Quick trip to the City that bore much fruit on the work front. And two dinners with friends plus some good wine. I will note The Cookery in Dobbs Ferry, site of our first dinner with the Bordeaux and Clos des Goisses, was sensationally good. Very much worth the train ride- and the restaurant is a pleasant walk from the station. Highlights included the meatball appetizer, NY strip and pan of brownies dessert.
Notes are brief as these were social occasions, but hopefully still of use.
1987 Chateau Magdelaine
from a case recently acquired from the stocks at Grafe Lecocq in Belgium, nice maturing medium red color with bricking starting to show throughout, harmonious classic nose of mulberries, cherry, a bit of cassis and light chalk notes, on the palate a bit green at first but with a fine tense midweight fruit and very good length, with time blueberry notes developed and a slightly hard bramble, venison, the green notes dissipated to a large extent but were noticeable, surprisingly elegant for a 1987- a vintage where I am accustomed to a bit more game and rough and tumble- the tannins are fully resolved and there is nice tertiary development, a more subdued and tranquil Magdelaine but it held its own against a very fine bottle of 1985 Lynch-Bages tonight which is no small accomplishment. Ready to drink but shows no signs of passing its best.
***+, now to 2035
1985 Chateau Lynch-Bages
bright medium red with just the barest signs of brick at the rim, lovely from the start with a calming aged cassis and cedar nose, hints of chocolate as well, on the palate cassis and cherries with traces of oak showing as well as some green mint tones, over the course of 3 hours it opened beautifully- the mint notes subsiding completely leaving behind a warm and serene Bordeaux at its peak, a midweight throughout but with great persistence, chocolate notes and some plum tones with time, as beautiful as it was a decade ago when I last tried it- as with 1985 Mouton it seems to have barely budged, despite showing full development- in character it remains youthful in its way and imparts a sense of calm ease as do many great 85s. In prime time, but nowhere near passing peak. This could potentially have decades ahead.
*****, now to 2040 and perhaps beyond
2003 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses
bright champagne color with a hint of gold, we had this during the start of a social evening with much chatting and catching up- so I took no note at the time, on the nose pear and hints of peach, a bit of aggressive berry, brioche, on the palate a deep and impressive wine that is on the exotic end of the spectrum fruit-wise but in other respects has a good classic structure, fine mousse, gorgeous cream note with green apples, fine lengthy finish, this has come out quite well and could benefit from a few more years in the cellar.
****, now to 2035
2008 Pol Roger cuvee Sir Winston Churchill
light bright champagne color, lovely pear and apple tones on the nose, on the palate open and elegant with a very fine white mousse, good length, over time it opened admirably showing moderate body and some light bread notes on the nose, on the mid-palate there is a young and concentrated core of orchard and citrus fruits that shows the muscle of the vintage but is also a bit sweeter than expected and not quite to my tastes, as with the 2008 vintage Pol Roger this is a very good wine but I have a sense that the powerful and- for my palate- overly sweet core may cost it some subtle expressiveness in time, by any standard this is an impressive champagne, but I personally prefer the 2004 and given the greatness of 2008 at so many addresses this is not quite as convincing at this time as I had anticipated.
()+?, 2025-2040+
2010 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Silex
bright yellow color, nose of pears and fresh cut grass with river-worn white pebbles, on the palate a firm acid and structure throughout as a wide array of potent flavors flowed over the palate like waves on a beach, intense white flowers, fine rich depth of fruit, excellent length of edgy limes, racy apple and pear notes as well, alas the price for this wine has become bizarre- but while I am not a fan of saying anything is the “best of” there is no doubt that in the world of Sauvignon Blanc this wine is still as good as it gets and very much in need of some cellaring, a nice showing today- but I would wait a few more years before opening another.
(), 2025-2035+
2001 Robert Weil Kiedricher Grafenberg Riesling Auslese - half bottle
maturing bright gold color, dazzling nose of honeyed citrus fruits with ethereal rose petal notes, on the palate a delightful and also slightly aggressive Auslese coming into full maturity, loads of succulent red cherries, sweet citrus and soft lime acids coated in honey, slight brown sugar component, honeysuckle, a wine of ponderous depth carried through effortlessly, blood orange in time, at once subtle and substantial. A fine 2001 just now entering a long and glorious plateau.
***()+, now to 2050