TN's: 82 LLC, 67&82 LB, 91 Ridges, 73 Mayacamas, 93 Etude

OLD BORDEAUX AND CALI CABS AT DIETZ’S - Chez Dietz (4/11/2009)

Jim showing some outstanding generosity had a few of us over to open up some classic old bottles he had collected. He and Lorena prepared a very good pot roast to match up to the big reds to which I can give it my best compliment. It made me think of Mom’s. I made some steamed clams as an appetizer that seemed to go over well and P&L brought some cheeses and a nice salad of baby spinach, basil leaf, blood oranges with a tasting vinaigrette.

We had some classic wines from both side of the Atlantic some of which didn’t perform as we had hoped and some did. All in all we drank very well though. I think consensus was the Montelena was the wine of the night. Having had it twice now in the last two months it is truly an outstanding wine that lives up to accolades. Some other favs on the night for me were the Talley Chard, the Etude Cab, the Ridge SC Mountains and the 73 Mayacamas.

Big thanks to VP for the generosity and to everyone else for the comradery making it a great night.

Champagne

  • 1990 Deutz Champagne Cuvée William Deutz - France, Champagne
    Showing its age with some notes of oxidation and mushrooms on the nose as well as some straw. Light in expression and palate weight with slight sherried notes. I think this wasn’t treated its best at some point in its history.
  • 1999 Claude Carré et Fils Champagne Cuvée Passion - France, Champagne
    Nose is relatively tight initially as was the palate. But with some air this started taking off really speaking of a BdB. Some nice notes of bread and vanilla and a nicely balanced palate. And it looks like I was right about the BdB. :wink: Very nice and has some years ahead of it.

Whites
The Saumur was mostly brought as a sautee wine for the steamed clams but I also was curious to see how it was on its own.

  • 1993 Talley Vineyards Chardonnay Estate Arroyo Grande Valley - USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley
    Nose shows its age and also possibly some ripeness with a baked apricot quality. Palate shows some aged notes as well but with a few minutes of air this showed nice balance though a bit split between the fruit up front and the acidic finish. Also grippy. A nice surprise and more enjoyable than we expected.
  • 1990 Stony Hill Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley
    Right after popped drank nice and clean but the TCA took over in a hurry killing this flat. NR (flawed)
  • 2006 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Decanted 8 hours prior to consumption. The oak seems to have the microphone at this point. Fat lemon and oak on the nose. Rich lemony palate with tart acidity and a bit of minerals but the oak stands out right now here as well. Took about a glass home and drink mostly the same tonight. Fruit isn’t as fat but the oak is still keeping eye contact. Back to sleep with 'em.
  • 2007 Cave de Saumur Saumur Lieu-Dit Les Pouches - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur
    Plastic cork. Nice enough for $8. Much more tropical than I would expect for a Chenin and was more reminiscent of Pinot Gris/Grigio to me. Good acidity and some light rainy pavement minerality though behind the bright tropical fruit lending it balance. Worked great as steamed clam sautee. Consistent over two nights.

Pre-Dinner Reds

  • 1967 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    Very light in color for a Bordeaux even of this age. Terrific dusty nose with notes of cedar, forest and red apples. Soft, lean, tart palate also surprisingly shows apples. More Burgundy like on the palate than Bordeaux. Past peak but still enjoyable especially for the nose. Would make a great dinner companion for some pork.
  • 1993 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
    Pretty nose giving up some dusty soil aromas. Ripe fruit comes out with plenty of swirling. Soft fat and rich still with mouth filling tannin. This still drank young to me. A lot of wine here still with a lot of time ahead of it. Good stuff.
  • 1987 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
    Easily one of the best Cal Cabs I have had. This showed just as well as it did a month ago. The nose really takes me to another place with seamless complexity weaving dust, cedar, tar and rocks together. Lots of grip here still on a nicely balanced palate with lots of rich fruit. Not going anywhere soon and drinking spectacularly now. Awesome.

1982 Bordeauxs

  • 1982 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    Terrific nose with note of pencil lead and deep dark chocolate. Weighty and rich, well balanced with plenty of acidity. Tannins seemed light. I have to say that while this was good I was expecting more going in so it seemed a bit of a let down. Reading other notes leads me to believe that this probably could have used a decant.
  • 1982 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    Nose had nice cigar qualities. Palate showed some odd something that others said was TCA. I’m cool with that. It was flawed somehow. NR (flawed)

1991 Ridge Cab Lineup

  • 1991 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Lots of blackberries on the nose. Perfect Cali Cab palate with plenty of tart acidity. Still drinking well tonight showing a bit of oxidation but lots of richness left. Slight green qualities that add complexity. The “2nd” wine from this estate shows better than lots of other first wines at a similar age. Very nice and a bargain if you can find it.
  • 1991 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Jimsomare - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Nose is a bit tight showing some notes of cigar. Well balanced with that terrific Jimsomare acidity. But overall not showing a lot of complexity or depth. Good dinner wine.
  • 1991 Ridge Monte Bello - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Lots of dark notes of chocolate, coffee and espresso but not in the oaked up young Cab way. Also some truffles intermingled and some slightly greenish qualities. This one probably also needed a decant. Still a child leaving it’s sibling, the SC Mountains, to show more open on the night. This will clearly be better in another 10 years.

Post Dinner

  • 1973 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder
    It was getting late and the wine was sinking in so my note is of the minimalist style. Nose of older Cab. Plenty of fruit and tannin on the palate still. They certainly knew something about wine making back then.
  • 1974 Quinta do Noval Porto Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto
    Bottled in 2005. Sweet cherry nose. Nutty with tart cherries. Nicely balanced with no heat. This was somewhere between an old Colheita and a young Tawny to me not showing the thick very nutty caramel notes I’ve gotten on older Colheita’s previously. Very nice and easy drinking.

Posted from CellarTracker

Most likely damaged judging from your notes. I had the simple '90 Deutz Brut in a mid-September 2008 vintage '90 lunch and it was in great shape - absolutely no oxidative notes.

1982 Château Léoville Las Cases > - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Terrific nose with note of pencil lead and deep dark chocolate. Weighty and rich, well balanced with plenty of acidity. Tannins seemed light. I have to say that while this was good I was expecting more going in so it seemed a bit of a let down. Reading other notes leads me to believe that this probably could have used a decant.

That’s a very good wine, no doubt. The last time I opened one of my own back in 10/08/05, I decanted it for around 1½ hours. I’ve had it twice since then from other people’s bottles but can’t seem to find of my notes on them (this means it was before I started my blog). Personally, though the '82 is pretty darn good, I prefer their 1986. The last one of my own I opened was 12/21/05.

Reading other notes leads me to believe that this probably could have used a decant.

When discussing the lineup afterwards with Andy, he told me how the LLC showed and the first thing I said, was it needs a lot of decant time. I’ve only had it three times, but the difference when it is properly decanted is significant.

I love 1991 Ridge MB, it was my earliest purchase of Monte Bello, although when I bought it, I was already hooked on Geezer & Lyttons, but the '91 was probably my intro to MB. It is still a rock star! If only we could roll back to the pricing of those days. [shrug.gif]

Glad the '74 Noval did not show the typical heat that it can exude. A really great lineup!

Wow the 74 Noval was bottled in 2005? Is it still available?

Thanks for the thoughts Roy. There was certainly a lot of fruit in the LLC and surprisingly chocolaty. But as you say it seemed wrapped up. My compatriots on often afraid of letting their wines touch the air for more than a few minutes beore consumption especially when more than a few years old. You’d think they still drink the cheap stuff!
[diablo.gif] [cheers.gif]

What a terrific dinner! Mucho thanks go to Dr. Dietz for putting this together, as well as to everyone who contributed wine, food, and scandalous conversation. Although Cris and I differed in many of our impressions, I think we both agreed that the 1987 Montelena was our WOTN. Here are my notes:

CLASSIC BORDEAUX AND CALIFORNIA CABS - Casa Dietz - Santa Ana, CA (4/11/2009)

Champagne

  • 1990 Deutz Champagne Cuvée William Deutz - France, Champagne
    My impressions of this wine differed from Cris, but then again, I was drinking this out of a Zalto stem, which IMO tends to make Champagne taste more youthful and vibrant. Notes of nougat, baked green apples, crushed shells, and, with air, toffee and bruléed sugar. Precise and focused on the palate, with a lively acidity, and a long rich chalk-laden finish. Very enjoyable. (93 pts.)
  • 1999 Claude Carré et Fils Champagne Cuvée Passion - France, Champagne
    The first time I tasted this wine was in November of 2008. I gave it 91 points then and thought that it was surprisingly good for the price. Tasting it again over the weekend, I realize that that first bottle was not a fluke. This is a terrific wine for the price. Chalky on the palate with a nervy acidity, this wine exhibits notes of green and golden apples, starfruit, and a touch of cucumber and minerals on the finish. A very distinctive wine. (91 pts.)

Chardonnay

  • 1990 Stony Hill Chardonnay - USA, California, Napa Valley
    The nose and palate seemed very cloaked at first. Then the TCA took over. NR (flawed)
  • 1993 Talley Vineyards Chardonnay Estate Arroyo Grande Valley - USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley
    This wine was holding up rather well considering its age. It’s not often that one drinks (and enjoys) a 16 year old Chardonnay. Notes of preserved lemons, pastry cream, chopped almonds, and chalk. Smooth and delicate on the palate with a muted acidity. A delight to taste. (90 pts.)
  • 2006 Rhys Chardonnay Alpine Vineyard - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    The fact that this wine was decanted for 8 hours is probably a testament to its quality and potential longevity. Rugged notes of lemon peel, smoke, grilled limes, and crushed shells. Tangy acidity with a long steely finish. (88 pts.)

Pre-dinner

  • 1967 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    This wine was clearly past its prime, but that is not to say it had completely lost its merits. Fading notes of mushrooms, white cherries, tobacco, and slate. A short, tart, and gasping finish. (85 pts.)
  • 1987 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
    This gorgeous wine is a classic expression of California Cabernet. It has old Hollywood written all over it. Glamourous notes of black cherries, crushed raspberries, cassis, wet soil, licorice, and saddle leather. Rich, structured, and complex. A brilliant wine and easily my WOTN. (95 pts.)
  • 1993 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
    A little hard to believe that this was the youngest Cab-based wine at the table. Ripe notes of sour cherries, red plums, red currants, tobacco, and dried herbs. With air, the wine picks up some dark chocolate. Fleshy on the plate with a long finish. Fun to drink. (91 pts.)

1982 Bordeaux

  • 1982 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    This wine was corked, unfortunately, but underneath the TCA lurked powerful notes of cassis, graphite, and cedar. Major bummer! NR (flawed)
  • 1982 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    This epic and legendary wine was a delight to drink. That said, between Parker’s 100 points and Suckling’s 95, I think the bar of expectations was set a little too high. Don’t get me wrong; this was a joy to drink, but I do not think it is worth the tariff, nor do I think it is going to get any better with time. Notes of violets, currants, crushed raspberries, cedar, sweet tobacco, graphite and bitter chocolate. Broad and expansive on the palate with a slightly tart finish. 93-94 points. (93 pts.)

1991 Ridge

  • 1991 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Notes of cassis, cigar box, anise, and dried herbs. Balanced and elegant and probably the most ready to drink of the three. 91-92 points. (91 pts.)
  • 1991 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Jimsomare - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    This wine had an Old World character to it; it could have easily been a ringer in a line-up of Bordeaux. Earthy notes of red fruits, cedar, wet soil, and graphite. Dense and tannic on the palate with a herbal finish. 92-93 points. (92 pts.)
  • 1991 Ridge Monte Bello - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    In contrast to the Jimsomare, this one came across as more New World in character. Ripe notes of mint, black fruits, chocolate, leather, graphite and wet loamy soil. Slightly pruney on the palate. Clearly the richest of the three Ridges and in definite need of more time (or a healthy decant). 92-93 points. (92 pts.)

Post-dinner

  • 1973 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder
    Earthy and gamey with notes of candy bars, red currants, and leather. Still chugging along with no signs of fading. (88 pts.)
  • 1974 Quinta do Noval Porto Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto
    Excellent. Notes of candied pecans, maraschino cherries, and pie crust. What’s not to like about that? (93 pts.)

Cris, I started a thread on the other board in case you wanted to chime in.

http://dat.erobertparker.com/bboard/showthread.php?t=199849" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

OK, I’ll send it now. Look for it in a couple days. [rolleyes.gif]

I thought the 1991 Ridge flight was quite simply amazing. The Jimsomare (and thanx Andy V. for somehow finding a bottle after getting sniped on Winebid) had one of those noses that you just can’t stop thinking about. Baking spice and spring flowers. And it was just as tasty. The Santa Cruz bottling, my 3d time with it, was also showing beautifully after a bit of a miss last time with it. The Monte Bello was classy and complex, with nothing amiss. Plenty of fruit with secondary flavors, and all these wines had spot-on acid levels.

The 1987 Montelena was just beautiful. I will have to get more of that. Pretty close to perfection.

I liked the 1967 Leoville Barton better than most. No, it didn’t seem like an older Bdx, at least the ones we have had experience with. But the light color, the good acidity and the still bright red fruit made many of us think Burgundy. Delightful.

The 1982 LLC was a bit of a disappointment. Not a bad wine, it just didn’t live up to it’s reputation that night. Kinda like some of us at times.

Another good night of trying some interesting wines, communing over the dinner table and enjoying one another’s company. The Champagnes were a great start to the evening (along with Crissy’s clams in Chenin Blanc sauce w/ garlic) and the tawny port, which I liked a lot, a great way to finish.

Nice set of wines. Pretty cool gesture JD. Have only had the '82 Dominique but no wow moment. But have had '91 Montebello and '87 Montelena and both are fantastic wines. Never had the '73 but was very fortunate to have sampled the '74 Mayacamus at an EWG gig. Simple stunning!

Sounds like my kind of night.

Great night. Thanks to all. In the middle of 2 weeks of travel but I will try to find some time to add some thoughts.

I think I loved all non-flawed wines.

Jason

Errr… hmmm… strange math.

This was one of those nights where pretty much everything intrigued me and tasted great. A great line up by all accounts. Big thanks to DrVP and Lorena for opening up Chez Dietz.


  • 1993 Talley Vineyards Chardonnay Estate Arroyo Grande Valley - USA, California, Central Coast, Arroyo Grande Valley
    What a great surprise. The acid seemed to be fading while the oak was still strong but man this was good for what it is. Everyday wine I wish I had purchased more of and buried in the locker. (89 pts.)
  • 1967 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    I was really enjoying this although it is fragile. Smelled like Bordeaux while looking, tasting and feeling like an old simple Burgundy. This is a wine to enjoy with food. (90 pts.)
  • 1993 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley
    Being my wedding year I have a number of 93s where it is the only vintage I own. I had a few other Etudes here and there but haven’t bought for years. No reason. I enjoyed this wine. Different style than the other cabs but done right. Lots of fruit with a nice amount of sweetness, accented with oak. I took it home to finish the next day, and although I think can progress fine, I like where it is right now. (92 pts.)
  • 1987 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
    How can you go wrong with this. It is the wine that turned me into a Montelena fanatic back in the early 90s. Still plenty of tannic structure but drinking perfectly. I think this wine has always drank well. (93 pts.)
  • 1982 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
    I flat out enjoyed this. Still very young. The wine seemed to fly by. So effortless. Kind of like a flasher. (93 pts.)
  • 1991 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    What a difference a bottle makes. The last bottle of this was overly dusty and dirty to me. This was clean yet rustic. (90 pts.)
  • 1991 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Jimsomare - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    My first time trying this wine. I loved it. It was the most precise of the Ridges. It was purple in my mouth. Unique flavors. Showing young and lively. (92 pts.)
  • 1991 Ridge Monte Bello - USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains
    Against the other 2 Ridges this showed as the big daddy. More brooding and structured. Fruit and sweet flavors dialed back from the Jimsomare. More earth, minerals and tannins. Still need time. Mote Bello shows why it is a classic. (93 pts.)
  • 1973 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder
    Awesome but this needed more time than we gave it. Still so much structure but the fruit is there. I think a little air would have softened the palate more. Classic Mayacamas that should probably be drank on the sooner side. (91 pts.)
  • 1974 Quinta do Noval Porto Colheita - Portugal, Douro, Porto
    Oh come on. This was way too tasty. I would have kept drinking but I had to get home eventually. This was about perfect balance for me. Great finish to an evening of old Cabs and whatnot. (94 pts.)

Cheers,

Jason