Some notes from my tasting group’s trip up to Cut in Beverly Hills last month. These are just my personal notes, and there was no group scoring or anything (other than the unanimous WOTN mentioned below).
• On the limo ride up, we enjoyed a 1998 Dom Perignon. I didn’t write down notes, but this was quite open, rich and hedonistic. I had only tried the 98 once before, near the time of its release, and it has expanded and improved considerably since that time. 93.
• The first wine was the 1989 Mouton-Rothschild. This was reticent at first, but showed a melange of herbs, cedar, pepper, modest red berry, and an earthy finish. With some air, the wine grew substantially, with the red fruit becoming quite generous and a substantial spice component appearing. 94.
• Next was the 1989 Haut Brion. This gave the perception of sweetness and warmth without being sweet. Such a plush and floating texture in the mouth, surrounded by brown sugar, sweet tobacco, and mild spices. An ethereal wine. It had enough structure and acid to give the wine overall definition, but I would guess that the wine is into its peak drinking window now. The unanimous choice as wine of the night. 99.
• We then moved on to the 1995 Mouton-Rothschild. This showed high toned cool purple berry fruit, coffee and lead pencil. A classic stern young cabernet profile, with big tannins and broad shoulders. This appears to be a great wine in the making, but I think it would require 5+ years to get into its prime drinking window, and I could mostly rate it now on its potential. 93-96.
• We revisited that great Bordeaux vintage with the 1995 Ausone. This started out fairly light initially. With some air, it revealed red cherries, dusty spices, cedar and fine-grained tannins. An elegant and understated wine. It reminded me of a 91 Montelena Estate that I’ve had fairly recently. My first experience with Ausone, and it was quite different from what I might have guessed. 92.
• The penultimate wine was the 2001 Haut Brion. This showed very much the caressing house style was saw with the 1989, with a plush and velvety texture and no hard edges, but the wine shows a bit too much oak now, with mocha and wood flavors a bit too prominent. This was still entirely enjoyable at this age, with concentrated plum, dark cherry, licorice and earth notes, but it promises more with patience. 93-95.
• We concluded with the 1998 Mouton-Rothschild. This was a less powerful and concentrated wine than the other First Growths, but it might appeal more to the traditionalist. Taut red cherry and cassis fruit, with graphite, mineral and menthol on the finish. Not showy, but very classical, balanced and elegant, with more of the pleasure from the aromatics at this stage than on the palate. This wine probably will become more generous with further ageing. 91-92.
None of the wines were decanted in advance, except for the 2001 Haut Brion, which was simply uncorked and slow-oxed for about 10 hours in advance. Some were decanted at the restaurant for an hour or so. I think the last four wines might have benefitted a little from more time in the decanter.
P.S. Great star sighting for this boring OC married guy – Sidney Poitier was standing next to me when I walked in and was seated at a table near us. Very distinguished man in person. And Larry King was there with (what I believe is) his current wife, who looks to be about a third his age and foot taller than him. He very conspicuously walked around the room several times greeting people and making himself seen.