Phil's MONUMENTAL 33rd Birthday Wine Tasting

Knightsbridge Wine Shop (Northbrook, IL)
Tasted Saturday, July 25, 2009 by beezer6 with 1,227 views

Introduction

What can I say. This was and probably will be one of the greatest tastings I will EVER attend. I cannot begin to thank everyone for their generosity.
I am completely honored to have had the opportunity to try each and every one of the rare bottlings in this event. Thank you all. Thank you very very much.

Flight 1 (3 Notes)

  • 1990 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 96 Points

    France, Champagne

    From a magnum. A fantastic wine from a fantastic vintage in Champagne.
    Lively bubble structure. Star bright golden color.
    Bright yellow flowers, wet slate with laser like minerality.
    Fresh peaches and tangerines on the nose with honeyed melon, mangos and other citrus.
    Flavors of lightly roasted almonds, caramelized sherry, cloves and white pepper. Both tropical and citrus notes on the tongue.
    Layers of pineapple, honey, vanilla, all sorts of apples, kiwi and cantaloupe. The notes are absolutely endless.
    Palate is seamless sporting a perfectly balanced finish - the most complexity and layers I have ever experienced in a sparkling wine.
    I cannot imagine a better Champagne. This was the perfect way to start the most incredible tasting I've ever attended.

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  • 2004 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne 95 Points

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

    What a humbling honor to be able to sample this bottling. Thank you Phil. And on YOUR birthday...
    The color was a perfect day bright gold. Nose of smokey meat, funky minerals, lemons, kiwi and light toasted butterscotch.
    High acidity on the finish showing layers tropical fruit, tightly wound rock and almond.
    Completely unique wine especially on the nose. I knew I would never try this again so I made sure to savor the moment.
    With another three years this will achieve greater acid balance making it a near perfect Corton in this solid vintage.

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  • 1996 Beringer Vineyards Chardonnay Sbragia Limited Release 82 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Apple juice deep gold color.
    Nose ofburnt butter with lots of funky effervecense.
    Past its prime.
    Palate is out of whack with a viscous slightly turned apple juice (believe it or not) flavor.
    Not really enjoyable...just OLD.

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Flight 2 (3 Notes)

  • 1976 Antonin Rodet Chambertin 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

    Burnt brick sherry red color. Nose of stewed rotting strawberries, soy sauce and other Asian spice.
    Dark caramel, heavily roasted nuts aromas as well.
    Past its prime but still bringing some thunder as a unique and entertaining wine at the moment.
    Long finish with rustic dusty styling. More stewed hot fruit. Nutty.
    Light finish. Mod high acidity lower alcohol and tannins.

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  • 2003 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux 94 Points

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

    Fantastic full bodied, waxy Rouget. Cloudy purple crayola color.
    Fruity cola on the nose with some unique menthol earth. Rhubarb and green olive aromas also on display.
    Palate is layered showing persistence and pristine balance for such a rich Burgundy.
    More spicy funky waxy fruit. Baked goods and cinnamon spice on back end.
    Striking acidity with some solid grip. Long and inky. I keep saying 'waxy' but that's just how it strikes me.

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  • 1996 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve 94 Points

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

    Matt from Ohio brought this really nice showing Rayas - my first.
    Light brick red color - some marmalade tint at the rim.
    Awesome spice driven nose of blood oranges, and a totally mind boggling Indian yellow curry play.
    Strawberries, and tangerines on the nose accompanied by more exotic baking and cooking spices - both sweet and savory.
    Excellent balance and still highly enjoyable at thirteen years old. Bravo.

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Flight 3 (4 Notes)

  • 1982 Château La Croix Pomerol 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    As Kevin and Matt put it - a pleasant surprise.
    Pale brick red color.
    Some musty cardboard and old leather that's been sitting in a barn for a while on the nose with some bright red fruit..
    Some vanilla and nutty aromas on the back end.
    Palate is more muted showing some brighter red and orange fruit.
    Decent balance overal.

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  • 1995 Château Angélus 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Gorgeous deep dark cloudy ruby color.
    Nose of black cherries, blackberries, charred wood and vanilla bean and some unique black vegetation.
    More aromas of dark roast coffee and grape bubble gum.
    Awesome life and grip. Gorgeous unique terrior. Black all over. Screaming CHARRED everything.
    Extremely Old World in style. Stunning. First Angelus.

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  • 1997 Rutherford Hill Merlot Reserve 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Decent color still showing lots ofl life.
    Medium red fruit. Some juiciness on the finish. Quite nice.

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  • 1970 Château Margaux Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Quite corked on the nose. Some tea and tobacco leaf. Not enjoyable.

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Flight 4 (3 Notes)

Flight 5 (5 Notes)

  • 1989 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    From a magnum.
    Didn't show nearly as well as the magnum opened a few weeks back.
    Lush black cherries and leather. Long dark liquer finish. Charred wood.
    Balanced perisistent finish showing some heat. Many layers. Not as opulent of a mouth feel as previous bottle.

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  • 1990 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Brighter riper fruit than expected. Play of purple flowers on dusty leather.
    Lots of life in this bottle.
    Wonderful depth and purity. Clean and well defined terroir.

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  • 1982 Château Mouton Rothschild 99 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Stunning near perfect bottle of '82 Bordeaux. Finest example from the vintage I've tasted.
    The nose is immensely explosive showcasing cherries, cigar box, leather, and cassis
    Secondary aromas of burnt marmalade and red vegetal notes -- roasted red peppers, baking spices and clove.
    A gernium and cinnamont action is also on the back end of the nose.
    Perfect mouth coating juice. Elegant and refined finish that lasts for over a minute and rivals anything I've tasted before.
    This wine flirts with perfection. The best Old World wine I've ever tasted.
    I am truly humbled to have the opportunity to sample this bottling.
    Anyone with a single taste bud in their mouth will be able to tell the majesty and silkiness of this remarkable elixir.
    This is a LEGENDARY Bordeaux that will drink beautifully for another decade or two.
    I am speechless. I can pretty much agree with Parker on this one. Thank you Jen and Phil.

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  • 1989 Château Palmer 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Dark rustic ruby red color. Dusty liqueur-like nose of cassis, charred oak and mulberries.
    Soy sauce and balsamic with black truffles also on the nose.
    Palate shows classic Bordeaux depth from a stunning vintage.
    Richness and masculinity surround this gripping but still quite young wine.

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  • 2004 Château Le Pin 100 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Jen searched long and hard to find this extremely rare bottling from Pomerol for Phil's 33rd birthday celebration.
    Decanted 1 hour. I know that everyone at the tasting didn't agree with me, but I felt this was a perfect wine --INCREDIBLY YOUNG -- but perfect nonetheless.
    The color was a truly silk-like medium dark purple. Not opaque, the nose was etheral. You could easily smell this wine from across the room.
    Though quite New World in style, the extraction and pungance of the nose was unlike anything I've ever experienced.
    Gobs and buckets and barrels and truck loads of concentration while still keeping its alcohol, tannins and acidity in check even at this astoundingly young age.
    Freshly baked cherry, cranberry and spicy raspberry pie topped with red apples, light caramel, leather, white and black truffles and gorgeous red vegetation.
    After each sip I can do nothing but smile. The palate is flawless. Once again, even at this young age, it remains accessible enough to see the massive amounts of fruit, earth and pink flowers.
    The back end shows more evidence of oak, vanilla and cream cream cream.
    A feminine tannin structure, this wine has the acidity to last for at least two or three decades while IN MY OPINION, and with enough air, it's enjoyable now.
    I may never again try a Le Pin. This was an experience that was difficult to put into words. Even as I read back my tasting note, I feel I haven't conveyed my true awe of this PERFECT wine.

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Flight 6 (3 Notes)

  • 2007 Gvaot Cabernet Sauvignon Gofna 90 Points

    Israel, Samaria

    Spicy crazy unique nose. Beef steak...yeah, dried beef steak play.
    Black pepper, clove, rich blueberries. Palate is rich and has really cool grip.
    So terroir driven and cool bottling -- and for under thirty bucks if you can find it.

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  • 2002 Ridge Monte Bello 93 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Deep opaque purple. Black at the core.
    Massive fruit driven aromas of fresh blackberries, plums, and new leather.
    Awesome young and almost Amarone like showing a slightly raisinated fruit style.
    PURPLE PURPLE!!!
    So much energy, yet the structure to let this evolve for the next three to five years.
    Moderate high acidity, alcohol and tannins.
    Fantastic integration of fruit, earth and purple flowers.

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  • 2006 Harris Estate Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Lakeview Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Fruity, jammy and racy in style compared to others at the tasting (duh).
    Dark spicy black cherries with lots of heat on the nose.
    Some shroomyness on the back end with some cool Cali dust.
    Strong acidity with young tannins.

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Flight 7 (5 Notes)

  • 2003 Christophe Roumier Ruchottes-Chambertin 95 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru

    This is what I love about Burgundy - and Chambertin more specifically.
    Erathy shroom driven sopping wet forest floor full of bugs and life.
    Mossy blackberries, Asian and Indian spice, with a medium full bodied finish.
    Some menthol on the nose and palate on the back end which shows awesome lip smacking acidity.
    How can you not be totally taken in by this kind of wine...it's such a precise example of this vineyard's terroir - its character.

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  • 1961 Château Lynch-Bages 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Ruby brick red. Tomato juice/Bloody Mary play (agreed Phil and Matt). Brown tea leaves, exotic Asian spice.
    Rose petals with a little light soy balsamic oxidation that is quite enjoyable on the nose. Rusty nail on the back end. Very nice. Elegant.

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  • 2002 Alvaro Palacios Priorat Finca Dofí 91 Points

    Spain, Catalunya, Priorat

    After trying twenty five or so other bottles I have very limited notes on this.
    Dark roasted blackberries, coffee and mocha with a charred wood component.
    A bit past its prime (possible storage issues). I think if I had tasted this on any other day I would have been more impressed.
    This was very well made though with a high extracted cola berry play.
    Thanks Mom and Dad. This was one of the first 'fine' wines of my collection.

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  • 2005 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bourgogne Blanc 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc

    Lovely acid driven Burgundy.
    Freshly baked lemon custard on the nose showing some lime zest as well.
    A little light butter layered with different shades of slate. Excellent.

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  • 1995 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin 98 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Again, an enormous thank you to Phil and Jen for allowing me to sample this remarkable wine.
    The color was a gorgeous deep ruby. Opaque at the center.
    Aromas of rich spicy dark cherries, smoked bacon, jerky, bark, cigar, tar and loads of charred meat.
    Enormous and incredibly masculine this wine stops at nothing to take away your breath with depth and concentration.
    Absolutely one of the best wines I've experienced to date. What a treat.

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Flight 8 (3 Notes)

  • 1989 Château d'Yquem 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    Medium deep golden color.
    Nose of spicy cider, petrol, burnt caramel and heavily roasted nuts.
    Yellow apples, pear doused with honey and charred vanilla.
    Pure long finish with moderate high well focused acidity and awesome minerality and length.
    Fantastic d'Yquem with awesome power and finesse.

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  • 1994 Avignonesi Vin Santo di Montepulciano 98 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Vin Santo di Montepulciano

    This is the best dessert wine I've ever experienced and also the best Italian wine I've consumed to date.
    Super sappy and rich showing dried figs, maple syrup, brown sugar, roasted nuts and caramel.
    The finish is endless. Immensely dense, this juice coats your mouth with a saturation that seems to go on for minutes.
    Nutty vanilla extract, balsamic, coca cola and burnt caramel flavors also on the back end.
    This wine is absolutely incredible. Showing perfect balance, this comes across both viscous yet almost refreshing on the palate.
    I doubt I will ever try this bottling again. This was a monumental effort. Possibly the best non d'Yquem dessert wine PERIOD.

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  • 2000 Isole e Olena Vin Santo del Chianti Classico 92 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Vin Santo del Chianti Classico

    Lighter orange marmalde color.
    Lightly burnt caramel on nose. Medium dark roast coffee.
    Yummy. Hard to compare, though, after sampling the '94 Avignonese Vin Santo.

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Closing

Though I don't think everyone agreed, I did in fact try the two best wines I've ever put to my lips.
The '82 Mouton was virtually perfect while the '04 Le Pin was in fact flawless.

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