Anniversary Dinner with '61 Lynch Bages

La Belle Vie, Mpls
Tasted Monday, July 14, 2014 by rocknroller with 313 views

Introduction

Went to La Belle Vie for our 30th Anniversary and decided this was a good night to drink a '61 LB as it had significance for another reason for both of us. The menu tonight was outstanding and the service impeccable. They just do everything right.

Flight 1 (1 Note)

2008 Domaine Henri Darnat Meursault 1er Cru Les Cras Clos Richemont 93 Points

France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

Light gold color. PNP, drank 2+ glasses over 90 minutes for our anniversary. Another splendid bottle, the nose shows lemon, meyer lemon, saline, white flowers, and minerals. The palate offers a gorgeous oily texture, lemon oil, lemon, meyer lemon, great weight, so elegant and lengthy - 30sec plus with a really nice stony minerality. Loved this bottle, like the previous bottle it had such great poise and energy across the palate. Suddenly, I wish I had more.

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Flight 2 (1 Note)

2009 Maison Leroy Bourgogne 91 Points

France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

medium red color. Drank 1 glass over 30 minutes. This was showing quite well, asian spice, sous bois, cherry, herbal on the nose. The palate is consistent and has a silky texture, touch of stem, nice finish.

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Flight 3 (1 Note)

1961 Château Lynch-Bages 97 Points

France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

Very dark/purple red color, 1mm slightly clear meniscus, no bricking, mid shoulder fill. Coravined into glasses, drank 2 glasses with a big anniversary dinner at La Belle Vie. WOW, I am flat out stunned by this wine. Absolutely pristine condition, I would never guess this to be 53 years old if drinking blind. More importantly, it was a truly memorable wine on multiple levels. It just kept blowing up in the glass and getting better and better. Great nose! Saddle leather, funk, savory, red fruits initially, graphite, mushroom, subtle cedar, blueberry, just amazing fruit on the nose which takes on an incredible floral perfume over about 15-20 minutes. The palate is equally impressive, full bodied, concentrated and layered, tobacco leaf, cassis, black cherry, cedar box,funky earth, wet saddle leather, blueberry, ample round tannins and a ridiculously long 90 second plus finish. So complex and nuanced. Clearly, well stored bottles have got significant longevity left as this improved over time and has excellent supporting structure. The tannins are gorgeous and round and evident and the fruit is big and bright yet. Fabulous. 96+ to 97pts.

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