AGED NAPA VERSUS AGED BORDEAUX AT CORK VAULT - Charlotte, NC (4/10/2021)
We gathered a few members to put some aged wines to the test as well as check in on a few beauties. Unquestioned stars of the night were the '89 Beychevelle and 2000 Ducru Beaucaillou which were fabulous bookends displaying some of the varied brilliance of Bordeaux. Both were in “peak performance window” but at decidedly different stages. Ducru was the young flamethrower ready to eat your lunch and taunt you at the same time knowing he’s only now hitting stride and can do this for decades. Beychevelle was the long-skilled veteran using very different refined talents to deliver the same level of experience but knowing there is only so long he can maintain this spectacular composition. The aged Napa Cabernets drank wonderfully only paling in comparison to the “wine in full” performance of the Bordeaux. All-in-all a successful night in Charlotte.
The Openers
A brilliant white and lovely Burgundy to get things started
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2016 Kutch Chardonnay Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Pop-n-poured. Consistent with March 30 note. Golden straw color with an opulent nose of lively citrus fruits. Smooth on the palate the wine has a nice backbone, delightful minerality, green apple flavors followed by notes of lemon zest that layer into a savory finish. Consistently achieves that delicious balance of New World fruits in an Old World (Burgundian) style. Six hours later the wine was still singing and just a joy of a wine. (93 pts.)
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2017 Faiveley Mercurey Clos Rond - France, Burgundy, Côte Chalonnaise, Mercurey
Pop-n-poured the wine evolved nicely given 15-30 minutes of air. Gentle nose of earthy red cherries. Smooth minerality on the mouthfeel. Red raspberry and cranberries on the palate closing with an enjoyable, if simple, finish. An excellent starter wine on the evening as we work our way into the Aged Napa Cab/Bordeaux selections on the night. Fantastic QPR. (89 pts.)
Aged Bordeaux versus Aged Napa Cabernet
The meat on the night
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1975 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Slow-ox 30 minutes before drinking. Quite similar to the prior tasting 45 days ago but with slightly more vibrancy likely due to shorter wait prior to consumption. Beautifully fragrant nose with really delicious classic Bordeaux notes in every way (woodsy brown leaves burning in the distance with soft notes of cedar and forest floor). On the palate, there is a wonderful initial taste of earthy, red cherries that sadly disappears quickly. Thin but holding together better than the prior tasting the remnants of a great wine lurk beneath. We had cured meats with this and it enhanced the experience. We filtered a few pours into glasses which provided a cleaner taste of the fruits which still provided plenty of enjoyment despite its better days having passed likely 5+ years prior. An exceptional wine in its day, tonight it again spoke mainly of its once great past yet still garnered praise from all for the embers that remain. (91 pts.)
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2001 Ramey Jericho Canyon Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc
Slow-ox for 1 hour before sampling. Enjoyable scents of cherries, gravel and musty forest on the nose. Surprisingly lively on the palate the new world fruits reveal an unexpected youthfulness – red cherries, bell pepper, blueberries, and notes of red raspberries. The wine resolves easily into a medium length finish. There is nice structure to this wine although it lacks comparative complexity. A very nice wine, well-made, and still showing well. (92 pts.)
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1989 Château Beychevelle - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Decanted 1.5 hours before sampling. A repeat stellar performance from the tasting 45 days ago. Wonderfully balanced musty nose of mushroom revealing a restrained gentleness. Medium-bodied, on the palate mature cherries, raspberry, soil, and soft leather mouthfeel flow magnificently into a long, silky, savory finish. This wine was an aged craftsman still at the top of his game – balanced, rich, well-defined structure with fully resolved tannins and diverse notes possibly in greater abundance than the prior tasting due to the decant. (97 pts.)
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2000 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Decanted 1.5 hours before sampling. Gorgeous earthy aromas of dark fruits flow easily into a rich, complex wine demonstrating a restrained strength – black currants, blackberry, cedar. Just entering its drinking window, this wine was in exceptional form lacking nothing. Beautiful bouquet on the nose, full body on the palate of rich fruits with gently resolved tannins linger into a deliciously lengthy finish. (97 pts.)
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2002 Karl Lawrence Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Decanted 1.5 hours before sampling. Opulent nose of plums and rich, dark fruits. Full-body with soft minerality, blackberries, currants, bramble, and the faintest hint of chocolate deliver a fabulous wine with great depth and structure. Delicious on the palate though lacking the depth of complexity of the Bordeauxs – admittedly I am splitting hairs with that observation. This was a fantastic wine that drank wonderfully throughout the night. (95 pts.)
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1993 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 - USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Decanted one hour prior to sampling. Interesting contrast to a ‘93 Cask 23 tasted six months prior. The earlier wine broke-up on the decant and needed at least 90 minutes to come around which it did wonderfully. Tonight the wine was in great form right out of the gate and only grew in stature with time. Stylistically this is the Napa Valley I fell in love with – woodsy, earthy, musty red cherry nose; soft minerality on the mouthfeel, earthy, lively strawberries and blackberries reveal the best of new world fruit crafted in an Old World style. Medium+ body the wine has plenty of structure and richness that flowed into a deliciously savory finish. A wine not to be rushed but enjoyed over time. It should have been poured next to the ‘89 Beychevelle on this night. (95 pts.)
The closer
A spectacular sweet wine with which to end the night.
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2007 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance - South Africa, Coastal Region, Cape Peninsula, Constantia
Opened to close the evening. Deeply rich amber-brown in appearance. Fantastic balance of sweet notes and acid, this sweet wine displayed tasty flavors of apricot, orange marmalade, caramel, and a hint of honey. A worthy capstone on the evening this rich, savory “sauterne” had a beautifully long finish. Universal praise for this closing selection. (94 pts.)
A 1990 Graham’s Vintage Port was also opened at the end of the evening but I did not take in enough of a sample to provide a worthwhile note. Also a NV Blanc to Blanc was layered in as an enjoyable palate cleanser throughout the evening.
Nary a bad wine on the night and great company of six people, seven hours, eleven bottles, and one alarm trip.
Posted from CellarTracker