The night had all of the showings of a Europe/US smackdown on bordeaux blends. Heavy weight faves like Pichon Lalande and Cos against upstarts like Opus One and Dominus. Unfortunately, the Americans were leftat the gate on this flight. Could be indicative of aging Cali cab blends compared to their European cousins. However, I am not willing to give up yet. Just think we caught a couple of bottles that didn't show well. Note to self, if have multiple bottles of some of these Cali stars, try them along the way and don't just forget them in the back of the cellar. The night was dominated by terroir. With many of these wines, you felt like you were drinking them in the vineyards of the chateaux.
1997 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Roncières - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru (9/12/2010)
Garnet/rose mixture in glass. Great minerality, wet stone and flint. Rasberry, cranberry and pomegranate. Vibrant fruit. Excellent sense of terrior. (94 pts.)
1983 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (9/12/2010)
Old bordeaux nose of cassis, red sweet cherry, cedar, tobacco. Plenty of fruit left in this. At peak. Soft mouthfeel with essentially no tannins. (92 pts.)
Note: This wine was consumed out of sequence. Lots of decanters look the same as the night goes on!
1996 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (9/12/2010)
This was a big and chewy wine and is still incredibly young. Some what muted nose but the wine has lots of stuffing. Firm but sweetening tannins. A good dose cedar behind the black cherry on the palate. (94 pts.)
1986 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (9/12/2010)
This was right up there with the 86 PL. Juniper and cedar on the nose. Very smooth on entry. Elegant. Primary fruit was mature red cherry with some truffle on the finish. Hasn't developed the classic tobacco/cedar nuances that I usually get from Cos. Still fruit dominant on the nose. (96 pts.)
1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (9/12/2010)
WOTN. Floral notes of roses on the nose. This wine is still huge, well integrated red fruit of cherry and cassis with some sweet plums. Great mouthfeel. Velvetty. (97 pts.)
1999 Dominus Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/12/2010)
The wine wasn't corked or oxidized but it was flat, fruitless and missing sommething or many things. Poured down the drain. Bummer. NR (flawed)
1996 Opus One - USA, California, Napa Valley (9/12/2010)
This wine did not show well tonight. It was abit oaky, flabbby and finished with a tart/slightly sour zing. Red cherry fruit was there but th e wine is either in a wierd state or IMHO, thiese wines are constructed to be consumed young in restaraunts. (86 pts.)
1998 Barossa Valley Estate Shiraz E & E Black Pepper - Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (9/12/2010)
After two disappointments with the cali cabs, this wine brought us right back into the mix. Floral nose of mostly violets. Wine smelled and tasted like blueberry pie with a cinnamon crust. Expected this to bring heat like many Aussies but it was not the case at all. THere was a nice coffee and cocoa/mocha finish after the fruit. Sweet tannins and a great finish. (95 pts.)
1998 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia - Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore (9/12/2010)
Just when we thought we were wrapping up the night, out came an Italian big gun. Tar, tabocco on nose. Rich red fruit with a tough of green pepper. This wine had great body and was elegant. Still very young. (94 pts.)
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