Community Tasting Note

Hank Gillespie wrote:

Sunday, October 16, 2011 - Selected a bottle of the 1979 Chateau Pichon Lalande yesterday afternoon to accompany a rack of fresh Alberta lamb with dinner.

This vintage has long been a strong choice with me, particularly with Lalande and Palmer as these wine offers up some truly pleasing
characteristics in the bouquet and on the palate. This bottle didn’t disappoint.

High fill in the bottle – about ¾” below the bottom of the cork; long cork extracted intact and I proceeded to decant the wine after opening,
about 3 hours prior to serving; some fine sediment and a noticeable amount adhered to the inside of the glass surface; extremely dark mahogany in colour,
extending out to a thin amber rim; bouquet flowed readily from the glass – cassis – cedar notes – spice – an element of fresh hazelnut and coffee;
rich and full in the mouth – some elegance as the wine slid out to the mid palate and lingered there; black currant fruit seems to explode in bunches;
harmony of the elements and flavours in evidence with the tannins more or less completely resolved; nice frame held firm;
finishes very long – an aftertaste of black currant and spice that lasted a full minute and a half. Alas, my inventory is pretty
much depleted. Nice choice to accompany the lamb.

Background music was from the album Waltz For Debby featuring Ahmad Jamal’s piano stylings - part from Bubba’s Restaurant in
Fort Lauderdale in March of 1980, and from a concert in Cannes in January, 1981, which featured Gary Burton on vibes. Several outstanding
tracks, including Morning Of The Carnival and Autumn In New York.

Post a Comment / View Hank Gillespie's profile
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue (6,168 views)