Originally posted 1/09/02
Just over two weeks ago, the 4th Annual NYC Bordeaux-a-thon took place. While originally started as an event for the local crowd of another wine board, it's become more of an inter-board tasting, with participants who post, as I do, on several wine boards, including this one.
As always, it was great seeing old faces and meeting new ones.
Brad
1979 Domaine des Petits Quarts- Bonnezeaux
Old, pleasantly funky Chenin aromas of wet wool, acacia flower, mineral, dark honey and tea. Fairly sweet on the palate, but not dessert sweet. More like an Auslese sweetness. Pert acidity with apple, old apricot, mineral, honey and Earl Gray tea flavors. The wine shows most of its goods upfront and there is a bit of a gap in the middle of the palate, but its still a nice drink. Finishes with a bit of tart acidity. Showing its age. B+.
1994 Zind-Humbrecht- Riesling, Clos Windsbuhl
Big mineral driven nose with a touch of petrol and stone fruits. Big, ripe and nicely balanced on the palate, it unfortunately is a bit reticent. Shows mostly structure at this time, but promises much when it settles out. A-.
1997 Domaine du Closel- Savnnieres, Cuvee Spciale
Opulent nose of ripe apples, pears, mineral and honey with a whiff of alcohol. Rotund on the palate and clearly showing that 97 ripeness, though it is also showing better acid balance than previous tastings. Like flavors as aromas. Id leave this one alone for a bit, or give it significant air as it appears to be entering its ungainly years. A-/B+.
2000 Joh. Jos. Christoffel- Riesling Kabinett, rzinger Wrzgarten
Pleasant aromas of mineral, peach, passion fruit and flowers. Theres some nice upfront and uncomplicated fruit and mineral, but it doesnt carry through. The acidic structure is the most prominent feature of this wine. Its rare that this producer doesnt deliver, indeed its one of my favorites, but the vintage is showing here. Low B.
1985 L'Arrose- St. Emilion
One thing about this wine, it always has a gorgeous nose. Very perfumed with lots of ripe black fruit, herb and smoky/spicy oak aromas. This bottle is showing a touch more oak than previous bottles and the tannins are a little more prominent than usual and slightly dominating the fruit. Seems a little less cohesive than in the past, though there is still plenty to like in this wine. Nice blackish fruit with herb, tobacco and smoky oak. Consistently a winner in my book. Solid A-.
1986 Loville Barton- St. Julien
Nice currant, earth and graphite aromas. Rather elegant on the palate and not particularly richly endowed. In fact, the wine is showing fairly tart acidity and drying tannins. Shows more tertiary elements than fruit and Im beginning to believe that the fruit just might not ever emerge to compete with the tannins. Still, there are pleasurable aspects to this wine, though it needs food to show its best. B+.
1997 Faugres- St. Emilion
Lots of oak char aromas with a little cherry and herb. Wretched green fruit, oak char and harsh acidity and tannins on the palate. Yucko. C.
1993 Mouton Rothschild- Pauillac (French/Nude Label)
Huge oak/coffee aromas and a hint of black fruit. Tannins have smoothed out some and it drinks well now. Thats not to say it tastes all that great, though. The fruit has too much of the vintages tell-tale green streak to it and combine that with some bitter oak notes and its not an all that pleasant wine given the price. I dont see this evolving into anything more pleasurable. B/B+.
1993 Mouton Rothschild- Pauillac (American/Blank Label)
Brought to compare against the nude label bottling, there was no significant difference between them.
1983 Loville-Las-Cases- St. Julien
Crushed cherries, mineral, menthol and herb aromas. Mature and drinking well now. The acidity provides more structure at this stage than the tannins do. Like flavors with the herb component more apparent. A pleasant, older drink. Best with food. B+.
1985 Gruaud-Larose- St. Julien
Who forgot to clean the stable? Lots of barnyard on the nose with a bit of currant and green tobacco. Drinking in prime time right now. Well balanced with just the right amount of smoothness and firmness on the palate. Shows a lot of Cordier funk, as well as a good dose of tobacco and earth. Im liking this a little better than I have in the past. Low A-.
1985 Meyney- St. Estphe
Who loaded this thing with Lifesavers? Loads of mint on the nose which is not something I particularly like in wine. Shows signs of fading on the palate. The fruit is largely gone and what remains are mint, earth and leather flavors. Theres a pretty big hole in the middle of the palate and the wine becomes tart and drying on the finish. Drink em if you have em. B.
1986 Meyney- St. Estphe
Very earthy on the nose with some underlying cherry aromas. Shows much better stuffing on the palate than the 85 does and is better balanced. Has that firm 86 Bordeaux structure with nice cherry, earth and leather flavors. Turns a touch drying on the finish. Overall a much more interesting wine than the 85. B+.
1985 Pontet-Canet- Pauillac
This wine didnt move me much. Theres some decent black fruit, but its earthiness that makes more of an impression on the nose and palate. Shows some signs of drying up on the gritty finish. Move along, folks. Theres nothing to see here. B.
1993 Phlan- Sgur- St. Estphe
Devoid of fruit and dominated by wood and astringent tannins. Nasty stuff and a DNPIM (do not put in mouth) wine.
1998 Loville-Poyferr- St. Julien
Rich aromas of very ripe black fruit, mocha and herb. Definitely done in the international style as the fruit is rich and extracted, theres low acidity and a good dose of sweet wood. That said, this is still an enjoyable drink, though the wood needs to integrate some. A-.
1996 Roumieu-Lacoste Haut-Barsac
Pleasant pineapple and lemon aromas with a honey and vanilla/oak. Light and sweet on the palate with pretty good acidity. The oak is used judiciously here. A simple, yet enjoyable sweetie. B+/B.
1986 Raymond-Lafon- Sauternes
Apricot and tropical fruit aromas with a bit of nuttiness and caramel. Nice sweetness level and fairly well balanced. Similar flavors as aromas. Enjoyable, but not a particular standout. Fades on the finish. B+.
1989 Suduiraut- Sauternes
Rich aromas of apricot, pineapple, butterscotch and a touch of alcohol. Sweet and unctuous on the palate with plenty of honey/botrytis, tropical fruit and vanilla flavors. Kind of blowsy and could use better focus, but there are some nice materials here. Low A-.
Just over two weeks ago, the 4th Annual NYC Bordeaux-a-thon took place. While originally started as an event for the local crowd of another wine board, it's become more of an inter-board tasting, with participants who post, as I do, on several wine boards, including this one.
As always, it was great seeing old faces and meeting new ones.
Brad
1979 Domaine des Petits Quarts- Bonnezeaux
Old, pleasantly funky Chenin aromas of wet wool, acacia flower, mineral, dark honey and tea. Fairly sweet on the palate, but not dessert sweet. More like an Auslese sweetness. Pert acidity with apple, old apricot, mineral, honey and Earl Gray tea flavors. The wine shows most of its goods upfront and there is a bit of a gap in the middle of the palate, but its still a nice drink. Finishes with a bit of tart acidity. Showing its age. B+.
1994 Zind-Humbrecht- Riesling, Clos Windsbuhl
Big mineral driven nose with a touch of petrol and stone fruits. Big, ripe and nicely balanced on the palate, it unfortunately is a bit reticent. Shows mostly structure at this time, but promises much when it settles out. A-.
1997 Domaine du Closel- Savnnieres, Cuvee Spciale
Opulent nose of ripe apples, pears, mineral and honey with a whiff of alcohol. Rotund on the palate and clearly showing that 97 ripeness, though it is also showing better acid balance than previous tastings. Like flavors as aromas. Id leave this one alone for a bit, or give it significant air as it appears to be entering its ungainly years. A-/B+.
2000 Joh. Jos. Christoffel- Riesling Kabinett, rzinger Wrzgarten
Pleasant aromas of mineral, peach, passion fruit and flowers. Theres some nice upfront and uncomplicated fruit and mineral, but it doesnt carry through. The acidic structure is the most prominent feature of this wine. Its rare that this producer doesnt deliver, indeed its one of my favorites, but the vintage is showing here. Low B.
1985 L'Arrose- St. Emilion
One thing about this wine, it always has a gorgeous nose. Very perfumed with lots of ripe black fruit, herb and smoky/spicy oak aromas. This bottle is showing a touch more oak than previous bottles and the tannins are a little more prominent than usual and slightly dominating the fruit. Seems a little less cohesive than in the past, though there is still plenty to like in this wine. Nice blackish fruit with herb, tobacco and smoky oak. Consistently a winner in my book. Solid A-.
1986 Loville Barton- St. Julien
Nice currant, earth and graphite aromas. Rather elegant on the palate and not particularly richly endowed. In fact, the wine is showing fairly tart acidity and drying tannins. Shows more tertiary elements than fruit and Im beginning to believe that the fruit just might not ever emerge to compete with the tannins. Still, there are pleasurable aspects to this wine, though it needs food to show its best. B+.
1997 Faugres- St. Emilion
Lots of oak char aromas with a little cherry and herb. Wretched green fruit, oak char and harsh acidity and tannins on the palate. Yucko. C.
1993 Mouton Rothschild- Pauillac (French/Nude Label)
Huge oak/coffee aromas and a hint of black fruit. Tannins have smoothed out some and it drinks well now. Thats not to say it tastes all that great, though. The fruit has too much of the vintages tell-tale green streak to it and combine that with some bitter oak notes and its not an all that pleasant wine given the price. I dont see this evolving into anything more pleasurable. B/B+.
1993 Mouton Rothschild- Pauillac (American/Blank Label)
Brought to compare against the nude label bottling, there was no significant difference between them.
1983 Loville-Las-Cases- St. Julien
Crushed cherries, mineral, menthol and herb aromas. Mature and drinking well now. The acidity provides more structure at this stage than the tannins do. Like flavors with the herb component more apparent. A pleasant, older drink. Best with food. B+.
1985 Gruaud-Larose- St. Julien
Who forgot to clean the stable? Lots of barnyard on the nose with a bit of currant and green tobacco. Drinking in prime time right now. Well balanced with just the right amount of smoothness and firmness on the palate. Shows a lot of Cordier funk, as well as a good dose of tobacco and earth. Im liking this a little better than I have in the past. Low A-.
1985 Meyney- St. Estphe
Who loaded this thing with Lifesavers? Loads of mint on the nose which is not something I particularly like in wine. Shows signs of fading on the palate. The fruit is largely gone and what remains are mint, earth and leather flavors. Theres a pretty big hole in the middle of the palate and the wine becomes tart and drying on the finish. Drink em if you have em. B.
1986 Meyney- St. Estphe
Very earthy on the nose with some underlying cherry aromas. Shows much better stuffing on the palate than the 85 does and is better balanced. Has that firm 86 Bordeaux structure with nice cherry, earth and leather flavors. Turns a touch drying on the finish. Overall a much more interesting wine than the 85. B+.
1985 Pontet-Canet- Pauillac
This wine didnt move me much. Theres some decent black fruit, but its earthiness that makes more of an impression on the nose and palate. Shows some signs of drying up on the gritty finish. Move along, folks. Theres nothing to see here. B.
1993 Phlan- Sgur- St. Estphe
Devoid of fruit and dominated by wood and astringent tannins. Nasty stuff and a DNPIM (do not put in mouth) wine.
1998 Loville-Poyferr- St. Julien
Rich aromas of very ripe black fruit, mocha and herb. Definitely done in the international style as the fruit is rich and extracted, theres low acidity and a good dose of sweet wood. That said, this is still an enjoyable drink, though the wood needs to integrate some. A-.
1996 Roumieu-Lacoste Haut-Barsac
Pleasant pineapple and lemon aromas with a honey and vanilla/oak. Light and sweet on the palate with pretty good acidity. The oak is used judiciously here. A simple, yet enjoyable sweetie. B+/B.
1986 Raymond-Lafon- Sauternes
Apricot and tropical fruit aromas with a bit of nuttiness and caramel. Nice sweetness level and fairly well balanced. Similar flavors as aromas. Enjoyable, but not a particular standout. Fades on the finish. B+.
1989 Suduiraut- Sauternes
Rich aromas of apricot, pineapple, butterscotch and a touch of alcohol. Sweet and unctuous on the palate with plenty of honey/botrytis, tropical fruit and vanilla flavors. Kind of blowsy and could use better focus, but there are some nice materials here. Low A-.