CORRY AND YM’S BIRTHDAY - (29/8/2025)
A great birthday celebration and Corry was very generous as usual to bring four (!) blockbuster wines. Unanimous WOTN was the '82 PLL, followed by the Rougeard, Cathiard, Margaux and Krug for me. Shame the Verset was faulty…
- 1998 Noël Verset Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas
Some debate on whether this was corked but thought this was brett as it presented as wet socks rather than the usual cardboard nose. Bummer because this was one of my bucket list wines. Very Burgundian-like, would love to try a good bottle. NR (flawed) - 1994 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
My contribution. Decanted into Voss bottle at lunchtime for dinner. Interestingly guesses ranged between Bordeaux, Loire, and Spanish and were generally on the younger range from '00s onwards (only one person guessed '80s). These old Napas always show incredibly youthfully with well-judged oak use, rich black fruit with decadent sweetness. Some classic cedar wood on the nose emerged with time in the glass. Only slight was that these old Napas lack the detail of great Bordeaux despite their longevity, all the flavours come in a single block on the midpalate without a clear entry or finish if that makes sense. (93 pts.) - 2014 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Terrific floral, lifted bouquet but agree that the palate was rather thin and stripped of fruit, guessed '11 Burgundy from a top maker. Did put on weight with air but not the most representative bottle I suspect. - 2011 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny
Everyone guessed Rhone for this (others went for northern, I was in the south because of the sweetness) since there was no pyrazine note of Loire. Very red-fruited and elegant for Le Bourg, palate was very complete - seamless, silky and sensual. Incredibly fine and ethereal wine. Cool vintage Rougeards are always a knockout. (96 pts.) - 1982 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Supposedly ex-chateau but most of us felt more likely to be ex-Rudy, friend bought this from a local retailer. Surprisingly lithe and red-fruited, didn’t have the density or structure of a Las Cases. Probably a fake but sign me up, I actually preferred this over the usual style. NR (flawed) - NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 164eme - France, Champagne
My contribution, decanted into a sparkling thermos flask at lunchtime for dinner. Wow this bottle was on fire, probably benefited from a lot of air. Perfect balance of richness and acidity, had both length and breadth. Always a pleasure to have a bottle that makes you think Krug is Krug. (95 pts.) - 2013 Dom Pérignon Champagne - France, Champagne
Similar to previous impressions. A leaner edition of Dom with a more acidic profile, still quite young and overshadowed by the outstanding Krug today. (93 pts.) - 1982 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Wow this was even better than the bottle last year, and this left me with the same reaction - it was so good that I didn’t want to finish the glass. A very emotive wine. Nothing to add to my note from last year, just perfection in a bottle. Consensus WOTN. (98 pts.) - 1990 Château La Mission Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
Superb floral nose with a tannic spine that led most including myself to Nebbiolo, but with time in the glass the pyrazines note became more apparent that this was a textbook Bordeaux, so was surprised most stuck with Italian as their guess. Very good wine but the rough tannins of LMHB (a realisation I had during the HB vs LMHB dinner last month) stuck out against the silky PLL and Margaux. (94 pts.) - 1989 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Some debate but unfortunately no doubt in my mind that this was corked. NR (flawed) - 1988 Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Wow this went head-to-head with the '82 Lalande. Didn’t have any greenness and came across as quite powerful despite its underlying elegance, so I thought that this was an '86. Palate was delicate with silky tannins, so classic and restrained. The '80s were truly the peak for Bordeaux. Also another example of the consistency of Margaux. (95 pts.) - 1996 Domaine René Engel Clos Vougeot - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos Vougeot Grand Cru
Very singular wine, clearly from a top maker so I guessed Rousseau because of the tea-like tannins and superb bouquet. Full of rusticity and charm with wild strawberry fruit, acidity of '96 became a little obtrusive after some air and overpowered the sweet fruit but grateful to have tried this. (94 pts.) - 2008 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru En Orveaux - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
Easy guess based on the person who brought it but also because this was textbook Cathiard. A monumental wine that had everything you want from a Burgundy, an iron fist in a velvet glove sort of wine with power and grace. Cool vintage helped this to be more approachable; oak was fully integrated and the silky dark red fruit was expressive and pure. Best Burgundy on show tonight. (95 pts.) - 2007 Viñedos Lacalle y Laorden Rioja Viña el Pisón - Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alavesa, Rioja
Unfortunately oxidised. NR (flawed)
