Trigger alert: contains notes with opinions and low scores.
HDH HOLIDAY TASTING - Chicago, IL (12/3/2015)
HDH invited us to the office/warehouse in the south side for a lovely evening of great wine, conversation, and company. I was very lucky to get to try some wines that I’d otherwise never get the chance to try.
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2004 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne
I’m not too sure that this will become a convincing Ruinart for me. This bottle came across as quite light, with lots of acidity and minerality, but at the same time, suffering from a bit of bitterness on the back end and finish. (88 pts.) -
1998 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon P2 - France, Champagne
This shows quite a bit of sappiness and yeastiness on the nose. You expect it to be mildly oxidative, rich, and opulent on the palate, but it’s actually a lot racier than that. The texture here is quite thick and creamy, and there’s a nice mushroom tone as well. On the other hand, there isn’t as much stuffing and concentration as I remembered, perhaps not the best showing of this wine? (90 pts.) -
2004 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé - France, Champagne
My first taste of this wine was unimpressive. It ticked all the boxes, but that was it. When I revisited it (since I thought this was very different from my first taste of the wine a few months back and wanted to be sure of my assessment), this did become more expressive, showing some light florals and cranberry, as well as some steely acids. I think I’d like a slight touch more richness, but who am I kidding, I’d never kick a Dom rose out of bed. (93 pts.) -
2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut - France, Champagne
Krug is always a winner in my book. The nose on this is quite big and yeasty, with the typical Krug gravity. The palate though didn’t show as bold as I would have expected. There was a little bit of nuttiness and good acidity here, but this can’t have been the best showing of this wine. (90 pts.) -
1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru
From magnum. I really liked the nose on this. A good bit of earth and spice, as well as some sweet fruit. The palate seemed a bit advanced, especially for a 1999 from magnum. This had a lot of sappy fruit and a real ripeness to it that I didn’t really enjoy. There was acidity to cut through the fat, and the tannins still aren’t fully resolved, but all in all, there wasn’t much freshness on the palate. (88 pts.) -
1966 Château Léoville Poyferré - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
This was a surprisingly light bottle of wine, but did it show like a star. Perhaps a few years past its prime, but this was not in any severe state of decline. There was a lovely bell pepper note toned with pencil shavings and leather, as well as tart red fruit that was surprising to find on such an old wine. You could find all the same things on the palate, but the acidity at this point has started to stick out a little bit. Drink sooner than later. (90 pts.) -
1995 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
I maintain that Dominus is one of the greatest Napa estates. Although this bottle strikes me as on the riper and blacker side of the Dominus wines, this bottle still has great restraint, and shows lots of black fruit, coupled with coarse dusty tannins. The power here is driven by the concentrated fruit extract, but handled very gracefully thanks to the fresh acidity. There was an interesting black pepper note on this that I found slightly out of place. (93 pts.) -
2006 Bond Pluribus - USA, California, Napa Valley
Overoaked. Too much vanilla and blueberry and yet, by some miracle of nature, this somehow manages to be green and overripe at the same time. And then you feel the alcohol. Easy pass. (80 pts.) -
2005 Sarget de Gruaud Larose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Maybe it’s my imagination, but there’s still just a bit of that Cordier funk in this wine. Yeah, it’s probably my imagination. Earthy and animale with tart red fruit influence, the palate is actually surprisingly light. In fact, it’s too light to handle the tannins and moderate oak treatment, resulting in something that’s not entirely on balance. (85 pts.) -
2005 Château Calon-Ségur - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Quite a dark Calon Segur, this wasn’t exactly the most willing to come out and play. There’s a clear graphite note on the nose and palate, but there wasn’t really much else I could pick out. Quite austere, and thanks to a slight bit of acidity, this was somewhat enjoyable nonetheless. I’m confident this has the capacity for a decade or two more, and will provide a relatively large-scaled performance (in Calon Segur terms, that is). (90 pts.) -
2005 Château Cos d’Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
A very unconvincing showing today. Completely closed. Huge and massive, with absolutely nothing pleasurable on the palate. Give it 20 years and pray that the emperor is clothed. (83 pts.) -
2010 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
From magnum. You gotta be kidding me. This is the stuff that all the “critics” have been trying to sling? The vaunted 2010: the Brunello vintage of the year/decade/century/millenium. Beyond the pleasant red fruit, what else is there? Spicy oak? Yeah, I love me some spicy oak. (70 pts.) -
2011 Hyde De Villaine Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Why was this sweeter than a 2009 JJ Prum Spatlese? “If you were a dessert, what kind of dessert would you be?” “Oh, um, I dunno, I guess I’d be a stick of butter mixed with a pound of sugar.” While this might sound like a good thing, it is not, when the label says “chardonnay”. (70 pts.) -
2005 Bodega Numanthia Toro Numanthia - Spain, Castilla y León, Toro
Very oaky, but somehow the insane amounts of fruit are able to absorb all that oak, and you don’t end up picking splinters out after tasting it. There’s a nice little bit of acidity to this, so this doesn’t become one of those hot masses of fruit. I’m also impressed that the heat here wasn’t extreme, though I likely wouldn’t be drinking too much of this at one sitting. (85 pts.) -
2009 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
White fruits all the way here. There’s a really exotic hint of spiciness (lychees and lemongrass) on the nose, and the ripeness of the vintage plays very well with the Pruem style. Surprisingly open and approachable now (as we all know the reputation, which more and more seems to me as part of “received knowledge” rather than based on actual experience – young Pruem has been getting more and more accessible). Not the highest acid you will find on a riesling, but impeccably balanced with the sweet fruit and spice. (93 pts.) -
2013 Les Hauts de Smith Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
I’m pretty sure this is better than the SHL Blanc (which I’ve never had). And you know why that is? They don’t blast the poor juice with massive amounts of oak. There’s a clear note of grassy sauvignon blanc on the nose, but you know, that is what it is. The palate is racy, light, and really electric, with great acidity and freshness. Green, for sure, but not in a bad way. In the way sauvignon blanc ought to be made and drunk. (90 pts.) -
2009 Maison Leroy Bourgogne - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne
A very convincing example of what Bourgogne rouge can be. I’ve always worried about this vintage, but perhaps it is a vintage which brings out the best in the lesser wines. This was light and crisp, with no signs of overripeness, and tons of juicy tart red fruit. Easy to drink and very enjoyable. (90 pts.) -
1997 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino - Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
From the other vaunted Brunello vintage of the year/decade/century/millenium, this was certainly much better than the 2010 Altesino. This had a bit of overripeness to it. The midpalate and finish seemed to hollow out, and then you got a bit of heat on the back end. (85 pts.) -
1970 Château Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
What a spectacular bottle of Haut Brion. Elegant, with a very potent nose that had lots of stone and rich secondary qualities: a touch of leather, dried dates, and maybe even a slight hint of coffee. The palate is very complex, but it seems we opened this bottle a few years too late, as it seems to be on its last legs. But that’s not at all to say that this bottle was dead – there was plenty of life – sweet fruit, leather, and a nice touch of minerality. Fantastic Bordeaux. (95 pts.)
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) but notes are pretty much spot on. The H-B was a real highlight. HDH really put on a great event - they always do.
