By: AJ McClellan
Every once in a while we have 10 of our members in and ask them to bring out the best bottle of their cellar to share with the table. This typically creates a battle royal with everyone trying to outdo everyone else in the attempt to bring the most impressive bottle. Today’s tasting was nothing less than epic and when the bottles came out it was anyone’s guess as to who would emerge on top with the wine of the night.
As usual everyone trickled in early and opened a few bottles to warm up the evening.
1975 Mouton – Dusty and rustic, the perfect start for the evening. The 75 was mature but not yet over the hill, soft fruity tannins with loads of barnyard and damp forest floor. The wine was drinking like pure silk with classic Bordeaux nuances of tar, spice, soft leather, and a mouth full of earth.
1989 Coron Nuits St George 1er Les Saint George – After a great Bordeaux to start us off one of our members decided to match it with a great little Burgundy. I had never had this producer before but the wine was singing. Well developed and slightly heavy for a Burgundy but what else can you expect from Nuits St George… Dark raspberries on the nose backed by wild currants and notes of lavender and sage. The palate was floral with violets, deep red roses, and hibiscus backed by hay and soft red fruits.
2008 Kesner Pinot Noir – This was a very interesting little pinot, light on its feet and packing a punch of bright red fruits with a subtle undercurrent of minerality and earth.
First Flight
1990 Montrose – The Montrose was disappointing for a 100 point wine. The classic Bordeaux characteristics were there but I think the bottle saw some heat somewhere in its life. The fruit, while ripe, had a slightly stewed character on the end and the back end was not showing the way I had hoped. We allowed for plenty of time for the wine to open up but it never reached its full potential. That being said, in the blind format we were tasting in there some was confusion as to which wine was the Montrose and which was the Cheval Blanc…
1996 Claude Dugat Charmes Chambertin – Soft and silky with a slight sweetness of cherry cola. The nose was miraculous with a complex mixture of black cherries, dark overripe blueberries, cinnamon, vanilla bean, dusty trail, and dry leaves. The palate was as crisp and refreshing as a splash in the face from a clear cold stream after a long hike through the mountains. Every moment the Dugat was open it became more complex, revealing new intricacies with soft wild flowers and deep dish cherry pie. The earth was ever evident with the perfect balance of fresh soil and old compost.
2001 Harlan – Monstrous wine with such bold fruit that I almost forgot that it had any tannin or alcohol in it… A great example of new world wine that screamed for a fat rib eye steak. The fruit was almost overwhelming but after some time in the glass I found it fading by a touch and I was able to pick out some light hints of cobble and cigar box followed by clove and anise.
1982 Cheval Blanc – Soft and silky in the glass. Brilliant wine with soft red fruits and a complex web of interwoven fruit, earth, coffee, and spice with a great tannin structure and finish. I saved my glass of Cheval Blanc till almost the end of the night and after another two hours of opening up this wine began to radiate with crisp minerality, soft moist earth, and roasted red fruits that still showed a hint of sweetness. There was a definite note of mocha on the back end of the plate and a great finish of cigar box stuffed full of spices and chocolate.
1986 Cheval Blanc – There was some confusion around the table as to which wine was the Cheval Blanc and which was the Montrose so one of our members opened the 86 Cheval Blanc to give us a hint. The 86 was drinking almost as well at the 82 and after showing the softness of tannin and supple red fruit there was no question as to which wine was the Cheval and which the Montrose.
1983 Trimbach Clos Ste Hune – I would challenge anyone who does not believe in Riesling, or for that matter white wine, to taste this wine and still retain their prejudice. I decanted this wine an hour before service and it could have used another two or three hours to reach its full potential. An irresistibly complex nose of spiced honey, caramelized apricots, toasted almonds, petrol gas, and crushed rock combined with a delectable palate of apricot, peach, and nectarine jam that has been mixed with jagged rocks, honey comb, coriander, lemon zest, and burnt hay, showing that white wine can be a contender even amongst some of the most prolific wines of the world. The Clos Ste Hune showed mutable fazes of intensity and waves of flavor every time I tasted it; with every sip this wine introduced a new element showing dazzling minerality and brilliant acidity. Wow…
