FIRST GROWTHS (SLIGHTLY DISAPPOINTING) AND AN AMAZING PORT - John V.'s (11/6/2009)
Last night one of my tasting groups met to drink some first growths. The wines were all good, but left the entire group questioning whether they were worth the still high prices for these wines. Yes, they are much less than a couple of years ago, but they are still all over $200 a bottle and some much more. I wouldn’t pay more than $50 for these. Most of these were not top vintages (except the sadly corked 86 Lafite), so perhaps that goes to buying a first growth in an off vintage. All wines were consumed blind over three hours. They were popped and poured.
On the other hand, the 66 Port was truly a transcendental port experience. What a great finish to the evening.
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2006 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru
Yellow gold in color. Some gunpowder on the nose which blew off leaving a creamy lemon chiffon. Very pretty. Just a great thick texture. Very tight on the palate, but some red (fugi?) apples. The finish had some alcohol but that smoothed out and left white grape fruit. I really liked this wine, perhaps more than some who found it tight. Sure, if it doesn’t premox, it will be even better in 5 to 15 years. But its nice now. Better at the end of the evening. (93 pts.)
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1988 Château Cheval Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
The outlier in the crowd and as so often happens, it was the groups WOTN. Pretty ruby color. The nose is dusty with cherries and cassis. Slight mocha notes. On the palate, this has cassis and is slightly acidic. With air it rounds out a bit showing also some cherries and a hint of menthol. Slightly tannic. (90 pts.) -
1986 Château Lafite Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Thsi wine was corked. Not horribly but enough that is was the groups last place wine. You could tell there was something underneath but the fruit was muted on the nose. NR (flawed) -
1994 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
I liked this more than the group. For me it was the wine in the best place this evening. Ruby in color with some purple hues. Cassis, slightly earthy with some graphite and cedar. Great texture. Mature and somewhat complex. Long finish with mild tannins. This is as good as this wine gets I think. It was my red WOTN. (92 pts.) -
1994 Château Latour Grand Vin - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Ruby/purple in color. The nose is meaty and dusty/smokey with some cassis. Slightly thin in texture with black raspberries. Improved a bit with some cheeses. Some tannins. A nice enough Bordeaux but not great. (90 pts.) -
1998 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Dark purple in color. The youngest wine on the table. The nose has some slight funk, cedar, cassis and bits of cherries. On the palate, it switches more to black fruits. Very good and showing some complexity and firm tannins. May still develop from here but will never be truly great IMO. (91 pts.) -
1978 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Ruby with slight browning. Obviously showing some age, I thought it was the Cheval Blanc as it had a very strong green tobacco compnent on the nose. Also some funk, cassis and iodine. Soft and past prime. The fruit was still there though and somewhat sweet and also some crem brulee component on the palate. Complex with very light tannins. The group preferred this more than I. (88 pts.) -
1986 Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose is dusty with perfumed raspberries, smoke and a hint of funk. On the palate, turning more to cassis. It seems still too young and a bit monolithic. Not sure if it has the stuffing to ever be great though. (91 pts.) -
1970 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
All right, I like older wines. Luckily Vic was there too last night or I would have been out on a limb. The group pretty much all panned this one, but Vic and I had it as our #2 wine. Yes, it is old. And yes, it is not a first growth. But it had such elegance with great texture. Wonderful complexities. The fruit is only a shadow of what it was, but there is still some left. If you like older Bordeaux, this is really still nice. (92 pts.)
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2005 Château Rieussec - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Golden in color. A nose of honey, apricots but (where was Dale?), COTTON CANDY. It had to be Rieussec. Great texture. Wonderful slightly bitter orange ppel and canned apricots on the palate. Slightly flabby IMO despite its very cold serving temp. That is nit picking as I would happily drink this. (94 pts.)
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1991 Fonseca Porto Guimaraens Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
Ruby in color. The nose has Rasinettes (r) and some cherries. A big nose. The palate is very good and this aould have been a fine ending except for the 66. Some heat. Very sturdy wine. (92 pts.) -
1966 Fonseca Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
OMFG. We were all blown away. Most of the guesses thought this to be 11 to 25 years years younger. It is a monster and still not even close to maturity. Cherries and raspberries, slight dark chocolate notes. Incredible grip with just a touch of heat on the finish. Amazing layered complexity still waiting to unfurl. This was a WOW wine for sure. I think the unanimous WOTN. (98 pts.)
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