an 89 and a 99 to end 2009…
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1989 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (1/1/2010)
Decanted this one for an hour, and it could have used much longer. Very dark in the glass, showing hardly any age. Black fruits on the somewhat restrained nose, with a slight herbal quality (in a good way). The palate reveals this to be a very elegant claret. Ripe black currants and sweet cassis are the centerpieces of a rich, balanced, and classy wine that is in a good place–it has the richness of a young wine with a bit of the complexity and nuance that comes with age. Hints of leather and earth too. Nicely textured–no hard edges on this one, and its finish is long, delicious, and smooth. If the nose blossoms and the palate gains complexity, this could reach greater heights. This improved dramatically with air and I’d recommend at least two hours in the decanter if not more. (93 pts.) -
1999 Vilmart Champagne Cuvée Creation - France, Champagne (1/1/2010)
Very light color belies this wine’s vigorous attack. Aggressive nose of grilled fruit and spices leads to rich citrus on the palate. Strong orange zest and dried fruits are framed by a touch of cinnamon and bold minerality. Seriously concentrated and assertive. Nice acidity. This still tastes very young and is quite linear; my suspicion is that it will evolve and improve. Lovely NYE Champagne. (93 pts.)
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