Notes from dinner at Restaurant 101 with Helen, Arnie, Denny and Johnny. All wines from 1999 except the Barros Vintage Port.
Chateau Gruaud-Larose 1999 - Lots of fruit on the nose. Very fine, powdery tannin. Dry, bitter chocolate. Well balanced and perfectly integrated. Drinking very nicely. Excellent.
Dame de Montrose 1999 - Second wine of Chateau Montrose. A little bit oaky, New World and ripe fruit nose. Still tannic and closed. Bittersweet cocoa on the finish. Angular. Needs a few years to come together.
Beringer Alluvium Knight's Valley 1999 - Bordeaux blend. Very sweet, jam and tobacco nose. Sweet, syrupy, porty. Tea-like flavors. After the elegance of the Gruaud-Larose this seemed like cartoonish wine. Probably would have been fine if not tasted in the company of the Bordeauxs.
Clos de Templiers Lalande de Pomerol 1999 - Mint. Milk chai. Bright acid and soft tannins. Quite good.
Alois Kracher Taminer Trockenbeerenauslese 1999 - Burnt sugar. Well integrated. Not very rich but that makes it easy to drink. Very good.
Barros Vintage Port 1995 - Showing a tinge of orange color. Figgy. Not very sweet. Quite soft and ready to drink. Not a profound Port but still makes a good drink especially when paired with the almonds and mild blue cheese.