Here's a close video of the lineup as well: https://youtube.com/shorts/W7LmUFUOaOw?si=XVq_teWiERri6uls
As we've built out a great tasting group, primarily from Reddit (with a couple additional friends each time), we do regular meetups with great bottles and try to bring a different theme each time.
This time, the theme was birthyear wines. But, of course, not all birthyears are created equal, and we all had slack to pick a different vintage if we wanted, after all, wine is meant to be fun and these are just guideposts!
This may be the best tasting we've done so far! Not just in terms of price, although there were some incredibly generous gifts, but also in terms of the ability to try well-preserved bottles with real age on them!
This was stunning tasting and many were generous by bringing multiple bottles, which meant we were all spoiled for choice.
Also, not surprisingly, almost all the aged wines were reds and as someone whose palate is almost entirely red (outside of Champagne and dessert wines), I was pleased.
One caveat is as we drank, my notes got a little lighter and sloppier towards the end, so you'll see the details start to get a little fuzzier.
N.V. Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Sous Bois
The first sips before jumping into more "serious" bubbles.
But this is obviously a fantastic Champagne to start the evening.
Surprisingly rich on the palate.
Picked up notes of white nectarine and peach.
89 points.
2016 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Special Club Grands Terroirs de Chardonnay
Another "warm-up" Champagne, but still serious in my book!
Picked up notes of brioche, lemon zest, lime zest, stone fruit, slight minerality.
91+ points.
Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 172ème
Still very young, but drinking nicely already.
Brioche jumped out, but then picked up apple, Fuji pear, lemon zest, and some slight lime.
Really enjoyed this, favorite Champagne of the night, and look forward to revisiting this again in the future!
92+ points.
2009 Delas Frères Hermitage Les Bessards
Always a good day to jump into some Hermitage!
Toasted oak, dark plum, blackberry notes.
Alongside this, picked up some black pepper and cloves notes.
Slight dark chocolate as well.
Drinking nicely now, but likely has even more upside.
92+ points.
1999 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell'Annunziata
This is drinking quite young right now, telling us the power of Barolo.
Blueberry and boysenberry notes jumped out to me.
But also picked up some coffee grounds, tar, and pine.
Really enjoyable wine!
93+ points.
1989 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Monprivato
One of my brings to wine night. Was a win off auction a while ago, representing my lovely wife's birth year, and was eager to try this.
This is in a strong position right now.
Picked up notes of blueberry and rose petals.
Also picked up some nice chocolate notes and slight tar.
Tannins nicely resolved, acidity still very present.
94 points.
1998 Château Valandraud
This is apparently one of the first garagistes (garage wines) and nice to taste some history!
Nicely mature, with leather and tobacco notes.
But still some nice fruit with cherry and plum.
Also some slight cloves as well.
91 points.
1989 Marc Sorrel Hermitage Le Gréal
A nicely mature Hermitage!
Picked up notes of leather, tobacco, and pepper.
Also some dark plum with it as well.
Drinking well, but likely has time to go from here.
92 points.
1993 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
Something about Dunn Howell Mountain takes forever to age.
The last meet-up, we had a 1989 and 2005 and both drank very young.
This exhibited notes of dark plum, blackberry, dark cherry, pencil lead, clove, and elaichi (cardamom).
Still lots of life left in this!
93 points.
1978 Château Mouton Rothschild
This was the oldest bottle at our tasting and while it was mature, it also doesn't feel over the hill at all, likely is at or near its peak.
But can also go on a while longer, the drinking window of 1996-2014 on CT is a little bizarre to me, at least for well-stored bottles.
Picked up notes of black cherry, blackberry, and red plum, alongside dried fruit.
Also picked up a lot of tertiary notes including leather, tobacco, and cigar box.
This is a beautiful wine and tell us how well Bordeaux, especially First Growth, can age forever.
This was one of my picks for WOTN!
94 points.
1982 Bodegas Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva
First time trying a Rioja with this much age on it, but seems in a good place right now.
The fruit was a little hidden, but did get some blueberry notes.
Tastes tended to go more towards caramel, cinnamon, and butterscotch candy for me.
Enjoyed this and was nice to have a Spanish wine in a tasting dominated by Bordeaux, Piedmont, and Napa.
92 points.
1993 Ridge Monte Bello
This is a great reminder that California can age really well!
Picked up dark cherry, vanilla, and cinnamon notes, alongside some cassis and dried flowers.
Drinking beautifully right now and first time trying aged Ridge Monte Bello. Will likely be seeking out some more bottles soon!
93 points.
1994 Ridge Monte Bello
Served side-by-side with the 1993 Ridge Monte Bello and I personally found both to be equally enjoyable!
This felt a little more perfumed on the nose.
Picked up blackberry, dark cherry, and maybe candied grapefruit notes?
Also some cinnamon and nutmeg.
93 points.
1988 Château Haut-Brion
This was a very generous bring and one of three First Growth Bordeaux.
This is in a great place right now and shows the consistency of Haut-Brion, even if this vintage lives in the shadow, unfairly, of the legendary 1989 (a bucket list wine for me).
Picked up notes of blackberry, dark plum, slight clove, leather, and tobacco.
I only had a couple sips of this because I was late to notice this being opened, but glad I swooped in when I did, I would have regretted missing this!
93 points.
1988 Château Lafite Rothschild
Another generous bring and one of three First Growths!
I absolutely enjoyed this one, maybe because it's in such a strong place right now.
Notes of leather, cherry, dried plums, blackberry, blueberry, and cinnamon.
This wine probably has a long window ahead of it!
94 points.
1982 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private
Having recently had the 1986 vintage of this wine, I had a good feeling that GdL could age nicely and this was really enjoyable.
Picked up notes of leather, blueberry, tobacco, and dark cherry, alongside some strawberry stems?
Garnet hue here.
This has aged nicely, I would drink up now!
91 points.
1992 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
Picked up notes of leather, clove, dried plum, and cherry.
I'm a big Montelena fan and really encouraged to see the aging potential on these wines!
91 points.
1986 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select
This was my second bring of the night and my birthyear wine.
Fully mature Napa, with notes of leather, clove, dried plum, and cherry.
Now, I did make a mistake with this, and decanted it because it was a bit tight at the beginning, but that also meant it faded towards the end.
Scoring on the initial glass while it was still in great shape.
92 points.
Honestly, hard to pick a WOTN here. Scores are one thing, but it's a flash judgment given in the moment.
If I were forced to, I'd pick the 1978 Mouton and 1988 Lafite, but so many other wines were up there, including the Brovia, both Ridge Monte Bellos, and the Dunn.
And there wasn't a single wine I didn't want more of.
Probably our best tasting to date and the most fun!
by rnjbond
2 Comments
When I saw 2016 at first I thought you all had a 10 year old there 😂
What’s that bottle of heitz on the far right of the line up?