Tonight it was my turn to host a small gathering of the Seattle Tasting Group (myself, Ed, Michael, Steve, and Megan). We enjoyed a right-bank Bordeaux theme.
Courtesy of Megan by way of the Champagne Warrior Brad Baker, we started with this stunning and unique sparkler as I whipped the meal into shape. Thanks folks for a special wine! (That deserved much more attention and adulation than it received)
2003 Jacques Selosse Champagne Blanc de Blancs Les Carelles- France, Champagne, Le Mesnil Sur Oger, Champagne
I certainly would not pick this as a Blanc de Blanc. Tasted blind I immediately guessed Selosse. Faintly sweet, very rich, slightly yeasty, this is a truly unique Champagne. Deep color. Wonderful notes of bread dough, vanilla and cream. This is luscious and poignant stuff for sure. Behind the richness there is a nice note of citric acidity, but the cut and acid take a distinct backseat to the rich, bready, yeasty, leesy character of this wine. (94 pts.)
With a simple dinner of roast chicken, roasted potatoes, sauteed Chanterelles (thanks Steve!), and collard greens with Andouille sausage, we tucked into a dream flight of four really special wines.
1989 Château Angélus- France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
This was my wine of the night. Immediate OMFG. Ash, briquette and a touch of mint. Ed notes some orange peel, and it is certainly hard to disagree once he points it out. Bright, smoky and sultry all at once. The palate just screams of minerality wit a savory, dusty, smoke edge slathered all around pure cherry fruit. Wowza! (97 pts.)
1995 Château Angélus- France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Riper than the 1989, soy, black fruit,ample mineral. On the palate quite juicy with lots of blackberry. Very vibrant with great acidity. It’s not as exotic as the 1989 and still needs to unwind, but clearly this has a very bright future. (92 pts.)
1989 Château La Conseillante- France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Perhaps faintly over-decanted (about 4 hours). I prefer to watch these unfold with only 30-60 minutes of air. Hints of pickle and tomato leaf. This moves to zingy notes of cherry cola. Perhaps a touch light on the mid-palate and faintly drying in the finish. Nonetheless, this is quibbling about a great wine. (93 pts.)
1990 Château La Conseillante- France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
So ripe with soy, and grilled plum. Spicy yet faintly green (in a good) way. Zingy. Lots of dusty, fine tannin in the finish suggests a long future for this sexy and quite ample wine. (96 pts.)
We finished up with a delicious almond and pear tart courtesy of Megan, thanks!
2001 Château Climens- France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac
From 375ml. Is this utter perfection as Mr. Parker suggests? Well that is going a bit far. I have a clear preference to d’Yquem, Rieussec and Suduiraut in this vintage. Nonetheless, this is clearly a stellar, stellar wine. Deeper color than I might expect for such a young Barsac. Exotic notes of coconut (ala Hawaiaan Tropic suntan oil) and mandarin orange move to a palate that is far more honeyed, intense and syrupy than I would expect. There is a very pleasing and surprisingly unexpected note of smoky brewed coffee at the finish with a sort of orange peel note on top. This is quite unctuous and much lighter on acid than I would have thought given the usual more delicate style of Climens. Actually, this is really this is quite a shockingly ripe bruiser at this stage. As I work at it and concentrate I can find the very ample and mouthwatering acidity, but at this stage the rich, ripe unctuous aspect of the wine is simply swamping the acidity. This is a seriously ripe wine that is far, far from shy. (95 pts.)
Thanks everyone for a stellar evening! Posted from CellarTracker
Every note I read about the 1995 Angelus, and everyone who has tasted it states it’s a lovely wine now, but hold off opening it for several years. I have yet to try one, and one of these days, I will just go for it, and open one of my bottles.
The wines were fantastic - thanks to all who contributed. I left my notes at home (and they actually weren’t all that complete, considering I was sidetracked by Woody Allen and Mel Brooks quotes repeatedly) but every single wine served was outstanding.
My favorite of the night was the 1990 Conseillante, but I also really enjoyed the 1995 Angelus after it opened in the glass some. And I’d like to thank Brad Baker for my first taste of Selosse.
Great notes, Eric. And thanks so much for hosting!
Eric… Nice job on the tasting and the notes. I think you are right about over decanting the 89 La Conseillante. IMO, more than an hour is too much. It can be such a sexy wine when it’s on.
Well this is interesting, I guess this is why we have these tastings. Clearly my favorite was the 89 Angelus, and while I feel that Eric’s score is a little high (I scored it 95+ points) it’s still an outstanding wine and it’s a wine that’s consistently wonderful. This was my first time trying the Conseillantes and both wines were not what I was expecting. The 90 was excellent with great fruit, smoke and tobacco but I thought it could have used more weight and to me just didn’t live up to the reputation that I was expecting (94 pts)… The 89 Conseillante didn’t show well but it was still a great wine to drink though I doubt I’ll be looking to buy any (92 pts). IMO the 95 Angelus didn’t show last night, I’ve had this wine many times and most times it was more accessible than this. Still quite good this youngster will grow up into a beauty but tonight it was only a solid 92 point wine.
Eric made a great dinner and the crew is wonderful to dine with, we really have a special group.
Eric–it’s interesting that 10/1 not less than a few miles away in Seattle, our tasting group (several of who you likely know) sampled 89 and 90 Bordeaux, and a mini vertical of Rieussec. I’m away from my notes, but one of the wines was the Angelus, I pretty sure the 89. I remember it as excellent very enjoyable wine, obviously raised with more oak influence than even most of the other wines, but pretty well integrated, although still a little oak related bitterness on the finish. Not the wine of the night for me, but very, very good. (I think Rick Gregory has threatened to post his tasting notes, so I’ll leave the additional details to him.)
Very nice, Eric, and one of those rare posts where I have all the reds in my cellar. The only substitution I would have made was to drop the '95 Angelus in favor of the '90, as those four wines (the '89 & '90 Angelus & '89 & '90 La Conseillante) are four of my favorites from those two great vintages.
I agree re: 1995 versus 1990 Angelus (I just had the 1990 Angelus tonight at a Commanderie de Bordeaux induction ceremony, and it was screaming good), but these were the wines that our attendees had. And it was fun to take a peek at the 1995, as someday I think it will be quite similar to the 89 and 90.
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