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The Usual Suspects...a new tradition
Lucerne Inn
Tasted March 22, 2013 - March 24, 2013 by Kirk Grant with 732 views
Introduction
A long over-due gathering was held this last Friday night with my old tasting group. I'm sure I'm missing wines (the '63 port comes to mind) from this list...so it will probably get extended as I continue to pour over my notes. The idea was to break out some large formats for a close group of friends and see how some wines were showing. I think the total count for about 16 of us was:
1 - 3L
8 - Magnums
40+ 750ml bottles
Flight 1 - Welcome wines (3 notes)
These were the first wines to get cracked.
White - Sparkling
1997 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Cuvée Creation
FROM MAGNUM:
Color: light golden yellow
Smell: Stone fruits, pear, quince, green banana, fresh bread
Taste: Meyer lemon, chalk, quince, and mineral notes
Overall: Extraordinary! Words simply cannot do this wine justice. This wine was glorious, mind-bending, and is something I would LOVE to have a chance to taste again. Well worth seeking out if you can find this still.
Color: light golden yellow
Smell: Stone fruits, pear, quince, green banana, fresh bread
Taste: Meyer lemon, chalk, quince, and mineral notes
Overall: Extraordinary! Words simply cannot do this wine justice. This wine was glorious, mind-bending, and is something I would LOVE to have a chance to taste again. Well worth seeking out if you can find this still.
Red
2001 Poggio Amorelli Chianti Classico
FROM A 3L BOTTLE:
Color: Ruby with slight bricking at the rim
Smell: Earth, mushrooms, and a melange of dried red fruits
Taste: Sour cherry, mushrooms, and dried red and black fruits.
Overall: Outstanding! Medium body, medium fruit, medium+ acidity, and medium tannin. In a beautiful place right now and went well with many of the dishes of the evening.
Color: Ruby with slight bricking at the rim
Smell: Earth, mushrooms, and a melange of dried red fruits
Taste: Sour cherry, mushrooms, and dried red and black fruits.
Overall: Outstanding! Medium body, medium fruit, medium+ acidity, and medium tannin. In a beautiful place right now and went well with many of the dishes of the evening.
Red
2001 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Sezzana Toscana IGT
FROM MAGNUM:
Color: Ruby with faint bricking at the rim
Smell: Autum leaf, tobacco, earth, dried red fruits and leather
Taste: Red and dark fruits, with hints of dark chocolate, and granite
Overall: Outstanding! Med body, med fruit, high acidity, medium tannin, and moderate length finish
Color: Ruby with faint bricking at the rim
Smell: Autum leaf, tobacco, earth, dried red fruits and leather
Taste: Red and dark fruits, with hints of dark chocolate, and granite
Overall: Outstanding! Med body, med fruit, high acidity, medium tannin, and moderate length finish
Flight 2 (1 note)
White
2005 Didier Dagueneau Silex
FROM MAGNUM:
Color: Pale yellow to onion skin
Smell: A kalidascope nose that is constantly evolving with subtle, almost delicate scents of citrus, quince, green apple, mineral, clean linen, and sea spray.
Taste: Lime, quince, starfruit, green apple, chalk, and mineral
Overall: Extraordinary. This is the most elegant Dagueneau I've had since the 2005 Pur Sang. I've always thought of the Silex as a more powerful and robust wine. However, this was all about elegance, refinement, poise, and beauty. I would LOVE to have more of this...and wish that I could still find it.
Color: Pale yellow to onion skin
Smell: A kalidascope nose that is constantly evolving with subtle, almost delicate scents of citrus, quince, green apple, mineral, clean linen, and sea spray.
Taste: Lime, quince, starfruit, green apple, chalk, and mineral
Overall: Extraordinary. This is the most elegant Dagueneau I've had since the 2005 Pur Sang. I've always thought of the Silex as a more powerful and robust wine. However, this was all about elegance, refinement, poise, and beauty. I would LOVE to have more of this...and wish that I could still find it.
Flight 3 (2 notes)
White
2005 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
Color: Pale straw
Smell: Passion fruit, quince, star fruit, and minerals
Taste: lemon, lime, quince, and mineral notes.
Overall: Outstanding!! Medium body, medium+ fruit, medium acidity, and a long elegant finish. Again, this is a wine that words struggle to provide justice when evaluating. This was creamy and lush while still maintaining a delicate poise...
Smell: Passion fruit, quince, star fruit, and minerals
Taste: lemon, lime, quince, and mineral notes.
Overall: Outstanding!! Medium body, medium+ fruit, medium acidity, and a long elegant finish. Again, this is a wine that words struggle to provide justice when evaluating. This was creamy and lush while still maintaining a delicate poise...
White
2002 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Les Forêts
Color: Canary yellow
Smell: Passion fruit, minerals, with a melange of stone and tropicl fruits.
Taste: Meter lemon, minerals, and chalk
Overall: Outstanding!! Light-medium body, med acidity, medium fruit, and a 30+ second finish. This wine as well as the other Chablis split the room as some questioned if it was somehow faulted.
Smell: Passion fruit, minerals, with a melange of stone and tropicl fruits.
Taste: Meter lemon, minerals, and chalk
Overall: Outstanding!! Light-medium body, med acidity, medium fruit, and a 30+ second finish. This wine as well as the other Chablis split the room as some questioned if it was somehow faulted.
Flight 4 (3 notes)
White
2000 Domaine Weinbach Pinot Gris Altenbourg Cuvée Laurence
FROM MAGNUM:
Color: Light golden yellow
Smell: Stone fruits, mineral, and roasted apples/pears
Taste: A melange of stone and tropical fruits with an underpinning of minerals that ebb and flow over a long finish.
Overall: Outstanding!! Words won't do this wine justice...several of us got stuck tasting, and re-tasting this wine through out the evening. Medium body, med+ fruit, med-high acidity, and a long glorious finish.
Color: Light golden yellow
Smell: Stone fruits, mineral, and roasted apples/pears
Taste: A melange of stone and tropical fruits with an underpinning of minerals that ebb and flow over a long finish.
Overall: Outstanding!! Words won't do this wine justice...several of us got stuck tasting, and re-tasting this wine through out the evening. Medium body, med+ fruit, med-high acidity, and a long glorious finish.
White
2000 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Ste. Catherine L'Inédit!
FROM MAGNUM
Color: light golden yellow
Smell: Petrol, nectarine, and apples
Taste: lemon/lime and green apples.
Overall: Very Good. This was honestly lacking the acidity, and balance that they other two Weinbach mags from 2000 had. Tasted once then left alone. drink now.
Color: light golden yellow
Smell: Petrol, nectarine, and apples
Taste: lemon/lime and green apples.
Overall: Very Good. This was honestly lacking the acidity, and balance that they other two Weinbach mags from 2000 had. Tasted once then left alone. drink now.
White
2000 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Altenbourg Cuvée Laurence
FROM MAGNUM
Color: Deep golden yellow
Smell: Lychee, mineral, honey, and wax
Taste: Poached pear, honey comb, cherimoya, and yellow apple
Overall: Outstanding! I loved this and would love to have scored a bottle or two of this for a sushi gathering. Medium-full body, unctuous mouthfeel, medium- acidity, med+ fruit, and a long, long finish.
Color: Deep golden yellow
Smell: Lychee, mineral, honey, and wax
Taste: Poached pear, honey comb, cherimoya, and yellow apple
Overall: Outstanding! I loved this and would love to have scored a bottle or two of this for a sushi gathering. Medium-full body, unctuous mouthfeel, medium- acidity, med+ fruit, and a long, long finish.
Flight 5 (2 notes)
White
1992 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
Color: Golden yellow
Smell: Beautiful dried tropical fruits, wet animal, wax, lanolin
Taste: Pear, apple, and tropical fruits
Overall: Medium body, medium fruit, low acidity, moderate finish. Very Good to Excellent. If I had this I would be inclined to drink these now. I have VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE with this wine. However, this is a wine that faded and fell apart in about 6 hours time.
Smell: Beautiful dried tropical fruits, wet animal, wax, lanolin
Taste: Pear, apple, and tropical fruits
Overall: Medium body, medium fruit, low acidity, moderate finish. Very Good to Excellent. If I had this I would be inclined to drink these now. I have VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE with this wine. However, this is a wine that faded and fell apart in about 6 hours time.
Red
1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Color: Ruby
Smell: Cured meats, char, dried red fruits, clove
Taste: Cherry, dried red fruits, plum, and earth notes
Overall: Outstanding! Medium body, med acidity, med tannin, and a moderate length finish. This wine really blossomed throughout the evening. Such a lovely wine when given the time to open up.
Smell: Cured meats, char, dried red fruits, clove
Taste: Cherry, dried red fruits, plum, and earth notes
Overall: Outstanding! Medium body, med acidity, med tannin, and a moderate length finish. This wine really blossomed throughout the evening. Such a lovely wine when given the time to open up.
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Flight 6 (2 notes)
Red
2009 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale
FROM MAGNUM
Color: Ruby
Smell: Red fruits, earth, floral notes and minerals
Taste: A melange of red fruits, earth, and minerals
Overall: Outstanding. Elegant, light bodied, medium+ fruit, medium acidity, and medium- tannin. Quite fruit-forward for Burgundy.
Color: Ruby
Smell: Red fruits, earth, floral notes and minerals
Taste: A melange of red fruits, earth, and minerals
Overall: Outstanding. Elegant, light bodied, medium+ fruit, medium acidity, and medium- tannin. Quite fruit-forward for Burgundy.
Red
1966 Château Lascombes
Color: Brick/rust colored ruby
Smell: Earth, dried red fruits, and floral notes (very-faint wet-paper bag...corked?)
Taste: Dried fruits and earthy notes of mushrooms.
Overall: PnP. Lovely to get to try this again. The fruit seemed more muted than the last bottle of this I had about a year ago.
Smell: Earth, dried red fruits, and floral notes (very-faint wet-paper bag...corked?)
Taste: Dried fruits and earthy notes of mushrooms.
Overall: PnP. Lovely to get to try this again. The fruit seemed more muted than the last bottle of this I had about a year ago.
Flight 7 (4 notes)
Red
1985 La Meridiana Boca Campo delle Piane
Color: Brick red
Smell: Earth, dried red fruits, and tar
Taste: Dried red fruits
Overall: This was a little tired and the tannins were still kicking pretty hard. Given the lack of balance it was difficult to really enjoy...but I could appreciate it and the chance to taste four other vintages of the same wine all at once.
Smell: Earth, dried red fruits, and tar
Taste: Dried red fruits
Overall: This was a little tired and the tannins were still kicking pretty hard. Given the lack of balance it was difficult to really enjoy...but I could appreciate it and the chance to taste four other vintages of the same wine all at once.
Red
1988 La Meridiana Boca Campo delle Piane
Color: Brick ruby
Smell: Earth, truffles, tar, potpouri, and a melange of dried red fruits
Taste: Tart cherry, dried red fruits, mushrooms, and faint hints of minerals
Overall: Outstanding. A lovely wine that is doing well and in a good place. Light body, medium fruit, medium+ acidity, and medium tannin.
Smell: Earth, truffles, tar, potpouri, and a melange of dried red fruits
Taste: Tart cherry, dried red fruits, mushrooms, and faint hints of minerals
Overall: Outstanding. A lovely wine that is doing well and in a good place. Light body, medium fruit, medium+ acidity, and medium tannin.
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Red
1989 La Meridiana Boca Campo delle Piane
Color: Brick ruby
Smell: Earth, manure, black truffles, tar, and dried red fruits
Taste: Sour cherry, and dried red fruits.
Overall: Excellent - Outstanding. Light-medium body, med+ tannin, medium acidity, med- fruit.
Smell: Earth, manure, black truffles, tar, and dried red fruits
Taste: Sour cherry, and dried red fruits.
Overall: Excellent - Outstanding. Light-medium body, med+ tannin, medium acidity, med- fruit.
Red
1990 La Meridiana Boca Campo delle Piane
Color: Brick ruby
Smell: Earth, tar, roses, leather, and dried red fruits
Taste: Sour cherry, dried red fruits, minerals
Overall: Excellent. I was expecting this to be better than the 88 and 89...but for now they seem to be more enjoyable. light-medium body, high acidity, high tannin, med- fruit.
Smell: Earth, tar, roses, leather, and dried red fruits
Taste: Sour cherry, dried red fruits, minerals
Overall: Excellent. I was expecting this to be better than the 88 and 89...but for now they seem to be more enjoyable. light-medium body, high acidity, high tannin, med- fruit.
Flight 8 (2 notes)
White
1987 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre
Color: Golden yellow
Smell: Crushed stone, lemon, and chalk
Taste: Holy $hit! This was vibrant and beautiful wine! Lively flavors of meyer lemon, lime, green apple, and chalk.
Overall: Very Good - Excellent. I feel like I should say this was an outstanding wine given that it's 20+ years and was still a pleasure to drink. Maybe I need to keep my eyes out for some more of this at auction!
Smell: Crushed stone, lemon, and chalk
Taste: Holy $hit! This was vibrant and beautiful wine! Lively flavors of meyer lemon, lime, green apple, and chalk.
Overall: Very Good - Excellent. I feel like I should say this was an outstanding wine given that it's 20+ years and was still a pleasure to drink. Maybe I need to keep my eyes out for some more of this at auction!
Red
1987 Georges Dubœuf Fleurie
Color: Faded brick ruby
Smell: Earth, dried red fruits, manure, clove, and lilacs?
Taste: Dried red fruits and mineral notes
Overall: Excellent - Outstanding. This was tight as a rock initially. However, after about four hours in the bottle it suddenly seemed to explode in the glass. NOW I understand why people age Beaujolais.
Smell: Earth, dried red fruits, manure, clove, and lilacs?
Taste: Dried red fruits and mineral notes
Overall: Excellent - Outstanding. This was tight as a rock initially. However, after about four hours in the bottle it suddenly seemed to explode in the glass. NOW I understand why people age Beaujolais.
Flight 9 (4 notes)
Red
1995 Penfolds Grange
Color: Ruby with light bricking at the rim
Smell: Smoke, tar, granite, dark fruits, leather, and a faint funk this may be corked
Taste: Alcohol, dried red fruits, and vanilla
Overall: Very Good/Excellent. Medium body, med tannin, med fruit, med acidity, and a short finish. The obvious alcohol on the palate really detracted from this wine. The more I smelled this the more I'm wondering if it may be corked? (1 hour later. The wine was declared corked by someone else.)
Smell: Smoke, tar, granite, dark fruits, leather, and a faint funk this may be corked
Taste: Alcohol, dried red fruits, and vanilla
Overall: Very Good/Excellent. Medium body, med tannin, med fruit, med acidity, and a short finish. The obvious alcohol on the palate really detracted from this wine. The more I smelled this the more I'm wondering if it may be corked? (1 hour later. The wine was declared corked by someone else.)
Red
1997 Penfolds Grange
Color: Opaque ruby
Smell: Wet stone, dried meat, dried red fruits, and herbs
Taste: Dried dark fruits, monolithic
Overall: Very Good - Excellent. This medium bodied wine with med acidity, med+ fruit, and med tannin had a short finish and was almost boring. Given the cost of this wine...it's just such a shame that people are paying so much for these wines. I think the statement I heard that night holds true, "Grange is the most over-priced and consistantly underwhelming wine."
Smell: Wet stone, dried meat, dried red fruits, and herbs
Taste: Dried dark fruits, monolithic
Overall: Very Good - Excellent. This medium bodied wine with med acidity, med+ fruit, and med tannin had a short finish and was almost boring. Given the cost of this wine...it's just such a shame that people are paying so much for these wines. I think the statement I heard that night holds true, "Grange is the most over-priced and consistantly underwhelming wine."
Red
1998 Penfolds Grange
Color: Ruby with opaque core
Smell: Feminine, delicate, lavendar, dark fruits, minerals,
Taste: Bright red fruits, blue, black, tobacco, earth,
Overall: Outstanding!! Medium-full bodied, med+ acidity, moderate tannin, medium+ fruit, and a 30+ second finish. Of all of hte granges that were in this flight this was clearly the best and the most delicate of the group. Tasted immediately after opening the bottle. When this wine was revisited later it was much more full bodied, more oak and fruit dominant, and the feminine beauty that was initially there was gone.
Smell: Feminine, delicate, lavendar, dark fruits, minerals,
Taste: Bright red fruits, blue, black, tobacco, earth,
Overall: Outstanding!! Medium-full bodied, med+ acidity, moderate tannin, medium+ fruit, and a 30+ second finish. Of all of hte granges that were in this flight this was clearly the best and the most delicate of the group. Tasted immediately after opening the bottle. When this wine was revisited later it was much more full bodied, more oak and fruit dominant, and the feminine beauty that was initially there was gone.
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Red
2001 Penfolds Grange
Color: Opaque Ruby
Smell: New World, vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, dark fruits, violets,
Taste: Red fruits, plums, cassis, blueberries, dark chocolate, tannin+
Overall: Excellent to Outstanding. Medium-full body, Med+ fruit, Med acidity, high tannin, and new oak. The presence of alcohol is evident on the palate. While this is a wine that I think will improve with time; I also think this has to be one of the most over-rated wines on the market. Absolutely not worth the price it commands.
Smell: New World, vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, dark fruits, violets,
Taste: Red fruits, plums, cassis, blueberries, dark chocolate, tannin+
Overall: Excellent to Outstanding. Medium-full body, Med+ fruit, Med acidity, high tannin, and new oak. The presence of alcohol is evident on the palate. While this is a wine that I think will improve with time; I also think this has to be one of the most over-rated wines on the market. Absolutely not worth the price it commands.
Flight 10 (1 note)
Red
1999 Guido Porro Barolo Vigna Lazzairasco
Color: Ruby with slight bricking
Smell: Earth, roses, tar, dried red fruits
Taste: A melange of dried red fruits and earth driven flavors
Overall: Outstanding. Medium body, Med+ acidity, medium fruit, and med-hi tannin. This was elegant on the nose but the flavors were bold and precise without being overpowering. Lovely.
Smell: Earth, roses, tar, dried red fruits
Taste: A melange of dried red fruits and earth driven flavors
Overall: Outstanding. Medium body, Med+ acidity, medium fruit, and med-hi tannin. This was elegant on the nose but the flavors were bold and precise without being overpowering. Lovely.