Vintage Pairs 2024

Good to relaunch this format after a hiatus of a decade or more. Reducing the attendee count from 12 to 10 allowed a little more time for discussion of each flight although we still had to keep eyes on the clock. This did allow us to revisit some of the wines at the end of the evening.

• 2001 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Brown sugar, mint. Rich mouthcoating, sweet. Touch of dulce de leche. Lovely.

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• 2010 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Minty, herbal, touch of butterscotch. Decent acidity, lively. More evolved that it should be for its age.

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• 2020 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère

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

  Flinty reductive nose, some confit lemons, palate youthful with lovely acidity, lime oil and a touch of smoke.

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• 2014 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère

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

  Slatey minerality, grapefruit zest. With air a certain creaminess emerges and a touch of cashew nuttiness. Lovely.

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• 1996 Château Margaux Pavillon Blanc

  France, Bordeaux

  Smells quite oxidative like a fino or a Jura wine. Linseed oil, touch of walnut. Some planed ginger too. Pronounced acidity on the palate. Does settle to a degree with some air. Not sure if a representative bottle.

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• 2004 Château Margaux Pavillon Blanc

  France, Bordeaux

  Like the 1996 it is served with an oxidative style but there are also hints of orange oil and Christmas spice on the nose. Dry and nutty. Again air helps. Prefer this to the 1996.

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• 2010 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  Lovely nose here with some plum fruit and a touch of tart cranberry. A certain meatiness too. Palate is fresh and red fruited with a twist of ground black pepper. Very youthful. Yum

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• 2005 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  Darker fruited on the nose almost verging on cassis. With air a little strawberry sorbet too. Palate again youthful with real substance, great acids and a medley of forest fruits. My 3rd favourite wine of the night in a tight field.

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• 1996 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Cassis and a touch of cigar box on the nose here with a touch of mint. Decanted for an hour but suspect would have benefitted from more air. Palate similar but whilst correct this is not firing on all cylinders.

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• 1947 Château Batailley

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Fully evolved. The nose has a touch of polished mahogany dresser and a little soy. Also notes of blood orange, coffee and walnut sponge and something herbal. Still showing well for a wine of 77 years - even returning at the end of the evening this is not falling apart

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• 2005 Charles Joguet Chinon Clos du Chêne Vert

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  Green bell pepper and graphite, rich leafy cool fruited. Palate perfectly balanced and more-ish. Lovely surprise from a producer I don't know well. My wine of the night in a tight field.

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• 2014 Charles Joguet Chinon Clos du Chêne Vert

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon

  Slighly more blue fruited here. Still savoury and poised. Hints of chestnut brazier, rich and long. Yum

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• 2010 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Coconut oak, dark fruits, strawberry bonbon and a hint of cola. Palate elegant and balanced. This still has many years ahead. Good stuff.

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• 2017 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Darker fruited that the 2010 it is served with. Some Maraschino cherry, a touch of smoke. A little marron glacé and a touch of toffee. Again lovely wine with plenty of time ahead.

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• 2012 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Cuvée Classique Ampodium

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Lovely gamey, meaty nose. Olives and soil tones. Just a touch of dark cherry sorbet sweetness. Palate rich and long with some olive brine and a deft floral twist. Fab.

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• 2001 Rene Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Cuvée Classique

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Another belter. Some House of Lords leather benches, a little venison carpaccio and some rosehip. Savoury, balanced and complete palate just nudge this into my very favourites coming out as second favourite wine of the night.

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• 2001 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Polished mahogany dresser, some chestnuts and a touch of posh balsamic vinegar on the nose. Just a hint of desiccated orange. Palate fresh, youthful but charming another outstanding wine.

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• 2004 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Feel way younger than the 2001 which it's served with. I love both but have a slight preference for the older wine. This is darker fruited and fleeter of foot but perhaps touch lower in acidity.

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• 2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Lovely Grenache led nose. Some baking spice and smoke too. Just a touch of grated white chocolate. Very much not an out of control 2003 monster this is a lovely drop. Very complete. Yum.

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• 2001 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  A little meatier than the 2003, a touch of saddle leather. Lovely mouthfeel, just sweet enough with bramble fruits and a touch of spice. Just edges it for me over the 2003. Fab.

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There was talk of revisiting the idea in 2025 with possibly a classic two different vintages of the same wine and perhaps an alternative, related pairs theme with perhaps to producers wines from the same vintage and vineyard. Look forward to those.

Many thanks again for my co-diners for supporting this with some lovely wines and great company.

Apologies I failed to sort dietaries in advance although the restaurant did make suitable substitutions on the night - hope everyone was OK with the grub. It's not Trompette standard but the space is great and £70 including corkage in the City is a fair price methinks.