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Bob Gaynor - Night of Excess!
Tasted August 1, 2008 by Nanda with 840 views
Introduction
Friend and board member Bob Gaynor hosted an incredible night of fine wine, company and dinner. Huge thanks to Bob and all for a memorable night!
Flight 1 - BUBBLES (2 notes)
White - Sparkling
1979 Diebolt-Vallois Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé
90 points
Complex and intriguing nose has advanced, earth-driven flavors and light yeasty notes. Palate is soft with good fruit still remaining and only slight acidity that shortens length. Very good and especially compelling on the nose.
White - Sparkling
1990 Henriot Champagne Brut Millésimé
93 points
Delicious bubbly - and right where I like them. Still lots of verve and power but with a nicely evolved flavor profile. White fruits, citrus, biscuits and a pleasant yeasty note. Very crisp with a small, prickly bead. Excellent and just too easy going down.
Flight 2 - WHITES - LEROY AND TWO FIRST GROWTHS (3 notes)
White
1989 Maison Leroy Puligny-Montrachet
flawed
I sniffed and sipped this one for quite a while and didn't get the TCA. But group seemed to agree that it was corked. I found an almost oaky flavor to it. Palate still had lots of pure, good fruit and acid was there too. I'm sure this would've been great if not for the TCA.
White
1983 Château Haut-Brion Blanc
93 points
A rarity served blind. Aromatic nose has tangerine, dried pear and apple fruit and minerals. Palate is round with a mineral and gravelly core. Fruit is still pure and abundant and balanced by good lifting acidity. Very long. Outstanding.
White
2004 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux
92 points
Intense full nose has loads of fresh-cut grass and citrus fruit. Palate is fleshy but fresh with powerful verve. Powerful across the mid-palate and into a long finish that pops with spices and more fresh-cut grass. An excellent young wine.
Flight 3 - OLD, OLDER AND ANCIENT (3 notes)
Red
1904 Château Cos d'Estournel
92 points
Unbelievably, my second time tasting this wine. Thanks to Bob for that. This 104 year old baby still has great light ruby color. An expressive, beautiful nose of earth, leather, spice and cigar ash. The initial moments on the palate show very good currant fruit, minerals and a lovely texture. It plays quite well with dusty tannins. Mid-palate fades and the finish is dry with dust and leathery notes. A real stunner and great time capsule into the past.
Red
1947 Clos Fourtet
88 points
Brilliant dark ruby color looks incredibly youthful. Rustic nose has a plenty of fruit. The palate is medium-to-full bodied. Tobacco, cassis and that same, dirty or rustic trait. Palate continues to gain weight and fruit over time. Still has acidity and fine tannin to provide grip and length.
Red
1971 Freemark Abbey Petite Sirah
95 points
Unbelievable color! Opaque purple. Full, sweet and smoky nose has tons of rich dark fruit, black licorice and spice. Palate is full bodied and full flavored with dark chocolate, smoked meat, pine and spices. Wide open and fleshy across the mid-palate into a chewy long finish. 37 years old and still so full of big fruit and firm tannins. Just incredible to me. Hedonistic and totally yummy.
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Flight 4 - 1987 CABS (3 notes)
Nice flight with Optima ending up as group's WOTF.
Red
1987 B.R. Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon Olive Hill Estate Vineyards
90 points
Ruby color with a full, expressive nose of cassis, green herbs and a slight barnyard note. Palate is medium bodied with soft currant fruits and herbs. Good balance with fresh acidity and fine tannins. Medium-length finish. My WOTF --- for its seductive nose.
Red
1987 Optima Cabernet Sauvignon
89 points
Ruby with a creamy nose that has cassis, fresh cut herbs and an odd bubble gum note. Palate has sweet cassis fruit and herbs. Medium length.
Red
1987 The Terraces Cabernet Sauvignon
flawed
Ruby color with an open nose that is soupy with a big cumin note. Based on this most felt the wine had heat damage. Palate has cassis, spice and tar as well. Seemed a bit light and thin.
Flight 5 - 1982 HORIZONTAL (3 notes)
I was duped by this flight. I thought much youner. The Gruaud was my WOTF --- with the Monty not too far behind.
Red
1982 Gaja Barbaresco
92 points
Dark ruby color. Nose has dried currant, leather, sea salt and sweat. Palate echoes the nose with good, persistent fruit well-matched to dry, dusty tannins. Medium-long finish.
Red
1982 Château Gruaud Larose
96 points
Dark, inky ruby in color. Huge, expressive nose has rich, sweet currants, herbs and cedar. Palate is deliciously flavored. Fruit is still sweet, ripe and rich and matches well with fine tannins. Long, full-flavored finish. Served blind, I thought this was 20 years younger than what it was!
Red
1982 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate
94 points
Tight nose is coaxed to reveal currants, spice and toasted herbs. Palate is full-bodied with big-time, rich, pure, high-quality fruit and more fresh-cut herbs. Mid-palate presents loads of tannin -- that still need time to integrate. Served blind I guessed a young, high-quality Chilean cab. Oh my!
Flight 6 - PINOT WITH DINNER (3 notes)
Red
2005 Domaine René Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Champeaux
93 points
Wide-open explosive of grapefruit, rich red fruit and milk chocolate. Palate echoes the nose and features sweet, rich fruit. Seamless with lift and juiciness across the palate into a long finish. Would've guessed California --- but clearly a burg in a young, exuberant state.
Red
2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard
93 points
Full expressive nose has dark fruit, milk chocolate and spice. Palate is well poised with rich, lush chocolaty fruit and zippy acidity. Delicious, well-knit with great length.
Red
2002 Domaine Maume Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques
88 points
Nose of earth, spice and minerals with angular edge. Palate is tight with clenching acidity compacting the sour cherry fruit. Seems to need time to strut its stuff and soften its tight personality.
Flight 7 - 83-86 CABERNET VERTICAL (4 notes)
Group seemed to like this flight too. Many were guessing it was a Bordeaux flight. The Forman and LG are a couple of my faves from this ear and show very old world.
Red
1983 Château Léoville Poyferré
91 points
Ruby in color with a generous nose of currants, tar, leather and spice. Palate is well balanced and medium-bodied. Minerals, tar and currants. Soft dusty tannins provide grip and finish. Very nice.
Red
1986 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon
95 points
Dark ruby with a killer, powerful nose of rich currants, anise and herbs. Big and richly fruited palate. With loads of complexity from herbs, bell pepper and licorice. Chewy tannins provide structure. Well balanced and long -- excellent.
Red
1985 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Sonoma Mountain
94 points
Full aromatic nose has sweet red fruits, herbs, anise and pepper. Youthful, yet complex on the palate. More sweet, rich, herb-filled fruit. Chewy tannins. In a great place.
Red
1984 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Backus Vineyard
88 points
Dark ruby in color. Sweet fruit nose with a decidedly minty aroma. Medium bodied fruit. Not as nuanced or complexed as others in the flight. Good - drink up.
Flight 8 - 2001 HORIZONTAL (3 notes)
Notes going down hill quickly!
Red
2001 Tardieu-Laurent Côte-Rôtie
Complex with rich dark fruits, black pepper, tar, sweat and spices. Richly fruited.
Red
2001 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
Effusive with herb, tar, barnyard and red fruits. Complex and funky.
Red
2001 Andrew Will Champoux Vineyard
I liked this. Richly fruited and very polished. In a modern style with forward fruits, toasty oak and spices. Long, lush finish.
Flight 9 - DESSERT (2 notes)
White - Off-dry
2003 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Auction
Golden color. Beautiful, rich and expressive nose. Loads of sweet apples, pears and minerals. Long, sweet and delicious.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2002 Alois Kracher Scheurebe TBA #10 Zwischen den Seen
Wow. This is stunning stuff. Endless and layered aromas. Rich, sweet apricot, orange and citrus fruits. Tons of honey. Well balanced.