By: AJ McClellan
As always after the tasting our members dug into their lockers to produce some fantastic jewels for the table to taste. P Rob was is in an incredibly generous mood opening the majority of the bottles on the table and sharing his wine with everyone…
1982 Lynch Bages – The Lynch Bages was soft and easy drinking with dusty tannins and dried fruit. There was a great deal of life in the glass but I feel that this bottle was on the end of its upswing and would be best consumed within 2-4 years.
2001 Mount Eden Chardonnay – Oxidized.
1982 Pichon Baron – With almost 30 years of age on it the Pichon Baron was still drinking massively with a dark purple hue in the glass that turned into dried black fruits on the nose with a slight leathery note and a finish of allspice and cumin.
1995 Chateau de Fonsalette – Cooked.
Ok, maybe I didn’t need a flight of 11 wines in front of me, but it sure was fun…
1990 Palmer – Soft and elegant after an hour of decanting with spicy black fruits combined with a great forest floor scent mixed with cucumbers and lavender. There was a heavy debate over this bottle and the 89 Margaux. We were split 50/50 with half of the group voting for the Palmer and the other half on the side on the Margaux. It might be interesting to do a blind with these wines and see where the votes fall…
1989 Margaux – Soft and rich out of the gate with nothing but potential as it opened up. The Margaux was singing with earthy minerality of compost and classic forest floor. Stewed prunes and sweet cherries caressed the palate with a touch of chocolate and tobacco adding spunk and character to the wine. Long finish with opulent tannins and a chewy finish that lasted for a good 40-50 seconds.
Sometimes its hard to remember whats in the glass…
1995 Guigal La Turque – What great tasting can be complete without a little Guigal? Upon opening there was a rich game note with cranberry sauce dusted with black pepper and crushed lavender. After a decanting and an hour of breathing I nosed the wine and almost sneezed, someone had gone buck wild with the pepper reminding me of drinking peppercorn sauce without the sauce and with extra ground pepper… After another hour of breathing the wine started to flourish with exotic Asian spices, smoke, and a jamminess that is hard to find outside of Guigal.
2007 Continuum Cabernet Sauvignon – If you were to pick a new world wine to compete with the wines on the table already this would be a good option. The Mondovi’s legacy contentious with the Continuum. Ripe dark fruit with a crushed stone minerality and cigar box on the back. The wine was in perfect balance and had just the right amount of fruit balance with bitter chocolate and spicy tannins.
White pants and red wine don’t mix… Oops…
1990 La Conseillante – Another great Bordeaux with very approachable soft tannins and ripe easy drinking fruit. Just the right amount of spice with a touch of wet earth and liquorish.
1990 Elio Altare Barolo Vigneto Arborina – We opened this bottle before the tasting and allowed it to breathe for about 5 hours before getting into it. Wow… A rocky minerality with rich tar and warm spice flowed out from the glass and exploded on the palate. Dried leaves speckled with vanilla add complexity and a finish of crushed rock and sweet cherry made this a killer wine.
2008 Windy Oaks One-Acre Estate Chardonnay – Crisp and lean with sweet nectarines and peaches on the palate. By this point in the night I was having difficulties identifying the more subtle nuances of the wine… Great limestone finish with dried rose petals.
2006 Windy Oaks Reserve Pinot Noir – Bright red cherries with raspberries and currants mixed with milk chocolate and red liquorish. Very light with a great acidity and soft tannins.
Check you next time