Dinner with the wine group
Zazie's, San Francisco
Tasted Tuesday, October 26, 2021 by aagrawal with 109 views
Introduction
Really lovely dinner with a stellar lineup of wines. The Clos Rougeard and La Conseillante were stars for reds, and the Yquems were unsurprisingly standouts for me as well.
2018 Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Noirs Côte de Val Vilaine 91 Points
France, Champagne
Lemon yellow; aromatic, citrus, minerals; palate is medium bodied, some slight richness but not brioche, quite fresh, lemon citrus, low dosage but not zero (not listed on label); finish is medium length. Very nice, clean and balanced, food friendly. 91-92
Day 2: Lost a bit of the bubbles as there wasn't much left in the bottle. Still excellent flavor and freshness with food, but by itself comes across as more simple than yesterday. Based on the showing yesterday, I think this is perfectly nice to enjoy now, though obviously it will evolve a bit with age.
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2011 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Porusots 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
Golden-yellow, excellent color; aromatic, buttery but also lemony and fresh; palate is medium-full bodied, not rich (on the palate) like I might expect for a Meursault (still has the richness on the nose), more fresh with some lemon-lime; medium length finish. Very nice, will open up well with time. 92+
With some air and warmed slightly, showing very nicely. Paired wonderfully with the appetizers.
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2014 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny 94 Points
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny
Medium-minus ruby, lighter color than expected; incredibly intense aromatics, white pepper, capsicum, red fruit, cherry, strawberry, primary; palate is medium bodied, medium tannin, low-medium alcohol 12.5%, great primary fruit, medium but approachable youthful tannins; medium-plus finish. A great wine, as expected from Clos Rougeard, maybe lacking a bit in length but otherwise stellar in complexity. 94
Over the course of 2-3 hours: Aromatics melded together slightly but still very intense, tannins more moderated and integrated. A wine of purpose and place, and plenty of room to improve in the cellar. Probably my favorite vintage of this base bottling so far. 94+
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1985 Château La Conseillante 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Medium ruby, exceptional nose with pure capsicum, mature blackberry, forest floor; palate is medium bodied, silky integrated tannins, balanced alcohol, fruit has developed a mature soy character that provides depth of flavor without prominence, medium-plus acidity, again some forest floor; medium-plus length finish. Lovely example of mature Bordeaux, with the complexity on the nose being a real strength. 93-94
Over 2-3 hours: Nose developed more complexity, and palate developed a bit of richness and length. Stepping this up a point to 94, drinking superbly though I've had Conseillante with a bit more length on the finish.
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2001 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste 93 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Red fruited, roasted red peppers, some floral and roses; light bodied, tannins still present but approachable, high acidity, 14% alcohol, red fruited; medium-plus finish. Lovely Barolo, impressions consistent with my last bottle, ie. Very good wine but not a great Rinaldi. 93
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1996 Château d'Yquem 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
From 375mL. Golden, slightly lighter than the '97 Yquem along side it; intense aromatics with honey, baking spice, cardamom, deep and complex, orange peel; medium-full bodied, sweet but balanced immediately by vibrant medium-plus to high acidity, orange marmalade, medium-plus alcohol (14%); medium-plus finish. Excellent integrated youthfulness, not showing any oak of youth. Well balanced, quite a complex nose but holding back just a touch on the palate. A superb sauternes, and an excellent Yquem. 95+, will improve over the next 1-2 decades.
4 hours later in bottle: amazing balance, still wonderful acidity, delicious complexity. This was the star and has a ton of aging potential still.
Day 2: Nose is a bit less expressive than the '97 today, but still plenty to unpack with fruit, orange peel, spices, cardamom; palate is still higher acid than the '97, just by a bit but gives it a vibrant energy; finish is still medium-plus to long. 95+
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1997 Château d'Yquem 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
From 375mL. Deep golden, hint of orange, slightly darker than the '96 Yquem along side it; intensely aromatic while popping the cork and in the glass, baking spice, almost a mint-flavored smoke, core of underlying orange marmalade, smoked honey, complex and interesting aromas; palate is full bodied, richly textured sweetness, medium-plus acidity (slightly less than the '96 but still in balance), medium-plus alcohol (14%) which comes across as a touch less than the '96, pure orange fruit throughout (which I describe as a crystalline fruit in previous notes); long finish, clean, flavorful with orange fruit, slight twinge of bitter orange peel, slight sweetness. Plenty of room for development over 2 decades. 94+
4 hours air: delicious but a half-step behind the ‘96 with a bit less acidity and a more rounded mouthfeel. Lost that slight smoky character from when I first opened it. Enjoyable now and I'm glad I opened it, but it will develop another gear with more cellar time, though probably never hit the heights of vintages like '88-'90.
Day 2: Color still slightly darker than the '96, golden-orange; nose still complex and largely similar to yesterday, not showing any oxidation or fading; palate tasted first (ie: not in comparison to the '96) shows excellent balanced acidity, balanced sweetness, delicious mature fruit flavors, but still with plenty of youth; finish is long. 95+ today, and still of the opinion that this will improve for decades.
Another retaste: every time I come back to this, it's a little different. Not just spice and fruit, but sometimes a hint of mint, or a hint of smoke, or a bit of musk or funk, or a hint of burnt caramel. It shifts faster than the '96, which is a bit more steady in its presentation.
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