Popped and poured, served blind to the other tasters. Consistent with previous notes, showing a light straw colour in the glass, with notes of lemon, apple, chalk, toast and mineral. On the palate, moderately structured showing a good streak of acidity, with the most minute drying tannin on the finish. The moderate length finish is a touch sweet, but counterbalanced by the aforementioned acidity, framed by notes of citrus, apple skins and minerals. The tasters were rather lost in coming up with what this was, despite having good experience with a variety of Dom Perignons ranging from the late 60s right through to the present day. Sadly, the group recognized that there was reasonable quality here, but could not say for certain whether this was Champagne or Cava. A massive failure for a bottle that bears a $220 price tag in the great white north.
Decanted quickly for sediment, followed over approximately 2 hours. Cork broke during extraction, but was not entirely saturated. Deep ruby in the glass with some moderate bricking. Wonderful nose of blackcurrants, cedar, burnt tobacco leaf, leather, grass, cured meats and dried flowers. On the palate, similar notes of blackcurrant, cedar and earth, with a moderate length finish, accentuated by some slight drying tannin, brisk acidity, and a mild metallic note that seemed to lessen with aeration. Overall, an enjoyable experience, however this bottle seemed to be several years in to its descent.
Decanted for approximately 45 minutes, served blind. Garnet in the glass, offering up scents of cherries, kirsch, blueberries, vanilla, crushed rocks and florals. On the palate, similar ripe cherry and krisch notes, vanilla, with hints of earth and mineral. Structurally, rather weak with some very mild tannin and moderate acidity. I was headed to Southern Rhone, thinking this was a Syrah/Grenache blend, likely from the 2009 vintage from a more modern producer, due to it's ripe primary fruit, moderate oak profile and relatively mild structure. The reveal came, and I can say with certainty, I never would have guessed this. I was not picking up any distinct Sangiovese character, and the acidity seemed far too low. Others liked this a little more than I did.
Decanted for sediment, served immediately, and followed over the next 4 hours. Still a deep inky purple in the glass, showing quite a contrast to the '66. With some coaxing, we could see that this was darker on the fruit spectrum, with suggestions of blackberries and blackcurrants, mineral, graphite, and light floral and leather notes. On the palate, black fruits, graphite and earth, showing decent structure, with moderate tannin and acidity. Finish is moderate. Unfortunately, this wasn't all that giving at the moment, as it never really opened up over the course of the evening. A bit of a disappointment given the pedigree, however, there appears to be a lot of potential upside here. If I had any of these, I would tuck them away for another 5 years before giving it another try.
Decanted quickly for sediment, and served immediately. Followed over approximately 1.5 hours. Bottle was in fantastic shape with a mid neck fill and a cork stained no more than a half an inch. In the glass, showing a mild brick at the rim, with a nose of currants, gravel, leather, smoke and mushroom. On the palate, similar notes of currants, undergrowth, mineral and smoke. Mild drying tannin on the moderate finish, with a nice backbone of acidity keeping things fresh. Initially, I was two points higher, however, this strangely seemed to fade in the glass around the 45 minute mark. Absolutely gorgeous on first pour though. This was WC's bottle, but I also have one which I will opt to drink mine in the next couple months, as I don't see this going anywhere good with more time in the bottle.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Decanted for sediment, and served immediately. Right out of the gate, this was rocking. Nose of red berries, black cherries, plums, earth, fresh coffee grinds, caramel, cured meats, and a massive truffle note that always gets me going. On the palate, richly textured, with like notes of ripe black cherries, earth, and cedar. Some oak pokes through a bit, but really fits this style. Still some tannin lingering, and the necessary counterbalancing acidity to compliment the gorgeous ripe fruit. Really nice now, but still a bit of upside that could see this gain a point or two with a bit more tertiary development.
Decanted for approximately 1.5 hours, and served blind. Deep inky purple, bursting from the glass with dark fruits of blackberry, blueberries, graphite, burnt rubber, vanilla, and off the chart levels of pyrazine, giving way to notes of fresh grass clippings, menthol and eucalyptus. On the palate, extremely rich, with notes of dark fruits, earth and pyrazine. The fruit is super ripe, but there is a nice streak of acidity that helps keep this in balance. Long finish. I didn't get a final guess in on this one, but was going Bordeaux varietals due to the pyrazine level. I don't have enough experience with Carmenere, so I wouldn't have guessed that anyways. Really interesting wine of good quality, but not something I'd want to sit back and suck down a bottle of, but it was a nice change of pace. Speaking of the bottle, if I was ever in a confrontation, needing an impromptu weapon, this would be my go to, as it must weigh 10 lbs.
Decanted quickly for sediment, served immediately. Followed over approximately 1.5 hours. Deep garnet in the glass with maybe the ever so slightest hint of bricking. On the nose, a touch reticent, and still quite primary and youthful, showing notes of black fruits, earth, a touch of pyrazine and mineral. On the palate, rather lean, with some strong structural components. Moderate finish. A pleasant drink but a relatively unimpressive and non-descript showing. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I'm not sure I see this getting much better with more time.
Popped and poured, followed over maybe 25 minutes. Informal notes as not spitting was beginning to take its toll. Nose of dried apricots, honey, citrus peel, and florals. On the palate, luxuriously textured, with a moderate finish. Quite delicious now. At $22, this is a solid deal. Great way to finish the evening. Now...which way to the cougars? Wait, are flip flops, cargo shorts and a fleece pullover OK?
2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne 90 Points
France, Champagne
Popped and poured, served blind to the other tasters. Consistent with previous notes, showing a light straw colour in the glass, with notes of lemon, apple, chalk, toast and mineral. On the palate, moderately structured showing a good streak of acidity, with the most minute drying tannin on the finish. The moderate length finish is a touch sweet, but counterbalanced by the aforementioned acidity, framed by notes of citrus, apple skins and minerals. The tasters were rather lost in coming up with what this was, despite having good experience with a variety of Dom Perignons ranging from the late 60s right through to the present day. Sadly, the group recognized that there was reasonable quality here, but could not say for certain whether this was Champagne or Cava. A massive failure for a bottle that bears a $220 price tag in the great white north.
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1966 Château Montrose 89 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe
Decanted quickly for sediment, followed over approximately 2 hours. Cork broke during extraction, but was not entirely saturated. Deep ruby in the glass with some moderate bricking. Wonderful nose of blackcurrants, cedar, burnt tobacco leaf, leather, grass, cured meats and dried flowers. On the palate, similar notes of blackcurrant, cedar and earth, with a moderate length finish, accentuated by some slight drying tannin, brisk acidity, and a mild metallic note that seemed to lessen with aeration. Overall, an enjoyable experience, however this bottle seemed to be several years in to its descent.
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2005 Lungarotti Torgiano Rubesco Riserva Vigna Monticchio 89 Points
Italy, Umbria, Torgiano
Decanted for approximately 45 minutes, served blind. Garnet in the glass, offering up scents of cherries, kirsch, blueberries, vanilla, crushed rocks and florals. On the palate, similar ripe cherry and krisch notes, vanilla, with hints of earth and mineral. Structurally, rather weak with some very mild tannin and moderate acidity. I was headed to Southern Rhone, thinking this was a Syrah/Grenache blend, likely from the 2009 vintage from a more modern producer, due to it's ripe primary fruit, moderate oak profile and relatively mild structure. The reveal came, and I can say with certainty, I never would have guessed this. I was not picking up any distinct Sangiovese character, and the acidity seemed far too low. Others liked this a little more than I did.
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2001 Château Montrose 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe
Decanted for sediment, served immediately, and followed over the next 4 hours. Still a deep inky purple in the glass, showing quite a contrast to the '66. With some coaxing, we could see that this was darker on the fruit spectrum, with suggestions of blackberries and blackcurrants, mineral, graphite, and light floral and leather notes. On the palate, black fruits, graphite and earth, showing decent structure, with moderate tannin and acidity. Finish is moderate. Unfortunately, this wasn't all that giving at the moment, as it never really opened up over the course of the evening. A bit of a disappointment given the pedigree, however, there appears to be a lot of potential upside here. If I had any of these, I would tuck them away for another 5 years before giving it another try.
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1989 Domaine de Chevalier 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Decanted quickly for sediment, and served immediately. Followed over approximately 1.5 hours. Bottle was in fantastic shape with a mid neck fill and a cork stained no more than a half an inch. In the glass, showing a mild brick at the rim, with a nose of currants, gravel, leather, smoke and mushroom. On the palate, similar notes of currants, undergrowth, mineral and smoke. Mild drying tannin on the moderate finish, with a nice backbone of acidity keeping things fresh. Initially, I was two points higher, however, this strangely seemed to fade in the glass around the 45 minute mark. Absolutely gorgeous on first pour though. This was WC's bottle, but I also have one which I will opt to drink mine in the next couple months, as I don't see this going anywhere good with more time in the bottle.
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1998 Château Pavie Macquin 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Decanted for sediment, and served immediately. Right out of the gate, this was rocking. Nose of red berries, black cherries, plums, earth, fresh coffee grinds, caramel, cured meats, and a massive truffle note that always gets me going. On the palate, richly textured, with like notes of ripe black cherries, earth, and cedar. Some oak pokes through a bit, but really fits this style. Still some tannin lingering, and the necessary counterbalancing acidity to compliment the gorgeous ripe fruit. Really nice now, but still a bit of upside that could see this gain a point or two with a bit more tertiary development.
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2006 Montes Purple Angel 92 Points
Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley
Decanted for approximately 1.5 hours, and served blind. Deep inky purple, bursting from the glass with dark fruits of blackberry, blueberries, graphite, burnt rubber, vanilla, and off the chart levels of pyrazine, giving way to notes of fresh grass clippings, menthol and eucalyptus. On the palate, extremely rich, with notes of dark fruits, earth and pyrazine. The fruit is super ripe, but there is a nice streak of acidity that helps keep this in balance. Long finish. I didn't get a final guess in on this one, but was going Bordeaux varietals due to the pyrazine level. I don't have enough experience with Carmenere, so I wouldn't have guessed that anyways. Really interesting wine of good quality, but not something I'd want to sit back and suck down a bottle of, but it was a nice change of pace. Speaking of the bottle, if I was ever in a confrontation, needing an impromptu weapon, this would be my go to, as it must weigh 10 lbs.
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1983 Château Léoville Las Cases 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
Decanted quickly for sediment, served immediately. Followed over approximately 1.5 hours. Deep garnet in the glass with maybe the ever so slightest hint of bricking. On the nose, a touch reticent, and still quite primary and youthful, showing notes of black fruits, earth, a touch of pyrazine and mineral. On the palate, rather lean, with some strong structural components. Moderate finish. A pleasant drink but a relatively unimpressive and non-descript showing. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I'm not sure I see this getting much better with more time.
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2007 Château de Myrat 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Popped and poured, followed over maybe 25 minutes. Informal notes as not spitting was beginning to take its toll. Nose of dried apricots, honey, citrus peel, and florals. On the palate, luxuriously textured, with a moderate finish. Quite delicious now. At $22, this is a solid deal. Great way to finish the evening. Now...which way to the cougars? Wait, are flip flops, cargo shorts and a fleece pullover OK?
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