A Medlar lunch

Medlar, London
Tasted Friday, October 6, 2023 by SimonG with 137 views

Flight 1 (1 Note)

  • 2008 Pol Roger Champagne Vintage Brut 93 Points

    France, Champagne

    Magnum. Mid straw. Nicely rich with plenty of depth and a nicely preserved line through the finish. This is in a lovely spot. I’ve pretty much given up with Pol owing to it’s apparent premature aging, though I’ve been fortunate with my 96s against the odds, and also with the 90. Having sold the 02sand 08s in standard bottle, I kept the 08 mags, and on this showing very glad I did. They’re fully ready though. ****

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 2 (2 Notes)

Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Tondonia 92 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Served single blind alongside the GR. near identical colour, the R just a little brighter. Lovely dusty, briary red fruit. Densely silky. Mellow. Maybe a little flat on the palate cf the nose in relative terms. Initially served a little warm but focuses up nicely when cooled. Lovely wine and pretty consistent with previous bottles. ****

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia 94 Points

    Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

    Served single blind with the 94 Riserva. A little flatter and more subdued on the nose with a touch of vanilla. More precision and a bit more acidity here, more energy. Really quite vibrant. This continues the progression of this wine over the past decade, bottles every three years or so have been getting steadily better. ****1/2. Interesting to compare this and the 94 Reserva, blind. It was an easy pair to separate, the R having more fruit on the nose, but the GR more acidity, line and energy on the palate and a little more oak influence apparent on the nose.

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 4 (4 Notes)

  • 1996 Château Mouton Rothschild 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Last tasted almost exactly a decade ago, and as it happens about 18” anti-clockwise around the Medlar table for where I am now. Full garnet, dense. Nicely rich on the nose. Mellow with some blackcurrant and a touch of Madeira cake. There’s lots here. A lot more open than that previous bottle, this has really blossomed in the past decade but there’s still a way to go. Really very lovely. ****1/2

    Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1992 Ridge Monte Bello 95 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    Oh gosh, if ai thought the Mouton was good… Gorgeously cool blackcurrant fruit. So poised and elegant. Focus, precision, depth. Opens to show some riper cassis, but tempered with some blackcurrant leaf. Gorgeous and unsurprisingly a clear step up from a previous bottle eight years ago.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1994 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill Flawed

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain

    Corked.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2011 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill 95 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain

    Three months on from the previous bottle from this case, this bottle is every bit as good, but just slightly more reticent and tightly coiled, perhaps sporting a denser cork. Rich, deep and enveloping. Oodles of depth here. Still some structure, but smooth and mellow with a touch of citrus lift. Proper wine. ****(*)

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 5 (1 Note)

  • 2009 Château Suduiraut 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    Mid to full straw. Gorgeously fresh and ripe nose. Tropical elegance with nothing barley sugared or heavy. A vanilla and cream depth on the palate cut through with the tropical fruit and good line. Superb balance. This is really lovely. *****

    Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

×
×