We were only 6 participants due to late cancellations. Anyway I immensely enjoyed a great, great company of Danish wine-friends, my daughter and Olivier Bernard from Domaine de Chevalier. We’ve had a stellar evening. Not a single wine served that evening was corked or oxidized. Many wines were simply stunning and lived fully up to their reputation and fame. All wines were tasted blind and even me, who knew which wines were served in each flight, didn't know the order of these served. Wines were chosen according to last digit in my birthday year (6) for whites (dry and sweet) and 0 for reds (as I celebrated 70 years). You will think it was outrageous to serve so many wines? - not really imho, you only live once!!
Excellent food was cooked by Chef Christian Marquard and wines were very professionally cared for by young Daniela Mylin, chef of the restaurant/chef sommelier of Le Sommelier. Historic tasting and one I never forget thanks to my precious friends!!
Tasting notes – relatively short ones as I had taken care of my guest and there wasn’t time to write big stories about each wine.
1. Champagne Dom Perignon Rose 1996 – really impressive stuff, virile, sophisticated, rich, great acidity and sweet tones. Awesome to enjoy. 97p.
2. Dry whites – three wines. 1976 D.D.Chevalier had a little touch of oxidation, which disappeared quickly, and showed nice acidity and concentration. Getting old. 89p. 1986 D.d.Chevalier was simply impressive stuff with great acidity, vitality, depth and long aftertaste. Tasted young and fresh despite being 30 years old. 94p. 1996 Chablis Les Clos from Vincent Dauvissat had fine smoked tones of stones, penetrating nose of melted butter and long aftertaste. A bit caught by age and imho it’ll not improve. 93p.
3. Red flight 1 with title “Up and running” – Les Carmes Haut Brion, Seguin and Belle Brise, all in 2010 vintage. I’ve never tasted the two last mentioned wines together, so it was a kind of test. L.C.H. Brion was muted, light in concentration and structure. It was surprising when you take the quality of 2010 vintage in general. Since arrival of new manager/winemaker Guillaume Pouthier in 2012, the quality took a big step up. 89p. Seguin from village of Canejan in Pessac-Leognan AOC (my discovery while touring Graves/Pessac Leognan in September 2010) had an intense nose of cherries, excellent structure and depth, exquisite balance and long persistent finish. Utterly impressive stuff. 95p. Last wine in the flight was Belle Brise from Pomerol, my discovery also but since 1996. This miniscule vineyard/garden is situated very close to Libourne. Strong with modern taste, very cherry, catching sweetness of fruit and tannin, silky fruit and tannin. Long and persistent finish. Fabulous wine. 95+p. No oenologist, no consultant and no modern remedies here – “vin au naturel”!
4. Red flight 2 with title “Magic” – Tertre Roteboeuf 2010-2000-1990 and Domaine de Chevalier 1990. 2010 TR tasted more like kirsch than wine, but I’m pretty sure the alcohol will soon integrate. Otherwise, it was big, packed with silky fruit and tannin, immensely flavoured and long. 96p. 2000 TR was epic wine with intense nose of truffles, formidable structure and depth, stunning precision, focus and complexity, and mega long aftertaste. Boom! 98p. 1990 TR tasted lighter and not so highly impressive as last time (in 2011) and was clearly surpassed by 2000 version. 92p. 1990 D.d.Chevalier (“black horse” quickly detected by tasters) showed truffy nose, very good complexity and very good length. Fruit tasted a bit warm. 89p.
5. Red flight 3 with title “Sky is the limit" and six wines in 1990 vintage. Beausejour Duffau was kind of disappointing if you take its fame in the context. One of my guests tasted this wine many times in the recent years and told me it was much better 10 years ago. Fine complexity but not striking concentration and richness. 93p. Angelus didn’t hit the bull’s eye either. Was better too 10 years ago. Truffy, not as powerful as expected, not rich and long as expected. 93p. Montrose once again delivered. It’s easy to fall on your knees and worship this wine, because it’s simply phenomenal one and masterpiece of winemaking. 100p. Troplong Mondot was a stunning mouthful with everything in perfect harmony. One of my guests said to me that this wine was disguised as a port. Frankly, I didn’t care. I loved it! 97p. Cheval Blanc matched Montrose to great extent with Cabernet Franc at full blossom. Fascinating and riveting display of richness, sophisticated touch and variety of flavours. 99-100p. Le Pin was more kinky and funky than Cheval Blanc, but equal in every aspect to it. Here, Merlot was the showcase. 99-100p.
6. Red flight 4 with title "Another day in paradise" and four wines in 2000 vintage. La Mission Haut Brion tasted closed but its all cylinders were fully loaded, just waiting for perfect time to show all the fabulous things. Patience required. 96-98p. Lafleur was just timeless treat, so dense, so sophisticated. Paradise! 100p. Montrose stood up against big hitters here but wasn’t trashed at all. Strong potent and very long finish. 96p. Lafite is just perfect if you want to enjoy finesse, grace and richness of nuances. That was exactly what we had in 2000 plus striking structure, depth and balance. 99p.
7. Red flight 5 with title “As time goes by” and three wines in 1950 vintage, all chateau bottled. Pavie (B-niveau) was just awesome like well-trained 66 years old guy running marathon. Very cherry, strong, long and in perfect balance. Still many years to go! Some of my guest took it for 1982 vintage! 94p. Leoville Las Cases, the one with lowest stand, tasted old like extracted coffee beans. Gone. 75p. Troplong Mondot, despite low stand close to C, made by cousin of owner of Pavie at that time, Valette, was as similar and impressive as Pavie. 94p.
8. Sweet whites – two wines in 1986 vintage. Gilette had a significant flavor of almonds, great sweetness and acidity, great depth and backbone, long and velvety on the palate with strong and fat finish. Aged for 20 years in small concrete vats for 20 years and no wooden vats/barriques here. 96-97 p. Yquem edged Gilette in terms of depth, sophisticated touch and nuance richness but only and just that. 98p.
9. Dinner finished with awesome 1945 vintage Armagnac “Fontaine de Coincy”, same owner as previously mentioned Belle Brise in Pomerol. De Coincy family has owned their property in Bas Armagnac for 400 years.
