Important Update From the Founder

Dreamtasting #2

Restaurant de Watermolen, Kasterlee

Tasted March 12, 2011 by jkoenen with 946 views

Introduction

10 winefreaks select 10 bottles of 'dream'-wine from each others' cellar (marked *).
Of course, the table is always abundantly supplemented by several (blinded) ringers.
Wines tasted blind, except where noted.

Flight 1 - Flight #1 (2 notes)

White - Off-dry

1959 Jos. Christoffel Jr. (Christoffel-Prüm) Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Feinste Auslese Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

96 points

(*, open label) Just a minimal hint of petrol on the nose which also showed dried apricots, pistache, honey, hay, wax, smoke and sugar-pecans. On palate this kaleidoscope of nuances continued... cumin, shrimps, incence, Turkish delight and a whiff of nutty Oloroso. Full bodied wine which size increases during aeration (!). The endless dry and clean aftertaste has brisk acidity which is so enduring, it's difficult to grasp. 19/20

1 person found this helpful Comments (1)

White - Sparkling

1989 Bollinger Champagne Vieilles Vignes Françaises France, Champagne

94 points

(*, open label) Very traditional, classical, oxidative, yeasty nose. Fresh, fermenting bread-dough, white sultanas, pecan and hazelnuts, dried apple. Very subtle, hardly noticeable mousse, amazing depth and complexity. After a while there is some fruit emerging from the depths of this wine. It remains a fairly reserved and austere champagne, but this truly is a 'dreamwine'. Period. 18,5/20

Comment

Flight 2 - Flight #2 (2 notes)

White

2006 Fürst Löwenstein Silvaner Asphodill Germany, Franken

90 points

Served blind. Impressive wine which starts with a shy nose of minerals, wet pebbles. On the palate it is still quite young and nervous and also here the mineral touches prevail. Smoky, chalky, herbal kind of nuances on top of a certain freshness that reminded me of a garden after a refreshing rainshower. I guessed this could be a young and elegantly styled Chablis. All wrong of course, but I think you know now what to expect. Drink now or in 3 years. 17,5/20

Comment

White

2007 Weingut Keller Abts E®.de Riesling Großes Gewächs Germany, Rheinhessen

92 points

Very expressive and outspoken, sensual, smoky nose with lots of salty, flinty minerality. 'Sponti'-nose. Beautiful, ripe and lush Riesling in a modern concentrated, almost oily style. Minuscule sense of sweetness. Just enough to introduce wonderful interplay between acidity, minerality and sugar. 18/20

Comment

Flight 3 - Flight #3 (3 notes)

White

1988 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

92 points

(*) Brought this to our second "Dreamtasting". Lots of discussion around the table.
I found this wine to be in a beautiful place in its lifespan. Powerful, but fresh and energetic. Strange, spirity but fascinating notes of slivovic and pickled sultanas (like chipolata- or Xmas-pudding) in the bouquet. Spicy oak (cinnamon, cloves, caramel) creates extra complexity. This is lovely, aristocratic white Bordeaux. Either you love it, or you don't... and I do! 18/20

Comment

White

1992 Château de Fieuzal Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

90 points

Very Burgundy-like, thick and rich, vanilla,yellow fruit, flinty minerality. And although I found the timber a bit rough planed and rugged, this wine made an excellent and quite youthful impression. What a surprise after the demasqué... 17,5/20

Comment

White

2003 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

89 points

Subdued, svelte and quite elegant bouquet. And also on the palate this wine seems to hold back. Stiffly oaked and reasonably fresh, but its aromas and complexity are locked and seem a little straightforward. Will wait a couple of years before opening my bottles. 17/20

Comment

Flight 4 - Flight #4 (2 notes)

White

2000 Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru

flawed

Not undrinkable, but definately premox-ed.

Comment

White

2004 Kistler Chardonnay Sonoma Coast USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

87 points

Vanilla-dominated, slightly hot. Youthful structure, but aromatically closed for business and not very interesting at the moment. 16/20

Comment

Flight 5 - Flight #5 (2 notes)

White

2003 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay Cape Winemakers Guild South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay

94 points

Fantastic glass of chardonnay! Complete, complex minerality, heavy dosed but nicely integrated oak, bananas, mango, apricot. Has a very classical and elegant feel (!). Knock-out wine. 18,5/20

Comment

White

2006 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

92 points

(*) Compared to the first wine in this flight (what turned out to be the 2003 Hamilton Russell CWG Chardonnay) this wine was slightly hot and monolithic, candy-like at start. But after a while, extended aeration gave this wine a nice evolution in the glass and more delicate complexity emerged. 18/20

Comment

Flight 6 - Flight #6 (2 notes)

Red

1997 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

93 points

(*) Although the bouquet initially showed somewhat off and over evolved, in the end I liked it very much. On the palate there was more focus and definition, strong acidity, smoky tar and rose petals. In fact I thought it had aspects of aged Nebbiolo... Very interesting and entertaining wine, albeit a little peculiar for this label. 18-18.5/20

Comment

Red

2007 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

85 points

Don't want to be nagging, but this was not my first disappointing Clos des Papes... Monolythic and heavy but simple bouquet. Grenadine lemonade, cherries, red cabbage. Soft and round, not very strong or impressive. Rather anonymous and plain, to tell you the truth. Closed phase? Off-bottle? Not my kind of wine! 15/20

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Flight 7 - Flight #7 (2 notes)

Red

1982 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

89 points

(*) Had high expectations on this wine, but it did not live up to those. Its bouquet was gorgeously complex, but the palate lagged behind. Enticing wafts of rust, rose petals, asphalt, potpourri and black pudding. Still firm and tannic in structure. Slighty lean and elegant, but also austere and sinewy on the palate. Faded fruit. Decline has started, past its prime. 17/20

Comment

Red

2004 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero P.S. Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

94 points

Brought this to our second "Dreamtasting".
Waaaay to young. But oh so beautiful. Thick, sweet and ripe, but certainly not overdone (for my taste, which I consider quite traditional and old-fashioned). Black cherries, vanillapods and baking-spices. The use of new oak is obvious and heavy dosed, but its integration in the entire wine is fantastic, maybe even perfect. A lot of upside potential. Check again in 3 years. 18.5/20

Comment

Flight 8 - Flight #8 (2 notes)

Red

2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

97 points

Significantly thicker and more modern than the other wine in this flight (Togni 1997), but equally impressive and unique. Dazzling depth and concentration, though silky smooth. Youthful impetuosity, ultraripe tannines. Impeccable balance, drink now or in 10 years. A true dream wine. 19+/20

Comment

Red

1997 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

96 points

(*) Unbelievably soft and well integrated wine. Lot of play going on. Different kind of nuances duck, lurk and emerge all the time. Very classical in its feel and presentation. Fantastic focus and precision. Cigarbox, cassis, cedar, velvety mouthfeel and fabulously long and complex. Great now and potential for 10 years in the cellar. My guess: Left Bank Bordeaux 98? 19/20

Comment

Flight 9 - Flight #9 (2 notes)

Red

1989 Château Haut-Brion France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

98 points

(*) To me, this was WOTN during our second "Dreamtasting" and I felt most of the participants agreed. Unbelievable juice. Cigar, ceder, dark fruit compote, ash, earth/forestfloor: if this is what wine can be... all the other stuff has to bow and beg to stand in its shadow. Regal and endless finish.
Somehow I cought myself sniffing and swirling for 20 minutes and then I realised I had not taken a sip yet... Perplexing wine. Almost perfect (because this bottle seemed a tad mature for this vintage). 19,5/20.

Comment

Red

1998 Château Cheval Blanc France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

97 points

(*) One of the stars of our second "Dreamtasting". The best nose of the evening, absolutely unbelievable, the complexity and depth are frightening. Still seems quite youthful due to its somewhat recalcitrant tannines, which only adds more greatness to this wine. Truly a wine to experience, admire and meditate over, rather than to dissect and describe. 19+/20

Comment

Flight 10 - Flight #10 (2 notes)

White - Off-dry

2001 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #5 Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

89 points

Brought this to our second "Dreamtasting". Suffered from its position in the line-up.
We tasted it after 4 flights of top-notch red wines. Served with dessert and also accompanied by the second dessert-wine....: Yquem 1997.
So tonight it worked beautifully as a palate-cleanser and actually matched better with the fresh and elegant creation we had for dessert. Very nice wine. But no formal notes. 17/20

Comment

White - Sweet/Dessert

1997 Château d'Yquem France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

89 points

(*, open label) Colour seems evolved and mature for this age. Liqueur-like bouquet with hints of tuttifrutti, apricot and peach. Lots of botrytis. Although this is a wonderful wine and definitely a treat to drink it, I felt this bottle was performing under par. Too much development for its age. 17/20

Comment

Closing

Personal WOTN: Haut Brion 1989
Other wines to look out for: Togni and Aalto PS

Dreamtasting #2

Restaurant de Watermolen, Kasterlee

Introduction

Flight 1 - Flight #1 (2 notes)

Flight 2 - Flight #2 (2 notes)

Flight 3 - Flight #3 (3 notes)

Flight 4 - Flight #4 (2 notes)

Flight 5 - Flight #5 (2 notes)

Flight 6 - Flight #6 (2 notes)

Flight 7 - Flight #7 (2 notes)

Flight 8 - Flight #8 (2 notes)

Flight 9 - Flight #9 (2 notes)

Flight 10 - Flight #10 (2 notes)

Closing

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