Commanderie Paulee Dinner
Dallas, TX
Tasted Saturday, February 28, 2026 by rocknroller with 74 views
Introduction
This was the grand Paulee Dinner for the Fete de Bordeaux hosted by the Dallas Chapter of the Commanderie de Bordeaux and the brainchild of Maitre Emeritus, Rick Currey. Rumor had it that there were on the order of 300 attendees for this dinner. The dinner was catered by 4 of the top pitmasters in Dallas. There was no shortage of great BBQ food. The Paullee dinner was marked by a huge number of truly impressive wines.
Given the format of trying to have as many people try each wine as possible, the pours were small, we do not linger excessively either. In addition, this was a walk around event with people sharing their bottles. It was difficult for the most part to take notes. So these notes are primarily for documenting and general thoughts, not deep analysis.
This was an epic and truly memorable evening with so many great wines. It was a blast to get to meet so many fellow Commandeurs. Looking forward to more events like this in the future.
2023 Château d'Yquem
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Light golden color. Drank a small glass over 40 minutes. At the risk of being "hanged", I'll share my thoughts on this gorgeous young d'Yquem. In our defense, it was provided by the Chateau themselves, so there. Served from 4 double mags, with a couple spare 750s for good measure, this was a true joy. Paired with an appetizer challenge from 4 of the top pitmasters in Dallas. The appetizers were decadently delicious, all of them. I wouldn't say they were the best pairings for the wine, but who cares! The wine on it's own was stunning, pure peach syrup, nuanced by a cornucopia of tropical fruit, power and grace with the magical thing the it seems only d'Yquem can do. So balanced and pretty, wow. I'm not going to crown it a 100pt wine yet, but it certainly has the potential. Easily at 97(+) or better now, the sky is the limit.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2005 Château Margaux 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Tasted the '05 Margaux, '05 Latour, '05 Mouton, and the '05 Lafite (which was from 3 liter). Small pours of each. The '05 Margaux was very good, loved the cool damp earth and powerful cassis notes with more primary feel overall, but showing well. The Mouton was flat put gorgeous. So soft and luxurious, loved the nose, very pretty and more feminine with a red dominated mix of red and black fruit. This was strikingly good now for '05. The Latour was maybe a half notch behind the Mouton if that. The Latour was filled with cool red fruit perfume, soil, crushed violets, and a blue fruit undertone. This was very ready, ultra sleek and regal. The Lafite is a towering effort, that from 3 liter was still quite tight. Without the real estate to hold it, there was no opportunity to see how it might open. We had the '05 Haut Brion the night before, and while a friends glass had a splendid nose, ours was flawed so we couldn't make a good comparison. I think I'd go Mouton, Latour, Margaux, Haut Brion, and then Lafite as they stood tonight. All are exceptionally good.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2005 Château Mouton Rothschild 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasted the '05 Margaux, '05 Latour, '05 Mouton, and the '05 Lafite (which was from 3 liter). Small pours of each. The '05 Margaux was very good, loved the cool damp earth and powerful cassis notes with more primary feel overall, but showing well. The Mouton was flat put gorgeous. So soft and luxurious, loved the nose, very pretty and more feminine with a red dominated mix of red and black fruit. This was strikingly good now for '05. The Latour was maybe a half notch behind the Mouton if that. The Latour was filled with cool red fruit perfume, soil, crushed violets, and a blue fruit undertone. This was very ready, ultra sleek and regal. The Lafite is a towering effort, that from 3 liter was still quite tight. Without the real estate to hold it, there was no opportunity to see how it might open. We had the '05 Haut Brion the night before, and while a friends glass had a splendid nose, ours was flawed so we couldn't make a good comparison. I think I'd go Mouton, Latour, Margaux, Haut Brion, and then Lafite as they stood tonight. All are exceptionally good.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
2005 Château Latour Grand Vin 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasted the '05 Margaux, '05 Latour, '05 Mouton, and the '05 Lafite (which was from 3 liter). Small pours of each. The '05 Margaux was very good, loved the cool damp earth and powerful cassis notes with more primary feel overall, but showing well. The Mouton was flat put gorgeous. So soft and luxurious, loved the nose, very pretty and more feminine with a red dominated mix of red and black fruit. This was strikingly good now for '05. The Latour was maybe a half notch behind the Mouton if that. The Latour was filled with cool red fruit perfume, soil, crushed violets, and a blue fruit undertone. This was very ready, ultra sleek and regal. The Lafite is a towering effort, that from 3 liter was still quite tight. Without the real estate to hold it, there was no opportunity to see how it might open. We had the '05 Haut Brion the night before, and while a friends glass had a splendid nose, ours was flawed so we couldn't make a good comparison. I think I'd go Mouton, Latour, Margaux, Haut Brion, and then Lafite as they stood tonight. All are exceptionally good. 96+ to 97pts.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
2005 Château Lafite Rothschild
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasted the '05 Margaux, '05 Latour, '05 Mouton, and the '05 Lafite (which was from 3 liter). Small pours of each. The '05 Margaux was very good, loved the cool damp earth and powerful cassis notes with more primary feel overall, but showing well. The Mouton was flat put gorgeous. So soft and luxurious, loved the nose, very pretty and more feminine with a red dominated mix of red and black fruit. This was strikingly good now for '05. The Latour was maybe a half notch behind the Mouton if that. The Latour was filled with cool red fruit perfume, soil, crushed violets, and a blue fruit undertone. This was very ready, ultra sleek and regal. The Lafite is a towering effort, that from 3 liter was still quite tight. Without the real estate to hold it, there was no opportunity to see how it might open. We had the '05 Haut Brion the night before, and while a friends glass had a splendid nose, ours was flawed so we couldn't make a good comparison. I think I'd go Mouton, Latour, Margaux, Haut Brion, and then Lafite as they stood tonight. All are exceptionally good. Score reserved.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1995 Château Latour Grand Vin 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small pour. Man these '95's have been on fire this weekend. From the Haut Brion to now the Latour and the even slightly better Lafite. Wow, these are so impressive. The Latour displays a cool feel and disposition, soil, blue influences, very ready, pretty with the red berries standing out now. Damn this is pretty. Now the Lafite will always have a special place in my heart after drinking that years ago in the barrel room at the Chateau. The Lafite was a total seductress, incredible purity to the fruit, gorgeous cassis and red berries, so refined, long and silken, wow! All crazy good. 96+ to 97pts.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
1995 Château Lafite Rothschild 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small pour. Man these '95's have been on fire this weekend. From the Haut Brion to now the Latour and the even slightly better Lafite. Wow, these are so impressive. The Latour displays a cool feel and disposition, soil, blue influences, very ready, pretty with the red berries standing out now. Damn this is pretty. Now the Lafite will always have a special place in my heart after drinking that years ago in the barrel room at the Chateau. The Lafite was a total seductress, incredible purity to the fruit, gorgeous cassis and red berries, so refined, long and silken, wow! All crazy good. 96+ to 97pts.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1998 Château Lafite Rothschild 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small pour. Very nice, red fruited, soft texture, classic pencil shavings, excellent.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
1983 Château Palmer 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Very dark red color. Splash double decanted. Drank a small glass. This was a pristine bottle, showing everything I love about the vintage. Nearly resolved tannins, silken texture, red cherry, dried herbs, dill, cigar, funk, long and feminine. Hella good.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
1988 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small taste. PNP. Quite pretty, red raspberry, mulberry, pencil, mediu plus bodied, refined. Very good, wouldn't push way farther.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2005 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
Small pour. Splash double decanted. Wow, palate staining fruit, dark, big and ripe, charcoal, bold graphite, primary but not overly tannic. This was more ready than expected. A powerhouse! 94+ to 95(++) pts.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
1961 Château Lynch-Bages 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small pour blind. Wow, this has some age, but it's in great shape. I opened this on our 30th anniversary back in 2014 and it was glorious then. It has mellowed and evolved even further now, and it's still rockin'. Guessed as '59. Awesome! 96+ to 97pts.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1989 Château Latour Grand Vin 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small pour. Slow - O for an hour plus. Absolutely out of this world. Wow. Just needed the '90 side by side for comparison. Dang, this had it all. Showing great.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
1986 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
Small pour. 2 hour double decant. This had a ton of fruit and was really approachable and not stern at all like I thought it might be. Very excited to drink mine before too long. Looks to be ready to go, but I say there's still upside as this feels it has more to offer. 95 to 95+ (+)pts.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2003 Château Mouton Rothschild 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small pour. 2 hour double decant. Well no shocker here, ripe and plenty of layers, dark red, mint, pencil, approachable, well textured, and the tannins are relaxing. Showing well. 95 or better, no rush at all. I'll wait a bit on mine I think, but I wouldn't hesitate for the right moment.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
1989 Château Lafite Rothschild 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small pour. PNP, slow-O at least an hour. Ok, the question tonight was the 89 Latour or 89 Lafite. I gotta give the edge to the Lafite. But that bottle of Latour was on fire too. But the Lafite showed so much pencil, leather, violet and layers of cassis.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1996 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Small pour. 1 hour double decant. Just had this 8 weeks ago. This bottle was right on par, super good, more to come. Love the purple fruit, earth and florals. 95 to 96pts again.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
1998 Château Haut-Brion 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Small pour. 1 hour double decant. There were not many Haut Brion tonight given the Haut Brion vertical the night before. But it was nice to get a chance to revisit the '98 since our bottle last night was flawed. This bottle shows what it is all about, lovely. It has a lot going on, poised, black and blue fruits, pencil, leather and tobacco already with truffled earth notes, wish i had more and more time with it. 96-97(+)pts.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
2000 Château Rauzan-Ségla 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Small glass. PNP, from double magnum. Had this before and it has always been stellar , tonight no different; showing well from large format. A sleek, more feminine '00 with a nice infusion of red fruit to back up the black currants.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1982 Château Cos d'Estournel Flawed
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe
corked
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1982 Château Cos d'Estournel 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe
There were two of these on the night. PNP, This was solid, but still a bit tight when I had it. Sure has the sturcture and tannins you'd expect. A little more air would have helped.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
2006 Château Léoville Poyferré 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien
Small glass. PNP, from a 6 liter. Well this was youthful for sure. Quite a bit less expressive than recent 750 bottles.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
2000 Château Haut-Bailly 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Small glass. PNP, from double magnum. This was so pretty, a '00 from a large format that was spot on. Leather, dark berry, raspberries charcoal, fine tannins. Loved it.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2007 Château Haut-Batailley 90 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Tasting pour. PNP, from Imperial (6L). Well, it was pretty good for the vintage and for zero air, it was pleasant enough.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1982 Château Margaux 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Very dark red/purple color. PNP and slow-O over three hours plus. This was a journey over the evening. Given the volume of bottles to open, the older wines were just popped and were not decanted. If I had the ability, I would have decanted this for a at least a few hours on my own. That just was not possible under the circumstances. So this started out with a lot of bottle stank, that I was not digging much. So, I just let it sit for a good stretch, over an hour before checking back in on it. Finally it started to blow off and the you could see the dense, layered black fruits, cocoa bean, and firm tannins. Like a glacier slowly traversing a valley, it kept getting better. By the end of the night, we were finally getting to see more of the full picture. The perfume was emerging, dried flowers, pencil, and cassis. Still very youthful. 96(+)pts.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No