Hi guys,
Very good friends, one from London, the other from Paris, came to stay with me this past weekend.
We kicked off with Jacques Selosse brut rosé (non-vintage). This is a name producer I approached with interest, only having tasted his wine once before. This bottle had been given to me by an Australian friend. This was a real treat with delicious Champagne flavors on the palate and just the right amount of yeastiness. Only a tiny tug of tannin on the aftertaste would every make you think you were tasting a rosé if blindfolded. A class act.
We had 95 Yquem with foie gras and toast. This was showing youthful and bright, but was nowhere near the infancy stage at which, alas, a lot of Yquem is consumed. By no means lean, this was neverthless perfect at table. Neither particularly thick or very sweet (i.e. with well-balanced sweetness). The aftertaste was best of all with a mineral quality and a delicious dose of bitterness that just brought the flavor profile all into focus. Very, very long, pure finish. Not overloaded with botrytis characteristics, but very enjoyable.
With lamb shanks in a Provençal sauce, we had 1996 La Tour Haut Brion and 1996 Pavie. The former no longer exists and the later has changed irremediably.
The Graves (oh, please forgive me, we're supposed to say "Pessac-Léognan" now, aren't we?) was at its peak, with extremely earthy, leathery, old Claret overtones. The taste was a little angular, but pleasant. What I'd call a and old-fashioned Bordeaux lover's Bordeaux.
Starting with the 2005 vintage, La Tour Haut Brion, a cru classé in its own right, has been incorporated into La Chapelle de la Mission Haut Brion, the second wine of La Mission. Don't ask me why...
The Pavie was from the Valette period. You can count me as one of those people who prefer this style to the present one. The bouquet was very deep, with plummy aromas and humus overtones. The taste was long and satisfying, with licorice nuances. Enjoyable now, this wine has something to gain by further ageing, but it's mostly all there for my taste.
With cheese we had the 1985 Léoville Las Cases. The color was good, with little bricking, and the nose screamed of pencil shavings (so to speak) with plenty of blackcurrant. The taste was rich and long with a green note that somehow did not detract from the whole. This is the last of half a dozen bottles and I am not the only person to have encountered some variation in quality. This example was, fortunately, very good. I'm left wondering: is there any other natural red wine that ages as well as Bordeaux?
Best regards,
Alex R.