My 3rd bottle of this 5th growth. Really drinking well and probably the best showing yet. Decanted 3 hours before dinner. Lightly sedimented which was different than previous bottles. Paired with smoked beef bourguignon. Dark purple color. Richly textured with pencil lead, currant and oaky notes. I have 1 bottle left which I will hold for a few more years. 93 points.
Super interesting to read that Pape-Clement pulled a WOTN in 2015. Clearly an undervalued producer in the last ~20 years. I’ll look forward to your notes from the horizontal in a few months!
The tasting is taking place tomorrow evening. There will be a flight of nine, single blind. The host plans to decant these for three hours, and then they’ll be rebottled and remain breathing in bottle in the cellar until about 20 minutes before we begin tasting them, which should allow just enough time for them to come up to proper serving temp. One of the attendees plans to bring another 2000 to be enjoyed with dinner after the blind horizontal so we will end up with data points on at least ten 2000s. Most, if not all, of the other dinner wines are likely to be youngish Napa cabs/blends.
The blind flight will include the same nine as the 2020 event-
Latour
Mouton
Pichon Lalande
Pichon Baron
Lynch Bages
Ducru Beaucaillou
Pape Clement
Haut Brion
LMHB
Needless to say, I am really looking forward to this event. With a late morning tee time and dinner on Sunday, I’ll not likely have the recap done until Monday/Tuesday.
Another five years have elapsed since R&D last checked in on some of the heavy hitters from this vintage so it was time to once again pull a few corks and check in on the 2000 vintage of Bordeaux. R&D called on members of the Friday group and rounded out the list with a couple from the Saturday group. In all we had ten participants.
We start with nonblind warm ups, casually sipping and noshing on light bites as we catch up. The 2000s are poured in one flight and we spent perhaps 45 minutes to an hour tasting and tweaking our rankings. One's favorite of the lineup is assigned a "1" and the least favorite a "9" so the winning wine will have the lowest point total. Following the main event we enjoyed dinner with a few bottles from our cellars.
Warm ups
2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne - France, Champagne
One of our contributions to the evening. Light color with a medium mousse and bead. Notes of apple, honeycomb and marzipan. Somewhat rich showing cashew, pear and lemon on the palate. As its breathes in the glass flint and marshmallow elements emerge. Excellent, but still on the young side and a very fine start to the evening. (95 pts.)
1996 Verget Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Sous le Puits - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru
Another bottle from Jim’s cellar, a longtime member of the Friday group and friend to many, who left us too soon. Age appropriate golden yellow hue with aromas of pear, spice, hazelnut and just a hint of butterscotch. The palate shows a nice freshness with bright orchard fruit tones along with stone and something along the lines of dried pineapple. This was lovely; drink now. 92-93 pts. (R&D) (92 pts.)
2019 Morlet Family Vineyards Chardonnay Ma Douce - USA, California, Sonoma County, Fort Ross - Seaview
Light youthful color with notes of lemon, waxed pear and honeysuckle. Full-bodied showing flavors of pear, ripe apple, lemon and persimmon. The oak is nicely married with the fruit- there’s an elegance here and it’s very appealing. (R&D) (94 pts.)
2019 Peter Michael Chardonnay Belle Côte - USA, California, Sonoma County, Knights Valley
Aromas of lemon, cantaloupe and clementines. Full-bodied and bright, with flavors of citrus fruit, pear and quince. Excellent. 93+ pts. (R&D) (93 pts.)
Main flight
All of these wines appeared quite youthful with deep opaque crimson/garnet color and just the very slightest bit of softening at the meniscus. The corks, which R had laid out for us to see, were pristine- not one soaked more than 1/8" up.
These were decanted for four hours then rebottled and allowed to breathe for another 1.25 hours before the flight was poured. Served at a cool room temp.
We all knew the wines that were included but not the order, and all of these were provided by our generous hosts, R&D.
2000 Château Pape Clément - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Blind. Right off the bat I am smitten- I could smell this all night. Aromas of sweet tobacco, red berry fruit, dried herbs and mineral. Full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of mixed red & black fruit, tobacco, earth and mineral. Subtle herbal tones in the finish. With air the bouquet reveals iodine, asphalt and mesquite notes to go along with the dark fruit. This has power, depth and complexity. Gorgeous. The iodine and asphalt qualities led me to Pessac and given it was so expressive I guessed this must be the "lesser" of the Pessacs in the lineup. Correctly identified this as the PC. 96+ pts.
2000 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Blind. Aromas of red berry fruit and clay with a hint of brett/funk in the background. Rather tight on the palate, firm; medium tannins and flavors of black currant, plum, sage and gravel. With air this develops a subtle vegetal note, along with red berry fruit and a hint of bouillon/meaty as well. The palate remains dark-fruited, with cigar and herb tones.
2000 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Blind. Notes of iron, currants, mineral and floral perfume. Full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of red berry fruit, plum, tobacco and mineral. This doesn't change very much as it sits, but remains "pretty" with its red berry fruit, tobacco and floral qualities. Finishes with good length but remains, in the context of this lineup, straightforward. The floral/perfume quality had me in Pauillac and I called this as the LB. 92-93 pts.
My #9, Domino's #3 Group #7, 57 pts (tied with LMHB, tie broken by # of 3rd place votes) 2020 finish: #4, 50 pts. 2015 finish: #8, 80 pts. (corked) (R&D) (92 pts.)
2000 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Blind. Dark and brooding. Notes of black fruit, dark plum, embers and asphalt. Full-bodied and powerful, with flavors of black fruit, iodine and herbs. I believed this was the LMHB with the iodine and asphalt notes along with the concentration and power. Only at the very end did the dominant herbaceous, green pepper/pyrazine notes associated with PLL begin to show up. One of the more powerful and backward examples of this I have had. 95+ pts.
2000 Château La Mission Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Blind. Black fruit, plum and herb aromas. Full-bodied, showing the most tannic of the lineup so far. Clay, black currant, earth, tobacco and vanilla aromas; develops nicely in the glass. Remains firm, with black currant, cherry, plum and herb flavors.
My #7, Domino's #6 Group #8, 57 pts. (tied with Lynch Bages, tie broken by 3rd place votes) 2020 finish: #9, 72 pts. 2015 finish: #2, 40 pts. (R&D) (93 pts.)
2000 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Blind. Aromas of iodine, tobacco, black fruit, plum and herbs. Full-bodied with flavors of red berry fruit, iodine, tobacco and earth with a seemingly endless finish. This shows wonderful balance, marrying its structure and fruit. Deep, powerful, complex and balanced. Just a gorgeous bottle of Bordeaux. 97+ pts.
2000 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Blind. High-toned and bright, with a lovely floral perfume over red plum, currant and earthy notes. Full-bodied with slightly firm tannins and flavors of red and black fruit, mineral, cedar and something a bit herbal. Develops notes of iron, tobacco and graphite as it breathes- gorgeous. Tannins are firm but fine-grained. Plenty of fruit; terrific. 96+ pts.
My #4, Domino's #2 Group #4, 46 pts. 2020 finish: #3, 49 pts. 2015 finish: Not tasted (96 pts.)
2000 Château Latour Grand Vin - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Blind. Opens with something a little perfumed and floral- reminds me of agastache- along with red and black fruit, plum and leather. Full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of currants, plum, tobacco and mineral. Remains perfumed and floral but adds clay and earthy elements as well. With air the palate becomes more black-fruited than red, showing a bit more power and depth as well. Balanced, with a lingering finish. 96+ pts.
2000 Château Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Blind. Aromas of clay, mixed fruit, herbs, mint and gravel. Full-bodied and slightly firm, with flavors of dark fruit, iron, mineral and gravel. Turns more red-fruited as it opens in the glass, adding iodine as well. There's a hint of something chemical/plasticy, sort of like a Band Aid, but not quite that strong- it's very subtle. Finishes with good length and plenty of fruit. 94+ pts.
Enjoyed nonblind with a beef salad Parisienne and a chocolate tart.
2005 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Popped and poured during dinner. Soft crimson red color with mild bricking. Aromas and flavors of red berry fruit and bouillon. There's a hint of spice in the finish. Medium-bodied. This particular example was a bit long in the tooth. Worked better with dinner than on its own. (R&R) (87 pts.)
2000 Château Haut-Bages Libéral - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Medium crimson red color with notes of red berry fruit, graphite and dried herbs. The palate follows the bouquet with its red fruit and graphite qualities- along with a hint of cedar- kind of like chewing on a #2 pencil in grade school. With air this becomes mark dark-fruited than red, and retains the wonderful graphite notes. Balanced, finishing with good length. Improved as the night wore on. A lovely bottle which had been double decanted 3.25 hours before service. 93+ pts. (J&J) (93 pts.)
2011 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
Another of our contributions tonight, double decanted off its sediment 3.5 hrs before service. Aromas of cassis, black currants and dill. Full-bodied and sweet, with cassis, herb and mixed blue and black fruit flavors. Hints of vanilla and sour cherry as it breathes in the glass, developing a subtle brown sugar note as well. Big and lush, with a bottle to match. Drinking well for what it is; needs some air, and should hold at this level for a while. Now to 2030. (93 pts.)
2011 Colgin Cariad - USA, California, Napa Valley
In a word- impressive. Dark color. Aromas of black fruit, herbs, tobacco and blueberry. Full-bodied with fine, sweet tannins and flavors of currants, plum, chocolate and tobacco. Balanced; wonderful silky mouthfeel with a lengthy finish. 94-95 pts. (J&S) (94 pts.)
2005 Château Rieussec - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Standard bottle, medium gold color. Aromas of apricot, marmalade, pear and ripe peach. Fairly rich texture for a Rieussec, which I typically find a bit more racy than some of its peers, with flavors of ripe stone fruit, tropical fruit and orange. A nice vein of acidity keeps it from being cloying or overly "sweet." Delightful, and a very nice match with a chocolate tart. (R&D) (94 pts.)
