Mark put together a charity lunch featuring Magdelaine at Talia, my favorite Westchester restaurant. A nice group gathered and made generous contributions to the non-profit I run and to Operation Smile. John gave a nice history and overview of the property. Company, food, and wines were superb.
NV Gosset Grand Reserve Champagne
Pear chalk, and rye bread, good acids, fine mousse, Very nice NV. B+/B
2011 Chateau Magdelaine
Last vintage before the merger into Belair-Monage.Red and black cherry, perfumed, with green herby notes. Plenty of ripeness here but also a fresh acidic backbone. B/B+
2000 Chateau Magdelaine
I personally think this will be a very good wine in time, but right now somewhat primary and monolithic. Dark fruit and coffee behind a tannic wall. B for drinking now.
Crispy polenta with shiitake mushroom, melted onion, smoked garlic creme
1998 Chateau Magdelaine
Very young, but perfumed, balanced complex. Great, and will get better. A-. Will be truly magnificent when mature,
1990 Chateau Magdelaine
I’ve liked this wine more in the past. Solid bottle but the ‘90 roasted pluim notes are sticking out a bit. There seemed to be a touch of barnyard, but when I revisited didn’t get any brett. It had a hard spot between the 98 and the 89. But I’d drink on a Tuesday. B
1989 Chateau Magdelaine
Now this is ready and willing. Red fruit (cherries), mint, cigarbox. Complex and elegant. A-/B+
Rigatoni with pork ragu, red wine, rosemary, parmesan
1988 Chateau Magdelaine
I think I liked more than the table. I just don;t think it’s quite ready, there is still a lot of tannin, Black plums, blackberry, cedar. This needs some time, I think will be fine, though it didn’t have quite the length of wines around it, B/B+
1985 Chateau Magdelaine
Complete and complex. Redder fruits, cigarbox, chipotle pepper, leather Perfect balance. Ready but no hurry. A-/A
1982 Chateau Magdelaine
Ripe and delicious, but seemed to lack just a a little of the freshness that other bottles of ‘82 have offered This is a delicious wine, and there is no obvious oxidation, but the cork might have not been the tightest. B+/A-
Filet mignon in foie gras fat, duxelles, brown butter butternut squash puree, spinach, jus
1975 Chateau Magdelaine
Lovely nose of earth, black cherry and cigar ash, long finish with a ferric note, B+/A-
1970 Chateau Magdelaine
This can be a great wine, but this bottle wasn’t. While not overtly oxidized or madeirized, it seemed tired with the cigarbox moving towards ashtray, Not a sound bottle, but on it;s own I would have found drinkable in a elderly dowager mode.
Pizza with Gruyere and mushrooms
1949 Chateau Magdelaine
This is the only vintage at tasting I hadn’t had before., Earlier in tasting someone said they had had it from same source earlier this year and it had not showed well. So I tempered expectations, No need, this was flat out lovely, Black cherry, smoke, and truffles, Complex and perfumed. Lovely texture. A-/A.
We voted for favorites, I gave the 49 the edge over the 85 just because I’d never had before, I believe in group voting the top 4 were 1949, 1985, 1998, and 1982. Great afternoon, raised some nice money for the charities, and I loved spending time with friends old and new. Thanks Mark!
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was the only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.