Notes from a blind tasting – theme was 2004 or prior French (starter and finishing wines don’t have to comply).
2008 Dom. du Chalet Pouilly Pouilly Fuisse – showing a little colour, and closed in the nose for a bit, but finally showed some waxy lemon, but none of the minerality I prize in a wine like this. It also showed the oak much more obviously once it had warmed, but sadly the fruit level was still below par.
1997 Dom. de Closel Savennieres ‘Les Coulees’ – an extra I brought along, having found a cache in the cellar. Medium amber colour, some oxidation in the nose, but beneath that enough flavour interest to make the exercise worthwhile. Some interesting fruit notes – pear and citrus – and an endearing nuttiness in the finish. Would have been best 10 years ago.
1995 Dom. Roger Sabon Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige – I got to present the second wine as well. This had what several of us thought was the best most interesting nose of the night, a slightly funky (in a good way) nose with undertones of red fruit and pepper. It was medium in colour, with garnet edges and middle weight, with excellent balance and good length. I’ve seen some spotty notes on this wine – either we were lucky, or my cellar conditions are better than some – it was bought on release, so has had consistent conditions. Happy to have more of this, but I think it should be drunk over the next 2 or 3 years.
2001 Drouhin Cote de Beaune – a modest village wine that put on a pretty good show. While obviously no Clos des Mouches, it had a pleasant if simple dark cherry nose, medium length and was in good shape at that age – good value.
1989 Ch. Clerc Milon – an excellent cedar based nose sent us immediately to Bordeaux and I got the vintage pretty quickly. Tannins are resolved and it had a good level of sweet fruit and nice clean finish with just enough acidity. Delighted to see I have a couple of these in the cellar. Not for holding.
2000 Ch. Le Puy Barthelemy – this was a wine from the Cotes de Fronsac, I daresay the best I’ve tasted from that area (although my experience is pretty limited). A very slightly funky fruit nose followed by sweet ripe fruit in the mouth and good concentration. The nose threw us a bit and we were exploring Rhone possibilities at first. It is their top cuvee and was sealed with red wax.
1997 Ch. Maucaillou – this Moulis wine was also a bit outside my experience as I own none of this vintage and doubt I have tasted it more than a couple of times. It had a sweetish nose, and was notable green and stemmy in the mouth, though not really to excess, and a bit low in acidity. Would make a decent luncheon claret.
1995 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle – this wine surprised me, in a couple of ways. I have some in my cellar and had pegged it as a long haul wine based on early tastings when it showed as unusually tight and tannic. This bottle had a nose more like a Bordeaux than a Rhone, which led a couple of people to make stabs at that. I noted a lot of now softened tannin and pretty good balance and length, but when we let it sit in the glass, it began to decline, which is exactly the opposite of what I would have expected. Maybe a bottle that had seen heat damage in early life? Interestingly, when I checked reviews on line, I saw two groups – those saying it was excellent and had time and a group saying it was in decline or even flawed. Bad batches out there? Shades of 1989 Beaucastel!
1997 Ch. St. Cosme Gigondas – nailed the vintage and producer of this very nice mature Rhone (I still have a case in the cellar so am pretty familiar with it). Classic meat and black pepper nose, with leathery noses, good fruit, resolved tannin and now at prime. Time to get drinking!
1999 Ch. Beychevelle – still dark, showing a woody nose, and sadly flat in the middle on palate, though it did open a bit, it never displayed acceptable fruit levels and then declined, leading me to think that we had another damaged bottle.
1988 Ch. Lafaurie Peyraguey – this Sauternes delighted me. Medium gold with a nose of lemon and coconut, with hints of orange rind, and in the mouth full and sweet with no signs of decline. I think this will coast along for years. Lovely.