Ian S's Graves @ Harwood Arms

Tasted Tuesday, March 11, 2014 by SimonG with 484 views

Flight 1 (1 Note)

Treacle cured salmon with whiskey jelly

  • 2004 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 92 Points

    France, Champagne

    Quite a light, slightly chalky, mineral nose with lots of zippy freshness. Austerely floral. Surprisingly rounded and seemingly open from the off. Noticeable dosage. Floral and pretty with a buttery roundness starting to develop. Some zing on the finish. Dosage seems more integrated with a bit of air. Seems to tighten after a while and tense up, showing more prickle. ***(*)

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Flight 2 (2 Notes)

Cornish sea bream with brown shrimp

  • 1981 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Full mis straw, just the faintest bit cloudy. Rich nose, lanolin, mineral, beeswax, really quite nuanced and enticing. A touch of honey and apple without feeling oxidative. Gorgeously rounded and smooth on the attack. Mid weight, persistent. Long and lovely. Gorgeous texture with a slight wariness. Every bit as good as Rainer's bottle at the Ledbury a couple of years ago. ****1/2

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  • 2001 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Heavily oxidised and not served.

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Flight 3 (2 Notes)

Glazed pork jowl with liquorice and mace

  • 1986 Château Pape Clément 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Deep, dense ruby. Very leggy. Tobacco and pencil shavings on the nose. Rich. Similar on attack, rounded and ripe, and then more mineral and focused through the mid-palate. Mellow and rounded. Vital. Ready but no hurry. Tannins fully resolved. More vibrant than the DDC 70, but no better, and I prefer the mellow maturity and languid sweetness of the latter. Very good, but a little simple after the initial lushness. ***1/2

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  • 1970 Domaine de Chevalier 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Mid ruby to faintest garnet on the rim. A touch volatile initially but this blows off. Classic Graves nose. Classic Graves palate. Classic Graves. Fully mature and hanging on, but don't dilly dally. A sweetness to the fruit - natural or not, it works. ****

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Flight 4 (2 Notes)

Short rib of Belted Galloway beef with wild mushroom and pickled walnuts

  • 1985 Domaine de Chevalier 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Mid ruby. Gorgeously bright. Light, fragrant and sweet-fruited nose. Soft, mellow and very 85. Sweet, some gentle spice. Another lovely bottle of this - I've a soft spot. ****

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  • 1988 Château Haut-Bailly 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Dense, deep ruby. A hint of the lactic on the nose. Round and smooth, but has 88's slight leanness through the mid-palate. Quite restrained. Buttoned up cf the joyous 85. All in character. ****

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Flight 5 (2 Notes)

Roast saddle of Berkshire Muntjac with celeriac, and smoked bone marrow

  • 1989 Château Haut-Bailly 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    On opening this was the richer of the 89s, but now it's more classically Graves. Ripe but good tobacco and cedar edge. Mellow and deep. The serious side of sensual. ****

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  • 1989 Domaine de Chevalier 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    This has filled out since opening 2 1/2 hrs ago. Sweet fruited, ripe, fragrant. Lots of depth. Lovely texture. Ripe. More serious and deeper than the 85. Tobacco and cedar starting to open up on the nose. Still sweet though. The sensual side of serious. *****

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Flight 6 (1 Note)

Treacle Ice cream with stout and chocolate malt

  • 2004 Château Doisy-Daëne 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

    Rich, medicinal with a hint of botrytis on the nose. Very sweet. Lots of lip smacking sweetness. Balancing acidity and a slightly medicinal, herbal finish. A good match with the puddings. ***1/2

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Closing

Gingerbread with rhubarb and blood orange

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