DAWGS SEPTEMBER 2008 WINE DINNER - bigred_seeker's house in University Park, Dallas, TX (9/13/2008)

Our host for September chose 2005 Bordeaux as our theme. Welcome to the acid and tannin test! On to the show...

• 1982 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
  WIML93
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted for sediment only. Dark garnet color in the glass, slight cloudy looking. Nose of leather, anise, perfume and berries. Silky flavors of berries, cherries and currants. Medium acidity and tannins, medium to firm body. Drink or hold with good provenance. Just a tick better than the bottle I tasted in Philadelphia so upping that score by a point. (93 pts.)
  
• 2005 Château Mongravey - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  WIML89
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted 3 hours before double decanted back into the bottle and served 2 hours later. Dark garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty looking. Ripe berries on the nose with added notes of boysenberries and a hint of balsamic. Flavors of boysenberries, berries and plums. Bright acidity, firm tannins, medium body. Hold. This is a good QPR value and available in the 30's. (89 pts.)
  
• 2005 Château Quinault L'Enclos - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  WIML91-93
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted 3 hours before double decanted back into the bottle and served 2 hours later. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Tight nose as is to be expected showing some notes of cedar, plum, a little smoke and berries. Flavors of black berries, currants and a dash of bitters on the finish. Bright acidity, firm tannins and full body. Hold. (92 pts.)
  
• 2005 Château Petit Bocq - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
  WIML88
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted 4 hours before double decanting back in the bottle and serving 1 hour later. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of rose petals, plums and red berries. Flavors of red currants, red cherries and red berries. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium body. Hold. Will likely be an earlier drinker from this vintage is my best guess. (88 pts.)
  
• 2005 Château Caronne Ste. Gemme - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  WIML88-89?
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted about 4 hours before double decanting back into the bottle and serving 1 hour later. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, fairly clear hue throughout. Nose of fennel up front with some added notes of berries. Mostly singular flavors of berries on the palate at the moment. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium body. Hold. (89 pts.)
  
• 2005 Château Faugères - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
  WIML92?
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted about 4 hours before double decanting back into the bottle and serving about 1 hour later. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Lovely perfumed nose with added notes of currants and plums. Flavors of currants, plums and some black cherry notes on the medium to long finish. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, full bodied. Hold is the recommendations but this is quite tasty right now with plenty of airtime and tempting to open right now from a hedonistic standpoint. Let's call it WIML92 right now but might pick up a point or so with time in bottle. (92 pts.)
  
• 2005 Château Labat - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
  WIML90?
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted 4 hours before double decanting back into the bottle and serving about 1 hour later. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Just a bit meaty on the nose with added notes of saddle leather and plums. Flavors of cherries, plums and berries. Medium to bright acidity, drying tannins, medium to full body. Hold. Interesting and promising wine. (90 pts.)
  
• 2005 Terra Burdigala Côtes de Castillon - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Côtes de Castillon
  WIML88
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and served about an hour after opening. Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose was a bit medicinal up front followed by red fruits. Flavors of berries, cherries and a bit of red currants. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to firm body. Hold. (88 pts.)
  
• 2005 Château de Callac - France, Bordeaux, Graves
  WIML86
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted about 4 hours before double decanted back into the bottle and served a little over an hour later. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Odd nose that smelled kind of like pomegranite or orange peels. Maybe a little perfume as well. Flavors of red berries. Nothing else. No real finish. Medium acidity and tannins, light to medium body. Drink with a decant or continue to hold. We'll give it the benefit of the doubt and call it mid or slight over 80's scorewise. (86 pts.)
  
• 2005 La Dame de Malescot - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
  WIML89+?
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted about 4 hours before double decanted back into the bottle and served a little over an hour later. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of aspirin(?), dill(?), Briar patch and some mixed fruits. Flavors of black cherries and berries. Medium to bright acidity, firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold. (89 pts.)
  
• 2005 Château Puygueraud - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Côtes de Francs
  WIML91?
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted about 4 hours before double decanting back into the bottle and serving a little over an hour later. Purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of currants and plums. Flavors of berries and plums. Medium to bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold. (91 pts.)
  
• 2005 Château Haut Maginet - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée
  WIML87?
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted 4 hours before double decanting back into the bottle and serving a little over an hour or so later. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of currants, rick fruits and a dash of cinnamon. Flavors of berries mostly a this point. Slightly short finish as well. Medium acidity, tannins and body. Looks to be a decant QPR. Hold. (87 pts.)
  
• 2005 Vieux Château Palon - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Montagne-St. Émilion
  WIML88?
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted about 4 hours and then double decanted back to bottle and served about an hour or two later. Dark garnet color in the glass, dusty looking. Nose of plums and currants. Flavors of black cherries and berries. Medium to bright acidity, firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold. (88 pts.)
  
• 1997 Dow Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  WIML92
  
  Tasted September 13, 2008 at an offline.
  
  Opened and decanted at least 6 hours before serving. Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of melted black licorice and burnt sugar. Flavors of sweet golden raisins, black licorice and rich/chewy currants as well. Medium acidity and tannins, full bodied. Drink now with a decant or definitely continue to hold. No rush but this did come across as an early maturing port which only means you don't have to wait a quarter of a century to try it. (92 pts.)
  

Many thanks to our host for opening their lovely home to a bunch of DAWGS.

Thanks Joe, great notes as always! Do you consider the Petit Bocq and Puygueraud to be five year holders, or longer than ten?

Hadn't given that one much thought there indy as I was slamming my way through these things at warp speed. . However, in general, I usually wait about 7 years in good to great vintages on the lower end bottlings and that seems to pan out as a starting point. FWIW.

Excellent! Thx again.

You did not mention that the '82 Montrose and '77 Port were the palate cleansers!

Note to self: Move to Texas and ingratiate self with whomever or whatever DAWGS is.

DAWGS=Dallas Area Wine Guzzlers

No kidding! Dallas is truly where the action is.

I'm a member of another group that meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month that'll be meeting this Wednesday for our anniversary dinnner (1 week late due to schedule conflicts). Wednesday marks the start of our 12th year as a tasting group.

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:
I'm a member of another group that meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month that'll be meeting this Wednesday for our anniversary dinnner (1 week late due to schedule conflicts). Wednesday marks the start of our 12th year as a tasting group.

BUT... the theme is Zin!

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:
I'm a member of another group that meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month that'll be meeting this Wednesday for our anniversary dinnner (1 week late due to schedule conflicts). Wednesday marks the start of our 12th year as a tasting group.

BUT... the theme is Zin!

Zen? as in inner peace? or as in the pink stuff?

quote:

Originally posted by thirsty man:

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:

quote:

Originally posted by wineismylife:
I'm a member of another group that meets every 2nd Wednesday of the month that'll be meeting this Wednesday for our anniversary dinnner (1 week late due to schedule conflicts). Wednesday marks the start of our 12th year as a tasting group.

BUT... the theme is Zin!

Zen? as in inner peace? or as in the pink stuff?

The first few years for this group, Zin was just a little different that the Port Zin of today.

Joe, as you said, I boycotted this offline due to the theme.

I mean, NO Champagne AND 2005 Bordeaux?

My question is... so what do you think about 2005? I saw your scores, nothing special in your opinion, and even pedestrian one might argue.

Is this a special vintage?

quote:

Originally posted by wine+art:

I saw your scores, nothing special in your opinion, and even pedestrian one might argue.

Is this a special vintage?

W+A, that's not fair, you have to admit the wines above are not the big ballers from '05. Tasty, sure, but there wasn't any LLC poured.

quote:

Originally posted by indybob:


W+A, that's not fair, you have to admit the wines above are not the big ballers from '05. Tasty, sure, but there wasn't any LLC poured.

What?

I strongly disagree. The greatest vintages are ALWAYS about the lesser wines, always in my opinion.

The Haut Brion's and La Mission's always make great wines with very few exceptions. I have had most of the listed wines above from far more average vintage years than the much hyped 2005, and would also give out many 85-89 scores just like wiml did.

Indy, I did not taste any of these wines, and that is why I asked Joe if he thought it was a very special 99 point rated vintage.

Ok, thx for the explanation, makes sense.

quote:

Originally posted by indybob:
Ok, thx for the explanation, makes sense.

Indy, I did not want to take the time to look up the cost of these wines, but something tells me they may average $45-$65, or more.

Looking forward to Friday!

Yes indeed!

Just did a little looksie, looks like they run in the 20-50 dollar range, with a few under a 20 spot. Nothing wrong with a 20 dollar 88 pointer with upside in my book. Hope Joe can help out once MNF ends.