Dinner at Home
Fremont, CA
Tasted September 18, 2015 by aagrawal with 252 views
Introduction
This was a special dinner at home with close friends.
Flight 1 - JJ Prum Kabinett vs. Spatlese (2 notes)
I've had both of these before, but they showed particularly well today. I was struck by how the Spatlese seemed to have both more complexity and also more acidity than the Kabinett without necessarily having more sweetness. I don't know if the Kabinett showed less acid because of its age (had the acid integrated?), but the spatlese was a winner between this pair.
Flight 2 - Haut Brion Blanc (1 note)
My first taste of Haut Brion Blanc, and quite possibly my last given its price. The key standout characteristics were its texture, integration, overall balance, and interest. I was also struck by the intensity of the aromatics, the nutty character, but still the freshness and slight grassiness (well integrated) on the palate. This was an excellent wine, very enjoyable, and a very special experience, but still one that didn't quite live up to a >$600 experience.
Flight 3 - Red Bordeaux (1 note)
This is a very enjoyable, classic Bordeaux/Pauillac. I didn't spend too long on the notes because I wanted to focus on other wines and I've tried this twice in the past few weeks, with roughly the same expression of the wine.
Flight 4 - 1996 Rieussec vs. Yquem (2 notes)
Both from halves. As always, the sauternes flight rocked. The Rieussec was classic and consistent with past vintages of 1996: Excellent in the full bodied, no-holds-barred intensity while still being fresh and having great balanced acidity, and the 1996 in particular continues to have some of the purest saffron I've ever sniffed and tasted in a wine. But while the intensity was classic Rieussec, I was also impressed by the integrated complexity of the Yquem. The nose was great with early hints of secondary and tertiary notes while still largely being young but with so much depth, but the real standout was the palate, which showed racy, fresh acidity, untold complexity, and length that persisted through the midpalate and well beyond an extensive finish. The 96 Yquem is a real winner, especially at today's prices, and if the nose picks up a bit more this could fit in with one of the greats... for now it sits only a half-step behind the legends.
Day 3: Lower intensity on the nose but still clear saffron, spice, botrytis; palate is balanced, rich but fresh acid, consistent with past note including slight hollowness through the midpalate; medium finish. Very consistent with note from when it was first opened, and it was at least as good then and has not improved with 2 days of air. Superb value at $35/half retail right now. 92 today.
3 hours decanting: the nose has opened up a tad more with some honey, but the palate is still the true highlight. Just wonderful complexity, flavors changing from one to the other with fabulous acidity, persistent; long finish. Based on my tasting, this is very enjoyable but just barely in early maturity with at least 2 decades of development ahead. 95-96
After tasting, I looked ate Neil Martin's note from January 2012, and he is dead-on. Look up his note for the details, but a few phrases: he notes the reticent nose that opens up, the "tensile" palate, the mandarin and Seville orange. All of that is consistent with what we found.
Day 3: Nose continues to be fairly wound up but what does show is complex; palate continues to have vibrant ridiculous acidity, mandarin orange peel (is this the Seville orange Neil Martin refers to?), excellent complexity, honey, fruit, spice; finish is long. I was hoping that the nose would open up more with a few days of air (that is the only thing holding back this wine) but it did not. Nevertheless, a superb Sauternes and an excellent Yquem. As much as I like the Rieussec, there is a large difference between the palate on the Rieussec and the Yquem in terms of complexity. 95 today.