By: AJ McClellan
Friday was a night of epic proportions! The 78 Cheval, 89 Cheval, 83 Haut Brion, and 91 Guigal would have been enough to put Friday into greatness by themselves but the icing on the cake was the 1934 Mouton that was popped and poured for ten lucky members.
1934 Mouton – In the immortal words of double D “This wine would make a rabbit smack a bear!”
This bottle was a real treat to drink, with indescribable complexity and breathtaking finesse. Attempting to recreate this wine with mere words is like painting the Mona Lisa with your eyes closed, but none the less I would be remiss if I did not try… It was one of those special bottles that you know is going to be good from simply putting your hand on it. As I opened the wine we lined up the glasses and gave a ceremonial reading of Broadbent’s tasting notes. The expectations were high but they did not prepare us for what was to come…
The wine was spectacular to say the least. As soon as I popped the cork and took the first smell from my glass I was intoxicated with spearmint, tobacco, old leather, shoe box, cigar, anise, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, black cherries, raspberries, and a touch of barnyard funk. Feeling like I was on cloud 9 I took the first sip…
Like digging your toes into a mud bath, pure serenity spread over me as I tasted the 34 Mouton. Euphoria took over as I experienced the tremendous complexities and wiles of this wonderful bottle. The first thing that I must mention on the palate was the surprisingly hardy tannins that were still holding firm, like a rough piece of sandpaper tantalizing your taste buds with notes of clove, cedar, sandalwood, leather, pine, vegetal ash, and baked bell pepper. It is amazing how structured and fresh this wine was after nearly 8 decades of aging. After a few minutes the wine changed to show dark dried plums served sliced over cinnamon raisin toast. There was a hint of blood and iron with seared blueberries on the finish.
Every sip of the wine explodes over the palate and each mouthful is a new treasure to enjoy. The wine has changed again to show sweeter fruit and more wood, big notes of cedar and pine jump from the glass with a nuance of clean wet fur, like chasing a small white bunny rabbit that has just had a bath though the forest. There is a big smoky note to the wine that is ever-changing moving from cigar smoke to cigarette and then to campfire.
Now the wine has lost the sweet fruit and is showing huge earthy notes combined with coconut and green apple peal. The tannins are still strong and are starting to move from the rough sandpaper-like texture to a smoother silkier feeling.
Changing again the nose has taken on the fresh scent of wet dog and barnyard with a finish of caramelized brown sugar on the end. There is also a note of BBQ and charcoal on the palate that moves into a coconut cream pie and massive tobacco backed by raspberries and beef bouillon. Right before I ran out of wine it changed again to show some beautiful floral notes of violets and red roses.
I have the feeling this wine could have sat out all day and not faded in the least. A truly amazing experience, this bottle is what wine is all about!
1983 Haut Brion – The Haut Brion was showing very well with notes of dried earth and black fruit. Cigar smoke was prevalent on the palate as was a big earthy tone that bordered on the line of funky.
1989 Cheval Blanc – This Cheval was better than the last one I had. Showing a little more structure on the palate, I was pleased to note that the thinness of the last 89 Cheval was not present in this bottle. The nose showed dark fruits with big chocolate and tobacco followed by muddy topsoil. The palate was quite nice with firm moderate tannins and a long finish.
1978 Cheval Blanc – I love the 78 Cheval Blanc! We have had this wine several times and it always has delivered. Great earthy notes with red cherries and raspberries followed by an elegant milk chocolate finish.
1969 Remoissenet Clos de Chens – Another great 69 from Remoissenet. This bottle was showing soft dried fruits with big mineral notes of limestone. I love the rose and lilac aromas that bloom from the glass.
1983 Pichon Lalande – The 83 Pichon was strutting its stuff and doing a great job of keeping up with all the big boys that were opened around the table. Dark earth and cooking spice followed by black cherries and dried blueberries with a distinct finish of clove and vanilla toast.
2007 Guigal La Turque – For a baby this wine sure knows how to make an impression. The Guigal was a monster in the mouth with teeth staining tannins and huge fresh fruit notes. I notice that while the animalistic notes that normally accompany Guigal were still present, they were not nearly as forward as they normally are. With a few decades in bottle this wine is going to grow up to be awesome!
1991 Guigal La Landonne – Now here is another wine that really shines! The 91 La Landonne is simply stunning right now. Big floral notes of lavender, poppy, and salvia hit the nose first quickly followed by a sledgehammer of big bold black fruit and an old shoe filled with earth and tanned horse hide. The palate was gorgeous with powerful earth notes and that classic smoke, tar, and leather that Guigal is so famous for.
1996 Pichon Lalande – This wine has been very impressive recently. I think the 96 Left banks are entering a great drinking window right now. An excellent balance of fruit and earth with bright blue and red berries that have not yet dried combined with a budding earthiness that makes this wine a pleasure to drink.
1993 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles – I only got a small pour of this bottle but it was classic Leflaive, showing a beautiful honey note with apricots and lemon zest.
1998 Jaboulet La Chapelle – Classic La Chapelle with horse hide and cooking spice, big black fruit that has a slight smoke nuance and finishes with clove and allspice.
1994 Rouget Echezeaux – I was not as impressed with this wine as I thought I would be… The nose was so feminine as to be faint, I hesitate to say muted because there was plenty of aromas coming from the glass, and the problem was coaxing them out; strawberries with pleasant mineral notes and a slight whiff of milk chocolate and chamomile tea.
1978 Marques de Murrieta – This was an interesting bottle. There were a lot of earthy tones and a slight hint of mint combined with dill, cinnamon, and cedar. Like chewing on mossy logs, this wine showed a ton of funky earth backed by even more new American oak.
1998 Meo Camuzet Corton Rognet – A beautiful nose of foliage, burnt earth, and dry leaves jumps straight out of the glass followed closely with dusty red cherries and raspberries with a slight sour note. Wonderful mineral notes are present as well but hidden behind the massive earth notes. The palate is silky soft caressing your taste buds with clean earthy notes and soft dusty red fruits. Soft tannins and a long finish is the perfect end for this delicious bottle.
