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Acker Pre-Auction September 2022
Redbury Lounge
Tasted September 7, 2022 by MC2 Wines with 236 views
Introduction
The auction wine world hasn’t really recovered pre-COVID from an experience perspective (although it’s been very healthy I think from an economic perspective as more and more ppl focus on wine not just to drink but also as an investment). This was a really nice event though reminiscent of the pre-auction tasting events that Acker used to hold. A few different stations of wine plus a BYO component. I’m sure I missed some bottles. Everything very small pours but a chance to get to try quite a few.
Flight 1 (28 notes)
White - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée
Always a delicious way to start a tasting and this was no different. There’s interest in this wine even as it’s quite young. You could sit and contemplate but in this instance it acted more as an opening wine to get us ready for trying the rest of the line-up.
3 people found this helpful
Comment
Red
2000 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques
While I often like the delayed gratification idea when Rousseau is being poured it’s usually a good idea to head there right away because it’s very likely that the wine will not last (a fact that turned out to be quite true). While Roumier was my first Burgundy love this is another producer who I find never disappoints and always creates just this wonderful, slightly ethereal, very lovely wine. Dark fruit and maybe a bit of pine or woodsy. Pretty.
Red
2008 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne
I’ve heard very positive things about this producer at a fraction of the price of some of my favorites (notably Rousseau) and so I was quite excited to try it. Alas, not in the same league or even close. Fellow taster said it was a bad bottle and perhaps that’s true although there wasn’t an ‘obvious’ flaw and more of just a lack of tension and vibrancy that you’d want in a top Burg.
Red
2006 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny
I am a total sucker for this producer which sadly has really skyrocketed since we first started drinking it and alas is not quite the deal. Still, there’s a great tension/precision here (similar to a burgundy style) but with much more power and dark fruit and just the back hint of green and then the feeling you get in an evergreen forest perhaps. It’s a pretty amazing wine as the base wine and honestly with not really enough years but just amazing. Always a treat to get to try.
Red
2010 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero
Good solid barolo. While there is a relation to the Burlotto version (cousins) you can tell why there’s a difference in tariff. This though is solid and enjoyable and perhaps a touch young.
Red
2010 Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes
I had really hoped that this might be more like the ‘05 that I had the night before and that perhaps I had misjudged this producer whom most Rhone wine ppl love and whom I’ve always struggled with. Alas this was more the style I remember. Just a bit too much and a background that seemed a bit oaky and so perhaps with a lot more time it all integrates (more often it seems like the older versions integrate the oak but lose some of the interest unlike a LaLa). Not really my style of wine.
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Comment
Red
2003 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Marie Beurrier
I am always so impressed with this producer. This was a hot year and of course its a producer known for power but he has a finesse to his wines too and this was no different. Red fruits that are balanced and bits of pepper and quite enjoyable.
Red
1994 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque
An underappreciated year in Rhone I’ve often thought and had some just wonderful La Moulines although they required quite long decants to get to that place. This was more of a pnp of sorts as we were some of the first at this table. It’s drinking nicely, but still young and tight and needs more time or more air in the glass. Suspect didn’t show its best with this small pour format.
Red
1997 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
Hello lovely! My WOTN. This was just amazing and I think a bit overlooked by the folks all focusing on the burgundy which made me as a Rhone lover quite happy. It’s gamey and meaty and iron ore core and just a hint of black fruits at the back and that nose that is available inches from the glass. Showed exceptionally well and doubt it’s going anywhere.
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Red
2016 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog
A monumentally polarizing wine but I am in the fan camp for sure. It’s all of what I love about the Rhone although a bit on steroids. Needs much more time and this of course was just a baby. But there’s a lot to like from the meaty side to the darker fruit to just the overall power but with freshness.
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Comment
Red
1986 Château Gruaud Larose
Very good Bordeaux. Drinking well. Writing these notes a few days later and this wasn’t a wine that stood out as clearly as some others (either good or bad). Just feels like a solid showing.
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Comment
Red
2001 Château Latour Grand Vin
I’ve yet to have my ‘moment’ with Latour and this was no different although to be fair people who are strong fans were also not really convinced. I’ve heard it said the ‘01 vintage was overshadowed by ‘00 but much better than it gets credit for and while I am a big fan in the Rhone haven’t had much in Bordeaux that makes me give credit to that theory. This was decent Bordeaux but given it’s price point it really should be excellent.
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Comments (6)
Red
1983 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
From a magnum. Funny to read my last note on this many years ago before I had started my Bordeaux oddesssy. This was a lovely wine and to my tastes blew the Latour out of the water. It’s got a nice elegance with that wine lacks, a lot of secondary notes, still a hint of fruit, and just drinking overall quite nicely. Perhaps my favorite of the seconds.
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Red
1990 Château L'Evangile
This wine definitely won in the Bordeaux for me. It was drinking great. Dark fruits and secondary notes and everything bright and open and just drinking very very well. Excellent wine.
1 person found this helpful
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Red
2000 Château Hosanna
Totally fine. Nothing to particularly recommend it but nothing to fight it either. Still young and needing more time, but doesn’t give the feeling that it’s turning into anything super. Very drinkable though.
Red
2010 Château Clinet
From a magnum, much too young, but with some really good potential so let’s give it a lot more time. Right now it’s still a bit more primary and not quite integrated.
Red
1995 Ridge Monte Bello
Excellent as all old Ridges are and definitely the winner of this flight although the ‘90 L’Evangile gave it a run for its money. This is drinking very nicely right now, but with many more years ahead.
Red
1997 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection
Nope, not my style. It’s too big and bold and one-dimensional. Everything that I don’t really like about ‘97 California and that I can struggle with with Caymus.
Red
2010 Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots
Quite a nice if quite young burgundy that has a certain elegance to it. Very nice of Fred to share.
Red
1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Riserva Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba
Unfortunately I think this bottle was a bit off which is a pity because this is one of my favorite wines. Not entirely undrinkable, but just more tired than it should be.
1 person found this helpful
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Red
1997 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County
Good solid old Napa which avoided the too intense ‘97 style but which doesn’t seem to have the nuances that I always get more in other vintages and find more lacking in this one.
Red
1994 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate
May as well have been made last year it’s that young. Feels like a more modern California style. A bit big and intense.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
1985 Mount Eden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Really enjoyed this wine which isn’t as well known I don’t think, but drinks incredibly well. This area of California is underappreciated I suspect, but works with my style. A bit of a more vegetal note which I think adds some interest and when combined with fruit and more woodsy makes the wine quite nice.
1 person found this helpful
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Red
1949 Château Gruaud Larose
Definitely need to like older style of wine but I really do and so it’s just so fun to go this far back. More dried leather and musty library and all of that. But nice.
Red
1989 Château La Conseillante
Drank side by side with the ‘90 and interesting to pour around and see how different people gravitated. They are very different wines despite same producer with just a year separating. This is also drinking very young for it’s age but comes across as more approachable. It’s all bright red fruits and very open and enjoyable and brings you in a bit more. No rush to drink these, but they are quite enjoyable right now.
Red
1990 Château La Conseillante
Drank side by side with the ‘89 and it was really interesting to pour around and see the difference of opinion. Different styles and most everyone gravitated towards one or the other (at about a 50/50 ratio) although I found myself liking both but with different timeframes. This is a wine that needs lots of time. It’s incredibly young. More black fruited. It had been decanted for sediment and rebottled and I think would have shown better in a setting where you could really sit and let the wine open up and get more air (and better yet, wait another 20 years). A wine built for the long haul. Glad to see we have another bottle and one that I plan to wait on for quite awhile.
1 person found this helpful
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Red
1999 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Bonnes Mares
I often say that this is the producer that gets me to understand Burgundy and while I’m sure there are some bottles that are less great so far it seems like it’s always true. This was less fruit and more woodsy than some and not my absolute favorite of the ones I’ve tried but there is still that slightly ethereal lightness and balance that is hard to accomplish and seems to command the highest prices these days. Wonderful wine. Great to get to try.
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Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Rosé
Pulled out towards the end of the evening and it was really just perfect. Nice to refresh the palate and just drinking exceedingly well esp for the new release. This was open for business and quite accessible and while I suspect time only makes it better I found myself quite liking it just as it is.
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Closing
Jamet 1997 was my WOTN but I will say the Rousseau and Roumier were both very memorable as was the ‘90 L’Evangile and both of the Conseillantes. Lots of great wines and fun to see some friends.