November 5th, 2006
Wines were decanted and poured back into bottles 6 hours prior to the tasting. Tasting was done blind in flights of 3 in the order below. After unveiling of the wines they were assembled in new flights of 3 and served with the following menu and reassessed. The first score is that of the blind tasting portion, the second score is that with food or even the next day.
MENU
1. Sauteed Penne with Foie Gras, Mushrooms and Duck Bacon
2. Roast Poussin with Oven Roasted Potatoes and Carrots
or Duck Leg Confit with Salad Greens and Radicchio Trevisano
3. Boneless Lamb Shank with Orzo and Sugar Snap Peas
4. Selection of Piemonte Cheeses: Testun, Castelmagno (aged)
and Mattonella
G.Mascarello, Monprivato: Garnet; still totally closed on the nose with aromatics that show finesse rather than power; quite broad in flavor and with great structure it is still puzzlingly shy of the depth and richness expected of this vaunted vintage. Even with food it is very much austere and unexciting. Is it the bottle? Judgement reserved. 89+
L.Sandrone, Le Vigne: Nearly 5 shades darker than the Monprivato it is also quite different in style, being modern and aromatically forward with classic notes of tar and of roses. Woodsy and soft on the palate it is impressively extracted and rounded out with fine and thoroughly ripe tannins. Magically even more alive with food. 92/93
E.Pira , Marenca: Also very dark; even though the nose has toasty oak and vanillin it is still somehow less modern than the Sandrone, showing restraint and minerality . Explosive fruit on entry suddenly subsides in the mid-palate under the weight of tannin; quite rich and full it develops dramatically with time to become a subsuming force on the palate with a sensationally long finish. Totally in harmony with the penne course and its rich foie gras sauce. 92/94
Veglio, Gattera: Medium dark; sports a lovely nose with essence of attar and new leather as well as a herbal element; intense and explosive on the attack it too, like the Pira wine, calms down in mid stride showing tremendous dry extract and a long finish. Later it shows more gentle and restrained but then also reveals some low acidity. No matter, this is excellent. 93/92
Manzone, Gramolere: Garnet colored; teasing scents of sweet, ripe black fruits with a faint perfume of flowers and candle-wax; medium-full with supple tannins, stylishly contoured fruit but with less than perfect balance due to its low acidity. Still this wine is excellent with the poussin to which it adds a nice anise counterpoint. This will be ready soon. 89/90
Revello, Giacchini: Quite dark; nose has rich fruit and mocha scents; palate is uncomplicated and rather linear with only an emphasis on fruit. Even with food the one-dimensional character of the wine continues. 86/85
Seghesio, La Villa: Very dark; mentholated fruit, "tartuffo" and spicy new oak--thoroughly modern style. So ripe is the fruit that this tastes like Barolo with some Taylor 10 year old Tawny Port. Coconutty and flamboyant this is not what I consider typical Barolo. And as it sits, and with food, it is overpowering and boorish. Not my style. 88/??
A.Conterno, Bussia: Excellent depth of color; high toned nose which veils the perfume and fruit scents rising from the glass--excitingly mysterious; lovely fruit with excellent balance and grip; outstanding acidity to the medium bodied flavors of red fruits and earthy mushrooms. Later on, with food the wine blossoms even more and is quite generous (albeit slightly chunky) and flavorsome to the end. 92/93
Clerico, Ciabot Mentin-Ginestra: Medium dark; the nose is tightly shut and totally unevocative; solid and stolid on the palate this has a roasted warm compote of blackberries and anise --nearly classic with its abundance of tannins which,even with food, was mostly unyielding. Possibly an excellent wine. 92/91
Azelia, Bric Fiasco: Medium dark; sweet tartuffo nose with fresh crushed rose petals; surprisingly tannic on entry but there is so much fruit that after the first sip the fruit appears to get the upper hand; excellent balance and because of its sound acidity the finish is long and interesting. Strangely it did not partner well with the lamb where it went "MUTE". Excellent wine. 94/92
Marcarini, La Serra: Quite dark; licorice, blackberries and lemon verbena on the nose; rather tight and not much going on now; it has rich acidity and ample fruit but even with food it was not very revealing. My guess is that this is a butterfly waiting to take wing. 90
Marengo, Brunate : Dark, almost bluish; nose is totally modern and is more reminiscent of a Priorat wine than a classic Barolo; rich and intensely fruity (the blue color was a tip-off) it is also very supple and forward. An excellent restaurant wine. To my palate this is on the simple side. 87/??
Sunday, November 26, 2006
2003 Bordeaux Tasting
October 2006 Tasting:
Wines were tasted blind in flights of 3. After the wines were revealed they were reassessed (once again in flights) with a four course meal . Scores shown after my tasting notes show both scores, blind and that with dinner. If the score is unchanged only a single score is given. Notes are in order of wines tasted.
Beausejour Becot (St. Emilion): Very dark ruby; deep and inviting nose with exotic spices, black fruits; spicy and forward but never ponderous. Delightful wine with sumptuous finish. Stylish and well balanced. 92/92
La Mission Haut Brion (Graves): Also very dark; dusty and green peppery nose with slightly roasted notes; unexpectedly weak and washed out with a lean and sinewy character. Very underwhelming wine even with food. This is usually one of my favorite Bordeaux. Possibly a bad bottle. 85/?
Rausan Segla (Margaux): Quite dark; intense aromas of oak, ripe fruit that is almost Spanish in style; quite exciting. Promise of the nose does not carry over to the palate, however, where it is relatively straightforward and low acid (a demerit)-- somewhat dull and hollow. Yet it is fine with food where it sparkles and ably partners. 87/89
Smith Haut Lafite (Graves): Not as dark as the previous three; fragrant and perfumed , (seems more Margauxish than Graves-like), it seemingly defies the vintage character. Medium full with fine tannins supporting the rich and ripe fruit. Alcohol is in check and overridden by a long, flavorful finish. Delicious now but has potential to age and be the better for it. 92+
Grand Puy Lacoste (Pauillac): Medium dark with garnet overtones; slightly mentholated fruit but in general reticent on the nose; lean fruit with little in the way of depth or glycerin; does take on weight with food (an hour later) but remains hot and herbaceous. 85/86
Langoa Barton (St.Julien): Darkish ruby; New oak/ vanillin/ripe and forward fruity nose; rich and quite a mouthful of fruit with soft and ripe flavors. Fine tannins give this wine a balance and focus. Lowish acidity and dilution mars the finish of an otherwise interesting and fine wine. 88
La Lagune (Haut Medoc): Deep garnet; firm and dusty nose with an uncharacteristic unyielding character (even time did not do much to advance the nose); medium bodied, low acid and soft-- delicious already . Like the Langoa it has a similar dilution in finish; best drunk over the next decade. 89/88
Duhart Milon (Pauillac): Rich color; full throttle nose with intense fruit backed by new oak; deep and brooding on the palate with ripe and exotic fruit. Surprisingly restrained as it develops, it is intense but never cloying. Has remarkable focus and well adjusted acidity. The best Duhart I have ever tasted this is a wine that will repay keeping . 92+
La Grange (St.Julien): Very dark; though the nose is still embryonic there are exciting hints of chocolate and blackberry truffles with new oak spice backing; explosive entry with generous, delicious and forward fruit ( totally not presaged by the nose); sweet yet structured on palate it is almost reminiscent of a great Ridge Montebello cab. A winsome, lovely wine. Lots of aging potential . 90/91
Malescot St. Exupery (Margaux): Has a lot of characteristics of the previous wine and initially the wine, though explosive, was taut and hard in the finish; with aeration it barely changed and remained stubbornly ungiving. Yet there is much to like about this powerful wine. Much, much later the wine began to reveal an awesome depth of fruit; broad and dense with potential to be a giant amongst its peers in this vintage 90/93
Gazin (Pomerol): Garnet with a solid core; rather burgundian aromas of earth and leather adds elements of complexity to the nose; medium bodied; initially showed a chewy, sinewy and ungenerous side with markedly low acidity , but with time and with food it was seductive and giving. Quite good . Not for keeping long 88/89
Domaine de Chevalier (Graves): Dull and insipid nose--herbaceous cabernet flavors..with food the wine remained one dimensionally sweet and devoid of flavor. Dull and vapid finish. Was unanimously everyone's least favorite wine of the tasting. 86/84
Wines were tasted blind in flights of 3. After the wines were revealed they were reassessed (once again in flights) with a four course meal . Scores shown after my tasting notes show both scores, blind and that with dinner. If the score is unchanged only a single score is given. Notes are in order of wines tasted.
Beausejour Becot (St. Emilion): Very dark ruby; deep and inviting nose with exotic spices, black fruits; spicy and forward but never ponderous. Delightful wine with sumptuous finish. Stylish and well balanced. 92/92
La Mission Haut Brion (Graves): Also very dark; dusty and green peppery nose with slightly roasted notes; unexpectedly weak and washed out with a lean and sinewy character. Very underwhelming wine even with food. This is usually one of my favorite Bordeaux. Possibly a bad bottle. 85/?
Rausan Segla (Margaux): Quite dark; intense aromas of oak, ripe fruit that is almost Spanish in style; quite exciting. Promise of the nose does not carry over to the palate, however, where it is relatively straightforward and low acid (a demerit)-- somewhat dull and hollow. Yet it is fine with food where it sparkles and ably partners. 87/89
Smith Haut Lafite (Graves): Not as dark as the previous three; fragrant and perfumed , (seems more Margauxish than Graves-like), it seemingly defies the vintage character. Medium full with fine tannins supporting the rich and ripe fruit. Alcohol is in check and overridden by a long, flavorful finish. Delicious now but has potential to age and be the better for it. 92+
Grand Puy Lacoste (Pauillac): Medium dark with garnet overtones; slightly mentholated fruit but in general reticent on the nose; lean fruit with little in the way of depth or glycerin; does take on weight with food (an hour later) but remains hot and herbaceous. 85/86
Langoa Barton (St.Julien): Darkish ruby; New oak/ vanillin/ripe and forward fruity nose; rich and quite a mouthful of fruit with soft and ripe flavors. Fine tannins give this wine a balance and focus. Lowish acidity and dilution mars the finish of an otherwise interesting and fine wine. 88
La Lagune (Haut Medoc): Deep garnet; firm and dusty nose with an uncharacteristic unyielding character (even time did not do much to advance the nose); medium bodied, low acid and soft-- delicious already . Like the Langoa it has a similar dilution in finish; best drunk over the next decade. 89/88
Duhart Milon (Pauillac): Rich color; full throttle nose with intense fruit backed by new oak; deep and brooding on the palate with ripe and exotic fruit. Surprisingly restrained as it develops, it is intense but never cloying. Has remarkable focus and well adjusted acidity. The best Duhart I have ever tasted this is a wine that will repay keeping . 92+
La Grange (St.Julien): Very dark; though the nose is still embryonic there are exciting hints of chocolate and blackberry truffles with new oak spice backing; explosive entry with generous, delicious and forward fruit ( totally not presaged by the nose); sweet yet structured on palate it is almost reminiscent of a great Ridge Montebello cab. A winsome, lovely wine. Lots of aging potential . 90/91
Malescot St. Exupery (Margaux): Has a lot of characteristics of the previous wine and initially the wine, though explosive, was taut and hard in the finish; with aeration it barely changed and remained stubbornly ungiving. Yet there is much to like about this powerful wine. Much, much later the wine began to reveal an awesome depth of fruit; broad and dense with potential to be a giant amongst its peers in this vintage 90/93
Gazin (Pomerol): Garnet with a solid core; rather burgundian aromas of earth and leather adds elements of complexity to the nose; medium bodied; initially showed a chewy, sinewy and ungenerous side with markedly low acidity , but with time and with food it was seductive and giving. Quite good . Not for keeping long 88/89
Domaine de Chevalier (Graves): Dull and insipid nose--herbaceous cabernet flavors..with food the wine remained one dimensionally sweet and devoid of flavor. Dull and vapid finish. Was unanimously everyone's least favorite wine of the tasting. 86/84
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