Dreamtasting #4

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.
All wines tasted blind.

• 1996 Bollinger Champagne R.D. Extra Brut 94 Points

  France, Champagne

  Outstanding champagne in a classic, tranquil, serene, and very complex presentation. The mousse swirles through the glass as a lace-like filigree structure, beautiful minuscule bubbles. Mouthfeel is soft and caressing, nutty, ripe, yeast, yellow fruit. This is really superb, it has a long, persistent and balanced finish. Perfect to drink now. A luxurious treat. 18.5/20

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• 2004 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut 89 Points

  France, Champagne

  Served next to Bollinger's RD 1996, this seems fierce, sharp, even aggressive. Coarse, vibrant mousse. Bright and young nose, lemon, apples, grapy and smoky, too. Sharp, citrusy acidity in the mouth, hardly any complexity. Quite slender, hint of sweetness. When the wine warms up a little, it gets deeper, more friendly and tropical in its fruit palate. Mousse softens, too. Try again in 3 years. Rating merged from 16.5 to 17/20.

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• 1994 Didier Dagueneau Silex 91 Points

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  Stony, mineral nose with good focus, clean, bright, tart, interesting nuances of flintstone and soap. Lean (not thin) body and pronounced acidity, spicy hints of cloves and nutmeg, also rubber, a faint hint of oxidation in the back. Well developed, wonderful wine, yet very hard to describe and determine. 17.5-18/20

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• 1992 Verget Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Romanée 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  Bold and intriguing bouquet of tropical fruit, caramel, butter and piccalilly. On the palate this is very powerful and loaded with freshness and lively acidity. Good focus, sensible use of oak. Thought this was quite young, actually. So imagine my surprise after the bottle was revealed. Great wine. 18/20

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• 1981 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Light straw yellow in colour. A placid, timid, soft fragrance flows out of the glass. Exquisite oak, dried flowers and fruits, tobacco, polished mahogany desk, beeswax and peat. On the palate this is extremely tight, sourish, with razor sharp focus. This might even be too much, some called it thin, meagre and fierce. Although it turned softer, deeper and more friendly in due time, I still was disappointed because I had high hopes for this wine. 16.5/20

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• 1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes 85 Points

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

  Amber colour. Obtrusive sherried nose of tutti frutti, yeast. The oxidated smell is making me think Champagne. A cautious sip reveals notes of dried apples, hazelnuts, beeswax, hay, old iron. Hot, alcoholic, maybe even aggressive in the mouth. Sub-par bottle and I blame it on the oxidation. 15/20

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• 2005 Nicolas Potel Corton-Charlemagne 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  At first a very strange slightly soapy (detergent?) nose, which blows off after a good swirl. Reticent, spicy fragrance of cinnamon, lime and rocks. A tad spirity too, like schnapps. On the palate very mineral, tight and acidic which is getting more floral and friendly when the wine warms up a little. This is an impressive, young, complex, chalky and mineral Chardonnay that made me think Chablis. Great wine, needs more time. 18+/20

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• 2006 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet Domaine 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  Hints of white flowers add freshness to the funky, musky, slightly sweaty bouquet. Discreet but dense in its fruit, well-balanced, yet not very expressive at the moment. Stony, mineral feel on the teeth, sufficient acidity. Wonderful wine, but definately needs more air or cellar time. 18/20

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• 2007 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Pays d'Hérault Blanc 90 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Pays d'Hérault

  This was a polarizing wine. Huge concentration, heavy and oily. Very rich and ripe, ethereal notes of tropical flowers and macerated tropical fruit, vanilla, truffles and piccalilly. Stocky and plump in its presentation, an imposing, intimidating wine. It also has a marked sense of sweetness, but I couldn't figure out whether this was due to the alcohol content, or maybe even some residual sugar. This was a tad too heavy and brutal for me, so 17.5/20. Is this youthful clumsiness, or just a style of wine making that I don't get?

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• 1970 Château Latour Grand Vin 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (*) Splendid, mild, soft, eloquent nose wafting hints of coffee, leather, strawberries, rosehips and some iron or blood. Very pure, bright, precise, graceful and tertiairy, slightly drying finish containing some old acidity. Although it starts to fade after 15 minutes in the glass, this is a magnificant and joyous 1970, and it isn't cranky, nor rustic or bretty. A totally cool, neat wine. 18-18.5/20

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• 1982 Château Trotanoy 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Although this was clearly younger than the concomitant wine (Latour 1970), it also seemed fo fade - or close - after extended air time. But alltogether this is a fantastic wine. Powerful, lascivious and creamy. Very soft and round, just a touch of rusticity. Dried dates, plums, figs, and a powdery earthy complexity that made me think 'dried porcini'. Bee-ooootiful! 18.5/20

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• 1997 Penfolds Shiraz RWT 94 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Had some bottle variation over the time, but when it performs, this wine is drop dead gorgeous... Tonight it did. Smoky cedar, graceful herbaceousness, mint, thyme, grilled meat, soft redberried fruit in the back. Completely mature and finely tuned, yet muscular and strong. Most participants preferred this over the Grange 1994 which was poured simultaneously. Only (minor) letdown was the alcoholic sting in the nose. 18.5/10

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• 1994 Penfolds Grange 93 Points

  Australia, South Australia

  (*) A very strong, convincing effort. Seductive, sultry, sexy, suave, and sweet. Clearly Australian in aromatic profile, oozing hot rocks, mint, blueberries and eucalyptus. I thought this was still very primary and young, it has a long future ahead. Tightly wound and tannic. Felt like more decanter-time would have been beneficial. 18-18.5/20

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• 2004 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (*) Didn't know what to think of this. I was stamping with impatience to try a genuine Giacosa Red Label, but when the unmasking was done, I was quite disappointed. Maybe too young? Probably decanted not long enough. It had a strange nose of semolinapudding and redcurrants or pomegranate. A strong, powerful, yet feminine wine. Rose petals, roasted nuts, comforting smells of old hogheads. Well balanced, refined and quite approachable at the moment. But it didn't grab my throat, alas. 17.5/20

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• 1994 Artadi Rioja Grandes Añadas Reserva 89 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja

  (*) Smoky fireplace and dry wood on the nose. Some canned amarena cherry in the back, but the fruit seems to be fading. This is a rich, luscious and viscous juice, but has a certain artificial feel, like it was designed in a laboratory, not grown in a vineyard. Some would say it's lacking soul and personality. There's nothing wrong (except for a drying finish...), but it doesn't 'get' to me either. 17/20

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• 1985 Château Mouton Rothschild 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (*) This has a fabulous 'outdoorsy' bouquet, authentic and rustic. Somewhat animal-like. Spicy, herbaceous, gamey, a real sniffer. A bulky, impressive entree, broad, deep and complex mid-palate. But although the balsamic finish is extremely long it tends to get a little lean in the last half. The nose is top-class, just like its body and complexity, but the narrowing finish keeps this from being extraordinary. Still an outstanding wine, drink now. 18.5/20

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• 2000 Château Cheval Blanc 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  (*) Heavy, thick, blunt, undifferentiated wine. Alcoholic in the nose, hints of brandied raisins. Tight and young, vegetal aromas, which get softer and more friendly after aeration. Muted and clenched like a fist, lacking complexity. Maybe needed more time in the decanter? The disclosure dropped every jaw to the table. Auch. This hurts. Big time. 17/20

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• 1998 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 95 Points

  USA, Washington

  (*) Soft and seductive, a real crowd-pleaser. Supple and generous, open and lascivious. Deepens while it sits in the glass. Cedar, cinnamon, cassis, cuban cigars, saddle leather, mixed spice, chocolate chip cookies, refreshing acidity, it's all there... I could drink this all night, since it's so easy to drink, yet enormously complex and intellectual. Utterly impressive. 18.5-19/20

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• 1996 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único 90 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Ribera del Duero

  (*) A warm, welcoming, inviting nose is the key selling point of this wine. Black cherries, tobacco, fresh herbs, lots of luxurious oak, some glue. But in the mouth this is young and unforgiving, slightly hot in the finish. I suppose we are drinking those Unico's too young. Had some similar experiences with its 94 sibling. Today I planned to push them past the age of 20. At least. 17.5/20

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• 2001 Château Haut-Brion 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (*) Completely ripe and mature. Soft and earthy, this is a wonderful and distinguished glass of wine, but not super impressive at the moment. Dried herbs, warm compost, some red and black fruit, hint of cedar. 18/20

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• 1999 Château Cheval Blanc Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  'Something's rotten in the state of Denmark'...
  Stale, drossy, infected. No good.

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• 2005 Sine Qua Non Grenache The Naked Truth 94 Points

  USA, California

  (*) Delicious wine, unbelievable concentration. Sexy, sultry, sweet aromas of banana, vanilla, tropical flowers, honeysuckle, hyacinth, musky too. Very rich and ester-like. Estranging nose, hard to denominate. Although this is impressive stuff, and easy to like, I prefer the syrahs of SQN most of the time. IMO those are deeper, more complex and have better balance. But hey, I'm not complaining! 18.5/20

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• 1997 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Spätlese Auction 95 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Enormously deep and complex. One of the few real 'dream wines' of the evening... Smoky minerality, laser-like acidity. The diminishing sweetness gives way to wonderful array of complex nuances of fruit, tropical flowers, slate, herbs and vegetal hints. Very impressive. 18.5-19/20

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• 1989 Château Climens 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

  This is a regal wine. Simply awesome in its rich, voluptuous, viscous mouthfeel. Slightly volatile out of the bottle. Beautiful nuances of tangerine, honeyed pears, marzipan, baked nectarines and a tiny hint of grilled pine kernels.. Great acidity, very persistent and carressing finish. Right in the sweet spot for me. Don't wait, enjoy! In retrospect this seemed much more lush, sweeter and concentrated than one tasted 2 years ago, I found it to be equally impressive (tasted blind both times). 18.5/20

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• 1969 Moulin Touchais Coteaux du Layon Flawed

  France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon

  Corked. Oxidated as well. Dead.

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• 2010 Mullineux Chenin Blanc Straw Wine 87 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Swartland

  Pfew, this was not a flattering moment to evaluate this wine. Clear notes of oldfashioned rosehip-lemonade and caramel. Lacking acidity and freshness at the moment. Extremely sweet and sticky, out of balance. 16/20

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• 1992 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage 94 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Pretty tannic and closed upon opening, but after a while this becomes an extremely soft, round and gentle wine, with impeccable balance and well hidden power. Melted chocolate, black cherries, asian spice. Still very young, but starting to get approachable. Will probably gain in rating in the next 5 years. 18.5/20

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Personal WOTN: Quilceda Creek 1998
Other wines to look out for: Penfolds RWT, Bollinger RD