Rico came over just in time to watch Papelbon collapse, so we had to make up for the disappointment with some good grape juice.
1996 Pol Roger Brut
Classic bottle of Champagne. You can’t help but salivate and slurp this big boy down once you get a whiff of the brioche, buttery/cream, mushroom and strawberries n cream. The cream factor was high here lol. One of those wines that’s dense and rich, but weightless - riding in waves over every taste bud and clinging to them, long after the wine disappears down the gullet. Drank great, but so big this has plenty of life left.
1996 Chateau Montelena Estate
Still drinking fantastically. Plenty of menthol, black licorice and red fruits backed by florals and a whiff of minerals/rocks on the nose - and repeating them on the palate. Tannin is playing a supporting role here, and while this drinks seamlessly without any sharp edges or bumps now, has tons of running room left. Seemed demure, classic Napa cab, full of sweet currant fruit.
2001 Bruno Clavelier Nuits St George Aux Cras
Massive wine, reminiscent of Pommard. I’d hang onto these for a while, very layered and dense palate but clamps down a little on the back end. Very very young.
2004 La Dame de Montrose
Another huge wine, still retaining its oak, with chocolatey/cocoa-ey laced fruit. Dense and pretty tight, hold.