Lunch and afternoon wines:
Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 1995
Thanks to Dani. The best bottle of 1995 Chave I have so far had, perhaps a tiny bit evolved but utterly pristine, one that seems to just have entered its plateau of maturity. Best after several hours in the decanter. Full, deep garnet-red-black with a light orange hue. Lovely balanced sweaty meat juice and stewed plum and strawberry, iron and soft brown spice. Mildly sweet and dry. Quite mild (compared to earlier bottles) orangey acidity, still firm but wholly unobtrusive, Lapsang Souchong black tea like tannin. Also mentally compared this to the 2001 I had had a few days earlier – the 1995 has always seemed to me a particularly successful, since characteristically cool, finesseful and complex vintage, with sufficient fruit and ripeness, the classically firm kind of Syrah I like, without undue austerity. The 1995 is clearly on an above average quality level, roughly that of classic Chaves like the 1982, 1983, 1988 and 1989. Having retasted the 2001, I doubt it will be quite that good, but again, there are similarities, and it should turn out to be close enough. Obviously miracle vintages à la 2003 that combine virtually every imaginable, seemingly contradictory virtue, remain the exception, but then, efforts like the 1995 may be the easiest to interpret and understand, and thus perhaps, enjoy. To put it bluntly, I could have wallowed in this one. Rating: 95(+?)
István Szepsy Tokaji Aszúessencia Mádi-Király Szölészet 1993
Thanks to Dani. He claimed it would be another cloudy bottle, but there were merely some brown particles in the bottle that may either have been sediment or, not unlikely given the circumstances back then, tiny pieces of that hygienically harmless black mould/fungus with which the walls in all Tokaj cellars are covered. This continues to evolve unexpectedly well for a pure Hárslevelü Aszú (István Szepsy told us years ago to drink this up on the early side), on top of this the produce of young vines. Amber-brown with a glossy yellow hue and rim. Fresher, livelier, less “dusty” than the last bottle Dani opened of this rarity (380 half litre bottles total production of what is still the only pure Hárslevelü AE I have ever tasted, seen or heard of) one and a half years ago. Honey, dark candy, amazing spices, mace and nutmeg among other, sultanas, white chocolate, candied lemon, dried date. Oily and rich, sweet and viscous, and very long on the balanced, complex finish. Oxidation in the best sense only, no rancio surface dryness, not a hint at foul apple or pear here at all (even though, as I have said many times, there was no such thing as “controlled oxidation” – Tokaj vintners still chuckle to themselves when they hear the expression). Even admitting a lack experience with the way such semi-modern Aszú ages in bottle (the development in bottle of truly modern Aszú is yet more difficult to predict – there is simply no track record for this style), my gut instinct says this may never drink better than it already does now. In fact, this remains the only 1993 AE I know that may never have been better than it already was at release (not too different from now, just a fraction more floral and subtle). Rating: 95-/94-?
And with dinner:
Masi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Mazzano 1995
Thanks to Dani. 13’700 bottles made. Opaque lightly pruney ruby-black, minor watery rim. Coffee chocolate, raisins, pruney plum, a little blackberry jam. Fairly complex, seemed to show good terroir/soil notes, too. Quite concentrated, thick and petrolly, not fresh and racy enough for my taste – Dani quipped that instead of being an Aussie Shiraz that tastes like Amarone, this for once was an Amarone that tastes like Aussie Shiraz. Tiny bitter note to the chocolatey tannin, and a faint mintiness to almost absent acidity. The 16% alcohol certainly left its mark even if it really only peeked out a little. Amarone needs to be really exceptional to tempt me – this was may be impressive in the “measurable” sense (no doubt a sizeable wine), but alluring or fascinating it was not. But: this was still improving with airing by the time I left, and apparently was at its fruitiest after two days in the decanter. Rating: 90+/91?
Greetings from Switzerland, David.
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„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti