WTN: Reds at Jacques and Jill's house

OK, now to Sat evening at Jacques and Jill's home. We headed up from pool, settled in for steak and seasonal bounty (corn as well as tomatoes with basil and mozzarella). Everything delicious, and a load of nice red wines:

1970 Calon Segur
Pretty good showing, classic mature claret, plummy fruit with tobacco and cedar, good balance. B+/A-

1982 Gruaud Larose
Two different people offered bottles of this. I liked both, but one was clearly better than the other, especially on the palate where it seem lusher and more full bodied. Both had that classic Cordier funk of earth and a little cowpoop, I'd say A/A- and B+

1982 Branaire-Ducru
This wine can range from ok to great, and this bottle fell in the good range. Sweet '82 cassis fruit, leather, spice. B/B+

1997 Sandrone "Le Vigne" Barolo
Modern, but drinking nicely, the vanilla is integrating wth the red fruit, there's spice and a bit of tar. B+/A-

1999 Sandrone "Le Vigne" Barolo
I liked this less, it seemed a bit overpolished and the oak stuck out more. Still, a solid modern Barolo. B

2004 Dugat-Py Charmes-Chambertin
Big, oaky, tannic, some greenie meanies. Others liked this much more than I did. C+

1973 Mastroberardino Taurasi
John says he's had some great bottles from same case, this was good but not great. Some VA on the nose, red cherries with some prunes, still some tannins. B

2007 Radio-Coteau "La Neblina" Pinot Noir (Sonoma)
I'm just not the target audience for this kind of wine. Certainly well made, but far too ripe for my tastes. Blackberries and black cherries, some cocoa, others like more. C+/B-

1995 Giacosa "Santa Stefano" Barbaresco
Not much time for air, but shows well though one can see how time would help. Solid red cherry and berry fruit, very floral with violet aromas, silky tannins, good length.
Someone: "What's the difference between the white and red labels?"
Mark "About $100!"
Very nice wine. A-

There was also a 1998 Coutet, I took no notes, but think I liked but didn't love.

Thanks to Jacques and Jill for great food and incredible hospitality, Mark for the ride home, and everyone for good company and a nice assortment of wines. Great day/night.

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

All in all quite the day. I remain jealous of all the older Bordeaux you get to drink, especially '82 which is a vintage my local wine group (the older one) seems to have skipped because it was "too ripe." Of course they now drink Argentinian Malbec, so clearly tastes change.

I prefer Radio Coteau's Syrahs to their Pinots.

Thanks for the great notes, Dale.

Too bad about that Mastroberardino--that is one I'd like to have tried if it was in better shape.

I certainly agree that the 1999 Sandrone Le Vigne has a modern feel, but I and a bunch of guys had a really stellar bottle about 2 years ago that was showing great. It wasn't showing the blatant oak you mention (at least compared to 1997) back then, so maybe it needs to sit for a while now. I have a couple more bottles and will hold off. Thanks for the update.

-Michael

All in all quite the day. I remain jealous of all the older Bordeaux you get to drink, especially '82 which is a vintage my local wine group (the older one) seems to have skipped because it was "too ripe." Of course they now drink Argentinian Malbec, so clearly tastes change.

I didn't get into wine till 89/90 Bordeaux were out, but have backfilled lots of other vintages. I've bought my share of '82s, but most are gone. All I have left is one Canon, one Branaire (this wasn't mine), and a few minor Pomerols that probably should be drunk. So now I depend on the kindness of others.

Too bad about that Mastroberardino--that is one I'd like to have tried if it was in better shape.

This was certainly good, though not great. Old Mastroberardinos are very cool wines- the 68 Riserva is one of my all time favorite Italian wines

I certainly agree that the 1999 Sandrone Le Vigne has a modern feel, but I and a bunch of guys had a really stellar bottle about 2 years ago that was showing great. It wasn't showing the blatant oak you mention (at least compared to 1997) back then, so maybe it needs to sit for a while now. I have a couple more bottles and will hold off.

Maybe it's just a bit closed, and oak sticks out because fruit is subdued. But to me, I just thought not my stylistic fave. I'm more a Marcarini/Giacosa/Mascarello type