Originally posted 12/27/01
Well, if last Wednesdays blowout wasnt enough, the next night the Hardy Livers Are Us club gathered at a friend's Upper West Side, 24th floor lair for some very tasty lamb shanks, sauted mushrooms on toast thingies, some absolutely delicious lemon Madeleines and chocolate souffl.
Brad
1990 Trimbach- Riesling, Cuve Frederic Emile
Showing much more exotic tropical fruit on the nose and palate than Ive experienced in previous bottles. Less lemony and bigger and riper in the mouth, which, of course suits me just fine. Lots of ripe mango, star fruit, citrus and mineral with the usual Trimbach verve. Finishes with a pleasant bitter note. Solid A-.
1990 Trimbach- Riesling, Clos St. Hune
Much tighter on the nose and palate than the FE with liquid rocks on the nose. Gorgeous mouthfeel with perfect weight. The wine has a great presences about it. Theres obvious richness and ripeness on the palate, but its not revealing much more than its youth. There are glimmers of mineral, bees wax, sweet yellow citrus and a hint of red fruit, but the wine simply needs more time in the bottle, or more air out of it, than we gave it. A.
1990 Trimbach- Riesling, Cuve Frederic Emile Vendanges Tardives
My friend .sasha immediately declares this wine undrinkable as we are not worthy. With that formality aside, the nose initially is quite closed, but opens to terrific fruit and mineral. Lots of dry extract on the palate. This is one ripe wine alright. Though it shows some light honeyed sweetness, dont confuse this with a sweet wine. Just gorgeous yellow citrus, apple and mineral flavors with a tropical edge. Perfectly balanced. Like buttah, dahling. A.
1998 Clos Rougeard- Saumur, Chac
Made from 100% Chenin Blanc. Yellow in color and , eh? What the hey! Who the hell put this thing in oak? Say it aint so, Joe! Youre not supposed to put Chenin in oak like this. Its against the law! Well, my law anyways. The nose offers little but butterscotch. On the palate, one can tell that theres some nice underlying pineapple, apple, citrus and mineral, but its marred by the oak. The oak may subside some with some age to release some goodies, but why bother? Its a dry wine. If it were sweet, maybe Id hold out hope for it. C+.
1985 Bernard Faurie- Hermitage
There must be a bunch of these bottles lying around as Ive seen a number of notes on this wine. Plenty of ripe fruit on the nose with bacon, earth and green tobacco. Though theres nice red fruit, earth and herb on the palate, the wine shows much younger on the nose than it does in the mouth. Tannins are firm and a tad austere. I find the wine a little past peak with the fruit losing out to the drying tannins. Shows better with food. B+.
1985 Mouton Rothschild- Pauillac
Elegant and quite minty on the nose with pleasant cherry, cedar earth and herb aromas. Takes a little while for the fruit to get going on the palate, but swirling eventually conjures up some nice red cherry fruit, cedar earth and herb. Its not a particularly forceful wine. In fact, calling it elegant is a nice way of saying its light. Acid levels are noticeably high and the finish is a tad drying. Not bad overall, but can someone remind me again why they were elevated to 1st Growth status? B+.
1970 Ducru Beaucaillou- St. Julien
Still a youthful dark ruby. Gorgeous, complex nose of cherry liqueur, spicy cedar, earth and a tinge of herb. Shows surprising vitality on the palate with still firm tannins and gives hints that its still brooding and holding back a little. Rich cherry fruit dominates with nicely integrated cedar flavors. Picks up some herb on the finish. Obviously a very well stored bottle. One I tried a few years ago was essentially earth and leather. Very nice showing. Solid A-.
1966 Ducru Beaucaillou- St. Julien
Another well stored bottle. Fill was bottom neck and the cork was removed intact. Decanting brought out a rush of enticing aromas. Shows more perfume than the 70 with lighter red cherry aromas with tobacco, earth and a touch of herb. Theres lots of things happening on the palate. More evolved than the 70, but its perhaps more interesting at this stage. Certainly lighter and more elegant, but it does pick up some weight over the evening. Complex cherry, tobacco, leather, earth and herb flavors in a well balanced, graceful package. Different than the 70, but just as good. Solid A-.
Well, if last Wednesdays blowout wasnt enough, the next night the Hardy Livers Are Us club gathered at a friend's Upper West Side, 24th floor lair for some very tasty lamb shanks, sauted mushrooms on toast thingies, some absolutely delicious lemon Madeleines and chocolate souffl.
Brad
1990 Trimbach- Riesling, Cuve Frederic Emile
Showing much more exotic tropical fruit on the nose and palate than Ive experienced in previous bottles. Less lemony and bigger and riper in the mouth, which, of course suits me just fine. Lots of ripe mango, star fruit, citrus and mineral with the usual Trimbach verve. Finishes with a pleasant bitter note. Solid A-.
1990 Trimbach- Riesling, Clos St. Hune
Much tighter on the nose and palate than the FE with liquid rocks on the nose. Gorgeous mouthfeel with perfect weight. The wine has a great presences about it. Theres obvious richness and ripeness on the palate, but its not revealing much more than its youth. There are glimmers of mineral, bees wax, sweet yellow citrus and a hint of red fruit, but the wine simply needs more time in the bottle, or more air out of it, than we gave it. A.
1990 Trimbach- Riesling, Cuve Frederic Emile Vendanges Tardives
My friend .sasha immediately declares this wine undrinkable as we are not worthy. With that formality aside, the nose initially is quite closed, but opens to terrific fruit and mineral. Lots of dry extract on the palate. This is one ripe wine alright. Though it shows some light honeyed sweetness, dont confuse this with a sweet wine. Just gorgeous yellow citrus, apple and mineral flavors with a tropical edge. Perfectly balanced. Like buttah, dahling. A.
1998 Clos Rougeard- Saumur, Chac
Made from 100% Chenin Blanc. Yellow in color and , eh? What the hey! Who the hell put this thing in oak? Say it aint so, Joe! Youre not supposed to put Chenin in oak like this. Its against the law! Well, my law anyways. The nose offers little but butterscotch. On the palate, one can tell that theres some nice underlying pineapple, apple, citrus and mineral, but its marred by the oak. The oak may subside some with some age to release some goodies, but why bother? Its a dry wine. If it were sweet, maybe Id hold out hope for it. C+.
1985 Bernard Faurie- Hermitage
There must be a bunch of these bottles lying around as Ive seen a number of notes on this wine. Plenty of ripe fruit on the nose with bacon, earth and green tobacco. Though theres nice red fruit, earth and herb on the palate, the wine shows much younger on the nose than it does in the mouth. Tannins are firm and a tad austere. I find the wine a little past peak with the fruit losing out to the drying tannins. Shows better with food. B+.
1985 Mouton Rothschild- Pauillac
Elegant and quite minty on the nose with pleasant cherry, cedar earth and herb aromas. Takes a little while for the fruit to get going on the palate, but swirling eventually conjures up some nice red cherry fruit, cedar earth and herb. Its not a particularly forceful wine. In fact, calling it elegant is a nice way of saying its light. Acid levels are noticeably high and the finish is a tad drying. Not bad overall, but can someone remind me again why they were elevated to 1st Growth status? B+.
1970 Ducru Beaucaillou- St. Julien
Still a youthful dark ruby. Gorgeous, complex nose of cherry liqueur, spicy cedar, earth and a tinge of herb. Shows surprising vitality on the palate with still firm tannins and gives hints that its still brooding and holding back a little. Rich cherry fruit dominates with nicely integrated cedar flavors. Picks up some herb on the finish. Obviously a very well stored bottle. One I tried a few years ago was essentially earth and leather. Very nice showing. Solid A-.
1966 Ducru Beaucaillou- St. Julien
Another well stored bottle. Fill was bottom neck and the cork was removed intact. Decanting brought out a rush of enticing aromas. Shows more perfume than the 70 with lighter red cherry aromas with tobacco, earth and a touch of herb. Theres lots of things happening on the palate. More evolved than the 70, but its perhaps more interesting at this stage. Certainly lighter and more elegant, but it does pick up some weight over the evening. Complex cherry, tobacco, leather, earth and herb flavors in a well balanced, graceful package. Different than the 70, but just as good. Solid A-.