WIMPS Bordeaux offline - table 1
The Ledbury, Notting Hill, London
Tasted July 30, 2008 by king-bing with 613 views
Introduction
A superb lunch in a great venue, with great wines and excellent company. Thanks to Nigel Platts-Martin for hosting us and to the staff for some superb food.
Menu (from memory) was
foie gras, celeriac and bacon ravioli;
ceps and girolles risotto
lamb with aubergine caviar
ice cream with almond 'plugs'
Thanks to Keith and Alex for organising. Thanks everyone for their generosity with the wines, especially David W for the 1983 Lafite and the 1917 Moscatel Setubal.
The format was that the two tables (of 8 each) kept the wines they brought, though a some were shared between tables afterwards. These TNs are from table 1.
Flight 1 - 1994s (2 notes)
Served with the ravioli. Good but ultimately outshone.
Red
1994 Château Lynch-Bages
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Classic Paulliac nose of pencil, together with hints of dark fruit. Lovely silky palate, though perhaps a touch sweet. Got drier over time though with a meaty, leatheriness. Finish a little short perhaps? Still rather tasty.
Red
1994 Château Latour Grand Vin
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Better than Mouton 94. Actually, the nose was rather closed for a long time. Must have been sitting for 2 hours before it started to wake. Simpler than the 94 Lynch Bages. Drier, leaner style. Long finisih shows class. This got better and better and would overtake the LB, though the LB better for open and go. Probably my least favourite of the lunch, though this needs more time and would get better.
Flight 2 - 'junior' 89/90 flight (2 notes)
Served with the risotto. Both excellent
Red
1989 Château Le Gay Pomerol
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Licorice and deep fruit nose. Dark mahogany furniture too. Hints at sweetness. Palate is drier and supple. Definitely better with some food. Perhaps fades a little with time? Very tasty indeed.
Red
1990 Château Les Ormes de Pez
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Damp earthy nose. A little more narrow on the nose than the others. Lighter style, but nice focus. Not the fruitiness of others, but holds it own well in this company. Has some of teh 1990 sweetness. Very enjoyable again, though started to fade after a couple of hours.
Flight 3 - Top bananas (4 notes)
These were all excellent in their own way. Hard to pick a winner.
Red
1985 Château L'Evangile
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Distinct bricking on the rim - notably the most mature wine yet. Lovely fruit on the nose with a touch of soy in the background. Later, a meaty bacon quality comes out. Lovely palate that really dances on the tongue. This is a sophisticated wine. Ethereal says someone. Really lovely.
Red
1989 Château Lynch-Bages
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Still a very dark with little sign of ageing. Could have been 5 years old rather than 19. So young: still rather primary on the nose and palate. great quality. denser, richer, but not heavy. Long finish. Excellent and keeps getting better in the glass. Needs lots more time.
Red
1982 Château Talbot
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Notably mature colour again. Raising the glass reveals a warm, sweetish nose with a touch of mahogany. A wide sort of palate that fills the mouth, but the acidity keeps things in check. Still going strong at the end. Excellent.
Red
1983 Château Lafite Rothschild
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Stunning complex nose - focussed tea tree oil then coconut husk notes set to a gentle fruit background. Palate doesn't quite match seeming relatively light. Fades after a while to become more classic pencil nose. Palate fills out a little with time. Don't quite know what to make of this ultimately. Very tasty though.
Flight 4 - A little magic to finish (1 note)
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