The Usual Suspects...a new tradition

A long over-due gathering was held this last Friday night with my old tasting group. I'm sure I'm missing wines (the '63 port comes to mind) from this list...so it will probably get extended as I continue to pour over my notes. The idea was to break out some large formats for a close group of friends and see how some wines were showing. I think the total count for about 16 of us was:
1 - 3L
8 - Magnums
40+ 750ml bottles

These were the first wines to get cracked.

• 1997 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Cuvée Creation

  France, Champagne

  (3/22/2013)

  FROM MAGNUM:
  Color: light golden yellow
  Smell: Stone fruits, pear, quince, green banana, fresh bread
  Taste: Meyer lemon, chalk, quince, and mineral notes
  Overall: Extraordinary! Words simply cannot do this wine justice. This wine was glorious, mind-bending, and is something I would LOVE to have a chance to taste again. Well worth seeking out if you can find this still.

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• 2001 Poggio Amorelli Chianti Classico

  Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG

  (3/22/2013)

  FROM A 3L BOTTLE:
  Color: Ruby with slight bricking at the rim
  Smell: Earth, mushrooms, and a melange of dried red fruits
  Taste: Sour cherry, mushrooms, and dried red and black fruits.
  Overall: Outstanding! Medium body, medium fruit, medium+ acidity, and medium tannin. In a beautiful place right now and went well with many of the dishes of the evening.

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• 2001 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Sezzana Toscana IGT

  Italy, Tuscany, Toscana IGT

  (3/22/2013)

  FROM MAGNUM:
  Color: Ruby with faint bricking at the rim
  Smell: Autum leaf, tobacco, earth, dried red fruits and leather
  Taste: Red and dark fruits, with hints of dark chocolate, and granite
  Overall: Outstanding! Med body, med fruit, high acidity, medium tannin, and moderate length finish

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• 2005 Didier Dagueneau Silex

  France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé

  (3/22/2013)

  FROM MAGNUM:
  Color: Pale yellow to onion skin
  Smell: A kalidascope nose that is constantly evolving with subtle, almost delicate scents of citrus, quince, green apple, mineral, clean linen, and sea spray.
  Taste: Lime, quince, starfruit, green apple, chalk, and mineral
  Overall: Extraordinary. This is the most elegant Dagueneau I've had since the 2005 Pur Sang. I've always thought of the Silex as a more powerful and robust wine. However, this was all about elegance, refinement, poise, and beauty. I would LOVE to have more of this...and wish that I could still find it.

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• 2005 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Pale straw
  Smell: Passion fruit, quince, star fruit, and minerals
  Taste: lemon, lime, quince, and mineral notes.
  Overall: Outstanding!! Medium body, medium+ fruit, medium acidity, and a long elegant finish. Again, this is a wine that words struggle to provide justice when evaluating. This was creamy and lush while still maintaining a delicate poise...

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• 2002 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Les Forêts

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Canary yellow
  Smell: Passion fruit, minerals, with a melange of stone and tropicl fruits.
  Taste: Meter lemon, minerals, and chalk
  Overall: Outstanding!! Light-medium body, med acidity, medium fruit, and a 30+ second finish. This wine as well as the other Chablis split the room as some questioned if it was somehow faulted.

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• 2000 Domaine Weinbach Pinot Gris Altenbourg Cuvée Laurence

  France, Alsace

  (3/22/2013)

  FROM MAGNUM:
  Color: Light golden yellow
  Smell: Stone fruits, mineral, and roasted apples/pears
  Taste: A melange of stone and tropical fruits with an underpinning of minerals that ebb and flow over a long finish.
  Overall: Outstanding!! Words won't do this wine justice...several of us got stuck tasting, and re-tasting this wine through out the evening. Medium body, med+ fruit, med-high acidity, and a long glorious finish.

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• 2000 Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Ste. Catherine L'Inédit!

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  (3/22/2013)

  FROM MAGNUM
  Color: light golden yellow
  Smell: Petrol, nectarine, and apples
  Taste: lemon/lime and green apples.
  Overall: Very Good. This was honestly lacking the acidity, and balance that they other two Weinbach mags from 2000 had. Tasted once then left alone. drink now.

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• 2000 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Altenbourg Cuvée Laurence

  France, Alsace

  (3/22/2013)

  FROM MAGNUM
  Color: Deep golden yellow
  Smell: Lychee, mineral, honey, and wax
  Taste: Poached pear, honey comb, cherimoya, and yellow apple
  Overall: Outstanding! I loved this and would love to have scored a bottle or two of this for a sushi gathering. Medium-full body, unctuous mouthfeel, medium- acidity, med+ fruit, and a long, long finish.

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• 1992 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes

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

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Golden yellow
  Smell: Beautiful dried tropical fruits, wet animal, wax, lanolin
  Taste: Pear, apple, and tropical fruits
  Overall: Medium body, medium fruit, low acidity, moderate finish. Very Good to Excellent. If I had this I would be inclined to drink these now. I have VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE with this wine. However, this is a wine that faded and fell apart in about 6 hours time.

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• 1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Ruby
  Smell: Cured meats, char, dried red fruits, clove
  Taste: Cherry, dried red fruits, plum, and earth notes
  Overall: Outstanding! Medium body, med acidity, med tannin, and a moderate length finish. This wine really blossomed throughout the evening. Such a lovely wine when given the time to open up.

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• 2009 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Maréchale

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  (3/22/2013)

  FROM MAGNUM
  Color: Ruby
  Smell: Red fruits, earth, floral notes and minerals
  Taste: A melange of red fruits, earth, and minerals
  Overall: Outstanding. Elegant, light bodied, medium+ fruit, medium acidity, and medium- tannin. Quite fruit-forward for Burgundy.

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• 1966 Château Lascombes

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Brick/rust colored ruby
  Smell: Earth, dried red fruits, and floral notes (very-faint wet-paper bag...corked?)
  Taste: Dried fruits and earthy notes of mushrooms.
  Overall: PnP. Lovely to get to try this again. The fruit seemed more muted than the last bottle of this I had about a year ago.

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• 1985 La Meridiana Boca Campo delle Piane

  Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Boca

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Brick red
  Smell: Earth, dried red fruits, and tar
  Taste: Dried red fruits
  Overall: This was a little tired and the tannins were still kicking pretty hard. Given the lack of balance it was difficult to really enjoy...but I could appreciate it and the chance to taste four other vintages of the same wine all at once.

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• 1988 La Meridiana Boca Campo delle Piane

  Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Boca

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Brick ruby
  Smell: Earth, truffles, tar, potpouri, and a melange of dried red fruits
  Taste: Tart cherry, dried red fruits, mushrooms, and faint hints of minerals
  Overall: Outstanding. A lovely wine that is doing well and in a good place. Light body, medium fruit, medium+ acidity, and medium tannin.

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• 1989 La Meridiana Boca Campo delle Piane

  Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Boca

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Brick ruby
  Smell: Earth, manure, black truffles, tar, and dried red fruits
  Taste: Sour cherry, and dried red fruits.
  Overall: Excellent - Outstanding. Light-medium body, med+ tannin, medium acidity, med- fruit.

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• 1990 La Meridiana Boca Campo delle Piane

  Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Boca

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Brick ruby
  Smell: Earth, tar, roses, leather, and dried red fruits
  Taste: Sour cherry, dried red fruits, minerals
  Overall: Excellent. I was expecting this to be better than the 88 and 89...but for now they seem to be more enjoyable. light-medium body, high acidity, high tannin, med- fruit.

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• 1987 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Golden yellow
  Smell: Crushed stone, lemon, and chalk
  Taste: Holy $hit! This was vibrant and beautiful wine! Lively flavors of meyer lemon, lime, green apple, and chalk.
  Overall: Very Good - Excellent. I feel like I should say this was an outstanding wine given that it's 20+ years and was still a pleasure to drink. Maybe I need to keep my eyes out for some more of this at auction!

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• 1987 Georges Dubœuf Fleurie

  France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Fleurie

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Faded brick ruby
  Smell: Earth, dried red fruits, manure, clove, and lilacs?
  Taste: Dried red fruits and mineral notes
  Overall: Excellent - Outstanding. This was tight as a rock initially. However, after about four hours in the bottle it suddenly seemed to explode in the glass. NOW I understand why people age Beaujolais.

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• 1995 Penfolds Grange

  Australia, South Australia

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Ruby with light bricking at the rim
  Smell: Smoke, tar, granite, dark fruits, leather, and a faint funk this may be corked
  Taste: Alcohol, dried red fruits, and vanilla
  Overall: Very Good/Excellent. Medium body, med tannin, med fruit, med acidity, and a short finish. The obvious alcohol on the palate really detracted from this wine. The more I smelled this the more I'm wondering if it may be corked? (1 hour later. The wine was declared corked by someone else.)

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• 1997 Penfolds Grange

  Australia, South Australia

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Opaque ruby
  Smell: Wet stone, dried meat, dried red fruits, and herbs
  Taste: Dried dark fruits, monolithic
  Overall: Very Good - Excellent. This medium bodied wine with med acidity, med+ fruit, and med tannin had a short finish and was almost boring. Given the cost of this wine...it's just such a shame that people are paying so much for these wines. I think the statement I heard that night holds true, "Grange is the most over-priced and consistantly underwhelming wine."

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• 1998 Penfolds Grange

  Australia, South Australia

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Ruby with opaque core
  Smell: Feminine, delicate, lavendar, dark fruits, minerals,
  Taste: Bright red fruits, blue, black, tobacco, earth,
  Overall: Outstanding!! Medium-full bodied, med+ acidity, moderate tannin, medium+ fruit, and a 30+ second finish. Of all of hte granges that were in this flight this was clearly the best and the most delicate of the group. Tasted immediately after opening the bottle. When this wine was revisited later it was much more full bodied, more oak and fruit dominant, and the feminine beauty that was initially there was gone.

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• 2001 Penfolds Grange

  Australia, South Australia

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Opaque Ruby
  Smell: New World, vanilla, oak, dark chocolate, dark fruits, violets,
  Taste: Red fruits, plums, cassis, blueberries, dark chocolate, tannin+
  Overall: Excellent to Outstanding. Medium-full body, Med+ fruit, Med acidity, high tannin, and new oak. The presence of alcohol is evident on the palate. While this is a wine that I think will improve with time; I also think this has to be one of the most over-rated wines on the market. Absolutely not worth the price it commands.

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• 1999 Guido Porro Barolo Vigna Lazzairasco

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  (3/22/2013)

  Color: Ruby with slight bricking
  Smell: Earth, roses, tar, dried red fruits
  Taste: A melange of dried red fruits and earth driven flavors
  Overall: Outstanding. Medium body, Med+ acidity, medium fruit, and med-hi tannin. This was elegant on the nose but the flavors were bold and precise without being overpowering. Lovely.

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