The Second Avery Family Cellar Wine Dinner - Really old wines

The Grill Room at the Rosewood DC
Tasted Friday, February 24, 2017 by dcwino with 571 views

Introduction

As some of you may already know, the Averys is a six generation family run wine merchant in Bristol, England that was found in 1793. On Thursday October 20th, Christie’s London auctioned this landmark collection. The family cellar is in Bristol where summer high temperatures rarely gets above 70. According to the Christie’s wine department, the cellar has maintained the active cooling and humidity.

Four guys in DC area decided to actively participate in the auction. Luckily, we succeeded on acquiring 160 also bottles of very old wines. The wines are from the 20s to the early 70s.

Upon receiving them, I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent appearances. There was a mag of the 55 Avery Chambertin that was leaking which was not a terrible surprise. Most of the bottles had excellent fills and sound color. As old bottles go, no great wines, just great bottles. However, our chances of having the great experiences seemed to increase significantly.

Our inaugural dinner was a great success. This was the second Avery dinner. Our success rate was not as high as the inaugural dinner but we had a number of exceptional bottles. I have had my fair share of the old wines as I love them. My success rate is around 20% memorable, 20% excellent, 20% good, 20% drinkable and 20% undrinkable. A couple of the participants were new to the old wines and they were pleasantly surprised by how complex and sweet the wine showed.

Flight 1 - Champagne (2 Notes)

  • 1996 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 98 Points

    France, Champagne

    Another exceptional bottle. Beautiful harmonious nose displaying lemon curd, candied orange peel, peach, tarte tatin, crème brulee, cinnamon, ginger and wet stone. Harmonious and elegant yet energetic and precise palate, candied orange and tart tatin driven palate impression, bright acidity, strong presence of mineral and a seamless long finish that resonates. For the past few years, the 96 Krug has reached the peak. Absolutely delicious yet profound.

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  • 1979 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 91 Points

    France, Champagne

    Sound looking bottle with a good fill level. Delicate nose displaying shy yellow fruit, slightly oxidize apple, lanoline, toffee, ginger and mineral. Soft, warm and round, shy medium mousse, slightly lacking acidity hence lacking energy and precision and a medium finish.

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Flight 2 - Marcassin Chardonnay (2 Notes)

  • 2010 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard 95 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Feels fresher than the last bottle. Youthful mineral driven nose displaying pineapple, lemon curd, acacia flower, spicy spices, butterscotch and limestone. Fresh and energetic, of course in very Californian way, medium acidity, strong presence of mineral, and a nice spicy spices and mineral driven finish. There is a hint of heat but it is not terribly bothersome. Nice showing.

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  • 2007 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Deeply toned nose displaying sweet yellow fruit, peach, mango, caramel, a hint of lanoline and jalapeno and mineral. Excellent concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, medium mineral and a medium to long spicy finish with a hint of heat at the end. It is riper and deeper than the 10.

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Flight 3 - Old white (2 Notes)

  • 1943 Château Olivier Blanc 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Clear light honey color. Pop and pour, fresher than the last bottle, fresh apricot, golden delicious, a hint of lanoline and mineral. It reminds me a bit of Japanese plum wine. With air, it opens up beautifully, candied apricot, crème brulee, light honey, lanoline and mineral. Perfectly harmonious, elegant and silky, delicious subtle yellow fruit, perfect amount of acidity and mineral, and a lovely long finish. It gets better and better with air, becoming fresher and more precise. Remarkably fresh for a seventy plus year old wine. Stunning showing.

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  • 1964 Averys Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 90 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

    A bit more advanced than the last bottle. Medium expression nose displaying apple juice, sweet spices, sweet and sour sauce and mineral. Medium concentration, dense yellow fruit driven palate impression, good mineral presence and a medium burnt sugar driven finish Not as good as the last bottle but still enjoyable.

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Flight 4 - Red Burgundy (4 Notes)

  • 1955 Domaine Jean Monnier & Fils Pommard Clos des Citeaux 96 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard

    Absolutely captivating fully mature Burgundy nose displaying decadent earthy red fruit, maraschino cherry, strawberry and rhubarb tart, sous bois, raw button mushroom, caramel, soy, strong Asian spices, cedar, iron and strong earth. Fully integrated earthy palate, decadent earthy red fruit driven palate impression, strong acidity, iron and a lovely long earthy finish. The nose is truly remarkable, 98 point nose and 93 point palate.

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  • 1959 Remoissenet Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin Flawed

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin

    Madeirized, earthy and straightforward.

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  • 1972 Averys Mazis-Chambertin 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

    Medium expressive nose displaying soft cherry fruit, a hint of stewed tomato, raw button mushroom, sous bois and earth. Medium concentration, soft and warm red fruit driven palate impression, bright acidity, good mineral presence and a medium to long cherry fruit driven finish. Nicely mature Burgundy but not as good as the last bottle.

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  • 1955 Averys Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Roncières 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

    Initially a hint of madeira which slowly dissipates with air. Fully mature earthy nose displaying slightly dry cherry, blackberry jam, licorice, soy and strong earth. Excellent concentration, dry black cherry and earth driven palate impression, good acidity and a medium to long earthy finish. Not the most complex wine but very good fruit concentration and sweetness.

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Flight 5 - '61 Vogue Musigny (1 Note)

  • 1961 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 96 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Musigny Grand Cru

    In half bottle with high ullage. Beautiful soft red color. Medium expressive warm and soft nose displaying subtle red fruit, raspberry jelly, strawberry jam, sous bois, rose, iron and earth. The palate to die for, silky and sensual, beautifully layered, subtle round and warm red fruit driven palate impression, strong iron/limestone, perfect amount of acidity and a seamless long finish. 93 point nose and 98 point palate. Excellent showing. I would love to try from a magnum.

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Flight 6 - '49 Bordeaux (2 Notes)

  • 1949 Château La Croix de Gay Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Strong VA, coffee, tobacco. Nice material and silky palate. Too bad.

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  • 1949 Château Beychevelle 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Beautiful mature claret nose displaying bright red fruit, strawberry, cedar, autumn leaves and mineral. Perfectly harmonious palate, soft yet bright and energetic, bright acidity, good mineral expression and a clean long bright red fruit driven finish. Not the most concentrated or complex but drinking beautifully showing good freshness and lovely balance.

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Flight 7 - 20s Bordeaux (2 Notes)

  • 1929 Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru) 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Some Bordeaux “traditionalists” love to reminisce the 70s' Bordeaux without realizing how ripe and concentrated the Bordeauxs once were. Beautiful complex nose displaying decadent red fruit, cherry, leather, cedar, black truffle, sous bois, a hint of caramel, strong presence of mineral and earth. Exceptional concentration, beautifully layered decadent red fruit, quite dense, bright acidity and a seamless long leather and cherry driven finish. The fruit is quite generous and decadently sweet. Drinking magnificently.

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  • 1924 Château Pontet-Canet 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Incredibly unique nose that is dominated by porcini. Our resident mycologist, Adam, informs us that the nose is closer to a dry porcini. I am starting to think more like matsutake. Tertiary dominating nose, strong dry mushroom, a hint of raspberry and cherry, mineral/iron, cedar and earth. Fully integrated harmonious palate, strong mineral presence, perfect amount of acidity and a long mineral driven finish. The dry mushroom dominating nose is really unique. Once in a lifetime kinda nose that I love.

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Flight 8 - '53 LLC mag and '61 Rauzan Gassies (2 Notes)

Closing

A great time was had by all

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