Our Bordeaux group and a couple of other friends met at Bobby Van’s in Midtown East last night. We had some whites to start (I started with a crab cake)
2014 Francois Carillon “Les Macherelles “ Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Not sure I’ve ever tasted this vineyard before. Bright apple, lemon zest, touch of spiced nuts. Bright and very good. A-/B+
2014 Niellon “Les Vergers” Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru
Lots of matchstick sulphur at first, blows off fairly fast, pear and hazelnut, just a little vanilla, good length. B+/A-
Then a blind wine. Seemed white Bordeaux-ish, but she said not a classic region. Full bodied, oak, citrus and honey. I whiffed on guesses. 2012 Ornellaia Poggio alle Gazze (Toscana). SB with a little Viognier. B
On to the reds with our steaks
1975 Ch. Montrose
Pretty good showing, red plums with leather and distinct ferric notes, some leather. Structured but not hard like some ‘75 Medocs. B
1985 Ch. Montrose
Cassis and black cherry, earthy, mediumbodied with soft tannin. B+
1986 Ch. Montrose
Great showing, lovely fruit/acid balance, showing well but no hurry here, cassis with long minerally finish. A-
1989 Ch. Montrose
Black fruit, cigarbox, coffee. Big, good balance. No funk/barnyard in this bottle. A-/B+
1995 Ch. Montrose
Full, some tannic structure, black and red currant, tobacco, a tad tight. B+/B
1998 Ch. Montrose
A touch lean, black fruit, not as long as some. B/B-
2000 Ch. Montrose
Large scaled wines, tannin but also good acids, needs time. B+
2003 Ch. Montrose
This was not a freakshow ‘03, big lush fruit but not roasted, firm tannins, young. B+
2005 Ch. Montrose
Such a baby but lots of potential- rich black cassis fruit framed by firm but supple tannin, bright acids. Not so fun to drink now, but A- potential
2007 Ch. Montrose
Cassis, smoke, nice flavors but I thought a little hard and a little short. I think others liked more than I did B-
in our usual 3/2/1 voting
1986 27
1989 12
2005 9
1985 2
1995 2
2003 1
2000 1
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.