Blair's Burgundy and Bordeaux Blowout

Herb and Terry Blair took their turn hosting our tasting group in their beautiful house on Spring Lake. Terry showed off her culinary talents by preparing a fantastic gourmet dinner with Herb's assistance (official stone washer). In attendance were Mike and Sasha Zolik, Paul and Brenda Ralphilian, George and Jenny Jackoboice and my wife Anita and I. The theme was '95 Bordeaux but some Burgs made their way into the dinner too.

The Champagne was poured upon arrival and served with a variety of appetizers. I was a little distracted from the food though with a visit to Herb's beautiful custom cellar.

• 1990 Pol Roger Champagne Brut Rosé 90 Points

  France, Champagne

  Nice mature rose with a little strawberry on the nose.

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The first course was a delicious Onion Tarte that went great with the Burgs.

• 1986 Marquis de Laguiche (Joseph Drouhin) Montrachet 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru

  I was a little concerned about this bottle and thought it could be DOA. I picked this up about 10 years ago as part of a 15 case cellar thinning by someone I didn't know and I've also never had a White Burg with this much age. When I saw the wine in the glass I knew that it would be fine. Bright gold. On the nose there was a little butterscotch and some smoke. Buttery and smooth with a long pleasent finish. Still plenty of acidity to provide structure. I wish I could have tried one of these when it was younger to have a better idea on what effect the age had on the wine. Excellant wine and interesting but I think I prefer my whites a little younger.

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• 2002 Louis Latour Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru

  This really got lost being put next to the Montrachet. Very light color with a little fizz. Sublte nose of stone fruits. Not much fruit concentration but balanced and pleasent. Would have expected more for the vintage. Maybe just shut down?

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The Red Burgs were served in between flights but some of the Chambertin (my WOTN) remained by my side for most of the night.

• 1995 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru

  This took a little while to open up but once it did - wow. Light garnet. Beautiful nose of earth, forest floor and smoked meat. Full bodied, superb balance with rich lush fruit and some minerals on the palate.

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• 1995 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Deep dark ruby. Dark berries and a little smoke on the nose. Full bodied and great smooth finish

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Served with Filet of beef with peppercorn sauce and a some fantastic scalloped potatoes (that had something to do with stones?).

• 1995 Château Margaux 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Bright deep ruby. The glass erupts with red and black berries. Big, full bodied with currants and a long seamless finish. This wine is still a baby but approachable and delicious now with about 4 hours in the decanter.

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• 1995 Château Haut-Brion 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Dark garnet. Earth, smoke and mushrooms on the nose. Rich, smoky and full bodied. The mid-palate seems a little thin when compared to the competition though. This drank much better on release and seems to be in kind of an awkward state. Give it a few more years in the cellar.

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• 1995 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Bright ruby. This wine had tea, lead pencil and cassis on the nose. Full bodied with sweet tannins in the background and a nice smooth finnish. Approachable now with 4 hours in the decanter but could really benifit from a few more years in the cellar.

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This, and a ‘89 Lynch Bages, was brought along by someone who didn't want to come empty handed. We opted for the Montrose and it was a nice contrast to the younger wines.

• 1986 Château Montrose 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  This was the surprise of the evening. A dusty garnet in color this wine had a rustic look and feel to it. A nice mature nose giving off leather and some dried black fruits. Rich and voluptuous, without the searing tannins that I've seen with other wines from this vintage. This has plenty of fruit and structure to go for quite a few more years but it is a nice glass of mature claret right now.

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These were served with a variety of cheeses and by this time my mental notes had begun to fade as my focus shifted away from the wines and towards that interesting conversation that the women were having at the other end of the table. The points are provided just for perspective to their enjoyment compared to the other wines tasted this evening.

• 1995 Château Léoville Las Cases 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Deep ruby. Great nose of lead pencil and ripe black fruits. Long sweet finish.

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• 1995 Château Calon-Ségur 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  Great structure and body. All I remember is that I really like this wine and it was very simlar to the bottle the I tried upon release.

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• 1995 Château Léoville Barton 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Lost in the crowd but still a very nice Bordeaux showing very well after being open (not decanted) for over five hours.

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• 1995 Château Phélan Ségur 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  We forced Herb to bring this bottle out, not that we need any more wine. He had already opened it but insisted that it was dead. So I demanded to see the corpse in order to determine the cause of death. Although a nice wine and certainly not dead, this wine paled next to its peers. Low on fruit and with a short finish. This is drinking as well as its going to get and would still make a nice house quaff.

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• 1994 Dow Porto Vintage 94 Points

  Portugal, Douro, Porto

  Still a baby and primary.

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It was a fun night of delicious food, fantastic wine and great conversation lasting over five hours. There was definately no shortage of wine, especially with two pregnant women in attendence, as the bottles just kept appearing. Thanks Herb and Terry.