I wrote these notes up a while back but never got around to posting them. This was from a 10 years after dinner we had at Pinot Provence. But we had a few other bibs and bobs.
I normally would not show my personal scores after a dinner like this but I wanted to give perspective on how I perceived them as a group.
1st
1976 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne: There aren’t many things better than a mature Champagne. This has stood the test of time. Yeasty elements on the nose. Balanced flavors but a slight edge going to apples. 91 pts.
2nd
1997 Trimbach Riesling (Clos Ste Hune): Petrol is jumping out of the glass. The first sip was like having a mouthful of shells. Then the subtle fruits and flowers appeared. I wasn’t sure about this but then the lobster appetizer showed up. That really evened the wine out. 89 pts.
1997 Chateau de Beaucastel CdP VV Roussanne: I looks like honey. Wonderful flowery nose. Great texture and a killer match to the lobster. My first time tasting this wine. It was an eye opener. No signs of fading. 92 pts
3rd
1997 Araujo Eisele Vineyard: This is show pretty well. The oak is playing a major part but overall I found this wine to be subtle and elegant. Still very young. I think it best days are still ahead of it. I would hold for at least 5 years. 91 pts
1997 Peter Michael “Les Pavots”: The nose was promising but the palate it was muddled and less complex than the Araujo and Phelps. I was really looking forward to this one but now…not so much. I actually got a lot of green peppers off this. Yuck. And I did not like the way woody elements were mixing with the fruit. I am pointing out what I didn’t like but I still found it somewhat pleasant. But overshadowed by the other 2. 88 pts
1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia: With the 3 in this flight, this wine certainly showed the most complexity. Very expressive and showing the most secondary elements. Drinking well now but this is another wine I would continue to let sleep. 92 pts WOTF
Mystery Wine – Completely Blind: First sniff … aaah a beautiful CdP. No doubt. An amazingly clean and pure wine. Bright fruit along with a nice richness. Very pretty. I guessed it as a 95 CdP but didn’t get the producer, I just knew it wasn’t Pegau or Beaucastel. WOTN 1995 Chateau Rayas CdP 97 pts.
4th
1997 Antinori Solaia: I did not get this wine. Maybe totally shut down but this one really bored me. Maybe I was just too excited because we were finally going to be done with Cabs. I know this is a beloved wine but … 84 pts.
1997 Guigal Cote Rotie “La Turque”: Oh my oh my oh my. Wow. The nose is pure red fruit mixed with flowers and boysenberries. Great on the palate as well. Very concentrated but not overwhelming. Very slight glycerol feel. So much complexity and soft acids. 95 pts
1997 Williams Selyem Rochioli Vineyard: And they keep coming. This is a truly great wine. Not the most complex pinot I have ever had but one of the nicest. Pure clean fruit and perfect acidity. Awesome! I can’t say enough. From the aromas to the flavors to the texture to the warm feeling it left with me. I wish it had been served with the veal cheeks from the previous course. 96 pts WOTF
5th
1997 Del Forno Romano Nettare: Totally new to me. I think this was the WOTN for many. This is great stuff. Rich and thick with tropical fruits and nuts. What I found amazing was how the intense sweetness had no element of being cloying. This wine is now on my radar.
Cheers,
Jason
Classic riesling & if you let it age the petrol will eventually fade.
Alsace is a newish obsession to me so my cellar doesn’t have much with age. Thankfully, as the world of wine lovers goes, I have found many who are will to give me a history lesson.