WTN: Dinner at my place

More Bordeaux, this time with my home-made Piccata Milanese, tomato sauce, spaghetti and chocolate mousse.

Château Palmer Margaux 1999
Thanks to Remo. Impressed me even more than a bottle a year ago, what a promising young Palmer! Deep if not opaque purple-ruby. Stony-smoky-minerally, elegant blackcurrant rounded off by a little Merlot plumminess, finesseful, great terroir expression and depth, structured, balanced and long. Flavourful tannin, medium-low acidity. Next to this, the 1995 Eglise-Clinet came across as virtually free from minerality. Love the terroir here, but it is not easy to find vintages that express it so well as, of all recent vintages, 1999 and 2004 – IMHO, Palmer does not need to be more powerful than this. Having said that, 24 hours later this really seemed a fraction more concentrated and structured than the 1995 Eglise-Clinet, more intense perhaps, certainly much more minerally. Rating: 95+?

Château Talbot St. Julien 1986
Contribution of mine. Best bottle of 1986 Talbot I have ever had, despite the fact that this was merely a top shoulder fill, with the cork stained on its sides (bought this sometime in the nineties). Full ruby-black, nice gloss. An almost Grenache-like bottle showing complexity and depth more reminiscent of a Gruaud-Larose than Talbot. Typical Cordier style, an intriguing nose. A bit gamy-sweaty and leathery, sweet, lightly rustic but round and a bit oily-thick, softly citrusy and faintly smoky, deep cherry and red berry fruit, complex, still tannic, very long. Christian’s favourite of the night. Rating: 93+/94-?

Château L'Eglise-Clinet Pomerol 1995
Thanks to Christian again. Great stuff, same as a couple of weeks earlier, showing more subtlety and backbone from the large Riedels at my place, but also more Merlot softness (around 80%), tobacco and soft metal notes. Quite thick and smooth, well-balanced and long, ending on a sweet tobacco leafiness. Kept up well in the open bottle, retasted this after 24 and 36 hours, when it showed more youthful backbone – this really needs more time. Rating: 95+?

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

[David M. Bueker]

Now that is more like it. You are drinking a lot of Bordeaux lately. I also have not seen many of your very informative German Riesling notes in the last several months.

But more on point - lovely note on the Palmer. Do you have any experience with the 2002? I am considering adding some to the cellar, as the top vintages are out of my price range.

Now that is more like it. You are drinking a lot of Bordeaux lately. I also have not seen many of your very informative German Riesling notes in the last several months.

But more on point - lovely note on the Palmer. Do you have any experience with the 2002? I am considering adding some to the cellar, as the top vintages are out of my price range.

No, I don't, but I believe the 2002s in general are underrated, and would certainly give it a try. What about the 2004 - is that so much more expensive than the 2002?

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

I've had consistent good luck with the '86 Talbot, certainly rivals '82 as the best Talbot of last 40 years

[David M. Bueker]

No, I don't, but I believe the 2002s in general are underrated, and would certainly give it a try. What about the 2004 - is that so much more expensive than the 2002?

The 2002 is specifically available at a good price.

The 2002 is specifically available at a good price.

If so, I'd say go for it.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti