WTN: Jacquesson Avize, Monbousquet Blanc, Clusiere, Dominus, de Fargues

Notes from lunch at Old Manila at the Peninsula Hotel. Once again, Jojo supplying all the amazing wines.

Jacquesson Champagne Avize Grand Cru 1996 - Very pale gold. Dry and lemony with a slight yeasty and oxidative character. Medium-bodied. Very fresh and young. This will age a long, long time. Very good now but has great potential. Paired well with fresh oyster with beetroot jelly, caviar and sour cream.

Monbousquet Blanc 2003 - Woody nose. Light, silky but extremely woody on the palate. All fruit or other characteristic was obliterated by the wood. And it wasn't the creamy, sweet oaky wood either. Reminds me of the old-style white Riojas but without the oxidation. For me, undrinkable. Paired with a cauliflower mousse salad with truffle and salmon with some scampi which, unfortunately, was over-salted.

Chateau La Clusiere St Emilion Grand Cru 1999 - I was told that this property no longer exists at it was incorporated into Pavie in 2002. Very dry. Smooth. Classic pencil shavings on the nose. Well integrated with just a bit of tannic grip in the long finish. This wine positively sang with the roast lamb rack which made the sweetness of the wine come out.

Dominus 1991 - Very dark, young looking wine. Meaty nose. Mushroom, almost Burgundy-like flavor. Very smooth, dense and dry. Perfectly integrated and probably at peak now. I thought the Clusiere was pretty good but the Dominus made the St. Emilion taste rough and clumsy by comparison. Outstanding wine.

Chateau de Fargues 2003 - We decided to just have this Sauternes in lieu of dessert. Beautiful, sweet nose. Yellow tropical fruits - pineapple and mango mostly. Arnie and Johnny detected passion fruit. Burnt sugar. Very creamy and seamless. Extremely long finish. Obviously a youngster but hard not to drink this now. I tried this last year at Vinexpo Hong Kong and I think I rated it Very Good. After this recent taste I would have to upgrade it to Outstanding.

Jacquesson Champagne Avize Grand Cru 1996 - Very pale gold. Dry and lemony with a slight yeasty and oxidative character. Medium-bodied. Very fresh and young. This will age a long, long time. Very good now but has great potential. Paired well with fresh oyster with beetroot jelly, caviar and sour cream.

Considering that I like my Champagnes on the dead side when they are slightly maderised and mushroomy, I supposed I shouldn't open my one bottle (didn't have money to buy more) for a loooong time? Any guesses as to when I should open it?

Thanks for the notes,
-O-

[Jenise]

I envy you that Jacquesson--one of my favorite houses.

But what a surprise about the Monbousquet--I had no idea they even made a blanc. Would certainly have thought there'd been some big fruit on an 03.

I would say give the Jacquesson another ten years at least.

Yes, I was also expecting big fruit on the Monbousquet so it was not at all what I expected.

I'm really tempted to get some Jacquesson but since the tariff on sparkling wines was raised about 2 years back, Champagne prices have gone through the roof.