Denver offline last night- a serious flight of 86s and more

[Blanquito]

Chris B (AKA Winona Chief) was in town, so Tom in CO and I and three of my most excellent local wine buddies gathered for a wine dinner.

The line-up in order served:
Krug Grand Cuvee NV

1986 Pichon Lalande
1986 Cos d'Estournel
1986 Rausan Segla
1986 Talbot

2003 Cos d'Estournel (served double-blind)
1999 Guigal d'Ampuis Cote Rotie
1999 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet
1998 Fontodi Vigna del Sorbo Chianti

1996 d'Yquem
2001 Suduiraut

It was an excellent night, notes and impressions to follow.

[JimHow]

Can't wait!

[jckba]

I absolutely love the 1986 Pichon Lalande and am fully looking forward to reading about what reigned supreme.

[Nicklasss]

Come on Patrick, stop the torture now.

I never had the Rauzan, but all your other 1986 are great. I'm looking forward your impression of the 4 last red too (the mixed bag).

1996 Yquem is amazing.

Nic

[Racer Chris]

'86 Talbot and Rausan-Segla were two of my aha wines that got me to start seeking more Bordeaux experiences.
I still have the empty bottles.

[DavidG]

Very interested to see how the 1986s are holding up. Talbot and Pichon Lalande have been great but I haven’t had them in a while. And will the 2003 Cos come across as too modern, ripe and sweet or will it seduce despite its Napa-esque leanings?

[Blanquito]

Still getting my notes together, but I will say that I quite liked the 03 Cos. My first thought blind was Napa Cab as it had a minty attack, but the tannins and acids on the finish were all old world. So much that I started thinking Super Tuscan.

The important point of course was how enjoyable it was, and I liked this a lot. Quite young still but highly enjoyable now with some air. I didn’t have this on release to compare, but it wasn’t over the top this night. Nothing especially 03 about it either and the oak wasn't noticeable. If it’s Napa-esque, it’s like an old school producer such as Togni or Montelena. Nothing wrong with that.

From memory at least, I found the 02 Cos more modern (more oaky, more licorice sweetness, more spit-polished tannins) a few years ago than this 03 on Monday.

[AKR]

Wow we never see comments on Diamond Creek wines

[Nicklasss]

Come on blanquito or Tom in CO.

A little teaser?

Nic

[Racer Chris]

...
, notes and impressions to follow.

Inquiring minds want to know.

[Winona Chief]

The dog ate Blanquito's homework - uh, er, tasting notes.

I took no tasting notes but can report that:

2003 Cos d'Estournel was rich and fruity and quite delicious. I thought it was Bordeaux but it had a bit of Cal Cab like fruit showing through. Didn't seem
spoofed or over the top. About 97 points.

As to the other wines:

MV Krug with about 10 years of bottle age. Starting to lose it's carbonation but still a wonderful wine. About 94 points
1986 Pichon Lalande was very nice, approaching peak - smooth and easy to drink. My favorite of the 1986s. About 97 points
1986 Cos d'Estournel was a more traditional Cos with a bit of tannin left. Good stuff. About 95 points
1986 Talbot was excellent but not quite as wild as some bottles I've had but seriously good. About 94 points
1986 Rausan Segla also excellent but like the Talbot not as exuberant as some bottles I've enjoyed. About 93 points
In summary, all the 1986s showed well and are starting to hit peak or near peak.
2001 Suduiraut was outstanding - rich, dense, intense. A great Sauternes. About 96 points
1996 Yquem was wonderful as usual. A bit lighter in weight but beautifully balanced. About 96 points

Other reds, not much to say, I don't think I was paying enough attention. One was corked - I think the Cote Rotie. The other two were good, I think I preferred the Diamond Creek. It was a great evening, many thanks to Blanquito for putting this together and to all the participants for sharing their cellar treasures.

Chris Bublitz

[marcs]

Thanks Chris!

Unless it was the corked bottle, eager to hear any notes on the 99 Guigal Ampuis as I am sitting on a few bottles.

[Winona Chief]

Pretty sure it was the 1999 Guigal Ampuis that was corked - sorry.

One other thing, I was at a 1985 Bordeaux dinner in DC just 3 days after this and I thought the 1986s were much better. Both the 1985 Cos and Pichon Lalande showed well but were much lighter weight than the 1986 versions of each. Many of the other 1985s were just OK and a couple seemed to be on the downhill slide.

Chris Bublitz

[Blanquito]

Thanks for getting some notes up, Chris. Here are my impressions (please note, a 94 pt wine is awesome in my scoring system).

Krug Grand Cuvee NV
Quite mature and barely bubbling, but like a gorgeous dry white wine, with nuance, a suave texture, almost bitter but somehow not, and with an incredible finish. The yeasty, bread notes remind you that it is a champagne. It actually freshened up with some air, with the initial sherry notes blowing off. I really enjoy. 93 pts.

1986 Pichon Lalande
Spectacular nose from the get-go, very fresh, a touch funky but quite rich to go with some rusticity. Cinnamon, dark chocolate, showing some earth and leather, but exotic as well with an amazing floral scent of hotel lobby lilies. The palate is so cabernet, fully mature but still kicking with great fruit, glycerin, tannin and intensity. At peak but with miles to go. I love combo of power, richness, silkiness and authenticity (AKA lack of excessive polish) all rolled into one. A great mature claret. My WOTN easily. 96 pts.

1986 Cos d'Estournel
Classic St Estephe meets 86, a poster-child of old school brawn. Rubbery and leafy, dark tar-like color but with brighter red fruits on the palate, shy on the nose after the PLL, but with terrific palate presence and intensity of fruit-acid-tannin. Still a bit rough around the edges, could this need more time? 93 pts.

1986 Rausan Segla
A wine I know well and which holds a special place in the BWE pantheon after its 3rd place finish (behind the 86 Mouton and the 86 Lafite) at the famous 1986 BWE Horizontal in NYC back in 2008. This bottle seemed a touch young, amazingly enough. Again, fairly quiet on the bouquet (which is usually quite complex), but what an epic wine on the palate with power and depth. Still shows some of that hard 86 tannin, and like the Cos, it is a bit on the dry side right now, but this was gaining strength as the night went on. I would decant the next time. Still, easily 94 pts.

1986 Talbot
After the PLL, this had the best bouquet. Not quite as feral and funky as the 86 Talbot can be, this was still a sexy, open, complex, inviting wine with a nose of cigar box, cedar, sweet notes, earth and leather. Also a youngish seeming bottle, but wonderfully integrated and complete. The most ready of the 86s. 94 pts.

2003 Cos d'Estournel (served double-blind)
I quite liked the 03 Cos. My first thought blind was Napa Cab as it had a minty attack, but the tannins and acids on the finish were all old world. So much that I started thinking Super Tuscan. The important point of course was how enjoyable it was, and I liked this a lot. Quite young still but highly enjoyable now with some air. I didn’t have this on release to compare, but it wasn’t over the top this night. Nothing especially 03 about it either and the oak wasn't noticeable. If it’s Napa-esque, it’s like an old school producer such as Togni or Montelena. Nothing wrong with that. 93-94 pts tonight, but with plenty of upside.

1999 Guigal d'Ampuis Cote Rotie
Corked.

1999 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace Cabernet
I've been treated to a good number of Diamond Creek cabs by various local wine buddies, and the older ones (pre-1990) have always really impressed, while the new ones (post-2001) have left me cold. I thought this 1999 bottling was somewhere in the middle, classy and cool fruited with nice depth. It suffered next to the awesome 86s, but I think it would have impressed far more in a different setting. I like the good acids (by Cali standards) and a smoky, Graves-like impression. Very nice. 91 pts.

1998 Fontodi Vigna del Sorbo Chianti
This showed surprisingly tannic and poorly with a chunky, fairly boring impression. Needs time?

2001 Suduiraut
Text book Sauternes, with a big, sexy bouquet of maritime senses, honeysuckle and marmalade. Quite powerful, but has tons of those 01s acids to keep it zippy. Ready to go, but probably immortal as well. 93+ pts.

1996 d'Yquem
Really an incredible wine. Next to the Suduiraut, its charm and class really shine through. The Suduiraut impresses with its complex, funky nose and sweet rich fruit, while the more understated d'Yquem quietly wows with its perfect integration, seamless and essentially flawless display. There's also epic length and power, but like the greatest wine, it is still elegant and refined (not adjectives I usually use for great dessert wines). Ultimately, it transcends its appellation, tasting less like a Sauternes than some gift from the gods. Me grok. 96 pts.

[danzur]

Sounds like a great lineup! The '96 PL sounds amazing. Wish my collection went back that far-time to start trying to backfill.

[Nicklasss]

Thamks for the reports. Very interesting as usual. Happy to read the 1986 Comtesse is in the zone. I had it a few time in the past and while excellent, i always thought it was still young.

Nic

[Jay Winton]

Those Denver folks show visitors a good time!

[Winona Chief]

1986 Pichon Lalande is amazing. 1996 Yquem is amazing - even in a mediocre year for Sauternes, Yquem will do whatever it takes to make a great wine. I have been to a number of wine dinners in Colorado - always a great time, especially if Tom and Blanquito are involved.

Chris Bublitz

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks for the great notes chaps. Blanquito was very slow out of the blocks...

More proof that 1980s Bordeaux continues to show its worth while other wines fall by the wayside. As these events in Denver and NYC attest.

I am sure we all agree we underinvested in 1980s Bordeaux. My stocks of 1980s Bordeaux are sadly and prematurely depleted ... just the odd bottle here, the odd bottle there....I do have a shed load of 1990s but the buggers are taking aeons to come round.

[stefan]

Many say that about the 1990s, Ian, but I have enjoyed the 1990s for a decade. Maybe I like hotter vintages younger than I like cooler vintages; for example, I am fine with 2003s now but most 2002s need two more Blanquitos for my taste.

[Blanquito]

Interesting, Bill. I’m not touching most of my 03s these days, not because I find them closed, but I just am not fond of the way they’re showing at present — I’m hoping some more age will sort them out. Which 03s are you enjoying?

Also, I prefer most 02s at present to the 95s, 96s and 98s (for current pouring, I’m still optimistic about the 90’s years coming around).

[stefan]

La Lagune, Lagrange, St Pierre, Leoville Poyferre, Calon Segur '03s I've drunk recently, with the first three closer to maturity than the last two. But all are enjoyable. I finished my du Tertre because it was so good young. Sociando-Mallet I tried just once but might open another within a year. I want to try Smith-Haut-Lafitte but have been too lazy to pull out the case. I would rather drink wines from the 1970s and 1980s than any 2003s, but I do not have a lot; maybe 4 cases of 1980s and two cases of 1970s, so I rarely open any.

Patrick, have you found any of the 2002 first growths to be attractive now?

[Blanquito]

Thanks, Bill. I need to try another 03 du Tertre it sounds like, I’ve got 3-4. One 03 I quite like now is the Sociando. I think it will get better stil but I like it now a lot.

I don’t have any 02 Firsts, and I don’t think I’ve tried them at tastings either. I think Ian is quite high on the 02 Mouton even for current consumption (right?).

[AKR]

I've found the 03's so open that I've consumed the majority of them by now, much more enjoyable for drinking today than other years plus or minus 8 years. Only have a few St Estephe's and bigger slugs of Poyferre and Pontet Canet left. Unlike so many others vintages, for my tastes, these were drinkable young too.

[stefan]

So I should pop another '03 Sociando soon.

[AKR]

I've consumed maybe 2/3 of my 03 S-M vs half of the 96 and 1/3 of the 00.

I like it the best of the bunch. And all things considered, would rather have that than 1990 going forward.