Mark hosted SOBER Tuesday. Instead of our usual Champagne start, he went with 2 sherries, the Equipo Navazos Fino No. 24 & the Equipo Navazos Manzanilla no. 30. I’m just not a sherr guy- I can appreciate that these were complex but I couldn’t find them appealing.
To the table for a chicken/kale soup with ginger and lemongrass, and the first blind flight (whites). Took a while to get that it was a Burg horizontal (I thought Rioja), but once Mark said yes John got 1989 on first guess, and that middle wine was Meursault
#1- pretty oxidized, oth, but fun to taste for level at such age. 1989 Sauzet Bourgogne Blanc C
#2- honied, ripe, big, mature 1989 Chavy-Chouet “Les Narvaux” Meursault 1er B
#3 Seemed a bit volatile at first, but calmed down, pear and walnut, 1989 Sauzet “Referts” Puligny Montrachet 1er B/B-
First red flight (with excellent pot roasted with mashed potatoes and green beans)
#1 - Herbal, black fruit,opens nicely, long 1995 Calon-Segur B+/A-
#2 -more restrained, pretty tight, but you can sense the power. 1995 La Mission Haut Brion B+?
Second Red Flight
Would have never guessed producer, because I think I’d never tried before.
#1- corked. 1988 Grand Tinel Chateauneuf-du-Pape
#2- full, ripe but balanced, dark berry fruit, licorice, spice, my fave of flight. 1989 Grand Tinel Chateauneuf-du-Pape B+/A-
#3 - ripe fruit, smoke, a little tarry edge that had me thinking Piedmont (but someone got Rhone before I ventured my guess) 1990 Grand Tinel Chateauneuf-du-Pape B+
Third Red Flight
#1 Sweet, complete, delicious, complex and a pointe. Really nice. 1981 Grand Tinel Chateauneuf-du-Pape A-
#2 maderized , too bad, this can be a great wine. . 1981 Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape C
Fourth Red Flight
#1- OK, we’re back in Bdx! Full, rich, long, sweet cassis and cigarbox, my WOTN. 1961 Ch. d’Issan. A-
#2-Quieter at first, opens nicely, redder fruits with a large herbal component, elegant. 1970 Ch. Nenin A-/B+
Great lineup, learned a new fave CdP producer, great food and company.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. 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.