The Long Awaited Wine & Dine

Vancouver, BC
Tasted Saturday, November 19, 2011 by MattTM with 674 views

Flight 1 (1 Note)

  • 2000 Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Brut Millésimé

    France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

    Popped and poured. Displaying some nice toast and yeasty aromas hidden behind the upfront aroma of minerals and tart lemon zest. This came together a bit as it sat in the glass, and further integrated from it's initial awkward phase. Screaming citrus dominated the creamy palate, along with tart green apple, stewed pear, yeast and minerals. Full bodied with bracing acidity, with a medium+ finish ending with notes of lemon zest and minerals. While some aged characteristics are starting to present themselves, this is incredibly young and clearly needs time. Will probably wait around 5 years before trying another bottle. Very good.

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Flight 2 (1 Note)

  • 2005 Spring Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    Tons of sweet black fruit upfront on the nose, along with black plum, fig, prune, chocolate, some clove spice and a hint of fresh mint. Powerful and concentrated on the palate, showing a solid amount of black plum, along with black cherry, more clove spice, mint, vanilla bean, followed by a splash of tart currents. Medium acidity, with a blast of mouth numbing tannins. Long finish, ending with notes of mint and cherry. Showed well, but could use a few more years in the cellar. Good.

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Flight 3 (1 Note)

Flight 4 (2 Notes)

  • 1990 Château Léoville Barton

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Opened and let breathe for 5 hours, decanted for sediment and served immediately. First impression, fantastic nose that proved difficult to put my glass down. Lead pencil shavings and black currants at the forefront on the nose, followed by soaked coffee grounds, black plums, barnyard funk, fresh mint, and some black pepper spice. A bit of bell pepper and an interesting note of almost Cajun-like spice developed as it sat in the glass, yet it did not detract from the palate whatsoever. Pure silk on the palate, showing more of that graphite-lead pencil, along with black cherries, dark plums, saddle leather, asphalt, and an integrated note of mint. Medium+ acidity, with plenty of dusty tannins still remaining. Medium+ finish, ending with notes of graphite and red cherries. A truly wonderful bottle of Bordeaux that appeared youthful and to be just starting to enter it's drinking window, with a long life ahead. Fantastic.

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  • 2003 Château Léoville Barton

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Opened and let breathe for 4 hours, then transferred to a decanter for another 2 hours prior to serving. A massive, powerful nose of freshly ground coffee beans, along with black plums, cassis, red cherries, lead pencil shavings, and fresh mint. On to the palate, luscious dark plums show through in waves, along with roasted coffee beans, black currants, chocolate, black cherries, some black pepper spice and more mint to round everything out. Incredibly concentrated and youthful all the way around, the discussion at the table turned to whether this (or if any of the 03's in general) maintain the classic Bordeaux characteristics that we've come to adore. I guess we'll have to keep an eye on how well this comes together with age, as it is certainly missing at this point in it's life. However, the massive structure this exhibited appears there for this to go the distance, showing tons of acidity and an impressive amount of dusty tannins. Long finish, with cherry and espresso notes at the end. Very good.

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Flight 5 (1 Note)

  • 1993 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Spätlese

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Cork soaked through. Upfront aromas of petrol and gunpowder showing strong on the nose, followed by hints of crushed rocks, ripe peach, and a touch of lime zest peeking through at the end. More of that petrol character jumping out on the palate, along with apricot, white peach, gunpowder, and a bit of caramel. A touch sweet on the palate. Great medium+ acidity, with a medium finish ending with a note of apricot. It appears from the notes that there is quite a bit of bottle variation with these, as this bottle was showing quite youthful. Very good.

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Flight 6 (1 Note)

  • 2008 Château Lamothe Guignard

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    From 375ml. Slightly chilled, popped and poured. Very ripe on the nose, displaying aromas of orange marmalade, apricots, fresh honey, candied ginger, along with some Christmas spice. Viscous and dense on the palate, showing sweet apricot jam, ripe peaches, poached pears, mandarin oranges, along with some more of the Christmas cake spice that I referred to earlier. To its credit this follows with a blast of acidity that keeps this from leaning too far to the ripe side. Medium+ finish ending notes of apricot and clove spice. Good.

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