2017 BWE SF: Saturday
Posted: Sat Apr 01, 2017 6:17 pm
BWE 2017 the Saturday wines
I was expecting someone else posting notes before me, but here are my comments about the wines on Saturday, where I think all the wines I had presented themselve in a very good way. Please keep in mind that these are very not precised as different pours quantity, more time with some wines less with others, some wines I had for the first time some for the x times, some expectation for some wines, less for some others... Make that report a non professionnal one.
On Saturday, after two great dinner on Thursday and Friday, I paced myself a bit. Many wines I missed, but no problem as I had a great time with the people.
Jean-Fred and me invired people for a "verre de l'amitié" in our room, before the officiel dinner. I opened two different Bordeaux for that time, the 2010 Chateau Clos Saint- Martin and the 1989 Chateau Chasse Spleen. 2010 Chateau Clos Saint-Martin is a wine I felt in love with in 2016. The smallest Cru Classé (1.33 hectare) in Saint Émilion. While it is young, it is a great integrated mixture of cherries, rasberries, spices, wood, light cinnamon and vanilla. In mouth, packed with fruits, good oaky structure, long, spicy, also with a light calcaire minerality. I still love it and guess it is promising. Tn: 91-92+. At the opposite, the 1989 Chateau Chasse Spleen has a very "Médoc" character. Still dark red, nose is really Cabernet Sauvignon with it light vegetal green pepper notes, integrated in strong very black blackberries, black prunes, light coal and dark violet flowers. In mouth, fully integrated, at it plateau, with still great fruit, very resolved tannins and a very decent long but kinda old leather rustic finish. Mellowed and very good. Tn: 92.
We walk to the restaurant, and were there in 15 minutes. It was fun to find everyone for the big Bordeaux night, in good mood and with a great listing of wines. I started with the 3 very different Champagne. The 1995 Charles Heidseick Blanc des Millénaires was very rich, creamy, yeasty, with light oxydation tones. Lots of yellow fruit too, with a thick texture in mouth and what seem to me lower acidity. An excellent Champagne in a generous way. Tn: 91-92. The 1996 Philiponnat Clos des Goisses has a strong mineral nose, with light white peaches and something earthy. In mouth, still that strong minerality, good acidity, chalk, salty, light lemon and some light oxydative notes. Medium body, good acidity, it reminded me a bit a Riesling, so liked it a lot. Tn: 93. The 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne being the youngest Champagne, was young, with good freshness, lot of yellow fruits (dry pinneapple, pears, confit lemon) was lively in mouth. Full of pleasure, bubble, but with some density too. Tn: 93. The apperitive bouchées with the Champagne were vey nice, with some bake potato stick with salmon, crab cake and another one I forgot about .
Next was the reds, and it will be in any order, as I was talking to everyone while tasting. If I remember well, I started with my 1990 Chateau Rausan Segla to make sure that first bottle was ok. A gorgeous Margaux! Super perfumed nose with strong Margauxberries, redberries, lavander, violet flowers, rasberries, grape, very light touch of spicy wood, aromas blasting out of the glass! Mouth is fitting with the nose, with that thickness mixed with elegance and length. Very very Margaux, light syrupy fruit, etheral. Tn: 95-96. I tasted the Rausan a few times (i was having another bottle I opened for Arv later in the dinner) and still great. Second was probably my red wine of the night, the 1982 Chateau l'Évangile. A perfect wine at the right place, with it's elegant powerful nose of truffle, intense red beries, rasberries, earth, violet flowers. Mouth was perfectly balanced from start to finish and very very long, with still great fruit, light chocolate, truffle, iron earth and that long blackcurrants and violet flowers finish. Resolved tannins. A great showing. Tn: 97-98. Next was the 1964 Chateau Haut-Brion, a extremely elegant Pessac. This was having a nice nose, more fruity but less intense than the 1966 from two nights ago. But the mouth was better. Complex nose of red berries, smoke, gravel and even some grape and leather. In mouth, still very lively, with ripe cranberry jam, blackberries, light vegetal and medium gravelly finish. Excellent for it age. Tn: 92.
To follow, I tried my mystery wine, the 1970 Chateau Latour à Pomerol. This old wine was risky, the cork broke in piece, I needed the help of the pro Stefan to finish the work. I taste it right after Stefan and SdR and understand immediately what they mean when they told me it was a soung wine. Nice nose of spicy caramel, old red berries, light mushrooms and old leather. Medium power nose. In mouth, very good, seems younger (Michael-p thought it was a 1983!), redberries and blackberries, leather, still a touch of oak, nice power and finish is fresh, thick, earth with wood and old cherries and powder cocoa. Well preserved. Tn: 92-93. A nice surprise. Next was Michael-p double magnum mystery wine. A good pour for me. Good color with a nose of wet earth with mineral, redberries, leaf, and some blackcoal. In mouth, crushed rasberries, wet black earth, light grape and mushroom too. Good presence in mouth. It evolved nicely during the evening becoming with more flesh, with a good structure. sound double magnum (size that helps keeping the wine young?) of the 1975 Chateau l'Église-Clinet. Tn: 91-92.
After, I tried the two Chateau Canon, the 1982 and 1983. Both were still dark red. The 1982 seemed to me quite intense but less complex: redberries, plums, minerals. The mouth was rich, low acidity, with plums, rich pomegranate, berries, maybe a touch of something like roasted meat. For the 1983, nose of flowers, redberries, spices good blackberry fruit, very perfumed. Mouth was having a rich fruity and flowery attack, but turned to mineral calcaire touch, very mineral, good acidity, structure, finish on purple berries and some oak. I preferred the 1983 that night with a Tn of 93-94, and a Tn of 92 for the 1982.
It was already incredible for quality wines, but it was not over! I continue with... 1982 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion! But some thought the bottle was not perfect. The nose was very gravelly and smoky cigarbox, with rich austere type blackberries or rasberries, also with some licorice and tobacco, medium power. In mouth, attack was very light, what make me think like some that the bottle was not perfect. But it was growing on the palate to finish strong on blackcurrants, ripe resolved tannins, smoky minerals. Long. Tn: 94. After the Graves, two very nice 1982 in a row: Chateau La Lagune and Chateau Grand-Puy Lacoste. Both of them were very typical from their aoc, the La Lagune being very "Margaux-like", with rich mix of berries, strong perfumed, and that small touch of exotic spicy vanilla oak well integrated. Glorious elegant mouth, complex, perfumed in mouth, almost "Musigny-like". The GPL was broading cassis, cedar, more cassis, light spices. Mouth was structure, blackcurrants, light coal of ashes, graphite, also a decent rich mouth. I thought both deserved a TN of 94.
Next was the 1989 Chateau d'Armailhac, with it still smoky vanilla oak tones, ripe roasted berry fruit, and sweet low tannic structure. Some very nice blackberries at the end, medium length on still roasted oak. Tn: 91. Then the 1986 Chateau Gruaud Larose, a serious Saint-Julien, with blackberries, leather, and the little Cordier funk touch of weird fruits, a bit like in a fresh Pale Ale, but still very structured and also having some serious leather/fruits/noble wood on the final. Tn of 93 that night, decanting would have helped. Than I went for the 1995 Chateau Kirwan, that I thought was excellent, very Margaux-berries, little herbaceous, very integrated oak. The mouth was medium weight, but with very good and clean flavors of fruits, and the nice structure that some 1995 have. Decent long. Tn: 91-92. My second to last red of the night (but not the least), was the 1996 Chateau Montrose in magnum. I brought a bottle of that in 2014 and it was excellent. The magnum was containing a younger wine, but very 1996 but the fresh concentrated cassis, light blue fruits, some very nice tannins, finishing with medium long aftertaste of cassis, light spices and forrest floor flavors. Promising. Tn: 92+. Last red was the 1981 Chateau Léoville Las Cases, mellowed and resolved after all these years, mixture of darkred berries, flowers and still some earthy notes. Time to drink as the mouth is perfectly balanced.tn: 90-91.
Next was the Sauternes, and I only taste two, and the first one was magic. The 1967 Chateau d'Yquem is not a wine you see in every places, as it has a "almost mystical" reputation. The color was darker than the deep gold Sauternes has sometime, but no brownish tea yet. Nose was very "Oh my God", with all that characterize young Yquem and older Sauternes, just too complex for almost any noses! Old syrup peaches, dry apricots, thick honey, some ginger bread, orange tree flowers, roasted character, and more. In mouth, this was very Yquem, being so rich, but nothing heVy at the same time. Sweet, good core of sugary fruits, peaches, honeyed and vanilla spicy dessert, long burned creme brulée crust final, with rich botrytized sweet confit citruses. Long. Tn: 98. What a wine, but I hesitate to give a higher rate as I have a tough time to "imagine" what could be a 100 points Sauternes... Following was the 1997 Chateau de Fargues, a very good rich wine, with younger nose of traditionnal acacia flowers, apricots, roasted wood vanilla, botrytis and light mandarines. In mouth, good richness, still young, with that elegance underneath even if rich, suufered a bit to be after the 1967 Yquem, but an excellent Sauternes now, that will be greater in 10 years. Tn: 92+. For what reason, I thought that 1997 de Fargues was equal to a split of 1997 Yquem we had in Charlotte.
This was it for me, and I know there was many other great wines I did not taste, namely 1967-1970-1978 Chateau Haut-Brion, 1986 Domaine de Chevalier, 1982 Chateau La Dominique, 1982 Chateau Beychevelle, 2002 Chateau Léoville Barton, 1995 Chateau Rauzan Segla, 1967 Chateau Montrose, 1982 Chateau La Louvière, 1982 Chateau Certan de May, 1986 Chateau Lafaurie Peyraguey and 2001 Chateau Myrat. Maybe some more I'm missing. But I thank everyone for the extreme generosity, the fun talks, the great time, and like you all, I'm looking forward the next time.
Nic
I was expecting someone else posting notes before me, but here are my comments about the wines on Saturday, where I think all the wines I had presented themselve in a very good way. Please keep in mind that these are very not precised as different pours quantity, more time with some wines less with others, some wines I had for the first time some for the x times, some expectation for some wines, less for some others... Make that report a non professionnal one.
On Saturday, after two great dinner on Thursday and Friday, I paced myself a bit. Many wines I missed, but no problem as I had a great time with the people.
Jean-Fred and me invired people for a "verre de l'amitié" in our room, before the officiel dinner. I opened two different Bordeaux for that time, the 2010 Chateau Clos Saint- Martin and the 1989 Chateau Chasse Spleen. 2010 Chateau Clos Saint-Martin is a wine I felt in love with in 2016. The smallest Cru Classé (1.33 hectare) in Saint Émilion. While it is young, it is a great integrated mixture of cherries, rasberries, spices, wood, light cinnamon and vanilla. In mouth, packed with fruits, good oaky structure, long, spicy, also with a light calcaire minerality. I still love it and guess it is promising. Tn: 91-92+. At the opposite, the 1989 Chateau Chasse Spleen has a very "Médoc" character. Still dark red, nose is really Cabernet Sauvignon with it light vegetal green pepper notes, integrated in strong very black blackberries, black prunes, light coal and dark violet flowers. In mouth, fully integrated, at it plateau, with still great fruit, very resolved tannins and a very decent long but kinda old leather rustic finish. Mellowed and very good. Tn: 92.
We walk to the restaurant, and were there in 15 minutes. It was fun to find everyone for the big Bordeaux night, in good mood and with a great listing of wines. I started with the 3 very different Champagne. The 1995 Charles Heidseick Blanc des Millénaires was very rich, creamy, yeasty, with light oxydation tones. Lots of yellow fruit too, with a thick texture in mouth and what seem to me lower acidity. An excellent Champagne in a generous way. Tn: 91-92. The 1996 Philiponnat Clos des Goisses has a strong mineral nose, with light white peaches and something earthy. In mouth, still that strong minerality, good acidity, chalk, salty, light lemon and some light oxydative notes. Medium body, good acidity, it reminded me a bit a Riesling, so liked it a lot. Tn: 93. The 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne being the youngest Champagne, was young, with good freshness, lot of yellow fruits (dry pinneapple, pears, confit lemon) was lively in mouth. Full of pleasure, bubble, but with some density too. Tn: 93. The apperitive bouchées with the Champagne were vey nice, with some bake potato stick with salmon, crab cake and another one I forgot about .
Next was the reds, and it will be in any order, as I was talking to everyone while tasting. If I remember well, I started with my 1990 Chateau Rausan Segla to make sure that first bottle was ok. A gorgeous Margaux! Super perfumed nose with strong Margauxberries, redberries, lavander, violet flowers, rasberries, grape, very light touch of spicy wood, aromas blasting out of the glass! Mouth is fitting with the nose, with that thickness mixed with elegance and length. Very very Margaux, light syrupy fruit, etheral. Tn: 95-96. I tasted the Rausan a few times (i was having another bottle I opened for Arv later in the dinner) and still great. Second was probably my red wine of the night, the 1982 Chateau l'Évangile. A perfect wine at the right place, with it's elegant powerful nose of truffle, intense red beries, rasberries, earth, violet flowers. Mouth was perfectly balanced from start to finish and very very long, with still great fruit, light chocolate, truffle, iron earth and that long blackcurrants and violet flowers finish. Resolved tannins. A great showing. Tn: 97-98. Next was the 1964 Chateau Haut-Brion, a extremely elegant Pessac. This was having a nice nose, more fruity but less intense than the 1966 from two nights ago. But the mouth was better. Complex nose of red berries, smoke, gravel and even some grape and leather. In mouth, still very lively, with ripe cranberry jam, blackberries, light vegetal and medium gravelly finish. Excellent for it age. Tn: 92.
To follow, I tried my mystery wine, the 1970 Chateau Latour à Pomerol. This old wine was risky, the cork broke in piece, I needed the help of the pro Stefan to finish the work. I taste it right after Stefan and SdR and understand immediately what they mean when they told me it was a soung wine. Nice nose of spicy caramel, old red berries, light mushrooms and old leather. Medium power nose. In mouth, very good, seems younger (Michael-p thought it was a 1983!), redberries and blackberries, leather, still a touch of oak, nice power and finish is fresh, thick, earth with wood and old cherries and powder cocoa. Well preserved. Tn: 92-93. A nice surprise. Next was Michael-p double magnum mystery wine. A good pour for me. Good color with a nose of wet earth with mineral, redberries, leaf, and some blackcoal. In mouth, crushed rasberries, wet black earth, light grape and mushroom too. Good presence in mouth. It evolved nicely during the evening becoming with more flesh, with a good structure. sound double magnum (size that helps keeping the wine young?) of the 1975 Chateau l'Église-Clinet. Tn: 91-92.
After, I tried the two Chateau Canon, the 1982 and 1983. Both were still dark red. The 1982 seemed to me quite intense but less complex: redberries, plums, minerals. The mouth was rich, low acidity, with plums, rich pomegranate, berries, maybe a touch of something like roasted meat. For the 1983, nose of flowers, redberries, spices good blackberry fruit, very perfumed. Mouth was having a rich fruity and flowery attack, but turned to mineral calcaire touch, very mineral, good acidity, structure, finish on purple berries and some oak. I preferred the 1983 that night with a Tn of 93-94, and a Tn of 92 for the 1982.
It was already incredible for quality wines, but it was not over! I continue with... 1982 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion! But some thought the bottle was not perfect. The nose was very gravelly and smoky cigarbox, with rich austere type blackberries or rasberries, also with some licorice and tobacco, medium power. In mouth, attack was very light, what make me think like some that the bottle was not perfect. But it was growing on the palate to finish strong on blackcurrants, ripe resolved tannins, smoky minerals. Long. Tn: 94. After the Graves, two very nice 1982 in a row: Chateau La Lagune and Chateau Grand-Puy Lacoste. Both of them were very typical from their aoc, the La Lagune being very "Margaux-like", with rich mix of berries, strong perfumed, and that small touch of exotic spicy vanilla oak well integrated. Glorious elegant mouth, complex, perfumed in mouth, almost "Musigny-like". The GPL was broading cassis, cedar, more cassis, light spices. Mouth was structure, blackcurrants, light coal of ashes, graphite, also a decent rich mouth. I thought both deserved a TN of 94.
Next was the 1989 Chateau d'Armailhac, with it still smoky vanilla oak tones, ripe roasted berry fruit, and sweet low tannic structure. Some very nice blackberries at the end, medium length on still roasted oak. Tn: 91. Then the 1986 Chateau Gruaud Larose, a serious Saint-Julien, with blackberries, leather, and the little Cordier funk touch of weird fruits, a bit like in a fresh Pale Ale, but still very structured and also having some serious leather/fruits/noble wood on the final. Tn of 93 that night, decanting would have helped. Than I went for the 1995 Chateau Kirwan, that I thought was excellent, very Margaux-berries, little herbaceous, very integrated oak. The mouth was medium weight, but with very good and clean flavors of fruits, and the nice structure that some 1995 have. Decent long. Tn: 91-92. My second to last red of the night (but not the least), was the 1996 Chateau Montrose in magnum. I brought a bottle of that in 2014 and it was excellent. The magnum was containing a younger wine, but very 1996 but the fresh concentrated cassis, light blue fruits, some very nice tannins, finishing with medium long aftertaste of cassis, light spices and forrest floor flavors. Promising. Tn: 92+. Last red was the 1981 Chateau Léoville Las Cases, mellowed and resolved after all these years, mixture of darkred berries, flowers and still some earthy notes. Time to drink as the mouth is perfectly balanced.tn: 90-91.
Next was the Sauternes, and I only taste two, and the first one was magic. The 1967 Chateau d'Yquem is not a wine you see in every places, as it has a "almost mystical" reputation. The color was darker than the deep gold Sauternes has sometime, but no brownish tea yet. Nose was very "Oh my God", with all that characterize young Yquem and older Sauternes, just too complex for almost any noses! Old syrup peaches, dry apricots, thick honey, some ginger bread, orange tree flowers, roasted character, and more. In mouth, this was very Yquem, being so rich, but nothing heVy at the same time. Sweet, good core of sugary fruits, peaches, honeyed and vanilla spicy dessert, long burned creme brulée crust final, with rich botrytized sweet confit citruses. Long. Tn: 98. What a wine, but I hesitate to give a higher rate as I have a tough time to "imagine" what could be a 100 points Sauternes... Following was the 1997 Chateau de Fargues, a very good rich wine, with younger nose of traditionnal acacia flowers, apricots, roasted wood vanilla, botrytis and light mandarines. In mouth, good richness, still young, with that elegance underneath even if rich, suufered a bit to be after the 1967 Yquem, but an excellent Sauternes now, that will be greater in 10 years. Tn: 92+. For what reason, I thought that 1997 de Fargues was equal to a split of 1997 Yquem we had in Charlotte.
This was it for me, and I know there was many other great wines I did not taste, namely 1967-1970-1978 Chateau Haut-Brion, 1986 Domaine de Chevalier, 1982 Chateau La Dominique, 1982 Chateau Beychevelle, 2002 Chateau Léoville Barton, 1995 Chateau Rauzan Segla, 1967 Chateau Montrose, 1982 Chateau La Louvière, 1982 Chateau Certan de May, 1986 Chateau Lafaurie Peyraguey and 2001 Chateau Myrat. Maybe some more I'm missing. But I thank everyone for the extreme generosity, the fun talks, the great time, and like you all, I'm looking forward the next time.
Nic