The 1971 La Tâche is amazing. It was lush, yet subtle, alive and totally electric in the mouth. we were both dazzled from start to finish with seemingly endless layers of sweet fruit and captivating aromatics from the first smell to the last sip. This is old Burgundy at its best. it surpassed the 78 i had a few months ago, although ether is a wonderful treat. A perfect wine for a celebration.
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This bottle took a long time to come online and show its greatness, but in the end was great. Probably not the sensational perfect showing this wine should be capable of, but very close and very good to excellent nonetheless. Dark spice, fall spices, secondary and tertiary but not decrepit or falling apart at all. Improved with time and got brighter and more expressive. Developed an intense menthol and eucalyptus cool spice over darker red berry fruit. Chai teas. High acid on the palate, light red fruit hanging on. Became flamboyant in the La Tâche direction. I really enjoyed this overall, even if it was a degree short of the exceptional showing we experienced in 2018. Thank you to the most generous collector of all time for continuing to share these absolute gems.
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Served out of 750 ml bottle at La Paulee Legends dinner in New York with Aubert de Villaine in attendance. LT sourced directly from DRC-cork original. Very light red in glass with an expansive mix of crushed strawberries, subtle rose petals and faint saddle leather on the nose. A killer bourgogne rouge extraordinaire with impressive midpalate of sweet dried cranberries-although compared to the magnum of 1971 RC served in the next flight-this 750 ml LT less intense and a shorter finish to the classic cherry preserves peacock tail that draws all oenophiles like magnets to this wine. One wonders about comparing an original 750 ml Domaine bottling of LT to a reconditioned magnum Domaine bottling of RC, served at the same dinner? The flavour profiles of both were stunningly similar, but on this occasion the RC got the nod - as clearly the RC trumped the LT in size, intensity and complexity - with a slightly longer and fresher finish-but not by much! Reminiscent to comparing the number of angels able to dance on the head of a pin...
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A fine bottle but was lacking the finesse and length of pass bottles. Completely over shadowed by a regal and majestic 1982 Jayer richebourg. Makes me wonder if the consistency and magic is sporadic in 750ml and more consistent in Magnums currently.
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low fill. quite dark, but touch browning at rim. incredibly caressing, velvety nose with intense super-ripe core that is at once rich, profound, and extremely elegant with a super-charged version of its inimitable version of vosne earthy-spiciness. extremely dense and complex ripe fruit on palate with tones of undergrowth and wild mushrooms; essence of PN in a silky finish. forceful and penetrating, fine balance of various elements; only lacks the perfect harmony of RC drunk with. multi-dimensional, enormous length and depth; layers continue to emerge as it airs. most highly extracted La Tâche I've ever experienced
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World's Greatest - Night III (Per Se): The nose here is spectacular. Pristine, precise, weightless. Finessed and sexy. Stemmy and floral but also raw. Full peacock bouquet. This is equally as impressive on the palate with a perfect straddle of ripe, sweet, and savory. Yeah, that's just spectacular...
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Captivating soft spice nose. Soft spice, velvety black raspberry and oil tones on the palate. More energy on the palate of this bottle than others I have had. 97-98
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Correct color. Generous sweet red fruit, raspberry and strawberry jam, a slight hint of soy, sous bois, mushroom and earth. Medium concentration, slightly dry red fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of mineral and nice long finish. It is not as complex as what one expects from the 71 La Tache. I may be able to call this as fake if served blind along with a few bottles of La Tache in a tasting setting. We all agree that it is a fake but certainly a very good one. I am curious whether this is a blend or one wine. My guess is a lesser crus from the same period. I would rate this around 92-93 pts for sure. If I were drunk, 96-97 pts.
From pristine magnum. Beautiful, deep, rich, poetic wine. Really stunning wine with full classic DRC nose and incredible texture. One of the greats of my short life.
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Här märker man en tydlig kvalitetsskillnad jämfört med 1969 i glaset bredvid. Ett både kraftigare, djupare och samtidigt elegantare vin. Solmogna jordgubbar, violer och en sådan otrolig elegans. Detta är ett riktigt stort vin. Tråkigt nog var där lite orenhet i början men det försvann helt efter en stund.
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a Beautiful floral nose that just continued on the palate. Violets and strawberries all day. In a great place and continued to show well as we drank. Not as fresh and masculine as the 71 drouhin Musigny but in a better place at the moment.
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Flaw? I think people were awed because of the label. Having never had this call me a barbarian, but to me this wine was a bit flabby. Pretty disappointing, but given the reputation I would ascribe this to being a bad bottle,.
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Acker BYO 2012 (Tribeca Grill, Tribeca, NY): Just got a small taste, but this is the real deal. Soft nose, red-purple with spice. Really sublime on the palate: mouth filling and creamy with flowers, tomato, lots and lots of spice. Amazing balance. Still has sweet fruit. So plush that I don't know how to describe it. Like a red velvet carpet. I wish I got more. Mean old 71 La Tache made that 85 LT run home to Momma! Nose - 4.5-5/6, Palate - 6/6, Finish - 5.5-6/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 2/2 = 18-19/20.
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Rare Wine Dinner - quick impressions: Again, great LT nose and most complete of the DRC's that night. True to its terroir. Not sure if I would keep this much longer.
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Legends Dinner at La Paulee de San Francisco (Napa Valley Reserve - St. Helena CA): Okay this wasn't as great as when tasted in 2010 from Jeroboam. It was still a great wine and quite a releif after the troubling 1978 La Tache in the prior flight. Floral, spicy and very alluring. Red cherry and fragrant strawberry on palate with plenty of wild mushroom flavors. Racy finish with plenty of spice as well as both power and finesse.
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The Tenth Annual Stonefields Dinner (Guelph, ON, Canada): Originally not slated to be opened for this dinner, the host graciously opened this as a replacement for the two Barolet Burgundies. This wine opened up with a beautiful nose of beetroot, cranberry, spice, soy and ginger. The palate showed great poise and balance and carried with it a long finish with very good overall complexity. Having only had two other vintages of DRC La Tache, this one did seem to be lacking some of the verve and energy that the 1990 and 1978 had had for me. In spite of that, this is still incredible wine from a storied producer and vineyard.
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From a jéroboam that had been forgotten about and was found in the basement under a couple of other cases... nice! I wish I could "forget" that I owned such a wine! This showed nobility at its best. Great wine, great impression on the palate. Clearly superior to the 750ml had a few months ago.
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A fitting way to celebrate a lovely person born in 1971! The wine is a beauty, well described by sgamboca as “light cranberry, fragile rasberry (sic)” and lovely balance. This is not a blockbuster wine as it does not have the weight of say the ’61 or ’90 vintages, but it has grace and elegance, and a deep penetrating power that I love. The wine was fresh and lively, perfectly mature but in no danger of decline. Aubert is right to be critical of the DRC wines from the ‘70s, but this is a worthy representative for the decade!
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First bottle was oxidized. Big bummer. Second bottle was in perfect shape. Go figure. Color of the wine was clear and bright.Flvor and nose of light cranberry, fragile rasberry and a fabulous minerailty and sense of earth. Rocks, black truffle at the mid palate. Made me sigh after each sip. Sweet integrated and smooth tannins. This is a wine to remember.
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It’s worth stating that none of the wines upon first pour blew us away. They all required coxing and started really strutting themselves with 1 hour – 2 hours of air. The 71 Tâche was no different. It started with what was perceived as mild VA though with some time, it broadened filling out like a new sponge seeing water for the first time. Impeccable balanced with it’s addictive smell and palate texture. Qualitatively it doesn’t get too much better for me and my tasting experiences. Rich and ripe which brings perfect harmony to my sole.
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La Paulee Gala (San Francisco CA): La Paulee Gala. From Jeroboam. Unlike other wines passed and poured, then quickly tasted at Paulee, I lingered over this wine and had the good fortune to go back for a second taste. Monumental in every way - fruit, spice, elegant development, layers of flavor and texture, intensity, length. Best wine I have ever had.
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From 3L. Very ripe with a quite a bit of sweetness. Very floral with roses and a mix of red and black fruit. Doesn't have the acidity to be truly great like the 62.
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Dark brick in color from edge to core, this wine smelled like Sarabath's orange-apricot jam along with something deep and earthy. The orange sensation manifested itself on the palate, too, prominent in the mélange of dark fruits that added up to an almost full-bodied density. And then on the back end it became something else entirely: cigar or pipe tobacco unraveling for several minutes. It still shows tannin and can probably keep going for another decade or few. Among the people who were in awe of this wine was one of our waiters, and the wine inspired a lengthy conversation of wine-soaked reminiscences. At one point I remarked that it struck me as a wine Burgophiles would adore, but I wasn't sure whether it would convert anyone not already in the fold. He said, "Well, today, I am converted." That settles that.
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Some winemakers claim they let nature do the work. Why, then, does this remind me of the novel whose complexities deepen with every page, the painting you can't turn from, revealing layers ever more extraordinary the longer you look? Why does it resemble the greatest products of human effort? Like an artifact fallen from some higher world where everybody is Aristotle and Shakespeare. Here are the wines it bested tonight: 1971 DRC Richebourg, 1962 DRC Richebourg, 1969 DRC Richebourg, 1966 DRC Richebourg, 1966 La Tache, 1966 Romanee-Conti. Any analytical description would only cheapen the experience. It was for this that such words as compelling and irresistible were coined. And to think that I've traded away my last bottle for a handful of lesser things!
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A Mid-1980's Tasting of Twenty One Vintages of La Tâche (1945-1980) (Private residence, San Francisco): Clear, light, maturing color. Gorgeously ripe, spicy, red fruited aromas-the fruit is just singing and smells so fresh. More haunting secondary perfume appears later. Light, elegant, but luscious at the same time. Rich, naturally sweet fruit, beautifully balanced, fine acidity, and perfectly integrated tannins. Just got better and better in the glass. None of the young wines came close to this, and one senses it could still unfold and improve for another 15 to 20 years.
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10/8/2023 - ricknat1 Likes this wine: 100 Points
The 1971 La Tâche is amazing. It was lush, yet subtle, alive and totally electric in the mouth. we were both dazzled from start to finish with seemingly endless layers of sweet fruit and captivating aromatics from the first smell to the last sip. This is old Burgundy at its best. it surpassed the 78 i had a few months ago, although ether is a wonderful treat. A perfect wine for a celebration.
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11/2/2021 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 95 Points
This bottle took a long time to come online and show its greatness, but in the end was great. Probably not the sensational perfect showing this wine should be capable of, but very close and very good to excellent nonetheless. Dark spice, fall spices, secondary and tertiary but not decrepit or falling apart at all. Improved with time and got brighter and more expressive. Developed an intense menthol and eucalyptus cool spice over darker red berry fruit. Chai teas. High acid on the palate, light red fruit hanging on. Became flamboyant in the La Tâche direction. I really enjoyed this overall, even if it was a degree short of the exceptional showing we experienced in 2018. Thank you to the most generous collector of all time for continuing to share these absolute gems.
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12/7/2020 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 96 Points
Seamless palate. One of the fresher recent 750s. Subtlety to the varied nose which is quite rewarding despite its softness. 96-97
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10/26/2020 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 96 Points
Showing its age, but still great. 96-
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8/21/2020 - tinybubbles wrote: flawed
Off bottle.
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5/23/2020 - tinybubbles wrote:
Showing hints of oxidation. But good spice underneath.
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3/6/2020 - ricardito Likes this wine: 97 Points
Served out of 750 ml bottle at La Paulee Legends dinner in New York with Aubert de Villaine in attendance. LT sourced directly from DRC-cork original. Very light red in glass with an expansive mix of crushed strawberries, subtle rose petals and faint saddle leather on the nose. A killer bourgogne rouge extraordinaire with impressive midpalate of sweet dried cranberries-although compared to the magnum of 1971 RC served in the next flight-this 750 ml LT less intense and a shorter finish to the classic cherry preserves peacock tail that draws all oenophiles like magnets to this wine. One wonders about comparing an original 750 ml Domaine bottling of LT to a reconditioned magnum Domaine bottling of RC, served at the same dinner? The flavour profiles of both were stunningly similar, but on this occasion the RC got the nod - as clearly the RC trumped the LT in size, intensity and complexity - with a slightly longer and fresher finish-but not by much! Reminiscent to comparing the number of angels able to dance on the head of a pin...
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12/10/2019 - fatboi wrote:
A fine bottle but was lacking the finesse and length of pass bottles. Completely over shadowed by a regal and majestic 1982 Jayer richebourg. Makes me wonder if the consistency and magic is sporadic in 750ml and more consistent in Magnums currently.
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11/26/2019 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 94 Points
A good but not great bottle. Somewhat jammy without the airy lift on the nose that this wine can have.
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9/11/2019 - Bob H wrote:
From magnum.
Wow, the nose here is simply spectacular. So much going on here.
Sweet & sour cherry on an expansive palate - mind-blowingly good!
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8/19/2019 - fcxj wrote: 98 Points
EOHK. Spice, floral and sous bois aromatics. Achingly delicate palate with sweetness and effortless minerality. Pretty magical. (10836/17753)
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7/23/2019 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 95 Points
A slightly more advanced bottle than most, but good weight here and full across the palate. 95-
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3/5/2019 - LB88 wrote: 95 Points
Opened 2 hours before drinking. It was well integrated aged burgundy. Displayed a elegance and power. WOTN next to the 49 Leroy clos vougeot
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11/5/2018 - logos Likes this wine: 95 Points
low fill. quite dark, but touch browning at rim. incredibly caressing, velvety nose with intense super-ripe core that is at once rich, profound, and extremely elegant with a super-charged version of its inimitable version of vosne earthy-spiciness. extremely dense and complex ripe fruit on palate with tones of undergrowth and wild mushrooms; essence of PN in a silky finish. forceful and penetrating, fine balance of various elements; only lacks the perfect harmony of RC drunk with.
multi-dimensional, enormous length and depth; layers continue to emerge as it airs. most highly extracted La Tâche I've ever experienced
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9/12/2018 - nywine68 wrote: 94 Points
Le Cinq Legends Dinner 2018 (Le Cinq Restaurant, George Cinq Four Seasons, Paris): Much more evolved than the '47. Some madeirized notes. Beautiful complexity and length
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5/13/2017 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 97 Points
World's Greatest - Night III (Per Se): The nose here is spectacular. Pristine, precise, weightless. Finessed and sexy. Stemmy and floral but also raw. Full peacock bouquet. This is equally as impressive on the palate with a perfect straddle of ripe, sweet, and savory. Yeah, that's just spectacular...
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5/13/2017 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 97 Points
Captivating soft spice nose. Soft spice, velvety black raspberry and oil tones on the palate. More energy on the palate of this bottle than others I have had. 97-98
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3/10/2017 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 97 Points
A strong initial performer with red and black plum, elegant sweetness. Violets but very little spice on the nose. Faded after 45 minutes. 97-
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11/5/2016 - dcwino wrote: flawed
2016 Villa d’Este Wine Symposium - Kelly, Alan and Kevin's excellent adventure; 11/3/2016-11/12/2016 (Villa D’este, Lake Como, Piedmont, Milan and Frankfurt): The wine that I most looking forward to trying. Unfortunately slightly off/corked. Roasted fruit, stewed fruit and soy. The taint is too much for me to bare.
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4/16/2016 - dcwino wrote:
Weekend with Eddie - Part 2 (Bouley, NYC): Eddie announced in advance that it is a Rudy’s bottle.
Correct color. Generous sweet red fruit, raspberry and strawberry jam, a slight hint of soy, sous bois, mushroom and earth. Medium concentration, slightly dry red fruit driven palate impression, strong presence of mineral and nice long finish. It is not as complex as what one expects from the 71 La Tache. I may be able to call this as fake if served blind along with a few bottles of La Tache in a tasting setting. We all agree that it is a fake but certainly a very good one. I am curious whether this is a blend or one wine. My guess is a lesser crus from the same period. I would rate this around 92-93 pts for sure. If I were drunk, 96-97 pts.
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2/17/2016 - tinybubbles Likes this wine: 95 Points
Soft and velvety with sweet spice and violet highlights. Moderate length finish on this bottle, fell off at the end. Consumed with venison
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4/9/2015 - AtoZ wrote:
Words fail me. Even gorgeous to look at.
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3/10/2015 - LW31 Likes this wine: 100 Points
From pristine magnum. Beautiful, deep, rich, poetic wine. Really stunning wine with full classic DRC nose and incredible texture. One of the greats of my short life.
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1/24/2015 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 97 Points
Här märker man en tydlig kvalitetsskillnad jämfört med 1969 i glaset bredvid. Ett både kraftigare, djupare och samtidigt elegantare vin. Solmogna jordgubbar, violer och en sådan otrolig elegans. Detta är ett riktigt stort vin. Tråkigt nog var där lite orenhet i början men det försvann helt efter en stund.
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12/22/2014 - fatboi Likes this wine: 98 Points
a Beautiful floral nose that just continued on the palate. Violets and strawberries all day. In a great place and continued to show well as we drank. Not as fresh and masculine as the 71 drouhin Musigny but in a better place at the moment.
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3/15/2013 - rnellans wrote: 95 Points
Not quite as good of a bottle as one 2 years ago, but still a treat.. Soy, spice...Silk on the palate. Long sweet finish.
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12/3/2012 - essconsults wrote: 88 Points
Flaw? I think people were awed because of the label. Having never had this call me a barbarian, but to me this wine was a bit flabby. Pretty disappointing, but given the reputation I would ascribe this to being a bad bottle,.
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12/3/2012 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 97 Points
Acker BYO 2012 (Tribeca Grill, Tribeca, NY): Just got a small taste, but this is the real deal. Soft nose, red-purple with spice. Really sublime on the palate: mouth filling and creamy with flowers, tomato, lots and lots of spice. Amazing balance. Still has sweet fruit. So plush that I don't know how to describe it. Like a red velvet carpet. I wish I got more. Mean old 71 La Tache made that 85 LT run home to Momma! Nose - 4.5-5/6, Palate - 6/6, Finish - 5.5-6/6, Je Ne Sais Quoi - 2/2 = 18-19/20.
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3/2/2012 - steinersing wrote: 96 Points
Rare Wine Dinner - quick impressions: Again, great LT nose and most complete of the DRC's that night. True to its terroir. Not sure if I would keep this much longer.
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2/22/2012 - Burgundy Al wrote: 96 Points
Legends Dinner at La Paulee de San Francisco (Napa Valley Reserve - St. Helena CA): Okay this wasn't as great as when tasted in 2010 from Jeroboam. It was still a great wine and quite a releif after the troubling 1978 La Tache in the prior flight. Floral, spicy and very alluring. Red cherry and fragrant strawberry on palate with plenty of wild mushroom flavors. Racy finish with plenty of spice as well as both power and finesse.
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12/3/2011 - Dave Canada wrote: 93 Points
The Tenth Annual Stonefields Dinner (Guelph, ON, Canada): Originally not slated to be opened for this dinner, the host graciously opened this as a replacement for the two Barolet Burgundies. This wine opened up with a beautiful nose of beetroot, cranberry, spice, soy and ginger. The palate showed great poise and balance and carried with it a long finish with very good overall complexity. Having only had two other vintages of DRC La Tache, this one did seem to be lacking some of the verve and energy that the 1990 and 1978 had had for me. In spite of that, this is still incredible wine from a storied producer and vineyard.
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7/25/2011 - lepetitchateau wrote: 98 Points
From a jéroboam that had been forgotten about and was found in the basement under a couple of other cases... nice! I wish I could "forget" that I owned such a wine! This showed nobility at its best. Great wine, great impression on the palate. Clearly superior to the 750ml had a few months ago.
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4/11/2011 - lepetitchateau wrote: 95 Points
A fitting way to celebrate a lovely person born in 1971! The wine is a beauty, well described by sgamboca as “light cranberry, fragile rasberry (sic)” and lovely balance. This is not a blockbuster wine as it does not have the weight of say the ’61 or ’90 vintages, but it has grace and elegance, and a deep penetrating power that I love. The wine was fresh and lively, perfectly mature but in no danger of decline. Aubert is right to be critical of the DRC wines from the ‘70s, but this is a worthy representative for the decade!
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11/7/2010 - rdsboca wrote: 98 Points
First bottle was oxidized. Big bummer. Second bottle was in perfect shape. Go figure. Color of the wine was clear and bright.Flvor and nose of light cranberry, fragile rasberry and a fabulous minerailty and sense of earth. Rocks, black truffle at the mid palate. Made me sigh after each sip. Sweet integrated and smooth tannins. This is a wine to remember.
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3/15/2010 - jamiekutch wrote:
It’s worth stating that none of the wines upon first pour blew us away. They all required coxing and started really strutting themselves with 1 hour – 2 hours of air. The 71 Tâche was no different. It started with what was perceived as mild VA though with some time, it broadened filling out like a new sponge seeing water for the first time. Impeccable balanced with it’s addictive smell and palate texture. Qualitatively it doesn’t get too much better for me and my tasting experiences. Rich and ripe which brings perfect harmony to my sole.
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3/13/2010 - Burgundy Al wrote: 99 Points
La Paulee Gala (San Francisco CA): La Paulee Gala. From Jeroboam. Unlike other wines passed and poured, then quickly tasted at Paulee, I lingered over this wine and had the good fortune to go back for a second taste. Monumental in every way - fruit, spice, elegant development, layers of flavor and texture, intensity, length. Best wine I have ever had.
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8/28/2009 - ryker01 wrote:
From 3L. Very ripe with a quite a bit of sweetness. Very floral with roses and a mix of red and black fruit. Doesn't have the acidity to be truly great like the 62.
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11/28/2005 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 98 Points
Dark brick in color from edge to core, this wine smelled like Sarabath's orange-apricot jam along with something deep and earthy. The orange sensation manifested itself on the palate, too, prominent in the mélange of dark fruits that added up to an almost full-bodied density. And then on the back end it became something else entirely: cigar or pipe tobacco unraveling for several minutes. It still shows tannin and can probably keep going for another decade or few. Among the people who were in awe of this wine was one of our waiters, and the wine inspired a lengthy conversation of wine-soaked reminiscences. At one point I remarked that it struck me as a wine Burgophiles would adore, but I wasn't sure whether it would convert anyone not already in the fold. He said, "Well, today, I am converted." That settles that.
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9/20/2005 - Rupert wrote: flawed
Linden's La Tache Tasting (Bentley Hotel, London): Corked. Underneath the taint, this showed the same nice balance of sweet and savoury.
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2/23/2001 - Vinomane wrote: 100 Points
Some winemakers claim they let nature do the work. Why, then, does this remind me of the novel whose complexities deepen with every page,
the painting you can't turn from, revealing layers ever more extraordinary the longer you look? Why does it resemble the greatest products of
human effort? Like an artifact fallen from some higher world where everybody is Aristotle and Shakespeare. Here are the wines it bested tonight:
1971 DRC Richebourg, 1962 DRC Richebourg, 1969 DRC Richebourg, 1966 DRC Richebourg, 1966 La Tache, 1966 Romanee-Conti. Any
analytical description would only cheapen the experience. It was for this that such words as compelling and irresistible were coined. And to think that I've
traded away my last bottle for a handful of lesser things!
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2/10/1985 - drwine2001 wrote:
A Mid-1980's Tasting of Twenty One Vintages of La Tâche (1945-1980) (Private residence, San Francisco): Clear, light, maturing color. Gorgeously ripe, spicy, red fruited aromas-the fruit is just singing and smells so fresh. More haunting secondary perfume appears later. Light, elegant, but luscious at the same time. Rich, naturally sweet fruit, beautifully balanced, fine acidity, and perfectly integrated tannins. Just got better and better in the glass. None of the young wines came close to this, and one senses it could still unfold and improve for another 15 to 20 years.
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