Visit to Léoville Barton.
2008 Langoa Barton - sweet and forward nose of tropical fruit and vanilla. Still pretty tannic.
2008 Léoville Barton - powerful nose of vanilla and fruit. Very tannic and alcoholic.
2007 Langoa Barton - a bit smoky with spices. Softer on the palate.
2007 Léoville Barton - nose of smoked meats.
2006 Langoa Barton - nose not open at all with only a bit of smoked meats.
2006 Léoville Barton - nose of smoked meats and tannic on the palate.
2008 Rauzan-Ségla - very open nose with sweet fruits and vanilla.
April 7, 2009
MNSC Bordeaux Trip Day 3: Branaire-Ducru
Visit to Branaire-Ducru, where we were received by the Président Patrick Maroteaux and Manager Jean-Dominique Videau.
2008 Branaire-Ducru - forward and fruity with a hint of smoke. Not too tannic as the acidity was a bit higher.
2007 Branaire-Ducru - softer and more complex than the 2008. Nose of tropical fruit, mint and forest with a spicy finish.
2006 Branaire-Ducru - farmy nose with smoked meats, not as fruity. A nice wine that has come together with a good finish.
2005 Branaire-Ducru - toasty oak, mint and smoked meat nose. Pretty round tannin.
2004 Branaire-Ducru - nose of smoked meats is more prominent. Smooth and not too tannic on the palate.
2008 Branaire-Ducru - forward and fruity with a hint of smoke. Not too tannic as the acidity was a bit higher.
2007 Branaire-Ducru - softer and more complex than the 2008. Nose of tropical fruit, mint and forest with a spicy finish.
2006 Branaire-Ducru - farmy nose with smoked meats, not as fruity. A nice wine that has come together with a good finish.
2005 Branaire-Ducru - toasty oak, mint and smoked meat nose. Pretty round tannin.
2004 Branaire-Ducru - nose of smoked meats is more prominent. Smooth and not too tannic on the palate.
April 6, 2009
MNSC Bordeaux Trip Day 2: Latour
Visit and dinner at Latour, where Frédéric Engerer was exceedingly kind and treated us to dinner at the château.
2008 Pauillac – the nose of the generic production was not very open, with a bit of fruit and slightly spicy.
2008 Les Forts de Latour – a bit smoky and grilled meat notes, with a tart finish.
2008 Latour – nose was not very open and tannins were pretty grippy.
2004 Les Forts de Latour – classic Bordeaux nose with smoke and a bit of coffee. A bit sweet on the palate.
2002 Latour – again a classic Bordeaux with smoky nose. A bit acidic on the palate.
2007 Latour – nose was a bit sweet like cotton candy, and a little smoky.
2006 Latour – open nose with smoke with grilled meats, still a bit tannic.
Wines served with canapes and dinner:
1988 Salon Le Mesnil – nose was a bit acidic, with iron rust, honey and oxidized pear notes. On the palate it was sweet and a bit metallic. I don’t get many chances to drink Salon, so this was a real treat.
1976 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc – nose of chalk, flint, lemon, a little sweet honey, oxidation and pineapple. Really wonderful stuff. Pineapple's birth vintage.
We were served three pairs of wines from the birth vintages of MNSC members. The theme was that one wine from each pair would be a Latour, while the other wine would be of equivalent stature (i.e. a First Growth) but selected to ensure that the Latour would be the winner of the pair… Of course all the wines are ex-château – even if they weren’t Latour, they have been lying in the château library since release – so we could not hope for better conditions.
First pair – the Ox, Lord Rayas and Juliano's birth vintage
1973 Cheval Blanc – smooth on the palate, with smoke, grilled meat notes. Orange and amber rim from the age. On the palate it was a bit watery but sweet.
1973 Latour – classic Bordeaux with smoke, lead pencil over a core of sweet fruit. Beautiful wine.
Second pair – Dr. Poon's birth vintage
1967 Latour – a bit of stewed fruit on the nose, with sweet grass and a little plasticky.
1967 Ausone – sweet, exotic and a bit funky nose.
Third pair – my birth vintage
1970 Latour – classic Bordeaux nose with smoke and sweet fruits. Quite a powerful wine after almost 40 years of age. I’ve had this wine a few times before – including last year – and recognized it immediately.
1970 Mouton – smoky, minty and a bit more ripe and open than the Latour. A beautiful wine. This was a surprise as I’ve had this wine a half dozen times – including last year – and I’ve never had a bottle as good as this one. This is where provenance really shows…
1953 Latour – Dr. Poon brought this bottle for Frédéric to taste and “authenticate.” Big nose of iron, rust and minerals, with sweet fruit, orange, grassy and a bit of smoke.
1975 Yquem – golden honey color, with nose of orange marmalade, plastic and acetone from the botrytis. This wine was sooooo rich! What a great way to end the meal!
Full post on dinner is here.
2008 Pauillac – the nose of the generic production was not very open, with a bit of fruit and slightly spicy.
2008 Les Forts de Latour – a bit smoky and grilled meat notes, with a tart finish.
2008 Latour – nose was not very open and tannins were pretty grippy.
2004 Les Forts de Latour – classic Bordeaux nose with smoke and a bit of coffee. A bit sweet on the palate.
2002 Latour – again a classic Bordeaux with smoky nose. A bit acidic on the palate.
2007 Latour – nose was a bit sweet like cotton candy, and a little smoky.
2006 Latour – open nose with smoke with grilled meats, still a bit tannic.
Wines served with canapes and dinner:
1988 Salon Le Mesnil – nose was a bit acidic, with iron rust, honey and oxidized pear notes. On the palate it was sweet and a bit metallic. I don’t get many chances to drink Salon, so this was a real treat.
1976 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc – nose of chalk, flint, lemon, a little sweet honey, oxidation and pineapple. Really wonderful stuff. Pineapple's birth vintage.
We were served three pairs of wines from the birth vintages of MNSC members. The theme was that one wine from each pair would be a Latour, while the other wine would be of equivalent stature (i.e. a First Growth) but selected to ensure that the Latour would be the winner of the pair… Of course all the wines are ex-château – even if they weren’t Latour, they have been lying in the château library since release – so we could not hope for better conditions.
First pair – the Ox, Lord Rayas and Juliano's birth vintage
1973 Cheval Blanc – smooth on the palate, with smoke, grilled meat notes. Orange and amber rim from the age. On the palate it was a bit watery but sweet.
1973 Latour – classic Bordeaux with smoke, lead pencil over a core of sweet fruit. Beautiful wine.
Second pair – Dr. Poon's birth vintage
1967 Latour – a bit of stewed fruit on the nose, with sweet grass and a little plasticky.
1967 Ausone – sweet, exotic and a bit funky nose.
Third pair – my birth vintage
1970 Latour – classic Bordeaux nose with smoke and sweet fruits. Quite a powerful wine after almost 40 years of age. I’ve had this wine a few times before – including last year – and recognized it immediately.
1970 Mouton – smoky, minty and a bit more ripe and open than the Latour. A beautiful wine. This was a surprise as I’ve had this wine a half dozen times – including last year – and I’ve never had a bottle as good as this one. This is where provenance really shows…
1953 Latour – Dr. Poon brought this bottle for Frédéric to taste and “authenticate.” Big nose of iron, rust and minerals, with sweet fruit, orange, grassy and a bit of smoke.
1975 Yquem – golden honey color, with nose of orange marmalade, plastic and acetone from the botrytis. This wine was sooooo rich! What a great way to end the meal!
Full post on dinner is here.
MNSC Bordeaux Trip Day 2: Léoville-Las Cases
Visit to Léoville-Las Cases.
2008 La Chapelle de Potensac - red and tropical fruits on the nose. Tannins a little grippy on the finish
2008 Fugue de Nenin - alcoholic and fruity with a bit of smoke. Sweet on the palate
2008 Nenin - minty and alcoholic, with a bit of smoke. Not as forward as the others
2008 Potensac - not very open with only a bit of fruit
2008 Clos du Marquis - vanilla and sweet fruit nose with a bit of mint. A bit acidic
2008 Léoville-Las Cases - inky color showing the concentration, with vanilla, sweet fruit, a bit of smoked meats and a grippy finish
2008 La Chapelle de Potensac - red and tropical fruits on the nose. Tannins a little grippy on the finish
2008 Fugue de Nenin - alcoholic and fruity with a bit of smoke. Sweet on the palate
2008 Nenin - minty and alcoholic, with a bit of smoke. Not as forward as the others
2008 Potensac - not very open with only a bit of fruit
2008 Clos du Marquis - vanilla and sweet fruit nose with a bit of mint. A bit acidic
2008 Léoville-Las Cases - inky color showing the concentration, with vanilla, sweet fruit, a bit of smoked meats and a grippy finish
MNSC Bordeaux Trip Day 2: Pichon-Lalande
Visit to Pichon-Lalande.
2008 Bernadotte - fruity and not much tannins
2008 Reserve de la Comtesse - fruity and minty
2008 Pichon Lalande - minty and tannins were relatively round
2008 Bernadotte - fruity and not much tannins
2008 Reserve de la Comtesse - fruity and minty
2008 Pichon Lalande - minty and tannins were relatively round
MNSC Bordeaux Trip Day 2: Mouton-Rothschild
Visit to Mouton-Rothschild.
2008 d'Armailhac - floral and fruity, where tannins are not too bad
2008 Clerc-Milon - fruity nose with a bit of vanilla
2008 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton-Rothschild - a bit smoky, farmy and sweet fruits
2008 Mouton-Rothschild - there's that trademark soy sauce again...even a bit stinky...smoky, chocolate and a bit violet/floral on the finish
2008 d'Armailhac - floral and fruity, where tannins are not too bad
2008 Clerc-Milon - fruity nose with a bit of vanilla
2008 Le Petit Mouton de Mouton-Rothschild - a bit smoky, farmy and sweet fruits
2008 Mouton-Rothschild - there's that trademark soy sauce again...even a bit stinky...smoky, chocolate and a bit violet/floral on the finish
MNSC Bordeaux Trip Day 2: Lafite-Rothschild
Visit to Lafite-Rothschild.
2008 Carruades de Lafite - vanilla and sweet fruit nose
2008 Duhart-Milon - a bit smoky
2008 Lafite-Rothschild - nose was not very open. A bit of smoke, mint but hard to get to the fruit. Very tannic. I have no doubt that the wine has loads of potential, but an amateur like myself just can't be a good judge right now
2008 Carruades de Lafite - vanilla and sweet fruit nose
2008 Duhart-Milon - a bit smoky
2008 Lafite-Rothschild - nose was not very open. A bit of smoke, mint but hard to get to the fruit. Very tannic. I have no doubt that the wine has loads of potential, but an amateur like myself just can't be a good judge right now
MNSC Bordeaux Trip Day 2: Montrose
Visit to Montrose.
2008 Tronquoy de Sainte Anne - sharp nose with ripe fruits. Pretty tannic with a really spicy finish
2008 Tronquoy-Lalande - spicy and peppery nose, with red fruits and vanilla notes. Very tart and tannic
2008 La Dame de Montrose - peppery nose with grippy tannins
2008 Montrose - sooooo tannic! beautiful bouquet with very forward fruit with toasty oak and vanilla
2008 Tronquoy de Sainte Anne - sharp nose with ripe fruits. Pretty tannic with a really spicy finish
2008 Tronquoy-Lalande - spicy and peppery nose, with red fruits and vanilla notes. Very tart and tannic
2008 La Dame de Montrose - peppery nose with grippy tannins
2008 Montrose - sooooo tannic! beautiful bouquet with very forward fruit with toasty oak and vanilla
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