Glengarry Old Wines Dinner

Auckland, New Zealand
Tasted Friday, March 18, 2011 by Marc with 782 views

Introduction

This was a bring your own old bottle tasting with food provided by the restaurant attached to Glengarry Wines - one of New Zealand's most respected fine wine shops. The premise is great - a chance to open wine and share with like minded individuals. It is an ad hoc affair as no one knows what others are bringing and the food may or may not match what is brought, but as a chance to try wines of interest, it was a great success. In terms of drinking one's very finest bottles, my preference would be for more structured food and wine matching.

My wife and I brought the Domane Wachau and Caymus Special Selection but were rewarded by some wines that we have not tried before.

Flight 1 (13 Notes)

  • 1985 Château de Fargues 86 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    A fine aged sauternes with little evidence of botrytis. Aging and drinking well - certainly not close to decline. The wine does not have huge dimension but has good presence although a hint of SO2 detracts somewhat.

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  • NV Alvear Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles Solera 1830 96 Points

    Spain, Andalucía, Montilla-Moriles

    Deep brown with definite green tints - not unlike some very old madeiras that I have consumed.This is close to liquid gold - rich, refined with the most velvet texture I have encountered. Chocolate, figs, raisins - quite high toned and a low claimed alcohol of 11.5% combine to wonderful effect. Extraordinary finish. Reminds me of the old Chambers - Rosewood tokays from Rutherglen.

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  • 1998 Château Cos d'Estournel 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    Smells pretty new worldy to me - very pruney. The nose is pretty volatile - varnish is everywhere. The mouth displays gorgeous construction - very ripe. Plums and leather echo on the palate. This could be mistaken for a Bordeaux look alike from the ne world. With more air, the wine settles down and its Bordeaux origins become more apparent - but with more than a hint of new world opulence about it.

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  • 1992 Nicolas Potel Chambertin 83 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

    Very light, refined and pretty nose. Smooth texture - lacks character. Completely resolved - even a little fatigued. The delicacy of this wine is its biggest asset but its major flaw is any sense of intensity of fruit expression. So - a good score from me as a drink, but as a Chambertin????

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  • 1996 Château Gruaud Larose 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    I may be slightly over-rating this wine, but it is a beautiful example of a Medoc from the 1996 vintage. It has wonderful poise and lovely balance. Extremely elegant and still tight. This wine convinces on this proportion rather than mass. This is drinkable now but I imagine it will continue to gain nuance in the years to come. Outstanding medium weigh bordeaux.

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  • 1990 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Excellent - cedar, licorice, dried fennel seed - some dusty bottle age character. Very cabernet - classic old school Napa. This wine has been in its plateau of maturity for quite some time and probably should be consumed over the next few years to enjoy the intensity of fruit and bottle age character. A very fine wine wine that has aged well even if it has not exactly transformed into something extraordinary. Certainly outstanding.

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  • 1997 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT 91 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

    A stunning nose - in a very herbacious manner. Absolutely refined merlot fruit with exquisite oak handling with a green pepper and leather background - reminiscent of ratatouille! Very refined in the mouth - redolent of a warm climate. Excellent balance. This is a brilliantly constructed wine which ultimately feels slick and constructed to me. I was a little underwhelmed, considering the wine's pedigree. However many people would love the refined quality and undoubted fruit quality.

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  • 1992 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année 89 Points

    France, Champagne

    After lighter blanc de blancs, this wine came across as BIG! Apricots and meal in an in your face style. The nose is a little evolved and disappointing but the flavours are round and tasty.

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  • 1996 Joseph Drouhin Meursault 85 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

    Dumb nose. Tight chardonnay fruit. Reasonable length. Classic hazelnut and clove character. Not oxidized in any way.

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  • 1998 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des Epeneaux 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru

    Wonderful nose - multi-dimensional, earthy and ripe. In the mouth - tremendous texture and fruit quality - some pruney quality. Fresh cut fennel echos on palate. Very structured - this wine will always have a tannic edge - albeit fine grained tannins. This is great wine and a wonderful Pommard. No hurry at all...

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  • 1997 Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Brut Cuvée Palmes d'Or 89 Points

    France, Champagne

    A very good wine but a little odd. A bit confectionary - in a lemon/lime/citrus peel manner with a hint of oxidation. Has an appropriate refined texture in the mouth and lots of power that one would expect from a luxury cuvee but in the end it lacks dimension.

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  • 1998 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé 94 Points

    France, Champagne

    Gorgeous nose. Racy palate but with very rich fruit that does not end. Sweet biscuit aroma - shortbread. This wine is a point and has a brilliant finish and a gorgeous creamy texture. The mid and back palate give the impression of considerable ripeness.

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  • 2001 Freie Weingärtner Wachau / Domäne Wachau Riesling Smaragd Loibenberg 90 Points

    Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau

    Smoke and mineral nose with intense dried lime fruit and herbal quality. Tight, slightly closed and concentrated on the palate - this wine could do with a few more years in the cellar to fully resolve but is certainly drinking well now. This is a big dry 13% riesling with heaps of character.

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