 2019 by Francophile1 with 268 views
Introduction
A wonderful event hosted by Bob Cunningham. I will absolutely look to attend more of the Acker tasting events. It was first class and very educational.
Flight 1 - Blind Tasting (20 Notes)
Bordeaux vs. California
Closing
The wines were mostly great and there were a few surprises during the blind tasting that humbled some very experienced palates.
2002 Château Palmer 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Tasted blind. It did not scream "I am from Margaux", but it was definitely a Bordeaux. I struggled to discern right vs. left bank too. A touch of band-aid on the finish with a little volatility. Not the best vintage of Chateau Palmer.
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2002 Joseph Phelps Insignia 88 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted blind next to the 2002 Chateau Palmer. This was clearly a California wine with a signature creme de cassis sweetness on the finish. While the finish was nice & long, it was slightly overripe with a touch of raisin on the finish. It did not knock my socks off like I thought it would.
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1996 Château Montrose 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
The best expression of '96 Montrose I have tasted to date. This suggests it is in its prime drinking window and my prior tastings were way too early. Tasted blind, I called this as a '96 Pichon Lalande. I got the vintage, but missed St. Estephe. Classic left bank notes of cedar & black licorice.
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1997 Dalla Valle Cabernet Sauvignon Flawed
USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Tasted blind. Must have been a flawed bottle. Tasted oxidized and a glass full of prunes.
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1996 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasted blind next to the '97 Mondavi Reserve. This was clearly left bank & I called it squarely in Pauillac. It has everything that I love in Bordeaux and the '96 Vintage of Pichon Lalande is always so consistent. Next to the 1982 vintage of PL, the '96 is my next favorite. We shall see how the younger vintages fair over time. '96 PL never disappoints.
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1997 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted blind. Clearly from California due to the signature creme de cassis sweetness on the finish. However, this wine also had some decent structure & complexity, which I liked. It is fully mature, so drink up.
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1995 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
This had to be an off bottle because it completely lacked the soul & stuffing that I have experienced before with this vintage of Ducru. Tasted blind next to the '94 Montelena Estate
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1994 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 92 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted blind next to the '95 Ducru. This smoked the Ducru and I was stumped because I thought it was Bordeaux. This wine has structure & backbone, but with a very long finish. Blind tastings can sometimes be so humbling.
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1995 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Tasted blind next to the '94 Dominus, both of which I thought were Bordeaux. This was a more complete wine from start to finish. Elegant and feminine, but so enjoyable to drink.
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1994 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard 94 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Tasted blind next to the '95 La Mission Haut Brion. This is the first time I haven't rated this 98 pts or better. Why? Maybe because it was blind and it was up against another great Bordeaux? Nevertheless, I always love the nose on this wine and could smell it all day long. This was the last vintage of Dominus where I clearly detect a touch of brett in the wine (which I like). This was the first time I've had the '94 Dominus where I also detected a slight touch of California sweetness on the finish.
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1991 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection Flawed
USA, California, Napa Valley
Corked
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1990 Château Gruaud Larose 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Tasted blind. This one surprised me because I thought it was California due to the touch of sweet black fruit on the finish. While this was a very good wine, it did not taste anything like when I've had the '90 vintage before. It lacked the classic 'GL funk' that I always get from this producer. Weird.
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1992 Ridge Monte Bello 95 Points
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
Tasted blind next to the '90 Leoville Las Cases. While I called it immediately as the California wine between the two, I actually think I enjoyed it more than the '90 LLC (blasphemy coming from a Francophile, I know). However, this was one of the most balanced and complete wines of the night. The finish also went on for what seemed like a minute or more. Wow!
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1990 Château Léoville Las Cases 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Ranks up there as my favorite vintage of Leoville Las Cases (even above the 1982, which I think is starting to fade). This confirms yet again that I love the 1990 vintage in Bordeaux. I could sit and smell this wine without drinking it all night long. An incredible combination of fruit & earth. Outstanding!
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1989 Château Lynch-Bages 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
My last few times I have had this wine, it has been very impressive. However, it has only come into its own within the last 3 - 4 years. Prior to that, I always found it closed and shut down. Not tonight, however. Classic Pauillac in every sense. I do still prefer the 1990 to the 1989 Lynch, however. Tasted blind side by side with the 1989 Dunn Howell Mtn. It was a challenge to discern which was the California wine. Educational tasting event!
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1989 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
Tasted blind next to the '89 Lynch Bages. While I give a slight edge to the Lynch, this was an amazing wine. Additionally, I was not able to pick this out as being a California wine. This is a great ringer at a Bordeaux tasting. Next to the Lynch, it was a bit more rustic in style, which is typical of Randy Dunn's wine making style and Howell Mtn. Delicious!
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2002 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux 87 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
This lacked soul & stuffing. Tasted blind, I couldn't pick out where it was from. Maybe the weak vintage? Not sure.
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1991 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve 89 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Still holding up at this ripe old age. While it did not knock my socks off, I found it to be very enjoyable (even at the end of the night).
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2007 Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 87 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
Tasted blind. I could tell this was a California wine, but it is built in a rustic style with herbal greenish notes on the finish. Trying to hard to be a Bordeaux maybe? Good, but not great.
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2005 Château Lascombes 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Almost new world in style and still very young. I would give this another 3 - 5 years in the bottle. If drinking now, decant for 2 hours.
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