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A Splendid Pre-Holiday Celebration With the London Crew
67 Pall Mall
Tasted December 13, 2019 by JonnyG with 369 views
Introduction
I am not shy about reaching out when I have a spare night in the midst of a business trip. This cheeky practice has led me to some of my warmest and most fulfilling wine relationships, and this night at 67 Pall Mall was no exception. I am always glad to share from my languishing stock of bottles cellared there, but as a non-resident member am finding this harder and harder to accomplish. A few existing and a passel of new friends stepped up to make this occasion a memorable one, and I am very grateful.
Flight 1 (1 note)
White - Sparkling
2008 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
94 points
Fresh, intense and perfectly balanced, with a tremendous acidity that was well complemented by the very dense lemon, lime and green apple notes. So much upside, of course, yet I really relished getting a look at this young stunner in its primary phase, and would not hesitate to open another.
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Flight 2 (3 notes)
White
2010 Dauvissat-Camus Chablis 1er Cru La Forest
93 points
Served blind. We easily placed this in Chablis despite it being too cold when first opened, something which made it easy to overlook amongst so many amazing wines, but I loved following this through the meal. As the wine warmed, its 1er Cru status became evident too. Intense aromatics, displaying a tropical note alongside the expected iodine and shells. Quite ripe, but the richness was balanced and I liked the complexity. Best when close to room temperature.
White
2006 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet
88 points
Served blind. Slightly advanced in my view. Honeyed, sappy, somewhat exotic, but it never took on weight, and the lack of acidity or minerality led the owner of this bottle to deem it flabby -- a bit harsh, but there you have it!
White
2007 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bâtard-Montrachet
95 points
Served blind. Needed to warm a bit to display its impressive complexity. Easily the WOTF. Signature vanilla aromas alongside some honeysuckle and stone fruit notes. Great texture, a touch glycerined, with that thickness and concentration never coming off as dense or clumsy. Notes of orange oil, peaches and tropical fruit. Outstanding for the vintage.
Flight 3 (3 notes)
Red
2015 Silvia Rivella Barbaresco Fausoni
92 points
My first encounter with this Barbaresco. Though young, I quite liked its purity and expressiveness. Notes of fennel, mint and flower, a bit tightly wound still. Patience should be rewarded.
Red
2011 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
93 points
My second encounter with this in a few weeks, and it continues to impress with its unquestionable typicity and approachability. In a good place, having been double-decanted a few hours earlier, and it developed quite well in the glass. Intense licorice notes, pure and concentrated, lacking the slight astringency I noticed with the prior bottle.
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Red
1990 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
98 points
A stunner, though I had the sense I liked it more than some. Amazing freshness, and a creaminess I lingered over for hours. Rich, complex and textured, with a slightly elusive, ever-shifting array of dried cherry, spice and floral notes. What a beauty! My WOTN.
Flight 4 (2 notes)
Red
2016 Chiara Condello Romagna Predappio Riserva Le Lucciole
90 points
My first Condello. Understandably overshadowed by the Soldera served alongside this, I was impressed by the delicate, non-interventionist style, which still managed to express the energy of the grape to good effect.
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Red
2008 Soldera (Az. Agr. Case Basse) Sangiovese Toscana IGT
96 points
The first 2008 I opened, and we were not disappointed. The ~5-hour decant no doubt helped, as the structure and nuanced complexity I look for from Soldera was present in spades, though it is the wines absolute purity that always wins. Fine minerality and a savory herbal note complemented the pure, deep fruit. A classic in the making, with upside from here.
Flight 5 (2 notes)
Red
1996 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve
95 points
Unmistakably Rayas, at absolute peak. Ethereal wild strawberry and kirsch notes, weightless and subtle. The acid is subdued at this point. I picked up some pepper on the rear palate. Loved it!
Red
1999 Henschke Shiraz Hill of Grace
94 points
It was a pleasure to introduce some fellow wine lovers to this special, iconic wine, apparently not one that is opened too frequently in the UK it seems. It was a very good showing, not soaring to the sublime heights I have been lucky enough to encounter with the very best HOGs, but surely one that won some hearts and minds, as they say. Elegant nose showing sweet red fruit, balsam and a touch of smoke. Light-bodied mouthfeel, with seamless notes of cassis, vanilla and mint and sweet, almost creamy tannins.
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Flight 6 (2 notes)
Red
2000 Château Léoville Las Cases
93 points
A late addition to the line-up, virtually popped and poured. While still a decade away in my view, I thought it showed its primary aspects to great effect, with tight energy and cut. Notes of sweet black fruit, bitter mocha and velvety floral flavors loom beneath the concentrated, brooding surface here. These should integrate and move to the fore with time. Chewy tannins. Approach with enthusiasm from 2030 or so.
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Red
1966 Château Lafite Rothschild
91 points
Good color and fill, a real treat to taste. Light-bodied and tertiary, with perfumed notes of gentle red fruit and cigar ash. The acidity was still there, and the resulting tension made the wine enjoyable in its own right, not just as some historical relic.
Flight 7 (1 note)
Red
1987 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único
95 points
A powerful, fresh Unico, in wonderful form. Youthful, lively and rich. Blue and black fruit on the nose, along with plenty of spice, smoky menthol and orange peel. Silky mouthfeel, with layered notes of plum, raspberry, cherry, savory herbs and beef bouillon. The ripe tannins are starting to integrate and did not distract.
Flight 8 (1 note)
Red
2010 Giuseppe Quintarelli Rosso del Bepi Veneto IGT
90 points
A generous addition from Justin, but a bit lost as the last red of the night. Not a style that stood up too well against the sets of wines we had enjoyed thus far. Dense, concentrated red and black fruit, with some crushed vitamin notes. Slightly volatile. Needs a rich stew or maybe some hard cheese on a cold night to really shine.
Flight 9 (1 note)
White - Fortified
1977 D'Oliveiras Madeira Boal Reserva
93 points
A bonus pour at the end of the night. Pure class. Notes of vanilla, almonds and apricot along with some mild herbs. Quite concentrated, with notable acidity and a very long finish.
Closing
Not a clunker amongst all these bottles, but of course the camaraderie and memories are what matter most. I am also trying this again on two nights, with a slightly different set of Londoners, and will report back...