Les Degustateurs

This was Leo's turn to treat us to a grand tasting and educational event. We gathered at the restaurant which was closed just for the 13 of us. All scores are the average of the 13 on a 20 pt. scale.

1988 Dom Perignon 18 pts
1990 Philipponnat "Clos de Goisses"

1999 Bertagna Chambertin 18 pts
1990 Coste-Caumartin Pommard 17.2 pts.
1995 Rioja Alta 904 Grand Reserva 18.2
1990 Dominico Clerico Barolo, Ciabot Mentin Ginestra 18 pts
1995 Meo-Camuzet Nuits'St.-Georges "Aux Mergers" 17.4

1970 Ch. Latour 18.3
1975 Ch. Latour 18.1
1982 Torres Mas de la Plana 18.4
1983 Ch. Latour 18.4
1988 Dominus 18.2

1983 Guigal Cote Rotie 18.2
1983 Guigal Hermitage 18.5
1994 FESS PARKER syrah 19.0
1985 Jaboulet Aine Hermitage "La Chapelle" 18.6
1998 Clarendon Hills Shiraz "Hickenbotham Vineyard...18.8

1969 Pieroth St. Nikolas Eiswein, Binger
1997 Henry of Pelham Riesling Eiswein

Of note: Mon nailed the 88 Dom Perignon...even the vintage. Pete correctly identified # 4 as Pommard. Mon and Mike get the Rioja ringer at #5, and Mike was the only one to identify # 6 as Nebbiolo. The 1995 Meo -Camuzet at #7 was disappointing to me. I did this flight to point out the genetic similarities of Pinot Noir, Nebbiolo, and Tempranillo. Note that the 1995 Rioja Alta 904 got the highest rating of the flight.
No one picked out the #10 Mas de la Plana as being anything other than another Bordeaux, and it tied for tops with #11, 1983 Chateau Latour. No one identified the # 12, 1988 Dominus as being of US origin.
Almost everyone felt that the third flight of reds were Rhones, and most leaned toward northern Rhones. A few suspected that I might have thrown in an Aussie, just because they thought that I would do a thing like that. However, no one called #18 the Aussie! The real sleeper of the night was the #15, 1994 Fess Parker Syrah. It was the highest rated wine of the night and got one #20 score. I actually did this flight because of that wine. I had 2 bottles that someone gave me many years ago and took them to the ranch to use as "rough" wine. When Carole and I tasted the first a couple of years ago, we were wowed! So I brought back the second for this flight. She will now not speak to me for using it!