Gareth's Magnum Dinner, part 1

Noize
Tasted Thursday, June 24, 2021 by NickA with 93 views

Flight 1 - Gougeres and sourdough (2 Notes)

  • 1998 Pol Roger Champagne Vintage Brut 92 Points

    France, Champagne

    Magnum. Really enjoyable start to the evening: gentle, lifted, a nice tang to the finish. Scarcely any bubbles left but I didn't mind that. Maybe a tad too sweet, and not the most complex, but very happy to get multiple top-ups.

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  • 1996 R. & L. Legras Champagne Grand Cru Saint-Vincent 93 Points

    France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

    Magnum. More stuffing and complexity than the Pol we had alongside it, although no more lovely. Lemon, ginger and herbs on the nose, and a buttery (although not too rich) experience on the palate. Deep, smoky and pulsating with energy. Excellent.

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Flight 2 - Parmesan-crusted stone bass, creamed fennel barley, lemon and caper jus (1 Note)

  • 1995 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Magnum. Delighted to sniff this and immediately conclude it was in excellent condition. Seemed in a great spot, with plenty of evidence of the tropical, grassy, blackcurrant leaf notes of its youth, plus the waxy lanolin sensations that come with age. Loved the mouthfeel, the bitterness and the long finish.

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Flight 3 - Cep ragout tagliatelle (2 Notes)

  • 1970 Château Léoville Las Cases 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Magnum. Still pretty dark (as you'd expect from a mag of LLC, I guess). Not an assertive wine though, just very classic: juicy, smoky, red-fruited and with a touch of barnyard - very far from completely tertiary. Mature and well-balanced but lacked the impact for greatness.

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  • 1974 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Magnum. I seemed to be in a minority in not loving this: I respected it, but found certain unusual notes that I couldn't quite get past, so the wine seemed to me a bit of a curiosity rather than delicious per se. Caraway, mint chocolate (Matchmakers, to be precise), plenty of deep dark fruit. Nice mouthfeel and clearly lots of life left.

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Flight 4 - Roast suckling pig, pommes cocotte, creamed parsley root (1 Note)

  • 1990 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Magnum. Delicious and piquant. Very classic in feel: serious and structured, and still with a good amount of juicy red fruit. Aromas of lavender and smoke brought complexity. A fine match for the food. Middleweight, but felt authoritative.

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Flight 5 - Roasted breast of pigeon, poached cherries, celeriac puree and bitter leaves (1 Note)

  • 1993 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

    Magnum. Plenty of fruit and acidity here, and attractively aromatic, so another good match for the food, but a bit straightforward - missing a je ne sais quoi. Maybe better with more tertiary development?

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Flight 6 - Farmhouse cheeses (2 Notes)

  • 1947 Moulin Touchais Anjou Blanc 94 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou

    Divine. Well-developed of course, with brown bread, wet wool, saffron and coffee as well as some tasty apricot fruit. Age and the inherent acidity of Chenin made this seem not particularly sweet, thus rendering it an excellent pairing with the cheese. Full of finesse - a real treat.

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  • 1983 Moulin Touchais Anjou Blanc 92 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou

    Much sweeter than the '47, but gorgeously so: full of barley sugar and stem ginger along with the wet wool. Lacked the complexity and the weightlessness of the older wine, but still very good.

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Closing

No truly great wines tonight, but consistently strong performances throughout, plenty of interest, and some really delicious food. Big success!

part 2 notes here https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=46712

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