Saturday May 24th, Benchmark Wine Group held a complimentary tasting at the Ginger Man in Greenwich, CT. A friend of mine Steve from our local Connecticut tasting group tipped me off about it and sent me the list of wines they thought they might pour. Looked very interesting so I knew I did not want to miss it. Let’s just say that the lineup did not disappoint. When I got there everyone seemed rearing to go. Unfortunately they said they had a 1976 Lafite Rothschild that they opened but was corked. I think they may have said another wine was corked as well but I missed what the wine was. They started off with some whites, reds, a dessert wine then a few things at the end.
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2009 Dauvissat-Camus Chablis 1er Cru La Forest - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Everything you would really want from a top flight Chablis. The wine was very crisp with a refreshing acidity. Get the typical minerality but also some nice pure apple fruit to go with it on both the nose and palate. Nose was very floral and quite lovely. Overall, very pure Chablis that was quite enjoyable. (92 pts.) -
2012 Liquid Farm Chardonnay Golden Slope - USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills
Benchmark actually didn’t provide this. It was brought by my friend Drew. I have heard a lot about this wine but it was my first time trying it. Drew said they strive for more of an old world style but this was straight up California to me. The wine was very creamy and had notes of vanilla, mango, banana and ended with a long finish. Checked the label and it said it was 14.2% alcohol, which I thought would have been higher although it was by no means hot. Very enjoyable. (94 pts.) -
2006 Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru
This was also quite good. Was a little worried I had the Liquid Farm first for fear it might overpower this but the Meursault tilted a little towards California itself. Got some nice aromas of apple, lime and mineral. This led to flavors of pineapple and vanilla but finished with a very nice minerality. Would have been nice to drink this on its own. (94 pts.) -
1987 Opus One - USA, California, Napa Valley
I had 3 bottles of the 1985 over the last few years and I was curious to see how this was going to taste. 2 of the 3 bottles were very good. This was tasting really nice right from the start. Got a lot of mature red fruit on this with dried cherry coming to mind but a lot of cigar box on there as well. This is fully mature but should be drinking well for a while. (93 pts.) -
1979 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Didn’t know what to expect with this. Didn’t know much about the 79 Mouton but I knew overall 78 was better vintage in Bordeaux. The wine had no fruit remaining and only mature notes of cedar, mushroom, earth and mint. Finish was decent but nothing spectacular. This is definitely past it’s prime to me but still drinking decently for what it is. (89 pts.) -
1982 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Tasted this right after the Mouton and I found this drinking a bit better. Still had a nice core of fruit there but it had soft tannins that probably have resolved and was velvety on the palate. Notes of leather, mint and blackberry. A wine leaning towards the feminine side of things. Again, wish I could have seen how this evolved over the course of drinking a bottle. (91 pts.) -
1982 Château La Mission Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Probably my favorite wine of the night but a bit of a chameleon. I only had a glass of it but it just kept evolving every time I went back to it. One sip it I would think it was fully mature and drinking at it’s peak. The next I would think it was just getting started in terms of peak drinking. The next had me wondering how long the wine had been open and whether it had enough time to open up. Got some dark fruit, cigar box, smoke and earth on the nose. Flavors of cassis, mint, olive and that Graves minerality. Finish to me was the longest of any wine of the night. Glad I had a chance to try this. (95 pts.) -
1982 Château Calon-Ségur - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Poured out of a decanter but not sure how long it was in there. This had some nice fruit on it, especially the nose but definitely mixed in some mature notes. Got some nice notes of dried cherry, herb, mushroom, espresso and plum. Tough to really follow up the 82 La Mission but this held up honorably. Must have been a well stored bottle. Believe this still has a while to go. (92 pts.) -
1985 Dominus Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
Interesting to try this next to the Bordeaux because it fit right in. Again, this bottle must have been well stored because this 85 tasted very young and fresh for its age. Notes of blackberry, currant, cigar box and leather. The finish on this was also quite nice displaying an understated elegance. To me the older Dominus seem so much different from the newer Dominus, not taking the age into account. (93 pts.) -
1987 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - USA, California, Napa Valley
This proved to be one of the most interesting wines of the tasting, and to my surprise it wasn’t even the Howell Mountain. Still a lot of fruit in this with notes of black cherry and blackberry but mature notes of tobacco, leather and coffee. Very well balanced and a nice finish. Drinking at its peak right now but should last for a good number of years. I would have expected the Howell Mountain to perform like this, not the Napa Valley. Certainly no doubt these are well made wines that are built for aging. (94 pts.) -
1999 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cépages - USA, California, Sonoma County
This wine to me was the surprise of the tasting. This had the most fruit of any of the aged reds in the tasting. Notes of currant, black cherry, blackberry and plum but also mature notes of cedar and a touch of leather. This tasted fresh and drinking beautifully right now but was young compared to the other bottles in the tasting. It ended with a long elegant finish with smooth tannins. Never would have thought this would have performed so well. (94 pts.) -
2000 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Barolo Riserva Vürsù Vigneto Campè - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Note even close to mature but was very nice nonetheless. Notes of tar, rose and caramel. Tannins still present but not a big over the top Barolo. Displays more of a gentler side than the typical tannic monsters made from Nebbiolo. Needs at least another 10 years, if not longer. Ended with a long lingering finish. The stuffing is there, just needs the time. (93 pts.) -
1970 Château d’Yquem - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
My first time trying d’Yquem. Just a beautiful wine with a very long life ahead of it. Notes of peach, honey, apricot, butterscotch, caramel, the list goes on and on. Luscious and mouth coating, this had very pure fruit and ended with a extraordinary finish that just echoed the primary fruit themes. Lived up to the hype for me and can see why it is considered one of the world’s best wines. (95 pts.) -
2000 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne
Drank this after the d’Yquem and it was the perfect thing to have after it. Anything else would have been obliterated by the sweetness of the d’Yquem but the Dom really refreshed the palate. This was very nice and refreshing, not like the blockbuster 2002 I had last year. Didn’t have the creaminess of that but exhibited nice pure fruit of pear and lemon along with toast and almond. A very nice Dom Perignon (92 pts.) -
2010 Joseph Phelps Insignia - USA, California, Napa Valley
This was brought out at the end of the night and was a pop and pour. Very difficult to judge this wine because it clearly required a few hours of air to really open up. Almost a waste. Still always a treat to try the Insignia. Didn’t get a whole lot of fruit on this, which could be a result of not enough air. Basically shut down. Not a lot on the nose either. This is going to require a lot of time to come around. Still, wine exhibited nice balance and good structure. Just needs some patience either in the cellar or decanter. (92 pts.)
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