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Pre-2002 Rousseau Dinner
WS NYC
Tasted June 11, 2022 by shifter with 330 views
Flight 1 - Intro Glass (1 note)
White - Sparkling
1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
94 points
Still fresh, but very open. Vibrant acid. Great way to open the evening.
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Flight 2 - Pre-Dinner (2 notes)
White - Sparkling
1989 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut
94 points
Very Krug in the best way. Open and inviting with some brioche and yeastiness.
White - Sparkling
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
93 points
Has everything you want in a well-aged champers. Precision and depth with a fresh and bright finish.
Flight 3 - Flight 1 (3 notes)
Red
1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers
90 points
Lots of VA on the nose. Light mid-palate and feels a bit thin, lacking some depth of fruit to balance out the volatility.
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Red
1995 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
93 points
Open for business in that fully mature plateau phase. Great fruit and acid that continued to develop over the course of the evening.
Red
1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
94 points
A step up from the '95, however not as open for business. I think the '96 needs more time to continue to develop, however, with a couple of hours of air, this did start to open and show a great depth and purity of fruit.
Flight 4 - Flight 2 (4 notes)
Red
1990 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Mazy-Chambertin
92 points
Darker fruit and less vibrant than some of the other cuvées, this was a bit of an outlier. Mature, but lacking some interest and more integrated tannins.
Red
1991 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes
93 points
Very good with more red fruit and a mature depth.
Red
2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes
93 points
Brighter than the '91, but similarly interesting.
Red
1976 Thomas Bassot Ruchottes-Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes
90 points
Very tertiary. Lacking depth and interest.
Flight 5 - Flight 3 (4 notes)
Red
1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
96 points
Amazing density and depth of flavor. This needed some air, but started roaring into business fairly quickly. Much more open than some other '96s I've had recently.
Red
1989 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
92 points
No favors being paired with the '96 Beze, this showed a bit light and simple.
Red
1999 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
93 points
So, very tight. I just don't know if '99s will ever come around or if maybe they will be just coming into stride for the next centennial celebration.
Flight 6 - Intermezzo 1 (1 note)
Rosé - Sparkling
1986 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé
94 points
Beautiful color, the nose really jumps out of the glass. Light strawberry notes. Lovely.
Flight 7 - Flight 4 (4 notes)
Red
1976 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin
95 points
Bursting from the glass with layer upon layer of bright fruit aromas. Palate was deep and finish was extremely long and lingering. #2 WOTN.
Red
1988 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin
97 points
Needed air to show true potential, but then it rounded into form with a density and texture that outclassed the '76. Still on the upswing, this wine could be the most amazing bottle I've ever had in another 10 years. WOTN.
Red
1995 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin
94 points
Still felt young and limited compared to the others. Needs more time.
Red
2001 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin
95 points
Surprisingly was drinking much more beautifully than the '95. I just love the '01 vintage. Open and ready for business with lovely red fruits.
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Flight 8 - Intermezzo 2 (3 notes)
White - Sparkling
1976 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
96 points
Perfect bottle. This was singing from go. Such depth and precision with an unexpected youthful exuberance and freshness.
White - Sparkling
1969 Dom Pérignon Champagne P3
98 points
Incredibly young and fresh on the front palate, but with a beguiling mid-palate depth and a long and bright finish. This is a nearly perfect champagne experience.
White
2017 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet
97 points
Late entry. Decanted. This is much more open than the last time I had it a couple of years ago. It's relaxed quite a bit and the acid and fruit have come into much more of a balance. A great drink, just crushable. So glad that I stocked up before prices went through the roof.
Flight 9 - Flight 5 (4 notes)
Red
1987 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche
Very dark, black fruits. Comments about the rustic nature of CdlR abounded around the table, especially on the heels of the amazing Chambertin flight.
Red
1988 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche
More open than the '87. Had some similarities on the nose to the '88 Chambertin and Beze, moreso than I might have expected. Nice finish.
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Red
1994 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Clos de la Roche
More comments about the rustic nature of CdlR. This didn't have the elegance of some of the other cuvees, but an enjoyable power.
Red
1999 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin
So tight and unyielding, '99s are just closed for business for at least another decade or 3.
Flight 10 - Dessert (2 notes)
White - Sweet/Dessert
1959 Schloss Reinhartshausen Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese
98 points
Intoxicating nose that I could be satisfied just smelling for days. Beguiling palate, sweet, but bright and balanced, lots of depth and complexity, extremely exotic. Such a satisfying finish that lingered for an eternity.
White - Sweet/Dessert
1989 Château d'Yquem
96 points
Such a wonderful comparison to the TBA, this was also sweet, but more ethereal and elegant. This didn't have the same cloying sweetness, but more bright and balanced. Wonderful, but my vote was for the TBA.
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