Important Update From the Founder Read message >

Sarasota reunion: Krug, Carillon, LLC, Lynch, Yquem

Michael’s on East, Sarasota

Tasted February 23, 2018 by dbg with 211 views

Introduction

It had been about 4 years since our group of 5 BWEs had last met up. It certainly was a memorable evening at Michael's on East in Sarasota. I actually "knew" Michael Klauber, the owner, from the Compuserve wine list back when the internet was new and before there even was a world wide web or a web browser. Fun restaurant. Excellent wine list though we brought our own. $20 corkage but can’t be on their list.

After 4 years there was plenty for us to catch up on, and Jim's skills as a raconteur have not slipped in the least. I’m not sure which he likes more, pimping the 1989 Lynch Bages or teasing us with hints of his mysterious love life. I found them equally enjoyable.

Flight 1 (5 notes)

White - Sparkling
1988 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut France, Champagne
Cellared since release. Very little fizz, a light brass color, an enveloping deep classic bready Krug-y nose with aged complexity. Rich, powerful and complex on the palate, well balanced and without a hint of oxidation, this should continue to perform for many years. Outstanding.
White
2014 Domaine Jacques Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Canet France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Great nose, apple, pear, minerals, crisp acidity, great balance. Great match with shellfish. Reminds me why I fell in love with white Burgundy back before premox. Tempting, tempting...
Red
1978 Château Léoville Las Cases France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Top shoulder fill, cork soaked through but removed in 1 piece. Ruby red core, lightening at the rim. Classic expressive Leoville nose of tobacco, coffee, leather, very nice complexity. Medium body, elegant, complex and well balanced with a medium finish. Great to drink a mature LLC. Excellent.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
1989 Château Lynch-Bages France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Perfect cork and fill. Dark red to rim, nose is a bit closed but gradually opens after 3 hours in a decanter. Iodine and angular at first, but full bodied, powerful and persistent on the finish. Very young and clearly a well-stored bottle. It finally starts to open towards the end of the evening and matches well with big, burly lamb chops. Approaching excellence but needs another 5 years to really show its stuff. I’ve had less well stored bottles that are more advanced and actually drinking better than this particular bottle.
4 people found this helpful Comment
White - Sweet/Dessert
1988 Château d'Yquem France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Cellared since release, fill into neck, cork moist half way up. Light gold, peaches/pears/apricots with honey and just a hint of caramel, a big palate coating Yquem, well balanced with a long finish. Still on the upswing if that’s possible. And yes, my favorite of the 88/89/90 trio. These heights weren't reached again at Yquem until 2001. Outstanding.
2 people found this helpful Comment

Closing

It was after midnight before we split up, no doubt to the relief of our waitress who gamely kept up with our bottles and glassware demands. In true Jacques style, after hearing Peggy and me gush about the Carillon, he pulls out a "backup" bottle and says "Here, take this home with you." The BWE Spirit is strong in this one.

© 2003-24 CellarTracker! LLC.

Report a Problem

Close