Holiday Dinner - Mostly Bordeaux

Taberna del Alabardero, Washington D.C.
Tasted Thursday, December 7, 2023 by dcwino with 121 views

Introduction

Ten of wine lovers got together to share a lot of great wines.

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Flight 1 - Taittinger CdC vertical (4 Notes)

The 12 was very impressive. The 90 was very tired.

  • 2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 94 Points

    France, Champagne

    Very light color. Expressive youthful nose displaying pure white fruit, pear, apple, honeysuckle, white flowers, a hint of brioche, white pepper and limestone. Very good concentration, finely layered fresh white fruit, precise and slightly lean, very find generous mousse, bright acidity, strong limestone mineral, and a clean cool white fruit driven finish with brioche at the end. This is a very fresh and well stored example but seems a bit lean strangely.

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  • 2012 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 96 Points

    France, Champagne

    Expressive nose displaying generous ripe white and yellow fruit, granny smith, lemon curd, lemon, apple candy, honey, white flowers and mineral. Very good concentration, nicely layered sweet white and yellow fruit, very fine generous mousse, rich and full but also showing a good balance, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long ripe white and yellow fruit driven finish with a hint of honey at the end. This seems similar to the 06 upon release. Drinking nicely.

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  • 1990 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Flawed

    France, Champagne

    Advanced color and a bit cloudy which is not a good sign. A bit too advanced, not a correct example. Orange peel, baked apple, a hint of madeira/white chocolate. Shy mousse which is another indicator that this was poorly cellared. The favorite CDC of the flight for a couple participants.

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  • 1995 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 93 Points

    France, Champagne

    Expressive nose displaying decadent yellow fruit, orange peel, clementine, a hint of baked apple, honey, brioche, oyster shell, coriander seed and mineral. There is a hint of dirty damp cellar which is distracting. Good concentration, nicely layered generous yellow fruit, ripe and rich, generous fine mousse, medium acidity and mineral, and a medium long ripe yellow fruit driven finish.

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Flight 2 - Chateau Margaux (4 Notes)

I was really impressed by the 79 and 83. The 82 which was my contribution was dirty and undrinkable.

  • 1979 Château Margaux 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Perfectly mature nose displaying generous black and red fruit, crème de cassis, plum, dusty floral note which I get from Cabernet, ash, a hint of leather, lead pencil and mineral. Beautifully integrated palate, layers upon layers of generous red and black fruit, silky and fluid, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, still showing a bit of fine tannins, and a seamless long generous red and black fruit driven finish with a hint of ash and lead pencil at the end. Super enjoyable, a pleasant surprise. This is a classic claret.

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  • 1982 Château Margaux Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    A few participants think it is corked. Dirty damp cellar. Certainly, dirty and not correct but not corked.

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  • 1983 Château Margaux 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Beautiful floral nose displaying perfectly ripe red fruit with a hint of black, cherry, strawberry, a hint of cassis, lead pencil, rose, sweet spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of delicious red and black fruit, exceptional balance, precision and detail, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, very fine tannins and a long generous red fruit driven finish with a hint of rose and lead pencil at the end. My wine of the flight, really floral and almost Burgundian.

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  • 1986 Château Margaux 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Incredibly youthful nose displaying concentrated black fruit with a hint of red, creme de cassis, cherry, a hint of mint, lead pencil, tree bark and mineral. Excellent concentration, nicely layered concentrated black fruit, silky and rich, bright acidity, earth mineral, noticeable but unobtrusive tannins and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish. certainly the most powerful and youthful wine of the flight but a bit straightforward compare to the 79 and 83.

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Flight 3 - Chateau Latour (2 Notes)

The 70 was dirty but the 90 was excellent.

  • 1970 Château Latour Grand Vin Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Too much Brett, dirty damp cellar. WOTN for a couple of participants.

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  • 1990 Château Latour Grand Vin 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Absolutely gorgeous claret nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit, crème de cassis, black cherry, light caramel, cedar, lead pencil, dark spices and mineral. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of generous black fruit, perfect balance and harmony, silky and sensual, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long generous black fruit driven finish with a hint of caramel and lead pencil at the end. The 90 Latour is really consistent.

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Flight 4 - 1996 horizontal (5 Notes)

It was interesting. The 96 Mouton was very Mouton, i.e. most modern with luxurious oak but lacking the finesse and complexity of the Lafite, Latour and Margaux. The 96 HB was off.

  • 1996 Château Latour Grand Vin 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Wine 1 - Expressive nose displaying intense black fruit with a hint of red, crème de cassis, blackberry jam, lead pencil, red flowers, caramel and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of concentrated perfectly ripe black fruit, beautiful balance and precision, silky and polished, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, very fine tannins and a long concentrated black fruit driven finish. My guess is Chateau Margaux based on the floral note.

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  • 1996 Château Haut-Brion Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Wine 2 - Strong VA, off bottle. My guess is Haut Brion, as the others don't taste like Haut Brion.

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  • 1996 Château Mouton Rothschild 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Wine 3 - Expressive nose displaying perfectly ripe opulent black fruit, crème de cassis, blueberry pie, blackberry, mocha, luxurious oak, cedar, lead pencil and earth. Excellent concentration, layers upon layers of rich black fruit, silky and fluid, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a long opulent black fruit driven finish with a hint of oak at the end. The most modern/Napa like expression although clearly a Bordeaux. Not as nuance driven as the others. My guess is Mouton.

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  • 1996 Château Lafite Rothschild 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Wine 4 - Expressive nose displaying super concentrated black fruit, crème de cassis, black cherry, licorice, lead pencil, rose, cedar, dark spices and limestone. Exceptional concentration, layers upon layers of intense black fruit, rich and full but also showing excellent balance and precision, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, fine tannins and a long intense black fruit driven finish with lead pencil at the end. This is the most concentrated wine of the flight. For that reason, my guess is Latour.

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  • 1996 Château Margaux 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Wine 5 - Exquisite nose displaying perfectly ripe black fruit with a hint of red, crème de cassis, a hint of strawberry, dark milk chocolate, cabernet floral dust, cedar and limestone. Excellent concentration, very finely layered perfectly ripe black fruit, sensual, almost weightless, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, no noticeable tannins, and a seamless pure black and red fruit driven finish with a hint of cedar at the end. This is the best balanced wine of the flight. My guess is Lafite.

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Flight 5 - Stickies (2 Notes)

The 11 was a good but not great Yquem. The 46 PX was way too big for me.

Closing

A great time was had by all!

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