“Bin ends” was the name of the event; a wino friend of mine was getting rid of tails from his cellar, consisting mainly of both old singletons and remaining single bottles of purchases by the cases.
So all in all, there was no real red thread to this tasting - apart from the wines just being old and red. Except for the welcoming fizz and the Chianti Classico that was served with food.
I brought that old Chilean Cab as an extra that I poured blind after the tasting. I was pretty surprised by the quality of the wine when I sampled it myself, but I guess the other attendees were even more surprised when I revealed the label - for the longest time people were guessing from which Bordeaux appellation this fine old claret came from!
We also did vote for the best wines of the evening; every attendee had three votes that could be distributed to one, two or three wines. The final results were as follows (my personal score in parentheses):
1. 2001 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Vin de Pays de l'Hérault, 10 pts. (95)
2. 2000 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois, 8 pts. (92)
3. 1994 Château Lagrange, 5 pts. (94)
3. 2000 Domaine de Trévallon, 5 pts. (94)
4. 2002 Château Palmer, 2 pts. (92)
5. 2000 Domaine Berthet-Rayne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Cadiac, 0 pts. (93)
5. 1999 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Clos de la Roche, 0 pts. (91)
5. 2005 Hospices de Beaune Volnay 1er Cru Santenots Cuvée Gauvain Bouchard Père et Fils (Hospices Auction Group), 0 pts. (NR)
5. 1994 Les Fiefs de Lagrange, 0 pts. (90)
5. 1998 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert, 0 pts. (90)
5. 1998 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle, 0 pts. (92)
5. 2011 Valiano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 6.38, 0 pts. (89)
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NV Champagne Gruet Champagne Cuvée Arbane Brut - France, Champagne (18.5.2023)
100% Arbanne - probably one of four of five such Champagnes in existence. No idea about the base vintage or the date of disgorgement, but the lot number says "2F/13A/119". 12% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Quite pale lemon-yellow color with a faint greenish tinge. The nose feels ripe and moderately fruit-driven with aromas of fresh red apple, some white flowers, a little bit of leesy autolysis, light bready nuances, a mineral hint of chalk dust, a touch of crunchy white currant and a whiff of chopped green herbs. The wine feels balanced, ripe and subtly sweet-toned on the palate with a medium body and vibrant yet a bit neutral flavors of white peach, some stony mineral notes, a little bit leesy creaminess, light autolytic notes of brioche, a hint of sweet herby spice and a touch of tangy salinity. The fine mousse feels creamy smooth and quite persistent and the high acidity lends good sense of energy and balance to the wine. The finish is ripe, slightly sweet-toned and quite palate-cleansing with a rather long aftertaste of juicy golden apples and white peaches, some zesty citrus fruit tones, a little bit of leesy creaminess, light chalky mineral nuances, a hint of grapefruit bitterness and a touch of salinity.
A nice, balanced and very harmonious Champagne that seems to show some sense of ripeness with its juicy fruit flavors - which are further accentuated by the dosage - yet the overall taste doesn't seem that ripe. With its high acidity and faint herby nuances the wine feels just barely ripe at times - however, that might be just Arbanne's own varietal flavor profile. Although the wine is made with a grape variety that virtually never ends up in a varietal Champagne, this isn't a particularly memorable or idiosyncratic effort - just a harmonious and quite fruit-driven fizz. Lovely and thoroughly enjoyable in every respect, although maybe a tad pricey for the quality at 49,95€.
(90 points) -
2011 Valiano Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 6.38 - Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (18.5.2023)
A blend of Sangiovese (90%), Cabernet Sauvignon (7%) and Merlot (3%) sourced from a vineyard planted in Castelnuovo Berardenga in 1998. The varieties are vinified and aged separately - after macerating for 15 days on the skins, Sangiovese is racked into botti casks ranging from 1000 to 2000 liters in size, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot into French oak barriques. After aging for 18 months in oak, the different varieties are blended together. 14% alcohol.
Very deep, dark and almost fully opaque black cherry color with a faint evolved orange hue towards the rim. The nose feels dark-toned, slightly evolved and a a bit polished with sweetly-fruited aromas of juicy black cherries and ripe dark fruits, some tobacco, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light evolved meaty tones, a hint of cassis and a sweeter touch of dried dark berries. The wine feels ripe, juicy and dry-ish on the palate with a full body and quite bold flavors of sweet black cherries, some evolved notes of earth and tobacco, a little bit of dark plummy fruit, light rich nuances of wizened dark berries, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of sour cherry bitterness. The wine is moderately high in acidity, but the structure seems to rely more on the firm and somewhat extracted tannins than on the acidity. The finish is ripe, long and grippy with a rather savory aftertaste of juicy black cherries, some wizened red plums, light toasty oak tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, a hint of tobacco and a touch of gravelly minerality.
An enjoyably firm and structured red, but even if I enjoyed the muscular tannic structure here, the overall style is pretty polished and anonymous. Even if the Cab component is quite minuscule, its impact on the flavor profile of the wine is quite disproportionate - to me, this doesn't feel like a Chianti Classico at all. This is just a generic modern Italian red with firm tannins, some toasty oak character and a bit anonymous fruit profile. This might evolve into something complex and interesting with age, but at least at the moment I find it hard to get excited over this wine. If I'm drinking CC Gran Selezione, I wish the wine could at the very least taste like Chianti Classico. The wine got zero points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on shared last place.
(89 points) -
1994 Les Fiefs de Lagrange - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (18.5.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (67%), Merlot (28%) and Petit Verdot (5%). 12,5% alcohol.
Medium-deep, moderately translucent and somewhat evolved cherry-red color with a brick-orange hue. The nose feels savory, gracefully evolved and somewhat leafy with aromas of chipotle and chopped chilies, some autumnal notes of damp leaves and sous-bois, a little bit of wizened blackcurrant, light nuances of tobacco, a sanguine hint of iron and a smoky touch of roasted meat. The wine feels evolved, dry and quite resolved on the palate with a silky texture, medium body and somewhat tertiary flavors of tobacco and autumnal leafy tones, some sweeter notes of dried blackcurrants, a little bit of cherry, light ferrous nuances of blood, a hint of licorice root and a touch of ripe red plum. The moderately high acidity and resolved, gently grippy medium-minus tannins lend enough firmness and structure to the mouthfeel to keep the wine effortlessly in balance. The finish is savory, long and enjoyably evolved with a dry aftertaste of wizened cherries, some gamey notes of meat, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant, light leafy nuances, a hint of sous-bois and a smoky-herbaceous touch of chipotle.
A tasty, pleasant and silky Saint-Julien at its peak. Good sense of balance and tertiary complexity here. The wine might not be particularly distinctive in any way for an aged claret - a fact that became pretty obvious when tasting 1994 Château Lagrange next to this - but there's nothing to complain, either. Although 1994 was for the most part a rather average vintage in Bordeaux, this wine has held up nicely for a 1994 second label wine. The wine got zero points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on shared last place.
(90 points) -
1994 Château Lagrange (St. Julien) - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (18.5.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (31%) and Petit Verdot (9%). Aged for approximately 20 months in oak barriques (approx. 50% new). 12,5% alcohol.
Deep, quite dark black cherry color with a slightly evolved pomegranate hue. The brooding, slightly evolved nose feels nuanced with slightly sweet-toned aromas of pipe tobacco and wizened blackcurrants, some herbaceous leafy tones, a little bit of old leather, light ferrous nuances of blood, a hint of sous-bois and a touch of roasted bell pepper. The wine feels ripe, somewhat evolved and a bit rustic on the palate with a rather full body and complex flavors of wizened blackcurrants and fresh, slightly sour dark plums, some leathery tones, a little bit of bretty merde and stable floor, light autumnal nuances of earth, a herbaceous hint of leafy greenness and a touch of cooked bell pepper. The wine is pretty sinewy and muscular with its high acidity and still moderately grippy tannins. The finish is long, complex and rather grippy with a savory aftertaste of wizened blackcurrants, some evolved notes of meaty umami, a little bit of tobacco, light leathery nuances, a rustic hint of horse stables and a touch of leafy greenness.
An excellent, very harmonious and subtly rustic Saint-Julien that is slowly evolving towards its apogee. Tasting this next to the 1994 Les Fiefs de Lagrange, it became obvious what the difference was between the 1st wine and the 2nd label: while Les Fiefs was a lovely, evolved claret in its own right, it was obviously a lesser wine compared to the brooding power, more muscular structure and less evolved overall character of this Lagrange. As this Lagrange is still coming across as relatively youthful with only some tertiary qualities, I can see this easily at least keeping - if not evolving - for another decade or two. For a rather average Bordeaux vintage, this is great and pretty classically styled stuff. The wine got 5 points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on shared third place.
(94 points) -
2000 Domaine Berthet-Rayne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Cadiac - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (18.5.2023)
Typically a blend of Grenache (50%) and Mourvèdre (50%), sourced from the oldest estate vineyards (+65 yo). Aged for 15 months in oak barriques and only the best and most ageworthy lots are selected. Bottled unfiltered. 14% alcohol. Bottle #402.
Evolved and moderately translucent dried blood color with a somewhat aged maroon hue. The nose feels evolved, somewhat rustic and quite aged with aromas of wizened cherries, some kirsch, a little bit of beef jerky, light earthy notes, a ferrous hint of blood, a developed touch of smoky character and an oxidative whiff of meat stew or soy sauce. The wine feels evolved, quite funky and surprisingly airy on the palate with a full body and moderately rustic flavors of ripe strawberries, some woody notes of pencil shavings, a rather pronounced horsey note of brett, a little bit of leathery funk, light savory nuances of meaty umami, a hint of earth and a sweeter touch of dark pruney fruit. Despite being quite ripe and full in body, the wine doesn't come across as heavy or ponderous but instead surprisingly fresh and structured, all thanks to its rather high acidity and surprisingly assertive and grippy tannins. The finish is long, quite tannic and pretty funky with a ripe yet savory aftertaste of sweet strawberries and some pruney tones, light bretty notes of leather saddle and stable floor, a little bit of meaty umami, a hint of dried figs and an autumnal touch of sous-bois.
A ripe and somewhat tertiary but also enjoyably funky and rustic Pape that is at its plateau of maturity - and possibly has been there for some time already. I'm not the biggest fan of Papes in general, but these older wines are not too soft, hot and flabby for my palate - even if they still can be pretty ripe and sunny wines. This wine was actually surprisingly firm and structured for a Pape, but I can imagine the large proportion of old-vine Mourvèdre might be the reason there. At times I wondered whether the rather pronounced bretty notes were a bit too much, but in the end I decided that nope - this was a funky yet still very enjoyable example of old-school Pape. However, I can imagine this wine can be just way too animale for more brett-averse people. The wine got zero points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on shared last place.
(93 points) -
2000 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (18.5.2023)
Typically a blend of organically farmed Grenache (70-80%), Mourvèdre (10%) and the remainder rounded out with Syrah, Cinsaut, Counoise and Vaccarese, all fruit fully destemmed. Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks with a portion (40-50%) of the wine aged for 9 months in French oak barriques (partly to completely new), then blended with the wines in tanks. Total aging is around 24 months. 14,5% alcohol. Bottle #2940.
Quite dark, somewhat translucent and moderately aged deep maroon color. The nose feels evolved, savory and somewhat reticent with a bit restrained aromas of plum liqueur and ripe black cherries, some meat stew, a little bit of dried blackcurrant, light earthy nuances, a hint of licorice root, a touch of stewed Mediterranean herbs and a whiff of roasted game. The wine feels ripe, velvety and somewhat sweet-toned on the palate with a full body and rich flavors of juicy red plums, some meaty and old leather tones, a little bit of earth, light ferrous notes of blood, sweet hints of wizened blackcurrants and dried figs and a woody touch of oak spice. The firmness and structure rely more on the ample and moderately grippy tannins than on the medium-to-moderately high acidity that is a bit on the soft side. The finish is long, rather grippy and a bit warm with a ripe aftertaste of juicy strawberries, some sunny dark fruit tones, a little bit of dried figs, light savory notes of meaty umami and stewed herbs, a hint of blood and an evolved touch of earthy character.
A quite impressive and enjoyably complex Pape that might not be at its peak yet, but with its evolved, savory flavors is obviously pretty near its apogee. The wine is pretty typical of Pape with its ripe, sweet-toned fruit flavors, rather high alcohol and a bit soft acidity, but thanks to its firm tannic structure and savory, meaty nuances, the overall feel never feels too soft, flabby or jammy. I can imagine the oak influence might've been somewhat more pronounced when the wine was much younger, but now the wine seems to have integrated most oak aromatics quite nicely with the evolved fruit flavors. Although the wine feels somewhat softer and sunnier - ie. a bit less balanced - compared to the 1999 vintage I tasted some years ago, the wine is still thoroughly enjoyable and drinking just fine at +20 years of age. The wine got 8 points from the ten participants in our tasting, finishing on second place.
(92 points) -
1998 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Crozes-Hermitage (18.5.2023)
A vintage made right after the passing of Gérard Jaboulet (in 1997) but before the Freys purchased the domaine (in 2006). The fully destemmed fruit is sourced from the lieu-dit Les Chassis, owned by Jaboulet since 1834. Aged in French oak casks ranging from 225 to 600 liters in size for 12 months. 13% alcohol.
Quite translucent, rather aged and moderately dark brick-red color. The nose feels ripe and moderately developed with aromas of wizened red fruits, some meaty and gamey tones, a little bit of dried raspberry, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of new leather, a touch of dried violets and other fragrant flowers and a whiff of peppery spice. The wine feels evolved, savory and maybe a bit thin on the palate with a light-to-medium body and quite intense flavors of game and meaty umami, some ripe raspberry tones, a little bit of wizened blackberry, light salty notes of blood, a hint of old leather and a touch of earthy and peppery spices. The overall feel is relatively structured for a Crozes-Hermitage, thanks to the high acidity and still moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is evolved, dry and moderately grippy with a rather long aftertaste of tart lingonberries and ripe raspberries, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of salty blood, light stony mineral nuances, a hint of roasted game and a touch of wood.
A wonderfully evolved and surprisingly stern and serious effort for a Crozes-Hermitage. However, tasting this next to the 1998 La Chapelle, it becomes obvious that this is still a lesser wine - although there is good sense of depth and complexity here, the wine still feels a bit thin and underwhelming in comparison. Nothing that would be atypical for a Crozes, though. The wine is more or less at peak maturity now and won't evolve any further from here - apart from the tannins resolving with age. A surprisingly good showing of this wine, especially considering how 1998 isn't usually considered to be from a particularly memorable era of Jaboulet. The wine got zero points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on shared last place.
(90 points) -
1998 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (18.5.2023)
A vintage made right after the passing of Gérard Jaboulet (in 1997) but before the Freys purchased the domaine (in 2006). The fully destemmed fruit is sourced from estate vineyards in Bessards, Greffieux, Le Méal and Rocoules. Aged in partly new French oak casks. 13,5% alcohol.
Evolved, moderately translucent brick-red color. The nose feels savory and meaty - even a bit sweaty - with aromas of cooked red fruits, some earthy tones, a little bit of carrot purée, light briny notes of olives, a hint of blood, a touch of smoke and a faint sweet whiff of diacetyl. The wine feels dry, savory and crunchy on the palate with a medium body and intense, complex flavors of tart lingonberries, ripe raspberries and old leather, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light tertiary notes of wizened blackberries and meat stew, a hint of carrot purée and a smoky touch of bacon grease. The wine still retains quite a bit of structure with its high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is evolved, long and quite grippy with a meaty aftertaste of game and bacon grease, some leathery tones, a little bit of tart lingonberry, light sweeter notes of wizened raspberries and dried blackberries, a hint of earth and a touch of olive.
1998 is considered to be one of the weak vintages of Jaboulet La Chapelle - and this might be more obvious in a vertical tasting setting - but just as a wine on its own, this was a surprisingly enjoyable effort. Perhaps a bit evolved for its age, but still coming across as quite true to the region and the variety - something that doesn't seem to hold true for the more recent vintages of Jaboulet wines. This wine showed lovely and quite meaty flavors along with olive nuances and evolved tertiary fruit tones, supported with still rather firm and muscular structure. If the wine has been oaky in its youth, it certainly didn't show anymore. It's hard to see this wine evolving and improving much - or at all - from here, but at least the wine doesn't seem to be falling apart anytime soon, either. Drink or keep. This was a very enjoyable, fully mature Hermitage. The wine got zero points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on shared last place.
(92 points) -
2005 Hospices de Beaune Volnay 1er Cru Santenots Cuvée Gauvain Bouchard Père et Fils (Hospices Auction Group) - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru (18.5.2023)
13,5% alcohol.
Somewhat evolved, moderately translucent and pretty deep cherry-red color with a maroon hue. The nose feels dull and musty with classic TCA aromas of mildew and damp cardboard. The wine feels dense, slightly concentrated and medium-to-moderately full-bodied on the palate with a sinewy structure, thanks to its high acidity and firm medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums. However, TCA has eradicated all fruit flavors from the wine so it is impossible at which point of evolution the wine would've been now.
(NR/flawed) -
1999 Domaine Lignier-Michelot Clos de la Roche - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru (18.5.2023)
100% Pinot Noir from Grand Cru Clos de la Roche, the most northerly Grand Cru in Morey-St.-Denis. Aged for 13-15 months in oak. 13,5% alcohol.
Translucent and quite evolved dried-blood color with a pale maroon hue. The nose feels fine-tuned and somewhat sweet with quite attractive aromas of wizened dark forest fruits and ripe cherries, some evolved meaty tones, a little bit of licorice root, light mushroomy nuances of truffles, a hint of allspice and a floral touch of violets. The wine feels silky, evolved and even somewhat concentrated on the palate with a medium body and a bit restrained flavors of ripe cranberries and ferrous blood, some nuances of tobacco, a little bit of stony minerality, light earthy nuances and a hint of wizened dark berries. The mouthfeel is suave with a velvety texture, and the structure quite firm yet supple with the rather high acidity and ripe, gentle medium-minus tannins. The finish is long, evolved and quite dry with a nuanced aftertaste of wizened cranberries, some tobacco, light earthy nuances, a little bit of brambly raspberry, a hint of tart red plums and an oxidative touch of meat stew.
The nose here promised a lot, showing wonderfully perfumed bouquet ranging from sweet fruits to evolved meaty tones to floral top notes to mushroomy complexity. Basically anything one could expect from a Grand Cru! However, on the palate the wine seemed much more pedestrian, coming across as a typical red Burgundy with age. It did pack that combination of concentration and finesse that can be expected of a Grand Cru, but the flavor intensity was rather understated - and it remained so despite extended aeration - and the flavors were pretty foursquare. Well, not foursquare, but nothing out of ordinary; a similarly aged 1er Cru or even a better-end Village-level Burg could easily show similar sense of depth and complexity or even more. All in all, this was a lovely and thoroughly enjoyable Grand Cru Burg, but nothing that would knock one's socks off. The wine got zero points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on shared last place.
(91 points) -
2000 Domaine de Trévallon - France, Provence, Vin de Pays des Bouches-du-Rhône (18.5.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%) and Syrah (50%) harvested between the last week of September and the first week of October. Vinified entirely in whole bunches. Fermented spontaneously. Aged on the lees in foudres and oak barrels for at least two years. Fined but not filtered before bottling. 12,5% alcohol.
Deep, somewhat evolved and slightly translucent dark red color with a maroon hue. The nose feels evolved, savory and nuanced with complex, savory aromas of cassis and wizened dark plums, some autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of cooked bell pepper, light ferrous nuances of blood, a hint of pipe tobacco, a touch of leathery funk and a faint herbaceous touch of grassy greenness. The wine feels somewhat evolved yet still surprisingly dense, chewy and tightly-knit on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of wizened blackcurrants, some forest floor, a little bit of tart red plum, light evolved and somewhat salty notes of beef jerky, a hint of leather and a herbaceous touch of cooked bell pepper. The wine is still impressively structured with its high acidity and firm, assertive tannins. The finish is dry, evolved and grippy with a long, savory aftertaste of wizened yet barely ripe blackcurrants, some leathery tones, a little bit of tart red plum, light earthy notes, a sweeter hint of ripe blackberries and a touch of autumnal leaves.
An excellent vintage of Trévallon rouge at its peak. The fruit department is getting quite evolved, but the tannic structure is still impressively stern and tightly-knit. The Cabernet portion has taken the aromatic lead in the wine, showing classic Cab elements of cassis and herbaceous bell pepper character, yet still the wine feel more southern France than Bordelais in character. It is as if somebody managed to make a perfect blend of a Bandol and an old-school Bordeaux. Terrific stuff - most likely the wine won't evolve much or at all from here, but the wine is not going to be falling apart anytime soon. Highly recommended. The wine got 5 points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on shared third place.
(94 points) -
2002 Château Palmer - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (18.5.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Merlot (40%) and Petit Verdot (8%), harvested between the last week of September and the first week of October. Fermented and macerated in tronconic stainless steel vats. Aged for 20 to 22 months in French oak barriques (50-60% new). 13% alcohol.
Deep, moderately translucent black cherry color. The brooding nose feels ripe, dark-toned and a bit funky with aromas of juicy blackcurrants, some spicy phenolic notes of brett, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light bretty nuances of saddle leather, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of sweet plummy fruit. The wine feels dense, somewhat tough and still surprisingly youthful on the palate with a full body and intense, dry flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some tobacco, a little bit of leathery funk, light woody notes of pencil shavings and savory oak spice, a hint of gravelly minerality and a touch of juicy red plum. Despite its intensity, the wine sort of seems to lack a bit of punch, instead coming across as a bit understated and slightly hollow. The wine is still very stern and tightly-knit with its quite high acidity and very assertive, grippy tannins. The finish is dry, sinewy and noticeably grippy with intense and quite youthful flavors of blackcurrants and tart red plums, some leathery funk, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of sweeter dark fruit.
True to the Palmer style, this is a remarkably youthful, stern and structure-driven wine, even at 20 years of age. However, despite its firm and structured overall feel, the wine is sort of lacking volume or something in the middle, coming across as slightly hollow - as if there wasn't enough fruit or other stuffing to fill out the rigid structural frame of assertive tannins and high acidity. I guess that's 2002 Bordeaux for you. However, as the wine feels still so very youthful and vibrant, it is entirely possible that this wine will slowly soften and resolve over the years, hopefully letting the emerging tertiary nuances fill out the midpalate better. Although not super impressive, this was still an enjoyable effort in its own right. The wine got 2 points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on fourth place.
(92 points) -
2001 Domaine de la Grange des Pères Vin de Pays de l'Hérault - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Vin de Pays de l'Hérault (18.5.2023)
A blend of Syrah (40%), Mourvèdre (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), Counoise (10%). 14,5% alcohol.
Rather translucent pomegranate color with an evolved maroon hue. The nose feels fragrant, characterful and quite fascinating with quite singular aromas of wizened cranberries and heather honey, some evolved meaty tones, light briny notes of kombu kelp, light woody nuances of savory wood spice, sweet hints of wizened cherries and ripe red fruits, a perfumed touch of dried flowers and a lifted whiff of ethery VA. Really tons of things going on here. The wine feels evolved, harmonious and wonderfully airy on the palate with a medium body and ripe, characterful and subtly sweetly-fruited flavors of arctic brambles and wizened cranberries, some savory notes of meaty umami, light ferrous notes of blood, light nuances of acacia honey and saffron, a hint of dank herby spices and a touch of rustic funk. The overall feel is silky yet balanced and firm enough, thanks to the moderately high acidity and ripe medium tannins. The finish is long, characterful and moderately evolved with some tannic grip and a savory, complex aftertaste of beef jerky and meaty umami, some distinctive honeyed tones, a little bit of ferrous blood, light juicy notes of arctic bramble and wild strawberry, sweetly-spiced hints of saffron and anise and a touch of hoisin.
A tasty, harmonious and - above all - very characterful red with lots of everything both in the nose and on the palate. The wine doesn't feel so big, impactful or "impressive" on the palate, just so very balanced, fragrant and surprisingly airy. Not really Burgundian, but in sort of that direction. Furthermore, the distinctive honeyed notes and nuances of saffron, combined with those savory, meaty flavors contributed to the exceptional and quite distinctive complexity of the wine. A fascinating wine and probably the best vintage of Grange des Pères I've tasted thus far. Furthermore, I wasn't the only one to think this wine was terrific: it got 10 points from the ten participants in our tasting, making it finish on first place.
(95 points)
-
1990 Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) Cabernet Sauvignon Los Vascos - Chile, Rapel Valley, Colchagua Valley (18.5.2023)
12,5% alcohol.
Moderately translucent black cherry color with a somewhat evolved maroon hue. The nose feels evolved, savory and quite classically styled with complex aromas of wizened blackcurrants, some fresh red plums, light meaty tones, a little bit of ripe black forest fruit, herbaceous hints of leafy greenness and cooked bell pepper and a faint touch of diesel. The wine feels dry, savory and somewhat evolved yet still surprisingly youthful on the palate with a medium body and complex flavors of ripe cranberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of beef jerky and meaty umami, light sweet nuances of wizened blackcurrants, herbaceous hints of bell pepper and leafy greenness and a touch of meat stew. The wine is surprisingly stern and grippy with its high acidity and quite assertive tannins. The finish is long, dry and grippy with a savory, somewhat evolved aftertaste of wizened blackcurrants and crunchy red plums, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of leafy greenness, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of cooked bell pepper and a touch of earth.
A relatively youthful and surprisingly serious Chilean Cab that drinks pretty much like an old-school Bordeaux. I poured this wine blind after a tasting and virtually everybody started their guesses with the 1990's and different appellations of Bordeaux. When I finally told it wasn't Bordeaux, they went with all the usual suspects like Napa, Tuscany and Catalonia. Nobody thought of Chile, even once. Everyone was floored by the quality of this wine, me included - I had expected the wine to be drinkable, but not anything memorable. This was an excellent surprise - and a good reminder that they still made some terrific wines in Chile just a couple decades ago. At 35€ for three bottles (ie. less than 12€ per bottle) this has been a steal.
(93 points) -
2002 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (18.5.2023)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Merlot (12%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Petit Verdot (2%), harvested on the first two weeks of October. 60% of the production was used for this grand vin. Aged for 15 months in French oak barrels (65% new). 13% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Moderately evolved yet fully opaque dark maroon color. The nose feels quite powerful and somewhat evolved - yet less so than the appearance would suggest - with nuanced aromas of ripe blackcurrants and juicy dark fruits, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light leafy green nuances, a little bit of sweet black raspberry, a developed hint of meaty character and a touch of earth. The wine feels ripe, dense and quite chewy on the palate with a medium body and intense, dry flavors of juicy blackcurrants and bloody meat, some autumnal notes of damp leaves, a little bit of tobacco, light woody notes of pencil shavings along with sweeter nuances of toasty oak spice and cedar, a savory hint of meaty umami and a touch of wizened dark plums. The overall feel doesn't feel young, nor particularly aged, either. However, the overall feel is pretty firm and muscular, thanks to the high acidity and still rather grippy tannins. The finish is savory, somewhat evolved and quite grippy with a long, complex aftertaste of wizened blackcurrants and ripe dark fruits, some woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of old leather, light herbaceous leafy tones, autumnal hints of sous-bois and a touch of pipe tobacco.
An excellent, complex and still relatively youthful Bordeaux that shows great sense of fruit and intensity for a 2002. After the similarly firm and structured but taste-wise a bit hollow 2002 Palmer, this Lynch-Bages showed a bit more substance and mid-palate volume in comparison. Although the wine shows some sense of age and development, there is more than enough fruit and structure here to promise good cellaring potential for at least another decade, maybe even two. Plus the wine is going to keep for even longer. Smashing stuff, among the best 2002 left-bankers I've tasted. Highly recommended.
(94 points)
Posted from CellarTracker