Flight 1
- 1991 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Bosché Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford (9/8/2011)
Wonderful nose of woodsmoke and spice. Nice sweetness on the attack, and then some surprisingly high acidity kicks in leaving a bitter note. This seems very Bordeaux. I think this might be a just past its prime, but overall lovely tonight. (92 pts.) - 1988 Château Rausan-Ségla - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (9/8/2011)
This is still pretty young, just beginning to develop a mature bouquet with scents of smoke, cinder, and cherries. The palate is more restrained, with a chewy midpalate and big, drying tannins on the end. Still too tannic right now, giving the finish a chalky, tongue-drying quality that is austere and a bit rough. Should be decanted or given another 5 years. I tasted the last glass a five hours later and it was more integrated, with a nice essence of lead pencil and an earthy claret profile, raising my score to 91. I voted for the Bosche tonight, but the Margaux will surpass it soon. (91 pts.)
- 7 votes for the Bosche, 1 for the Rausan-Segla
- 1982 Château La Dominique - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (9/7/2011)
Lovely, engaging, fully-mature bouquet, with classic Bordeaux aromas of cedar, cigarbox, black tea, and a savory-beefy note which I often get from this chateau. The palate is all 1982, with big, fleshly, sweet fruit, and again beef notes. Excellent depth and good length. Delicious and it won't drink any better. After an hour of air, it begins to fade. Drink now. (93 pts.) - 1990 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Selection - USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain (9/7/2011)
Nice nose of sweet scents, and some menthol-minty notes. Suave, resolved mouthfeel. Next to the other wines this night, there's a hint of dilution around the edges. Overall, quaffable and ready, but one dimensional. Drink up, (88 pts.)
- 8 votes for Dominique, 0 for the La Jota
- 1991 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon Sycamore Vineyards - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/7/2011)
I liked this fine, with its pleasant nose of smoke, black olive and baking spices. Distinctive whiffs of coconut come and go, and something like a hospital smell too. Full resolved and silkly in the mouth, but with unremarkable complexity and depth. Probably better 5 year ago, at least this bottle. Good. (88 pts.) - 1989 Château La Lagune - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (9/7/2011)
This was a big disappointment. Firstly, it had a candied, simple, slightly sickly bouquet reminiscent of a cheap holiday-party wine. "A $5 bouquet", I remarked at the time. The palate, while better than the nose, was flaccid and and without interest. Over the hill, would be my guess (the fill and cork were in perfect shape). (70 pts.)
- 3 votes for the Lagune, 5 for the Sycamore
- 5 for the Dominique
- 2 for the Bosche
- 1 for the Sycamore
Dessert Flight
- 1990 Château Guiraud - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (9/7/2011)
This was flat-out fantastic. Wonderful bouquet of burnt brown sugar, grand marnier, and vanilla. What this lacks in complexity and nuance, it makes up for with verve and depth. Just layers of sweet fruit (richer than the '86s, '88s, and '89s stickies), yet with a sneaky-dry finish that keeps it totally refreshing. The color is definitely getting dark, like many of the 1990 Sauternes, so I would drink this sooner than later, but wow! (94 pts.) - 1982 Santino Riesling Dry Berry Select Harvest Wine - USA, California, Sonoma County (9/7/2011)
The is clearly an usual dessert wine with a black-brown color and viscousity that envoke molasses as much as wine, yet made from riesling. Incredible residual sugar, sweet, rich and thick, yet surprisingly balanced by what must be epic acidity to cut through all that sugar. There's a surreal sensation as the nose smells the fresh lime of a ripe riesling, while the tongue is smothered in syrupy richness. Not for everyone, nor for any night of the week, but a real treat and very distinctive. (93 pts.)
