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The Annual Lyon 10 Year Retrospective
Chateau Lyon
Tasted November 2, 2019 by Grinner with 271 views
Introduction
We have to love the first weekend of November! Once again we delved into our cellars for 10 year old wines and found mostly Bordeaux. Some good Chateauneufs also! Ok fine. We'll do 2 flights of CdP's with a ringer in there. Then 3 flights of Bordeaux with some add'l ringers. Everything got a 4 hour plus double decant, then brown bagged for the shell game. My notes are short and get shorter...gotta grab another bottle and keep pouring!
There was a mix of glasses out there including Riedel, Schott Zwiesel, and Spiegelau. A couple of Riedel Syrah glasses made it fun to compare later.
My friends know you have to add a point or two to my Italian notes, but you might want to subtract a point or two from my BDX notes, I love them!
Flight 1 - The Sparklers (2 notes)
with some smoked salmon and minted goat cheese
White - Sparkling
2009 Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Vintage
93 points
Fun comparo to start the evening, more yeast and bread than the Carneros wine. Vinous, powerful, lemon and stone fruit. Has 10 years.
White - Sparkling
2009 Domaine Carneros Blanc de Noir
92 points
A little more fruit than the Moet. Continued to be outstanding for 3 more days!
Flight 2 - CdP #1 (5 notes)
Red
2009 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape
91 points
This may have suffered from the "First Ice Skater" syndrome where I leave room for better scores in a blind tasting. First of 28 reds, this had nice typicity with garrigue and kirsch notes, a very smooth palate feel and good length. Tasted even sweeter on day two, still 91pts. Now-2021.
Red
2009 Cayuse Syrah En Cerise Vineyard
94 points
I liked this blind better now than 3.5 years ago (unblinded). Both times the Cayuse Funk was restrained. Still had more black fruit, olive and pepper than most CdP's. I guessed correctly. 90 on day 2. Now-2021. Last time I said, "Now-2019", that's also reasonable!
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Red
2009 Domaine Paul Autard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée La Cote Ronde
90 points
More black than red fruited, this had some kelp/iodine and spice notes. A fine wine that fell off way more than most on day 2, 80pts. Drink/ try one soon.
Red
2009 Famille Isabel Ferrando Châteauneuf-du-Pape Colombis
93 points
Deep and rich (glycerin laden) blackberry, Kirsch, spice, garrigue, and stone. Nice structure. Only bottle killed that night! Now-2025.
Red
2009 Domaine Jean Deydier et Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Clefs d'Or Les Craus Centenaires
91 points
A nice typical CdP with garrigue, wet underbrush, leather dominating the fruit. Long but slightly hot finish. 90 on day 2. Now-2021.
Flight 3 - CdP #2 (5 notes)
Red
2009 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
92 points
Briary ripe black fruit, spice / herbs, kelp, and slight funk. Nice texture and length. 92+ on both day 1 and 2, now-2025
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Red
2009 Xavier Vignon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Anonyme
90 points
Weird mix of ripe black and cranberry. Some spice and meat notes, big but a little hot. 88 on day 2. Drink (not worth the cellar space!).
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Red
2009 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Les Claux
93 points
My 5/16 92 point note:
The garrigue, earth, meat, wet underbrush, and spice go long and catch the pass! Has 5 years easy. (1608 views)
Well, it still has "5 years easy"! This is a big tannic wine with the herbal garrigue, stone and pepper notes again going long...back, back, back, GONE (on day 2 = 93).
The garrigue, earth, meat, wet underbrush, and spice go long and catch the pass! Has 5 years easy. (1608 views)
Well, it still has "5 years easy"! This is a big tannic wine with the herbal garrigue, stone and pepper notes again going long...back, back, back, GONE (on day 2 = 93).
Red
2009 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
95 points
My CdP OTN in this blind tasting.
My 93pt 2/17 note:
a wonderful wine with black cherry, tar, stone, iodine, and garrigue. If you only have a few: wait a bit or decant longer; 2018-2024. (5676 views)
It's better now, throw in a little iron note and make the cherry a cordial, you've got it. 95+ now, 94 on day 2. Now-2029.
My 93pt 2/17 note:
a wonderful wine with black cherry, tar, stone, iodine, and garrigue. If you only have a few: wait a bit or decant longer; 2018-2024. (5676 views)
It's better now, throw in a little iron note and make the cherry a cordial, you've got it. 95+ now, 94 on day 2. Now-2029.
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Red
2009 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape
93 points
This bottle over-performed. Even after a great VT, this came off as classic with savory notes that just went on and on. Kelp, meat, pepper, mineral notes sitting on relatively smooth tannins. 92 on day 2. Now-2022.
Flight 4 - Bordeaux #1 (6 notes)
Red
2009 Château Prieuré-Lichine
94 points
Sexy nose gave it away as Margaux in this blind tasting and I'm not at all surprised this was substantially better than my last bottle in 7/12. Deep, lovely blackberry, plum, currant, pencil, and florals. 93 on a day 2. Now-2030.
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Red
2009 Château Ormes de Pez
flawed
Corked, replaced by the Bellegrave in this tasting. One out of 32 bottles, not too bad!
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Red
2009 Château Bellegrave (Pauillac)
92 points
Better now blinded than 1/19:
We'll try this again at our 10 year retro tasting in November. Now it's got hallmark notes of its origin and that's good enough for me. Some cigar box and graphite over cassis and black cherries. Not too tannic and reasonable acidity. Fun! Now-2024.
Throw in some graphite and that would apply now. Fruit fell off on day 2 = 89. Now-2022.
We'll try this again at our 10 year retro tasting in November. Now it's got hallmark notes of its origin and that's good enough for me. Some cigar box and graphite over cassis and black cherries. Not too tannic and reasonable acidity. Fun! Now-2024.
Throw in some graphite and that would apply now. Fruit fell off on day 2 = 89. Now-2022.
Red
2009 Château Rol Valentin
93 points
Same score as 7/12 for me! This bottle was open for business and nicely structured. Black plum, mocha, earth and spice. 93 on day 2.
Red
2009 Château Clerc Milon
94 points
Same as my 5/16 score:
The crème de cassis, sweet tobacco, and cedar just pop! Then it adds cocoa, spice, and a floral note. Best 2017-2029. (3992 views)
A little more cherry and I didn't pick up a floral note blind this time, o/w accurate. 92 on day 2.
The crème de cassis, sweet tobacco, and cedar just pop! Then it adds cocoa, spice, and a floral note. Best 2017-2029. (3992 views)
A little more cherry and I didn't pick up a floral note blind this time, o/w accurate. 92 on day 2.
Red
2009 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate
95 points
This wine keeps getting better and better for me. This time blind, it was easy to pick out at the end of the flight of BDX. Deep black fruit, stone, mint, spice / oak. My last in 5 years. Could be 10! 94 on day 2.
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Flight 5 - Bordeaux #2 (5 notes)
Red
2009 Château Lucia
89 points
Certainly better than my last bottle (light TCA). Bordeaux on the nose, plum, currant, cocoa, cigar box but not deep or long. I'll wait a year, 89 on day 2.
Red
2009 Château La Fleur de Boüard
93 points
Better than 7/12 and possibly the best nose of the night. Floral, sweet tobacco, and earth notes with a nice mix of red and black fruit. Nose and mid-palate better than the finish. Now-2024.
Red
2009 Clos St. Julien
93 points
The depth of black fruit and cigar box made me guess wrong ("Left Bank?" in my blind notes). Long tannic finish, just great Bordeaux for $36. 93 on day 2. 2020-2029.
Red
2009 Château Lilian Ladouys
93 points
Crazy QPR wine and so much better than in its youth! Still big, with cassis, plum, tar, vanilla, and spice. 93 on day 2. Now-2029.
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Flight 6 - Bordeaux #3 (5 notes)
Red
2009 Château Lyonnat Lussac-St. Émilion Cuvée Emotion
91 points
I have to serve a wine that has my name buried in it! Some classic BDX notes, currant, stone, and minerality stand out. Great QPR. 92 on day 2. Now-2022.
Red
2009 Château d'Issan
94 points
Same score as 2/17.
Blind this time, I got the black fruit, stone and cigar, but it's all about texture and balance. This night I wrote, "Great weight / height / BMI". 94 on day 2, now-2029.
Blind this time, I got the black fruit, stone and cigar, but it's all about texture and balance. This night I wrote, "Great weight / height / BMI". 94 on day 2, now-2029.
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Red
2009 Château Gloria
93 points
This is a deep dark wine with a very smooth palate presence. Crème de Cassis, red plum and cherry with spice, earth / stone, and graphite. 93 on day 2. Now-2029.
Red
2009 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Montana Vineyard
94 points
This bottle was outstanding (literally too, not fitting with the rest of the flight)! A purple and blue fruited bruiser with layers to explore. Mocha, stone, and tar show up even after the upper cut from the tannins. 93 on day 2, 2021-2029.
Red
2009 Château Gruaud Larose
95 points
My WOTN and a notch better than a 5/17 bottle. This bottle had a wide open nose with currant, cigar box, stone/iron, and flowers. Long and balanced. 95+ blind and settled to "just" 95 on day 2.
My 5/17 note:
...the pencil and cigar box, the cassis, the stone, the flowers, and...ok you get it... It's complex, deep, balanced, and long. It will be amazing at our 10 year Retro in 11/19 and for 10 years after that! (6137 views)
Yep!
My 5/17 note:
...the pencil and cigar box, the cassis, the stone, the flowers, and...ok you get it... It's complex, deep, balanced, and long. It will be amazing at our 10 year Retro in 11/19 and for 10 years after that! (6137 views)
Yep!
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Flight 7 - Dessert (1 note)
Red - Fortified
1989 J.W. Burmester Porto Colheita
94 points
At this point of the event I'm not writing much, suffice to say it's like our last bottle:
It looks like a Madeira and has lots of overlap, just better! Roasted nuts, caramel, butterscotch, dried orange rind, and a hint of florals. Long and glorious! has 20 years. (888 views)
This was MORE expensive on-site at the winery last year...come on, really?!
It looks like a Madeira and has lots of overlap, just better! Roasted nuts, caramel, butterscotch, dried orange rind, and a hint of florals. Long and glorious! has 20 years. (888 views)
This was MORE expensive on-site at the winery last year...come on, really?!
Flight 8 - Bonus round cuz 28 isn't enough... (3 notes)
Red
2009 Bodegas Caro (Barons de Rothschild / Catena) Caro
93 points
A non-blind "bonus pour"! (Thanks J/J!).
Opened but no decant for 3-4 hours, this is 70% Malbec and 30% Cab Sauv. Deep dark and tannic with spicey blackberry, stone, coffee, and tar notes.
Opened but no decant for 3-4 hours, this is 70% Malbec and 30% Cab Sauv. Deep dark and tannic with spicey blackberry, stone, coffee, and tar notes.
Red
2009 Château Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape
92 points
A non-blind "bonus pour"! (Thanks J/J!).
Classic, old school and structured. Kirsch, leather, iodine, and black tea. Now-2024.
Classic, old school and structured. Kirsch, leather, iodine, and black tea. Now-2024.
Red
2010 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Coliseum Block
94 points
A preview taste for next year! I strongly suspect a Carter will be a ringer in next year's 10 year Retro of Bordeaux...
This bottle was PNP, on point for deep blue black Cali fruit, red and black licorice, oak and a glycerin laden palate. 94 on day 2. Now-2030.
This bottle was PNP, on point for deep blue black Cali fruit, red and black licorice, oak and a glycerin laden palate. 94 on day 2. Now-2030.
Closing
Some of our best friends keep moving away, so it was great to see everyone! Same bat time, same bat channel next year!