This has been a good month of hanging out friends, enjoying good food and great vino. Following are some thoughts on bottles that made an impression:
1990 Krug -Singing from the get go with popcorn butter, salty caramel, light rose water. On the palate it was at an inflection point where the youthful exuberance is paired perfectly with mature notes. 96pts
1995 Salon - Juicy acidity matched extremely well with chalky minerality and citrus. Palate has a laser focus with a core of citrus. Drinking so well right now. 95 pts.
1996 Dom Perignon - Apple, lemon curd and other citrus flavors. Long, precise and powerful all the way from start-to-finish. 95pts
1978 La Mission Haut Brion (note borrowed from GlennK)- A great nose a little green/menthol note on the palate that got more pronounced as the night went on, but it didn’t detract much as there was still some nice fruit left. Autumn leaves, cool stones, and luscious fruit. 92pts
1989 paul jaboulet aine hermitage chapelle - Very structured and young right now. After much coxing I got purple flowers, olives wound up in a tannic backbone. 91pts
1991 Guigal La Mouline - On another level WOOOWWWZA. Beautiful nose of black olives, bacon, sweet purple fruits with sooooo much concentration on the palate with ripe sweet fruit, yet it was light on its feet and just danced around the palate all night. Fantastic wine drinking perfectly right now. 100pts
1916 Chateau Margaux - Not just hanging on but a very enjoyable drink all evening. What can I one say but just be in awe of living history. Pts not necessary
1964 Oliver Vougeot - I don't much experience with burgs but how in the world can a 48 year old village wine not just hold up but perform at this level! This wine got stronger with each passing hour. Nose of of spices, straw, sweet core, just tantalizing. Palate has great freshness and vigor leading to a long finish. Just awesome, 97pts
1966 Haut Brion - Muddy nose but in a good way, still had some tannins, cigar tobacco, with some fruit. A good bottle but it was probably in its prime 10 years ago. 88pts
1994 Dominus - the nose explodes from the glass with a structured body, dark red fruit, minty/eucalyptus with very good acidity. long finish with some fat still to be shed. I think this wine's best days are ahead but a damm good drink right now. 95pts
1990 Rayas Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone - of all the great wines I have enjoyed in the past 25 days, this one had me stumped...... a cotes du rhone is at its peak 22 years later, only Rayas. Such a pretty nose of olives, bacon backed up a lively palate which improved even after 4 hours. Rayas is the master 94pts.
Honorable mentions - 97 Insignia, 90 Clos Du Mont Oliver Pappet CdP, 2007 Paul autard cuvée juline, 1994 penfolds bin 707, 1993 penfolds bin 389, 1993 Wynn Michael coonawarre
Posts: 1102 | Location: Orange County, CA | Registered: Feb 09, 2009
1990 Rayas Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone - of all the great wines I have enjoyed in the past 25 days, this one had me stumped...... a cotes du rhone is at its peak 22 years later, only Rayas. Such a pretty nose of olives, bacon backed up a lively palate which improved even after 4 hours. Rayas is the master 94pts.
I have had a similar experience with a 20+ year old 1989 Condoulet de Beaucastel. Technically a Cotes du Rhone, but the vines are just over the fence from CdP.
Stay thirsty my friends.
Posts: 2469 | Location: Saginaw, MI | Registered: Mar 12, 2007
Sorry to hear about the 1966 Haut Brion fading. I've had it 6-8 times and it's been a truly great wine, but I finished them at least, I think, 15 years ago.
Just one more sip.
Posts: 35121 | Location: NY | Registered: Oct 18, 2001
Originally posted by Board-O: Sorry to hear about the 1966 Haut Brion fading. I've had it 6-8 times and it's been a truly great wine, but I finished them at least, I think, 15 years ago.
Board-O, all four of the guys i shared this bottle with commented that this wine must have been show stopper in its prime. Your comment confirms our suspicion.
BTW I might be heading to NYC for a night in Nov. would like to finally meet u.
Posts: 1102 | Location: Orange County, CA | Registered: Feb 09, 2009
You have had a great month indeed. That 91 La Mouline was really fantastic, as was the 90 Krug. I didn’t have this 95 Salon with you this time, but I have had it in the past and agree it’s great as well. Ditto for the 94 Dominus.
I’m a little surprised on the 89 La Chapelle. The 2 bottles I have had were awesome and ready to go.
Posts: 5425 | Location: OC, CA | Registered: Aug 01, 2007
*********************** "I have drunk not to the clouding of my reason, but just so much that I can still surely distinguish the syllables with my tongue." Athenaeus
"Mimik" on cellartracker.com
Posts: 5986 | Location: Montreal | Registered: Feb 21, 2004
Can't believe you left off the 1964 Domaine Edmond Valey Morey-Saint-Denis from 375ml. I agree on the Olivier but I thought this bottle was only a slight notch below.
Posts: 1888 | Location: Virginia | Registered: Aug 22, 2005
Originally posted by Longboarder: Can't believe you left off the 1964 Domaine Edmond Valey Morey-Saint-Denis from 375ml. I agree on the Olivier but I thought this bottle was only a slight notch below.
I could not remember the name but agree with you that it too was a classic.
Posts: 1102 | Location: Orange County, CA | Registered: Feb 09, 2009
I had the '91 La Mouline almost exactly a year ago, and when friends and I got together again this year, we were still talking about it with stars in our eyes! 'Glad to see your bottle made such an impression, even among other 'stellar' wines.
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Posts: 3898 | Location: Denver, CO | Registered: Jan 02, 2003
'Glad to see your bottle made such an impression, even among other 'stellar' wines.