- 2002 Tacama Salvaje - Peru, Ica (2/26/2008)
A bit funky nose, rather red toned in fruit, autolytic, reminds of Sémillon in its aromatics. Rather inelegant bubbles, but the taste is both interesting and nice with tart acidity, but weighty fruit. More than a curiosity, this is very drinkable. - 2006 Tacama Blanco de Blancos - Peru, Ica (2/26/2008)
The nose is rather sweet, fruit forward and full of pear. The palate is also fruit forward but not heavy. A nice, easy drinking wine. - 2006 Tacama Tannat Don Manuel - Peru, Ica (2/26/2008)
Very oaky, sweet, young, jammy. Lively structure, fairly strong tannins, juicy fruit, lots of oak. Too oaky for me, I found the other Peruvians tonight more interesting.
Then we had a set of mature and maturing French reds, half-blind with one fully blind joker thrown in to mess us all up:
- 1986 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, La Tâche Grand Cru (2/26/2008)
Old colour. The nose took some time to open up, but when it did it was a charming, aged Burgundy with the typically spiciness for the vineyard, vegetation and red toned fruit. Lively structure, red and bright fruit, drying tannins. I thought it was lovely, but some might find the palate a bit hard. - 1986 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (2/26/2008)
Sweet red fruit, almost jammy, strawberries; this took some time before the Rhone aromas started showing, but it ended up meaty and herbal (thyme). Very sweet and strawberried attack, but it turns savoury, spicy and acidic towards the finish. A very nice drink and the oak has integrated. - 1964 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (2/26/2008)
Light red, orange rim, fully mature colour. The nose was that of an old wine, with a lovely brettyness and lift to the red toned yet cedary aromas. The palate was fully resolved, but lively: this had no fruit, but everything was just right with it. Lovely! - 1982 Château Mouton-Baronne-Philippe - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (2/26/2008)
What a lovely wine! It has more ripeness to the fruit than I perhaps would ideally want, but otherwise it is such a beautiful and classic Pauillac aroma of blackcurrant leaves, cigar, cedar, lead and dark, savoury fruit that I don't mind the slightly high ripeness. Lively, leafy, classical and classy. Lovely. - 1979 Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (2/26/2008)
A strange bottle. The colour was deep and healthy, but the nose seemed like that of a dying wine: rye-bread, oxidative, pleasureless. The palate was better as there was a lively structure still, but the nose wasn't too nice. I like my wines on the dead side, but not anymore when the rye-bread aromas are so dominant. - 1979 Château Beychevelle - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (2/26/2008)
The fully-blind joker: Red toned, lifted, herbal, with lovely aromas of blackcurrant leaf and tea. Refreshing, quite tannic still, has perhaps a touch more acidity than I usually find with Bordeaux - very lively and very long. And at least this bottle was more substantial than "luncheon" Claret! Lovely. - 1982 Château Talbot - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (2/26/2008)
A very big wine for Bordeaux, very sweet, almost jammy, dark fruit, leathery, yet with typical left bank cassis and herbs and lift also. I don't see even the tiniest hint of Brett, though apparently Cordier's wines often have it. Big, dense, dark fruit, lively though very ripe, still a bit tannic. Nice, but riper than I would hope.
For dessert, we had a nice but thick Banyuls:
- N.V. Domaine du Mas Blanc (Docteur Parcé) Banyuls Cuvée Dr André Parce - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Banyuls (2/26/2008)
Solera, bottled 1995. Herbal, raisiny like a PX except more refreshing/less cloying. Sweet and raisiny but with some very attractive herbal and slightly rancioed counterpoints to the sweetness. Nice!