From a fun-filled Saturday evening Holiday Party at Classic in Dallas- my usual initial TN of the latest vintage of Dom Perignon, plus a very special vintage of Tignanello.
2015 Dom Perignon
medium champagne color, slightly sweet on the citrus-dominated nose, orange peel adding a racy counterpoint to lemon custard notes, on the palate a midweight with good breadth, citrus-driven for now- just as on the nose- with a hint of brioche, elegant and taught but without the tension of the greatest vintages, fine length, after an hour in glass- creaming coming on and gaining in sweetness, still very primary and this- like the 1995- will probably need a bit more time than usual to really start showing all it has to offer, stylistically this has the sweet fruit-driven profile of the 2002 but with a weight and friendly approach more akin to the 2010, as pretty as it is right now this is going to need some serious age to really reveal itself I think.
( **** ), 2030++
2021 Tignanello
deep red color, majestic classic nose of stern cassis and black plums, grand in scale with pronounced dried tea leaves and bramble, clove and a hint of dark chocolate, on the palate incredible, a punchy rose petal-laden fruit on the mid-palate in contrast to the imposing structure, within minutes after opening this glimpse of a most alluring future was overcome by deep and dramatic flows of fruit and tannin, pepper notes to accompany the endless myriad of savory elements provided by the Sangiovese, exceptional length with lingering notes of chalk and rose petal, 6 hours later- the nose is tighter now with a serene calmness, as before the savory notes are quite prominent as are notes of red cherry, on the palate the best of everything Tignanello has to offer is in full cry if still primary and not fully developed, dramatic Cabernet-influenced fruit across the midpalate with the Sangiovese side deftly presenting a long and fragrant finish of rose petals, chalk and bramble, it has been said that this is among the greatest- and in some quarters the greatest- Tignanello ever produced, I find it difficult to put such a label on a single vintage of a wine I have known and loved for over 30 vintages, but it is certainly very special in that even at this early age all of the detail and nuance to come is pronounced and pristinely defined- and surrounding a breathtakingly beautiful and almost delicate inner core which will leave us in the years to come with an unforgettable experience once it all harmonizes and matures, to put it in Bordeaux terms- a 1945 that will someday have the mid-palate of a 1949- a comparison I make advisedly and with eager anticipation, a wine I look forward to enjoying frequently over the next 20+ years.
( ***** ), 2031++
