Mostly FGs Bordeaux dinner - 82 & 86 Mouton, 00 Pavie, 86 & 95 Lafite, 96 Margaux and 95 Latour

Seven of us got together to drink mostly FGs. Luckily all the wines were showing incredibly well. Chef Ruta did incredible job once again preparing ten course meal. The service was impeccable as usual.

• 1996 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 97 Points

  France, Champagne

  Another stunning showing. Great concentration, freshness, structure and balance. Very youthful yet complex nose displaying citrus and apple, really floral, honey and yeast. Excellent concentration, beautifully layered, bright acidity and lovely long finish. This can still improve for another decade or two. I highly recommend.

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• 1969 H. Andre & Cie Champagne Cuvée Royále 89 Points

  France, Champagne

  Correct color, rich amber. Slightly over mature nose, toffee, burnt sugar, caramel and cumin. Still decent amount of mousse and good acidity. The complexity is coming from the maturity. Decent and interesting. Love to try another bottle, decant for a few hours and try as a Chardonnay.

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• 2010 Y de Yquem 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux

  Always a unique experience. This has nice settled down, not as expressive and opulent but showing very nice overall balance. The fruit has transformed to grapefruit with a hint of banana, ginger, coconut and lanoline still remains. Unlike the last bottle, not showing much acidity. Once again linear and precise. Really enjoyable.

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• 2012 Aubert Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  A very typical example of Aubert. Very cloudy appearance. Despite having a lot of everything, fruit, mineral, acidity, alcohol and etc., it maintains nice balance. At the moment, fresh white fruits, pear and apple, strong peppery note and ginger. A big scale wine with strong mineral presence and bright acidity. Drinking nicely now.

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• 2013 Peter Michael Chardonnay Mon Plaisir 93 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley

  Another very well balanced young Cali chardonnay. The fruit expression is more tropical than the Aubert, very pina colada, pineapple, coconut, even a hint of rum and butter scotch. Good concentration and acidity. Nice balance in very ripe Cali chardonnay way.

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• 2009 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard 96 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  My name is not Bob but I find a hint of Burgundy in this wine. Beautifully balanced, subtle and nuance driven. Youthful white fruits, a hint of oak, smoke and mineral. Very harmonious, strong presence of mineral, bright acidity and lovely long finish. It is not “in your face” kinda Cali chardonnay. Really nice showing once again. I didn't copy my rating from the last bottle. :-)

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• 1995 Château Lafite Rothschild 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  So interesting to compare with the 95 Latour. Very polished youthful nose with strong lead pencil note that I associate with Lafite, cassis, rich light caramel, cedar, wet tobacco and mineral. The palate is also very lafite, linear, precise and balanced. Noticeable but nicely integrated sweet tannins. The structure and ripe fruit nicely reflect the vintage. It will benefit from another ten plus years of cellaring but not too early to enjoy.

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• 1995 Château Latour Grand Vin 97 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  So interesting to compare with the 95 Lafite. Much broader, richer and opulent than the Lafite, cassis, crushed and concentrated blueberries and blackberries, perfume, lead pencil though not as strong as the Lafite, plum and cedar. Excellent concentration, rich yet silky and polished, nicely layered fruits masking the tannins and very long finish. Drinking perfectly in very youthful way. I prefer this to the Lafite for the current drinking and perhaps for the future as well. Really nice showing.

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• 2000 Château Pavie 99 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  The first nose makes me to giggle. Absolutely stunning youthful nose displaying intense sweet black fruits, caramel, milk chocolate, dark spices and mineral. Incredibly concentration, unbelievably layered, unctuous, no noticeable tannins due to abundant fruits and lovely long finish. Sort of odd ball amongst the FGs but what a showing. Beautifully cellared example. One of the best showing. This will be a monumental wine one day a la the 61 right bankers. A hedonistic beast.

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• 1982 Château Mouton Rothschild 98 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Fully mature decadent nose displaying cassis, cedar, leather, tobacco, lead pencil and caramel. Excellent concentration, quite silky and polished, nicely integrated tannins and lovely long finish. A great fully mature Mouton. Very good but not the perfect showing which the 82 Mouton is capable of.

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• 1970 Château Palmer 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Fully mature claret, sweet red fruits, cedar dominates, also mint and eucalyptus. Fully mature palate with lovely balance. Really enjoyable. At this stage, mostly tertiary.

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• 1996 Château Margaux 99 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  For my palate, the 96 Margaux is one of the most classic Bordeauxs. Perfect balance and absolute finesse. Expressive youthful pure nose displaying crushed blackberries, cassis, expensive perfume, flowers, lead pencil and mineral. Very precise and sophisticate palate, nothing out of place. A noble wine. As usual, so consistent and flirting with perfection.

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• 1986 Château Lafite Rothschild 98 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  So interesting to compare with the 86 Mouton and the 95 Lafite. Uncanny resemblance to the 95 but even more polished, sophisticated and linear. Expressive nose diaplying youthful dark fruits, cassis, licorice, cedar and strong note of lead pencil. Beautiful harmonious palate, unbelievably silky, incredibly layered, nicely integrated tannins and lovely long finish. I slightly prefer the 86 Mouton but what a wine. Drinking nicely in very youthful way. Can improve for another two decades, perhaps a 100 year wine!

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• 1986 Château Mouton Rothschild 100 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  The best showing of this wine I had. Explosive nose displaying intense cassis, liquid smoke, ink, cedar, perfume, chocolate and lead pencil. Unbelievable concentration and beautifully layered. So think yet so polished and silky. Such a big scale wine. It is just mind bogglingly good.

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• 2001 Château d'Yquem 99 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  As usual, unbelievable intensity yet weightless. Every sip is a sensory overload. So much of everything yet the wine is singular. Always flirting with perfection.

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Another great evening. The dinner last six plus hours and a great time was had by all!