Dinner and Fine, Aged Wine at Le Francais

Wheeling, IL
Tasted Tuesday, August 22, 2006 by Nanda with 1,013 views

Introduction

A group of eBob friends gathered and drank several --- seventeen!!! --- terrific wines over the Chef's tasting menu at Le Francais.

Flight 1 - Welcome Bubbly (1 Note)

Flight 2 - Chards (3 Notes)

A nice trio of chards highlighting top flight Sonoma over a decaded. The Aubert was unbelievalby good --- my #2 WOTN.

  • 1994 Hanzell Chardonnay 88 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    Light gold in color. A restrained nose of bees wax. Austere, but good fruit and oak (that was once heavy but now integrated) on the palate. Mature, nice and interesting to drink but on the down slope as I prefer more freshness in my Chards.

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  • 2001 Kistler Chardonnay Cuvée Cathleen 94 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County

    Gold colors with an elegant nose of honey, minerals, citrus fruit and very light oak. The palate shows a very "burgundian" profile with a core of minerals riding over white fruit. Chalky notes intermixed with an oily texture make for a very fine mid-palate. Long finish. Outstanding wine.

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  • 2003 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 96 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Light gold and cloudy appearance. A KILLER, complex nose of brioche, honey dew, pencil lead and just a hint of vanilla. Huge but elegant palate. Georgeous layers of fruit and well-integrated oak. Very giving and plush. Best dry white I've had this year - extraordinary.

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Flight 3 - Foie Gras Accompaniment (1 Note)

A great sticky --- many folks #1 or #2 WOTN. Definitely in my top three or four.

  • 1986 Château Climens 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

    Dark gold in color. Aromatic nose of honey, acacia flowers and boytris-coated white fruits. A fresh, silky and seamless palate. A wine in harmony with itself and hitting on all cylinders!

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Flight 4 - Old Bordeaux (3 Notes)

Thanks Bob for bring the 1904 Cos --- very cool to drink something from the turn of the last century ... and holding up quite well. In general, a very nice and consistently excellent flight. Why aged Bordeaux is so damn good!

  • 1904 Château Cos d'Estournel 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    What a great experience! Bob had "audozed" this 102 year old for ~4 hours.

    Mature ruby red and to brown color. A complex, open and decidedly aromatic nose of smoke, leather, tea, cinnamon and caramel. Over time the sweeter elements faded and the smokey leather notes dominated. The palate was still quite vibrant with good acid and still-perceivable tannin. Fruit was light and definitely in the back seat. Flavors were smokey, leathery and spicey. A real treat and certainly a feat to offer so much interest and enjoyment past the century mark.

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  • 1979 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Dark ruby to purple in color. The nose is more herbal than fruity (which is right up my alley) and also has leather and tar notes. In the modied with the tannins melted into the fruit. Quite soft with a flavor profie similar to the nose. Green herbs and dark fruit. Fully mature and oh-so enjoyable.

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  • 1982 Château Calon-Ségur 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

    Bright ruby red with some browning at the rim. Nose is full of sweet red currant fruit. Palate is well-rounded with soft tannins, supple fruit and good acidity. Spice and red fruit. An excellent wine - though a bit straight forward and soft for what one expects from 82 Bordeaux.

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Flight 5 - Younger Bordeaux (2 Notes)

The GL is pretty closed right now - similar to other 95s I've had recently. 98 LLC is in a good place...

  • 1995 Château Gruaud Larose 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Bright dark ruby in color. Still quite tight. With coaxing, the nose offers red currant, spice and green herbs. Palate big bodied and still tannic. Good stuffing but not close to peak drinking. One to keep in the cellar.

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  • 1998 Château Léoville Las Cases 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    Dark ruby to purple color with an open nose of red currants and spice. Palate is full of currants, cedar, green herbs and earth (love that flavor profile). Good fruit levels and bright supporting acid. Very nice - especially given the vintage.

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Flight 6 - Oldish Cali Cab (3 Notes)

The BV GdL was quite controversial --- easily WOTN for half of the group. Didn't do it for me.

Flight 7 - Early 90s Cali Cab (3 Notes)

The Ridge MB is one rockin' wine. My WOTN. The Silver Oak Napa was in my top three or four as well.

  • 1990 Ridge Monte Bello 96 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Ruby red to purple. An aromatic nose of currants and herbs. A huge palate loaded with fruit and beginning-to-integrate awesome tannins. Tons of complexity --- currant fruit, cedar, earth and herbs. Long finish.

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  • 1991 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

    Bright ruby to purple color with a wide open nose of sweet cassis fruit and vanilla. Palate is smooth and soft. Red fruit and some herbs. Quite tasty though lacking complexity.

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  • 1991 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 93 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    Ruby red to purple in color with a giving nose of dark fruits, green herbs and cinnamon. The palate is balanced, crisp and seamless. Well integrated tannins. Cedar, currant, herbs and pencil lead glide across the tounge. Quite pleasurable.

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Flight 8 - Others (2 Notes)

KB was a wine out of place tonight and quite frankly disappointing --- probably due in part to being a lost soul at this dinner. Matt continued to suprise with this version of his Mystery wine series.

  • 2004 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    Ruby in color. Straight forward and wide-open nose of sweet cola and cherry fruit. Palate is chock-full of Cali-style cherry fruit. This clearly suffered from being an oddball in an aged Bordeaux and Cali Cab tasting. None-the-less I question if this is all that interesting a wine. Certainly enjoyable, but lacking depth. Let's see if age adds complexity.

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  • 2001 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 92 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT

    Served double blind as a mystery wine.

    Youthful purple in color with a sweet, dark plum and spice nose. Young and tannic palate, but still offering good amounts of dark fruit, some meat and spice. Very tasty. I was guessing central coast syrah all the way.

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Flight 9 - Dessert (1 Note)

Holy smokes was I palate fatigued by now or what --- but this was a darn good wine from my one of my new favorite producers.

Closing

Thanks to all for generously sharing their cellar gems! Thanks also to Brian for kicking things off ... and telling his pig / sheep joke!

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