Dreamtasting #2

Restaurant de Watermolen, Kasterlee
Tasted Saturday, March 12, 2011 by jkoenen with 954 views

Introduction

10 winefreaks select 10 bottles of 'dream'-wine from each others' cellar (marked *).
Of course, the table is always abundantly supplemented by several (blinded) ringers.
Wines tasted blind, except where noted.

Flight 1 - Flight #1 (2 Notes)

  • 1959 Jos. Christoffel Jr. (Christoffel-Prüm) Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Feinste Auslese 96 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    (*, open label) Just a minimal hint of petrol on the nose which also showed dried apricots, pistache, honey, hay, wax, smoke and sugar-pecans. On palate this kaleidoscope of nuances continued... cumin, shrimps, incence, Turkish delight and a whiff of nutty Oloroso. Full bodied wine which size increases during aeration (!). The endless dry and clean aftertaste has brisk acidity which is so enduring, it's difficult to grasp. 19/20

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  • 1989 Bollinger Champagne Vieilles Vignes Françaises 94 Points

    France, Champagne

    (*, open label) Very traditional, classical, oxidative, yeasty nose. Fresh, fermenting bread-dough, white sultanas, pecan and hazelnuts, dried apple. Very subtle, hardly noticeable mousse, amazing depth and complexity. After a while there is some fruit emerging from the depths of this wine. It remains a fairly reserved and austere champagne, but this truly is a 'dreamwine'. Period. 18,5/20

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Flight 2 - Flight #2 (2 Notes)

  • 2006 Fürst Löwenstein Silvaner Asphodill 90 Points

    Germany, Franken

    Served blind. Impressive wine which starts with a shy nose of minerals, wet pebbles. On the palate it is still quite young and nervous and also here the mineral touches prevail. Smoky, chalky, herbal kind of nuances on top of a certain freshness that reminded me of a garden after a refreshing rainshower. I guessed this could be a young and elegantly styled Chablis. All wrong of course, but I think you know now what to expect. Drink now or in 3 years. 17,5/20

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  • 2007 Weingut Keller Abts E®.de Riesling Großes Gewächs 92 Points

    Germany, Rheinhessen

    Very expressive and outspoken, sensual, smoky nose with lots of salty, flinty minerality. 'Sponti'-nose. Beautiful, ripe and lush Riesling in a modern concentrated, almost oily style. Minuscule sense of sweetness. Just enough to introduce wonderful interplay between acidity, minerality and sugar. 18/20

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Flight 3 - Flight #3 (3 Notes)

  • 1988 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (*) Brought this to our second "Dreamtasting". Lots of discussion around the table.
    I found this wine to be in a beautiful place in its lifespan. Powerful, but fresh and energetic. Strange, spirity but fascinating notes of slivovic and pickled sultanas (like chipolata- or Xmas-pudding) in the bouquet. Spicy oak (cinnamon, cloves, caramel) creates extra complexity. This is lovely, aristocratic white Bordeaux. Either you love it, or you don't... and I do! 18/20

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  • 1992 Château de Fieuzal Blanc 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Very Burgundy-like, thick and rich, vanilla,yellow fruit, flinty minerality. And although I found the timber a bit rough planed and rugged, this wine made an excellent and quite youthful impression. What a surprise after the demasqué... 17,5/20

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  • 2003 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Subdued, svelte and quite elegant bouquet. And also on the palate this wine seems to hold back. Stiffly oaked and reasonably fresh, but its aromas and complexity are locked and seem a little straightforward. Will wait a couple of years before opening my bottles. 17/20

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Flight 4 - Flight #4 (2 Notes)

Flight 5 - Flight #5 (2 Notes)

  • 2003 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay Cape Winemakers Guild 94 Points

    South Africa, Cape South Coast, Walker Bay

    Fantastic glass of chardonnay! Complete, complex minerality, heavy dosed but nicely integrated oak, bananas, mango, apricot. Has a very classical and elegant feel (!). Knock-out wine. 18,5/20

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  • 2006 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet 92 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

    (*) Compared to the first wine in this flight (what turned out to be the 2003 Hamilton Russell CWG Chardonnay) this wine was slightly hot and monolithic, candy-like at start. But after a while, extended aeration gave this wine a nice evolution in the glass and more delicate complexity emerged. 18/20

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Flight 6 - Flight #6 (2 Notes)

  • 1997 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque 93 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

    (*) Although the bouquet initially showed somewhat off and over evolved, in the end I liked it very much. On the palate there was more focus and definition, strong acidity, smoky tar and rose petals. In fact I thought it had aspects of aged Nebbiolo... Very interesting and entertaining wine, albeit a little peculiar for this label. 18-18.5/20

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  • 2007 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 85 Points

    France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

    Don't want to be nagging, but this was not my first disappointing Clos des Papes... Monolythic and heavy but simple bouquet. Grenadine lemonade, cherries, red cabbage. Soft and round, not very strong or impressive. Rather anonymous and plain, to tell you the truth. Closed phase? Off-bottle? Not my kind of wine! 15/20

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Flight 7 - Flight #7 (2 Notes)

  • 1982 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn 89 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    (*) Had high expectations on this wine, but it did not live up to those. Its bouquet was gorgeously complex, but the palate lagged behind. Enticing wafts of rust, rose petals, asphalt, potpourri and black pudding. Still firm and tannic in structure. Slighty lean and elegant, but also austere and sinewy on the palate. Faded fruit. Decline has started, past its prime. 17/20

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  • 2004 Bodegas AAlto Ribera del Duero P.S. 94 Points

    Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

    Brought this to our second "Dreamtasting".
    Waaaay to young. But oh so beautiful. Thick, sweet and ripe, but certainly not overdone (for my taste, which I consider quite traditional and old-fashioned). Black cherries, vanillapods and baking-spices. The use of new oak is obvious and heavy dosed, but its integration in the entire wine is fantastic, maybe even perfect. A lot of upside potential. Check again in 3 years. 18.5/20

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Flight 8 - Flight #8 (2 Notes)

  • 2001 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 97 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

    Significantly thicker and more modern than the other wine in this flight (Togni 1997), but equally impressive and unique. Dazzling depth and concentration, though silky smooth. Youthful impetuosity, ultraripe tannines. Impeccable balance, drink now or in 10 years. A true dream wine. 19+/20

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  • 1997 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon 96 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District

    (*) Unbelievably soft and well integrated wine. Lot of play going on. Different kind of nuances duck, lurk and emerge all the time. Very classical in its feel and presentation. Fantastic focus and precision. Cigarbox, cassis, cedar, velvety mouthfeel and fabulously long and complex. Great now and potential for 10 years in the cellar. My guess: Left Bank Bordeaux 98? 19/20

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Flight 9 - Flight #9 (2 Notes)

  • 1989 Château Haut-Brion 98 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    (*) To me, this was WOTN during our second "Dreamtasting" and I felt most of the participants agreed. Unbelievable juice. Cigar, ceder, dark fruit compote, ash, earth/forestfloor: if this is what wine can be... all the other stuff has to bow and beg to stand in its shadow. Regal and endless finish.
    Somehow I cought myself sniffing and swirling for 20 minutes and then I realised I had not taken a sip yet... Perplexing wine. Almost perfect (because this bottle seemed a tad mature for this vintage). 19,5/20.

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  • 1998 Château Cheval Blanc 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    (*) One of the stars of our second "Dreamtasting". The best nose of the evening, absolutely unbelievable, the complexity and depth are frightening. Still seems quite youthful due to its somewhat recalcitrant tannines, which only adds more greatness to this wine. Truly a wine to experience, admire and meditate over, rather than to dissect and describe. 19+/20

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Flight 10 - Flight #10 (2 Notes)

  • 2001 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese #5 89 Points

    Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

    Brought this to our second "Dreamtasting". Suffered from its position in the line-up.
    We tasted it after 4 flights of top-notch red wines. Served with dessert and also accompanied by the second dessert-wine....: Yquem 1997.
    So tonight it worked beautifully as a palate-cleanser and actually matched better with the fresh and elegant creation we had for dessert. Very nice wine. But no formal notes. 17/20

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  • 1997 Château d'Yquem 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    (*, open label) Colour seems evolved and mature for this age. Liqueur-like bouquet with hints of tuttifrutti, apricot and peach. Lots of botrytis. Although this is a wonderful wine and definitely a treat to drink it, I felt this bottle was performing under par. Too much development for its age. 17/20

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Closing

Personal WOTN: Haut Brion 1989
Other wines to look out for: Togni and Aalto PS

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