Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

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Comte Flaneur
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Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

Post by Comte Flaneur »

Every month here in London there is a themed-lunch at a restaurant in Chiswick called La Trompette. It is quite a long way west out of London but highly recommended if you visit. Today the theme was Bordeaux.

On our table we started with a 2008 Lassalle 'Cuvée Angeline' - no not Jolie....a champagne with 60% pinot noir....nevertheless feminine and light on its feet.

Unfortunately both bottles of Smith-Haut Lafitte Blanc (1985 and 1988) were well past their best and tasted a bit dilute, albeit still pleasant.

On to the reds:

Flight A

D'Issan 1983

A wine which is approaching the end of its drinking window with an orange hue and earth, berries, spice...lavender?...rusty nails, floral aromas and a satisfying finish. Lovely but drink up. 90

Palmer 1995

It has a classic Palmer nose of berries and cigar box and a bit of brett initially, which blew off. On the palate it is a still bit of a bruiser and remains quite stern and tannic but in a chewy, exhilarating kind of way. Gosh this has taken ages to come round, but it is finally entering its drinking window. This is not destined to be a great Palmer, but nevertheless delighted to have some in the old cellar. 92

Beychevelle 1995

This was added by mistake but was nevertheless a welcome addition. Classic St-Julien, albeit with a much higher-than-normal for the appellation dose of merlot in the blend (about 40%) giving it a plummy precociousness, which means it tends to be more approachable than other highbrow 1995 St-Js. Lovely cedar, cigar box, lead pencil entry, smooth palate, nicely resolved and satisfying, it falls away a little bit on the back end, however. 91

Flight B

Pichon Lalande 1989

Quite a shy nose, and a wine with a reserved personality - unusual for this estate. But it is all there lurking beneath the surface. And some. This is such a complete and brilliant wine, with a luxurious palate, silky tannins, subtle spices and a glorious finish. This could develop into a legendary Pichon-Lalande. This for me just edged the Lynch-Bages for wine of the day. 96

Lynch-Bages 1985

A great bottle, with exuberant Lynch-Bages lead pencil, and alluring earthy notes leading into a beautifully resolved palate and finish. A wine at the top of its game and a great and legendary Lynch-Bages. On the last two occasions I have tried this it has showed brilliantly, on the previous ten or so more mixed. 95

Grand Puy Ducasse 1985

This was the surprise package of the tasting, which held its own in a mighty flight. It was just a beautifully resolved effortless wine with classic Pauillac pencil lead, cedar, cassis and berries notes. A delightful wine. 93

La Mission Haut-Brion 1979

The best bottles are smokey, gravelly and sublime. This bottle was more subdued than sublime, and austere with dark, smokey earthy tones, gravelly notes and a fairly curmudgeonly personality. Surprisingly it came fourth in this flight, but still a wine to savour. 92

With dessert:

Rieussec 1983

This was a fantastic bottle with a beautifully bright light copper hue (notably lighter than 1983 D'Yquem). Complex palate of creme brûlée, honey, apricots. 95

It was a good lunch.
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JimHow
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Re: Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

Post by JimHow »

Ah.. 1985 Lynch and 1989 Pichon Lalande… Memories… Light the corners of my mind… Misty water-colored memories of the way we were….
I'm trying to get over to London sometime in the next 6 months...
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

Post by Comte Flaneur »

Make sure you give me plenty of notice Jim and we will set up some dinners for you
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JimHow
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Re: Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

Post by JimHow »

Will do!
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Nicklasss
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Re: Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

Post by Nicklasss »

Nice lunch for sure. mine are dull compared to that.

I liked the 1995 Chateau Palmer that AlexR opened when I was at his place in 2012. Beat my 1995 Chateau Clinet that night...

The 1985 Chateau Lynch Bages is a very nice wine, and at a nice place.

Can't remember if I ever get the 1989 Chateau Pichon Lalande.

London? I was thinking bringing Marie-Claude there this early July. For her 40th birthday. Even if the chances are low to medium, will you be around Comte? If not, i will report to go at the same time as our BD...

Nic
Last edited by Nicklasss on Sat Apr 30, 2016 1:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

Post by Comte Flaneur »

Nic July is the perfect time to come to London. It is a bit milder than in North America at that time of year. I will definitely be around ... If Jim can come too we can hatch a plan...get some dinners and tastings going...but any time you guys plan to come you are always welcome...
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Blanquito
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Re: Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

Post by Blanquito »

Chris Winona Chief brought a bottle of the 89 Pichon Lalande to a dinner a few years back. It was awesome with miles and miles to go still. I slightly preferred a wonderful bottle of the 83 PLL that night, which was in a perfect spot and utterly mature with incredible complexity and allure, but it was clear that the 89 was much deeper and ultimately a legend in the making. Sounds like your bottle was even better this night, Ian. Great notes.
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JimHow
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Re: Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

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It's been 37 years since I studied Shakespeare and Victorian history at Christ's College Cambridge, haven't been back since.
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Blanquito
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Re: Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

Post by Blanquito »

If this is becoming a BWE excursion, I might be able to come to London in early July too.
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AKR
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Re: Annual Bordeaux lunch in London

Post by AKR »

What a great collection of wines. I've never had any older Grand Puy Ducasse's, and not much luck with younger ones.

I think I put down examples of the 2009 and 2010 GPD's in the sure and certain hope that the critics were right this time.

====

I never knew JimHow studied at Cambridge. My uncle was a thermodynamics professor at Imperial College and my dad had hoped I would go to Cambridge University. Instead, I went to some place in Cambridge Mass, since I didn't follow parental instructions properly

Making up for my mistakes, my sister lived in Cambridge at some point in early naughts, taking classes of some kind. I remember visiting and having to walk carefully across that slumbering sheep commons, avoiding the poop, after a few rounds in a local pub. The train ride to/from central London felt way too expensive to me. I don't understand how ordinary people can afford to live in SE England.
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