Probably the most important day for our family between the 3rd and 4th as it’s my wife’s birthday. Headed downtown to Little Pearl and Terroir for dinner with SIL and BIL and brought some wines to celebrate all of which showed well, had good colors although all are at peak or on a gentle downslope.
1986 Senejac was the wine I had to lowest expectaions for, but it performed admirably with minimal orange tinged rim and a nose of briar, cedar, black currants and cherry. Palate is resolved and almost round with good notes of fruit and earth.
Moved on to 1986 Les Carmes Haut Brion which the first bottle I pulled was high shoulder fill, so rooted around and found one that was into the neck. Cork came out with 1/4 inch unstained, remarkable for this wine. Nose was asphalt and dark fruits with notes of cedar and leather. Palate had a lick of acidity to go with dark cherry, currant, and black berry.
Last was a 1986 L’Arossee that had a fully soaked cork and on first nose that old wine miustiness that needed to blow off. Once it did lots of red fruits with cherry and raspberry to go along with an olive note and almost an oiled baseball glove type leather. Palate still had some tannins, but over course of a couple hours that fell away and provided a nice experience when paired with some braised short ribs.
Overall it was interesting to taste a tannic vintage and an array of wines from Haut-Medoc to St. Emilion to Graves.
Happy 4th of July all!!