Wine Festival. This was the first event I attended at this year's festival on Thursday afternoon, May 15th. It was in a lovely private home in the Polpis region of Nantucket Island. I had attended a tasting at this same house last year. About 15 people were in attendance at the tasting including Paul Draper of Ridge. After the tasting I had a chance to tell Mr. Draper how a Ridge Lytton Springs had been an epiphany red wine for me back in the early 80's when I was living in California.
The Pichon Longueville Baron estate, a deuxieme growth from Pauillac, is about 7 hectares. We started with the oldest wine in the vertical and worked forward.
1996 Corinne, the female somm, recommended decanting for 30-40 minutes for this wine. Something in the nose recalls old leather but in a refined, elegant manner. Fruit notes suggested raspberry and cherry to me. This was probably my #2 wine of the tasting. Really nice.
2000 A two-hour decant is suggested for this vintage if opening it now. I liked the nose on this and its very pleasant finish. My #1 of the tasting, unfortunately still quite expensive to purchase because of the reputation of the vintage. The composition is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc.
2001 was double decanted about an hour before serving. Dark fruit on the nose; slightly brooding. Basically the same composition of grapes as the 2000 vintage. Seems to need food. Corinne, the presenter and somm, suggests mushroom risotto.
2006 Corinne says this is variable and is sometimes open, sometimes closed so may require a long decant time or preferably cellar it for at least five more years. I perceived some red plum on the nose, a little puckering on the finish but a nice chewiness to the texture. Corinne found black fruit and pepper spice. I also found light cedar notes on this wine. Full-bodied. Corinne says this will be great in 20 years.
2007 was a rainy vintage. The estate was very selective of the grapes used. This is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot. It is drinking well earlier than other vintages with some red currant notes. Medium-length finish. May last for 20 years but not as long as sturdier vintages from this estate. 80% new French oak and 20% one-year old barrels. It spent twenty months in oak barrels.
We also enjoyed a taste of 2007 Chateau Suduiraut, a really nice vintage for Sauternes. It was peachy on the palate with a hint of tangerine as well.
I shared a cab with Paul Draper and another couple on the way back to the historic part of Nantucket.
Still ahead--a Burgundy luncheon, another Bordeaux vertical of Chateau Palmer, and a cheese and wine pairing session.