The first of my summer lunches, and despite four late cancellations, it was an auspicious beginning with one serious surprise.
Pates and cheeses to start, followed by roast chicken and some brilliant duck fat potatoes. Nothing green to mar this, a salad had been planned and rejected by the troops.
In the end there were five participants, and we began with some 2015 Bellevue to wet the palate. A Hubert de Bouard property, it was a mini Angélus. The oak was disturbing, and hopefully will integrate; Bouard is IMHO the best of the consultant winemakers and this one also showed fine fruit and some minerality.
Next a blind flight, and interesting to taste the two wines in combination.
Canon 1964
Consistent with the other two times I have had it, it was lovely. Fully mature, but in great balance. I thought it a Graves from the 1960s, with some leather and cedar. Longish finish. 95
Sorrel Hermitage 1980
Dead ringer for old Chave. Quite brilliant and my top wine. Soft gentle entry with some residual power, the haunting and distinctive perfume of great Hermitage, and a really solid finish. 97
Next flight was a failure
Domaine de Chevalier 1983 was corked, and the 1983 Trotanoy was rich and fat and lacked detail.
Finally 1975 L’Evangile. Voted top wine and my #2. 1975 Pomerol are generally fine and this is close to the top. The tannin bite is there focusing the fruit, and a pleasant woodsy flavores, with iron and a good deal of fruit. Long finish. 96
You are welcome, and Donn would love to have you to one as a guest.
As for supply, there are still a few available in Europe, much less here, and whatever there is, is drying up fast. It seems others have developed a taste for older wines, damn them.
I’ll only chime in to say that I tried the 09 Bellevue not too long ago and it didn’t do anything–good or bad—for me. Thanks for taking the time to post all the notes, Mark
Great note. It has been many years since I had a 1964 and I was fascinated to see that this was alive and kicking. My recollection (and I could be wrong) was that 1964 was shaping up as an excellent vintage and then, at least in the Medoc, it started raining and how good the wines ended up depended at least in part on whether the grapes were picked before or after the rain. Was the vintage more evenly successful on the right bank?
A fair number of decent Graves, the only Medoc I really liked was Latour, but the last couple have been tiring. Right Bank was pretty consistent, as the Merlot mostly ripened before the rain, and the Cheval, if you can find it, is extraordinary.