In Vino Veritas Session 4
MIT
Tasted Wednesday, January 30, 2013 by Benj with 630 views
Introduction
The importance of the vintage.
Flight 1 (12 Notes)
Closing
Probably the least successful of the tastings so far, perhaps because of the high expectations. Of all the producers that could have been used to demonstrate vintage-to-vintage variation among the different German styles, I am not entirely sure why Dr. Fischer was chosen. I had never had any Langoa Barton before but was not impressed by these showings. The 1967 Gevrey-Chambertin, on the other hand, was an absolute delight. And two successes at the $20 price point - the 2003 Montecillo and the 2011 Spatlese. Plenty to be happy about despite some poor showings.
2008 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling 87 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Some K-bitartrate precipitated out. Light, floral nose with lime & ultra-tart green apple - v. typical. Excellent high-acid attack - slightly off-dry but really quite tart. A touch disjointed at the back, but otherwise very good and a fairly decent buy for a simple QbA that more or less does exactly what it should. 11.5%, $15.
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2005 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett 85 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
First bottle oxidized. After quite some argument with the pourer, managed to get a sample from another bottle. V. high acidity - perceived sweetness is very low. Still delicious, but much less interesting than the 2008 Qba - probably better a few years ago. 8.5%, $20.
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2011 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett 86 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
A little sulfur on the nose, blew off v. quickly. Quite a soft nose - softly perfumed almost like hand soap, and a touch of apricot along with the expected tart green apple. Quite a ripe palate - fairly sweet and not really kept in check by the acid. Medium finish. I like my lower-level QmPs spine-tingling and lipsmacking, or featherlight and delicate, or sometimes sunny and smooth, but not explicitly sweet. V. good but a little cloying - loses its grip somewhere in the mid-palate. 10%, $16.
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2011 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spätlese 90 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Ah, there we go! Very pretty nose - the sunny, spritzy sweet nose that I sometimes crave from a Spatlese. Contrary to several people around me, I thought this much better-balanced than the Kabinett. Perceived sweetness actually a touch lower than the Kab, and much bigger, richer and grippier (higher-acid). Fairly mineralic in the mid-palate (I rarely use this descriptor, and even more rarely as a compliment, but here it's very good). Finishes clean, warm and long. 9.5%, $20.
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2006 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Spätlese Flawed
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Oxidized...not as badly as the earlier bottle, and this time no hope of a second pour. A single sip from another bottle indicates good quality but nothing mindblowing. 9%, $23.
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2006 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Auslese 88 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Remarkably light color, pretty classic nose, plus green melon and a little botrytis - confirmed by a nice marmalade spiciness on the palate. Good acid. Quite long, clean, moreish, but not fulfilling. 8.5%, $25.
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2005 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques Domaine Louis Jadot 89 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Quite a bright cherry-dominated nose, just the faintest hint of pomegranate, medium oak. Needs time - still somewhat bitter and tannic after a 2 hour decant, but good acidity, depth and length. Good prospects for the future, but at this price why bother? 13.5%, $100.
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1967 Pierre Bourée Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru
Definitely on the yellow-brown side, like ultra-ultra-concentrated urine. Showing its age with a noticeable real cider scent, but behind this, gentle and perfumed. Not much tannin, of course, but actually I am extremely impressed with how well this is doing. Still plenty of acid - this is actually very juicy, woody - just a touch of caramel and fig, with ripe raspberries and a smoky finish. What does a point score mean after 45 years? But this is actually quite beautiful. 13%, this bottle was purchased for $116 in 1982 and laid down until today.
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2003 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Gran Reserva 90 Points
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Needs some time to really blossom. After a 2-hour decant this was still not quite open. Dark, deep, leathery, medium-high tannin, warm oak and bright medium-high acid. Quite chewy, warm and nicely savory. Exceptional back-end - quite perfumed, warm spices - some nutmeg and a little clove perhaps, but I'm digging for descriptors that don't quite get there. 90+. 13%, $30.
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1970 Bodegas Montecillo Rioja Gran Reserva 87 Points
Spain, La Rioja, Rioja
Some real cider, tons of oak, some blackberry, but not much fruit left - mostly tertiary flavors at this point. Still quite some tannin left, but sadly this doesn't have a whole lot left to offer. Delicious but dying. I would like to try a bottle of this with 20 years on it rather than 40. 12.5%, bought for $45 in 1982 and laid down until today. (24 views)
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1998 Château Langoa Barton 88 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
2.5 hr decant. Very dark, no bricking. Blackcurrant, bramble, a fair bit of oak, quite inky. A little tight on the palate, feeling like it needs time, but then it finishes quite short - not a good sign! Probably not worth it in the long run, but perhaps better in 5 years. Bought for $51 in 2005 and laid down until now.
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1970 Château Langoa Barton 84 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
A little vegetal - raw broccoli (reduction?), otherwise just warm and pleasant. Seemingly pretty on the palate with warm fruit and smoky briquettes, but soon I realize that the mid-palate has sucked out my soul into the hollow space where deliciousness is supposed to be. The finish is almost Orphic - I try to forget the harrowing mid-palate behind me and enjoy the long, soft, wooded walk into the light, but I turn around at the last minute and stare back into the nothingness behind me. I want my soul back. 12%, bought for $95 in 1983 and laid down until today.
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