DRC Tasting Group: Bordeaux Night

Wild Ginger, Seattle, WA
Tasted Monday, January 6, 2014 by dpolivy with 747 views

Introduction

This month was a Bordeaux tasting, with the 'theme' being any Bordeaux 15 years or older. We tasted those alongside a 1996 Salon, 1945 Haut Brion, and 1990 d'Yquem. Overall this was a pretty exceptional lineup, with most wines showing beautifully. Probably one of the better tastings I've attended in a while.

Flight 1 - Starter (1 Note)

  • 1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 95 Points

    France, Champagne

    Full, vibrant nose with lemon, green apple, and a touch of beeswax. Surprisingly full and round -- based on the reputation I was expecting something much more austere -- but still delicate. Fine, yet persistent, bubbles. Lemon, chalky minerals, and a little yeast/brioche on the body. Focused acidity. Gorgeous.

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Flight 2 (3 Notes)

All reds, except the 1945 Haut Brion, were tasted blind. All of the whites were non-blind. The individual notes specify if the wine was tasted blindly. For the most part, we did 2 reds at a time, with a white every so often to space things out.

  • 1995 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Tasted blind. Dark color; menthol, dark cherries, dried flowers, and a nice dose of brett on the nose. Medium+ body, with more dark fruit, plus baking spice, leather, and some earth. Fine tannins, medium+ length on the finish.

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  • 2004 Château Pontet-Canet 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Tasted blind. Leather and spice dominate the nose. Round and supple body, with good weight and a bit of red fruit, though quite acidic (tart dried cranberries come to mind as the dominant fruit flavor). Refined tannins, and medium to medium+ length round it out nicely, though I do think the acid is a bit out of balance. This definitely could benefit from a food pairing.

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  • 1982 Château Cos d'Estournel 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

    Tasted blind. Oak, baking spice, tobacco and earth on the nose. Such a rich, silky body, with great fruit (totally surprised to learn its age!) and exceptional balance. Smooth, refined finish. Definitely a bigger style, but it's put together properly and still holding up well after 30+ years.

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Flight 3 (1 Note)

All reds, except the 1945 Haut Brion, were tasted blind. All of the whites were non-blind. The individual notes specify if the wine was tasted blindly. For the most part, we did 2 reds at a time, with a white every so often to space things out.

  • 1945 Château Haut-Brion 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Nutty, almost sweet nose -- reminiscent of a Port. A touch of hoisin and brown sugar, as well, but surprisingly there's still a lot of fruit present. Round and quite elegant body that's still quite nicely balanced. After 10-15 minutes, the fruit faded and soy dominated. Truly a treat to try, and it did not disappoint.

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Flight 4 (3 Notes)

All reds, except the 1945 Haut Brion, were tasted blind. All of the whites were non-blind. The individual notes specify if the wine was tasted blindly. For the most part, we did 2 reds at a time, with a white every so often to space things out.

  • 2007 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Forêt 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

    Quite reductive and tight on the nose, with hints of citrus. Much more expressive on the body, though, with honey, citrus, and minerals balanced out by great acidity. Finishes with good length and acids.

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  • 1966 Château Brane-Cantenac 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Tasted blind. Subtle, aged nose, with a touch of brett. Definitely showing its age on the body, but it was still nice and light, with a soft elegance and great mouthfeel. Light tannins, and nice balance. Perfect provenance on the bottle.

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  • 1999 Château Calon-Ségur 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

    Tasted blind. Nose of mocha, coffee, spice, and leather. This is still a big wine. Rich, full body with darker fruit, clove and baking spice. Finishes with fine tannins, medium plus length, and great balance.

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Flight 5 (3 Notes)

All reds, except the 1945 Haut Brion, were tasted blind. All of the whites were non-blind. The individual notes specify if the wine was tasted blindly. For the most part, we did 2 reds at a time, with a white every so often to space things out.

  • 1999 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Graham cracker, creme brulee, and pina colada on the nose. Similar fruit on the body, with a touch more tropical fruit, and a bit of lemon curd from the acid. Long, persistent finish with great acidity.

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  • 1995 Château Haut-Bages Libéral 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Tasted blind. Bright nose. Tastes of cherry, spice and earth, with lots of tart acidity. Drying tannins. More secondary flavors; you can taste the age. A bit astringent at the moment.

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  • 1986 Château Cos d'Estournel 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

    Tasted blind. Lightly perfumed nose, still with some nice fruit and floral notes. Lots more fruit on the body; it's quite rich and weighty. The fine tannins have softened nicely, and trail off in a medium+ length finish. I found the balance quite good, and overall really enjoyed this wine.

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Flight 6 (3 Notes)

All reds, except the 1945 Haut Brion, were tasted blind. All of the whites were non-blind. The individual notes specify if the wine was tasted blindly. For the most part, we did 2 reds at a time, with a white every so often to space things out.

  • 1995 Château Clerc Milon 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Tasted blind. Smoke, earth, and spice on the nose. Full bodied, with dark/black fruit and hints of chocolate. Soft and supple mouthfeel. Finishes with good length and super soft fine tannins.

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  • 1987 Château Palmer 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Tasted blind. Quite green and vegetal on the nose: green bean, green pepper. Medium+ body that's also green, though some fruit shows through, along with smoky leather. Medium-fine tannins, and finishes with some herbal and tea notes.

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  • 1997 Château Léoville Poyferré 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Tasted blind. Subtle nose with notes of methol, rose petal, and spice. Big and extracted, the full body is quite elegant and earthy. Finishes with medium+ length and fine tannins.

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Flight 7 (2 Notes)

All reds, except the 1945 Haut Brion, were tasted blind. All of the whites were non-blind. The individual notes specify if the wine was tasted blindly. For the most part, we did 2 reds at a time, with a white every so often to space things out.

  • 1994 Château Léoville Barton 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

    Tasted blind. Nose of spice, green pepper, and coffee. Leather, dust, and earth on the body, with some mildly tart acids. Drying, fine tannins finish it off.

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  • 1979 Château Cheval Blanc 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Tasted blind. Still prominent fruit on the nose, alongside some weedy notes. A little red beet and spice, too. Gorgeous body. Smooth and elegant. Cocoa and ripe fruit. Finishes with exceptional length, and soft, round tannins. Very well balanced, with good balanced acids. Maybe it was the end of a long tasting, but this seemed to stand well with the best of the night.

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Flight 8 - To Finish... (2 Notes)

  • 2000 Lur-Saluces "Y"

    France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur

    A hint of sweetness and cinnamon on the nose. Some tropical flavors, with more tart acid on the body. Sadly my notes are a bit limited for this one.

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  • 1990 Château d'Yquem 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    Honey, tropical, and floral nose. Soaring aromatics. Body is rich and filling, yet not at all cloying. Brown sugar, honey, and caramel stand out. Exceptionally well balanced with great acidity and a long finish. Quite delicious!

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