This is always an enjoyable event. The Bartons and the Cazes are frequent attendees, but this was the first year that Montrose was represented. The food at One Market was also particularly good this year.
As usual we started with the newest releases. I was favorably impressed by these '07s. They are not overoaked fruit bombs–they are refined and elegant, with good balance. The Montrose was my favorite of the '07s, followed by the Lynch-Bages, which I think is the best Lynch-Bages since the '00. The Leoville Barton was the tightest of the '07s, while the Tronquoy-Lalande and Langoa Barton were probably the best for drinking now.
For our first course at dinner, we were served the '07 Lynch-Bages Blanc, which was absolutely delicious on its own, and a great pairing with our lovely Dungeness crab dish. I will definitely be buying this wine, and I don’t collect very much white Bordeaux these days. It was fun to be drinking this at our table with Jean-Charles Cazes, who is currently running Lynch-Bages. For our main course, we had the '90 Lynch-Bages and Leoville Barton along with the '75 Montrose. The Montrose was in surprisingly good shape for a '75, but definitely faded after 15 minutes or so in the glass. Both the Lynch-Bages and Leoville Barton were excellent. For the cheese course, we had three 2000s–Montrose, Langoa Barton and Lynch-Bages. I hadn’t tasted these wines since the first year or so after release, and it was wonderful to see how they are progressing. The 2000 Montrose was my WOTN, closely followed by the Langoa Barton. Jean-Charles also treated our table to the '00 Ormes de Pez.
Jean-Charles, Anthony Barton and Montrose’s Technical Director Nicolas Glumineau all spoke during the dinner. Nicolas actually sang, and has a wonderul, deep operatic voice. I got to sit with my buddies Stephen, Al, Davidia, Christianne and Paul, so it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Our guests indicated that their next stops were Denver and Los Angeles, and Jean-Charles was going to be ending up in Naples, FL, for the big annual wine and food event there.
2007 Reception
Anthony and Eva Barton of Leoville-Barton and Langoa Barton
Jean-Charles Cazes of Lynch Bages and Ormes de Pez with Nicolas Glumineau of Montrose
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2007 Château Tronquoy-Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Very dark red violet color; nice, poised, herbaceous, plum nose; tasty, refined, tart plum palate with velvety tannins; medium finish (60% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Petit Verdot) (91 pts.) -
2007 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Dark red violet color; deep black fruit, tar, tobacco nose; refined tart black fruit, tart berry, plum and olive palate with velvety tannins and good acidity; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.) -
2007 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Dark red violet color; somewhat high pitched cassis, berry nose; tight, cassis, tart currant, red fruit, mineral palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish (best Lynch-Bages since 2000, IMHO) (92 pts.) -
2007 Château Les Ormes de Pez - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Opaque dark red violet color; ripe currant, red berry, herbal nose; tasty, herbaceous, berry, cassis palate; medium finish (90 pts.) -
2007 Château Langoa Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Appealing ripe berry, cassis, espresso nose; tight, berry, cassis palate with good balance; medium-plus finish (91 pts.) -
2007 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Medium dark red violet color; lovely, poised, ripe plum, herbaceous nose; tight, tart cassis, herbaceous palate with sweet tannins; medium-plus finish 91+ pts. (the tightest of the 6 2007s we tried at this tasting) (91 pts.)
Champagne starter
Christianne, Paul, Davidia and Al
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N.V. Franck Bonville Champagne Brut Selection Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru - France, Champagne, Avize, Champagne
Light yellow color; good light citrus, yeasty nose; creamy mousse, tasty, tart citrus, grapefruit, chalk, lime palate; medium finish (best version of this NV I’ve tried) (92 pts.)
White Bordeaux
with Dungeness Crab, olive oil gelee and green apple water
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2007 Château Lynch-Bages Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Contrôlée
Bright light canary yellow color; some reduction on nose, that blows off to reveal mineral, tart lime, grapefruit, white pepper nose; solid, tart citrus, lime, tart pineapple, grapefruit, mineral palate with depth and juice; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. (45% Sauvignon Blanc, 45% Semillon, 10% Muscadelle) (93 pts.)
Mature Flight
with Roasted Lamb Loin and Braised Lamb Shank, chestnut puree, Applewood smoked bacon, black truffle and spinach
Montrose Technical Director Nicolas Glumineau sings opera for his supper
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1990 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Dark red violet color; nice tobacco, tart black fruit nose; mature, tobacco, tart black fruit, plum, graphite, herbal palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. (93 pts.) -
1990 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Slightly bricking, very dark red violet color; deep, redolent, tobacco, tart black fruit, baked plum nose with a hint of smoke; tasty, mature, tart plum, berry, prune, tobacco, pencil lead palate; medium-plus finish (94 pts.) -
1975 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Bricking medium dark red violet color; earthy, beef bouillon, iodine, mushroom nose; mature, iodine, mushroom, meaty palate with balance; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.)
2000 Flight
with artisanal cheeses: Parmesan Reggiano, Neals Yard Montgomery Cheddar, Fougerus
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2000 Château Langoa Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Opaque very dark red violet color; tight, focused, lavender, graphite, berry nose with lift; delicious and refined berry, plum palate; medium-plus finish (94 pts.) -
2000 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Opaque black red violet color; coffee, espresso, berry, blackberry nose; a little tight yet, coffee, black fruit, blackberry palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.) -
2000 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Opaque black red violet color; ravishing lavender, blackberry, lead pencil, smoke, berry, floral nose; youthful berry, blackberry, tart plum, lead pencil palate; medium-plus finish 95+ pts. (95 pts.) -
2000 Château Les Ormes de Pez - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Opaque black red violet color; tart black fruit, roast coffee nose; tangy, tart plum, roast coffee, graphite, tar palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.)
Sweet finish
with Maui Pineapple Tarte Tatin and Mascarpone ice cream
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1999 Château Suduiraut - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Light medium apricot color; coconut, apricot, botrytis nose; rich coconut, apricot, orange honey palate; long finish 92+ pts. (92 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
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