Paul D's Graves Greats

First dinner in the private room at Piccolino for a couple of years and was great to be back. Once again the space and side table and ice buckets let us just get on with things.

Although the glassware did not have the very thinnest rims was good. And we recalibrated how much to pour pretty well after a lack of practice!

I wonder how Burgundy might fare in these glasses?

• 2017 Château Carbonnieux Blanc 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Served a little warmer than would be ideal but second pour after time in iced water helped it to show more. Some lime cordial on pouring later some lanolin and a certain rice pudding creaminess with just a touch of nutmeg.

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• 2015 Château La Louvière Blanc 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Some reduction on pouring which begins to dissipate after some time in the glass. Some blood orange and grapefruit notes to the nose emerge then some oatmeal and toasted brown breadcrumbs. Fresh and long. Nice mouthfeel.

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• 2014 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  This wine seemed to ebb and flow and somewhat and divided opinions around the table. There is a subtle mandarin juice quality to the nose as well some lime zest. Some wet wool and baked apple makes an appearance in time. Nice texture. Don't have any but if I did, on this showing, would probably begin to accelerate drinking through.

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• 1982 Château Pape Clément 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  On first pour there is something odd about the nose, suggestive of low level cork taint. Mercifully after 10 mins in the glass this largely blows off and the wine is enjoyable. There is something a little minty to the nose in addition to very Graves tobacco characteristics. Lovely savouriness to it. There are some notes of grated milk chocolate to the nose too. A treat.

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• 1982 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  In a lovely place and such a treat to enjoy a wine from this great vintage at 40. There is a lovely brown sugar sweetness to the nose with some cool green leafiness. Certainly à point tonight although suspect unlikely to improve much from here. Palate very fleet of foot and light. A treat my 5th favourite wine of the night in a very, very tight field.

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• 1996 Château La Tour Haut-Brion 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Very classical LTHB. Rich and deep, with some smokiness and subtle tea notes (Russian Caravan perhaps). Also layer upon layer of dark fruits. The palate has more of the same but the tannins are not fully resolved. Lovely as this was tonight with another 5 years I suspect even better. My second favourite wine of the night.

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• 1996 Château Pape Clément 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Cigar box nose with some grated chocolate. Palate is fabulous with perfect balance and lovely texture. Unlike the LTHB the tannins are fully resolved here. An outstanding wine. My wine of the night.

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• 2000 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  This is a very serious wine and in a lovely place. Real depth of smokiness to the nose and textured fruits. There is also an almost Bakewell like almond sweetness there too. Palate beautifully textured and long. Some talc notes with time in the glass. My 4th favourite wine of the night.

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• 2000 Domaine de Chevalier 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Another belter. Dark fruits, hints of nutmeg, lovely richness. Classical Graves. Palate has fabulous detail and impressive length. Has time ahead. Love it.

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• 2005 Domaine de Chevalier 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  A much more modern DdC and stylistically I much prefer the 1996 or the 2000 but this is not a bad wine. As to it's future hard to say where it will end up. There is a glossiness to the fruit and the work in the winery is more to the fore that on any other wine tonight.

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• 2001 Château La Tour Haut-Brion 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  First bottle a little balsamic and not right. Backup very generously opened and acquitted itself very well give that it had not had time to breathe. There is a lovely fresh almost lingonberry jam tartness / sweetness to it. Also something meaty to it. Almost a bacon fat character. Also a classic Graves tobacco edge. One again 2001 strikes gold in Bordeaux. Lovely.

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• 2002 Château Haut-Brion 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  A very generously shared single bottle of this. Nose is just beguiling. If soley based on the nose - wine of the night by a mile for me. There is real depth of cool blue fruits with a leafy freshness and tobacco depth with some classy wood notes. On the palate the wine's relative youth moves it down a couple of places based on absolute hedonistic pleasure of drinking tonight (the yard stick I use for comparisons) the tannins have a way to go and some of the detail on the nose is a bit reticent. Still a remarkable wine and will be outstanding in 5-10 years. Tonight a stingy 3rd wine of the night but such a treat to savour.

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Great job with the flights Paul and for bringing some tasting sheets.

Thanks for everyone's contributions, It was also lovely to be able to talk to the whole group over the course of the evening given the relative calm of the space.

À la prochaine.

N