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Bdx and others
Bin 555
Tasted December 21, 2011 by Nutty08 with 718 views
Introduction
Big thanks to Chad for organizing a tasting at Bin 555 (with the competition!)
Flight 1 (10 notes)
Red
2009 Brick House Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais Ribbon Ridge
92 points
Decanted an hour. Light in the glass, almost a pale pink color. Expressive elegant nose with cherry, licorice, rose petals, forest floor and spice. Palate is sharply defined, quite acidic, with cherry and orange blossom. Medium finish, a little short, but crisp and mineral filled. Plenty of energy and life. Complexity is rather subtle and elusive, as an elegance is revealed only over several sips. Still, it seemed more disjonted and simple than my tasting at the winery 3mos ago. Travel shock? Likely just needs some more time. 3-5yrs.
Red
2002 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
89 points
Even after a 90min decant, toasty roasted oak and mocha notes dominate the nose, with some hints of black currants and graphite with the faintest hint of green herbaciousness. Black currants and cassis on the palate, mild but chunky tannins. Palate lacks any real verve or energy. Finish is short to medium in length, no real complexity, filled with oak/mocha/toast notes and turns slightly bitter. Disappointing bottle for this producer (even in '02) with the '04 head and shoulders above this bottling. I'm not optimistic this will improve substantially. Compared to the '04 was much more austere and tannic.
Red
2002 Château Léoville Barton
92 points
Elegant and poised compared to the '02 PB. Slightly green herbal nose, with black cherry and currants. Palate is polished and vibrant, with good complexity. Green note repeats (more like mint in riper years) but adds complexity. Lush and minimal integrated tannins. Lengthy finish. A very nice bdx in an off year.
Red
2000 Alter Ego de Palmer
92 points
Expressive nose, subtle, with floral notes, and leather. Mature palate, with dried fruit flavors, and pipe tobacco that repeats on a lengthy finish of cassis and stone. Very accessible and mature. Showing quite well but seemingly more mature than expected. Representative bottle?
Red
2001 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate
flawed
Weird kinda burnt rubber nose that really never blew off. Seemingly good mature fruit underneath, with some black currants and tobacco, but the off burnt rubber character never blew off to enjoy the wine. Followed over several hours. I was unaware of the controversy of this wine until later, but this bottle seemed flawed to be in some way, but not exactly a TCA flaw.(
Red
2003 Château Pavie
89 points
Showed the '03 vintage. Nose was rich and roasted with strong coffee and mocha edge and hint of heat. Palate was raisiny, dark currants, low acidity and strong prominent chunky tannins. Adds a touch of peppermint with air to the medium length finish. Doesn't come across as bdx at all. I doubt time will benefit this wine. Not flawed, per se, but really showing the ripeness and roasted nature of '03 while remaining complex. Well below the '01 and '05. Not my style.
Red
2004 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
92 points
Man, this continues to deliver. Classic PB with back currant nose, with touch of smoke, and toast. Palate is lush, with ripe fruit and mostly integrated tannins. Lengthy finish of mocha and dark fruit. Quintessential PB, showing fantastically well for the price.
Red
1995 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red
94 points
Served double blind. Fantastic nose of red fruits, mint, and tobacco. Palate was perfectly integrated, seamless, with red ripe fruits, mint/eucalyptus, and dried mature fruit. Lengthy finish adding menthol, coffee, and spice. Drinking very well now, guessed '94 Dominus.
Red
2005 Agharta Wines Black Label
92 points
Deep and ark rich nose of currants and pulm with meat and spice and hint of blood. Palate was integrated, with mature fruit, spice, meaty and acidic, with a touch of citrus. Lengthy finish with a hint of orange and mocha and bitterness on the prominent tannins. Nice syrah though not exceptional. Has certainly rounded and softened with the long barrel ageing.
Red
2006 SYZYGY Syrah
90 points
Served double blind. Creamy vanilla and currants. Very concentrated palate, with red dominated fruits and slightly candied nature. Medium finish. I really didn't get any syrah character from this, but still a decently put together fruit forward wine of moderate complexity.
Closing
Missing some of the usual major contributors, but still a nicely put together bdx tasting. Leoville barton seems to always perform well, despite the vintage, and their ’02 is underrated. ’02 Pichon baron is a disappointment for the producer, especially when compared to the ’04 vintage supposedly of similar quality. It did not improve even after multiple retasts at home after the fact. ’95 Pahlmeyer was exquisite, again reminding me I shouldn’t write off California just yet.
I’ve continued my streak of not caring for my own wines and liking Dave’s best. Until next time…