Cellartracker in the flesh with Pjaines (Paul), Porkandsalmon (Richard) and Vintomas (Tomas)

Various venues, London
Tasted Tuesday, November 8, 2022 by chatters with 99 views

Introduction

A big (and exciting) day catching up with fellow drunkards/wine nerds (delete as applicable) that I have met via Cellartracker in London.

Flight 1 - Cork and Bottle (2 Notes)

Tiny find off Leicester Square down a little flight of stairs was the first stop for Paul and I on our trek...lovely and interesting wine list...could have happily spent the day here but we had other plans

  • 2021 Ornezon Picpoul de Pinet

    France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Picpoul de Pinet

    Green apple, slight lemon citrus, green pear. Medium plus intensity acidity, super fresh, very slight textured burr, simple. Nice.

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  • 2021 Raats Chenin Blanc

    South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch

    Ripe waxy lemon, a little buttery leesy underpin, tiny smidge of apricot. Tangy, more burr, a little leesy breadth to the palate also has a little glycerol fatness…I'm guessing a touch of Botrytis? Nice enough

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Flight 2 - Oystermen (2 Notes)

We had planned lunch at Randall and Aubin but stopped off on the (slightly indirect way) for some oysters at this place that Paul suggested. Very good oysters, pleasant wine, good service. Nice place.

Flight 3 - Randall and Aubin (3 Notes)

A friend in Australia gave this place a hard recommend (thank you LD) and Paul confessed that he has seen it many times but never been in. Oysters here (after Oystermen) were not that flash but my skate was glorious.

Flight 4 - Antidote (1 Note)

This is where we were due to meet Richard but he got a little held up so we tucked into a 'natural' wine very much in the 'Georgian' style - skin contact/whole bunch etc. Didn't really work for me so, when Richard did arrive, we forced him to finish the bottle.

Flight 5 - Hedonism (8 Notes)

I've never been here before but everyone has been singing it's praises as a temple to wine. I put fifty quid on a card and the three of us attacked the enomatics - I rather forced the chaps to speed taste much to my shame but I only had half an hour to have a look at the wines...

Flight 6 - Lay & Wheeler/Bonhams Grand Puy Lacoste tasting (8 Notes)

And finally Tomas joined us as we sat down for a big tasting of Grand Puy Lacoste wines. Lots to like here especially the 1990 and 1996. Big thanks to Richard for organising this.

  • 2015 Lacoste Borie

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Plum over blackcurrant, very slight meaty notes and pyrazine, tiny touch of sous bois, plenty of cedar and oak, cream, vanilla, very slight caramel, sweet spice, a little fresh red berry here as well. Medium plus intensity acidity, quite thick and broad tannins are drying , the alcohol feels a little elevated, fruit is dark hued and slightly sour. Hmm.

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  • 2015 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    blackcurrant, cream, cassis, sweet spice, polished oak, slight cedar. Medium plus intensity acidity, crunchy blackcurrant, tight persistent tannins plenty of oaky notes on the palate, cream, slight cassis, well made, polished, nice but quite woody. Time.

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  • 2009 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    blackcurrant, sous bois, slight leather, earth, slight alcohol prickle, a little almost raisined note but, contrariwise, a little green herbaceousness. Medium plus intensity acidity, tightly textured tannins, savoury black fruit, a slight liquorice note, palate better than the nose but a bit of alcohol warmth on the finish throws this out of balance for me.

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  • 2005 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    blackcurrant, sweet spice a little earth and leather very slight cassis, tertiary notes grow with time in the glass. Medium plus intensity acidity, blackcurrant, tightly textured persistent tannins, very slight non intrusive alcohol warmth but this is travelling along nicely.

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  • 2003 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Baked earth, blackcurrant, sweet spice, fruit quite bold & ripe, polished oak. Medium plus intensity acidity, tight tannins prove a little woody over grape, slight alcohol warmth, fruit persists but proves a little dried out on the palate. Nice but a reflection of the vintage arguably.

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  • 1996 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Very slight menthol, black hued fruits, cedar, slight cigar box, a little chalky minerality, earthy and a little leather. Medium plus intensity acidity, tight tannins are persistent and long and deeply pleasing, dark hued fruits and a little touch of fruit tea. Nice.

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  • 1990 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Sweetly fruited with a little farmyard, sous bois, mushrooms, autumn leaves, a surprisingly perfumed top notes. Juicy, fleshy, dark hued fruits, mushrooms, tannins are talc textured and tight but, like the 96, are persistent and rather lovely. Nice and gets better with time - richer than the e.g. domaine de chevalier 1990 but very much a reflection of the vintage in my albeit limited experience. Yum.

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  • 1986 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Medium minus intensity, earthy, savoury, quite closed on the nose, with time starts to show some brambly fruit, leather, forest floor. medium plus intensity acidity, fruit more wild and slight sour, still has some drying tannins and a smidge of fruit tea. fresh, juicy but, for me, just beginning to fade a little.

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Closing

What a lovely day...as well as the notes recorded here we all went for a selection of excellent curries at Roti Chai Street Kitchen and Dining Room to finish the evening. Wonderful fun.

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