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Napa vs. Bordeaux

Rick's House

Tasted April 5, 2010 by Larry Brooks with 818 views

Introduction

All bottles tasted single blind.

1990 Mouton Rothschild added to see if we could find the "disappointment"

All wines had 1-2 hours decant.

Flight 1 (7 notes)

Red
1990 Château Léoville Las Cases France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
92 points
less punch in the palate and finish then the top contenders on this night.
Red
1990 Château Cos d'Estournel France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
95 points
Ended up being the best of the French offerings. I chose this among the top 3 on the first pass. Ended up third. Really nice mid palate and long finish.
Red
1991 Joseph Phelps Insignia USA, California, Napa Valley
94 points
Compared to the others in the tasting, I thought this was one of the California wines.
Red
1990 Dominus Estate USA, California, Napa Valley
95 points
Great Mid Palate, long finish
Red
1991 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate USA, California, Napa Valley
96 points
Very intense, great mid palate and very long finish, more tart/acidity (I thought California). WOTN
Red
1990 Château Mouton Rothschild France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
90 points
Certainly the worst of the tasting other than the flawed Troplong Mondot. I liked it, but in hindsight, that's a lot of money to pay!
Red
1989 Château Troplong Mondot France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
flawed
Wicked nose, something wrong. Perhaps oxidized, but not corked.

Closing

What a great tasting!

Group averages were: (3 points for first place votes, 2 for second, and 1 for third)
Best: Montelena - 30 total points
2nd: Dominus - 21 total points
3rd: Cos d'Estournel - 12 total points
4th: Leoville Las Cases
5th: Phelps Insignia

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