La Commanderie de Bordeaux à Vancouver - Black Tie First Growth Gala

Hawksworth
Tasted Saturday, November 5, 2011 by godx with 1,194 views

Flight 1 - Reception: (1 Note)

Gougere, whipped chevre; Sunchoke veloute, Dungeness crab; Daikon and Albacore tuna roll, cilantro...

Flight 2 - First Course: (1 Note)

Pork Belly and Octopus Terrine, Pickled Vegetables...

  • 2004 Château de Fieuzal Blanc 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Opened and served right away. Nice developing nose of stone fruits, cinnamon and well integrated toasty oak. Medium bodied with a rich mouthfeel, medium acidity and good length. This wine coats the mouth with almost on oily texture but finishes fairly fresh. Drinking well now and should continue to develop and may even improve a bit with 2-3 more years. Excellent. 90+

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Flight 3 - Second Course: (2 Notes)

Red Kuri Squash Ravioli, Duck Confit, Chestnut, Brown Butter...

  • 1989 Château Latour Grand Vin 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Decanted for sediment and poured 60min later. Shy at first on the nose but after 20-30min started to open up a bit offering developing notes of cedar, maturing red and black fruits, cassis and tobacco. In the mouth its soft and lacks the structure and power of the ’90 but at the same time this seems to taste more youthfully. Medium bodied with dusty tannins and balanced acidity. There’s also a hint of greenness on the palate. This on its own would drink very well but being paired with the ’90 was a tough task. Drinks well now and while I think there is enough fruit to carry for another decade or so, I don’t think there is enough structure to match. Drink now and over the next 3-5 years. Excellent.

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  • 1990 Château Latour Grand Vin 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Decanted for sediment and poured back into the bottle. 2 hours later poured back into a decanter and served 60min after that. This wine was rocking right from the first sniff. Beautifully mature aromas of cedar, tobacco, currants and plums jumped from the glass—I couldn’t stop smelling this wine! In the mouth it’s full bodied with loads of rich, almost juicy red fruits, powdery tannins and perfectly balanced acidity. This is a really classy wine that’s complex and sweet with beautiful development yet backed by so much sweet and ripe fruit this was easily the best wine I stuck my nose into all night. Just a gorgeous wine that’s drinking incredible well now but should continue to improve for at least another decade. My WOTN. Outstanding. 95+

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Flight 4 - Third Course: (2 Notes)

Slow cooked Lamb Press, Lentils de Puy, Kale and Natural Jus...

  • 1989 Château Lafite Rothschild 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    This was very muted on the nose for a long time and it sat in the glass for at least 30min before it started giving up anything. And even when it did eventually open up it was rather ordinary with notes of black fruits and plums with hints of cedar. In the mouth lacks the power, weight and elegance one would expect from this Chateau. A nice wine but considering what it’s worth I know what I’d be doing with my bottles if I owned any. Very good.

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  • 1990 Château Mouton Rothschild 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Soon as this was poured everyone at the table smiled and agreed we may have some competition for the 1990 Latour. Beautiful nose of barnyard, manure, milk chocolate, sweet spice and maturing red fruits. On the palate this has the best texture of any wine tonight with its soft and silky mouthfeel. Flavours of sour red cherries, spice and toasty cedar coated the mouth. Medium to full bodied with fresh acidity and well balanced tannins and good length. Hints of strawberries and herbs on the finish. This was a really classy and elegant wine that’s drinking really well right now. Outstanding.

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Flight 5 - Fourth Course:

Assorted Cheese with the last of the '89 Lafite and '90 Mouton.

Flight 6 - Dessert: (1 Note)

Dark Chocolate Coffee and Rum...

  • 1999 Château Suduiraut 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    No formal notes. Medium yellow colour. Notes of mango, saffron and honey. Intense and youthful with a long finish. Some baking spices on the finish. Try again in 5+ years. Very good. 89+

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Flight 7 - Other wines tasted throughout the evening... (5 Notes)

  • 1995 Château Latour Grand Vin 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Pronounced nose showing some development with cedar, cigar box, dark red fruits and hints of that Bordeaux funk. Full bodied and rich in the mouth with great structure and a long finish. Tannins are quite pronounced but they aren’t harsh or firm, they are almost supple, and the ripe dark fruit coats the palate. There’s plenty of acidity keeping things fresh. While this is great to taste now, it’s still very young and in need of 5-10 years before primetime drinking. Outstanding. 93+

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  • 2001 Château Haut-Brion 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    This was decanted about 5 hours prior to serving for 2 hours then returned to the bottle. The nose jumped from the glass with sweet and ripe dark fruits with an overall lush profile. In the mouth it was fairly tight but had great texture with well-balanced structure. Tannins were firm but fine and the finish is long. This was drinking better than I would have expected but no doubt its best days are ahead of it. Excellent. 92+

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  • 2001 Château Mouton Rothschild 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    I wasn’t able to take much of a note on this wine as I only had a few tastes during the course of a conversation with someone but I noted the nose was pleasant and the palate was showing well and was fairly expressive. Like the ’01 Haut Brion, this needs time. Excellent. 91+

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  • 1986 Château Margaux 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    This was just beautiful. Soaring aromatics with developing notes of red and black fruits, earth and herbs. A softly textured entry is followed by a load of firm and masculine tannins with tart red and black fruit flavours. The palate is rich and intense with good powder and structure. The nose here was simply beautiful and showing signs of its age but in the mouth this is extremely youthful and doesn’t show a day over 10 years. Needs a decade. Outstanding. 93+

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  • 1986 Château Gruaud Larose 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Soon as I stuck my nose in this glass I was impressed. Lots of barnyard and Bordeaux funk with leather and earthy notes with ripe and youthful Cabernet fruit. While the nose is showing some development, this tastes like 10 year old Bordeaux with a big, powerful and structured mouthfeel. This and the ’86 Margaux were the oldest wines I tasted tonight yet both came across as the youngest. Try again in a decade. Outstanding. 93+

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Flight 8 - After dinner wine... (1 Note)

  • 1990 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    After dinner I figured we hadn’t drunk enough Bordeaux yet so I popped and poured this. Very youthful on the nose with hardly any signs of development with notes of dark fruits, coffee beans and just hints wood. This had such a silky yet powerful mouthfeel with ripe and intense dark fruits. I don’t seem to use this term for Bordeaux very often but this wine is very pure. Great structure and perfectly balanced with lovely texture. I have one bottle left and it won’t be touched for 10 years. Outstanding. 93+

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