In celebration of the addition of a new grandson to our family I opened a few bottles yesterday. Quick recaps follow as grandpa was a bit too enthusiastic yesterday......:-)
1996 La Grande Dame-Initial nose of toasted bread and yeasty dough gave way to apples and pears with a bit of apple pie spice. The wine kept changing and eventually showed grilled bread and hazelnuts. B+1983 Trimbach Clos St. Hune Riesling VT-Fermented absolutely bone dry. Rich and full bodied with notes of limestone and wet slate. A bit of petrol on the nose but really quite under control and not offensive. Plenty of white peach and lemon/lime. A
2000 Sine Qua Non "The Boot"- 50% Chardonnay, 25% Viognier and 25% Rousanne. Really quite interesting, I usually don't go for these exotic blends but this one grew on me. At first it was very Burgundy- like with mineral, citrus and pineapple but after a while the other varietals crept through giving an ever evolving palate with waxy floral notes and a bit of bitter almond. B+1990 Chateau Montrose-Very dark purple red with note hint of age. A bit of rustic funk on the nose at first and a tad edgy on the palate with a touch of Brett. Opened after an hour showing black fruits, currants, espresso and some tar. Big brawny tannins this one needs more time but it does have a rustic charm. A-
1990 Chateau Lafite-More reddish purple than the Montrose. Sleek and elegant yet quite powerful in a subtle way. Tons of rich, mostly black fruits yet there was a bit of red fruit peeking through. Cassis and blackberry with a bit of red raspberry and touch of tobacco all very well balanced in a smooth package. Smooth tannins and a long finish. A1982 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet. A bit cloudy in the glass showing just a hint of brick in the reddish purple color. A bit of barnyard and Brett on the nose. Still a fair amount of blackberry and anise notes coming through with an aedge of minerality. Medium to full bodied on the palate with a fair amount of tannins still showing a fair amount of grip. The wine was showing a bit of complexity with black cherry, blackberry and cassis, a bit of bitter chocolate and espresso on the finish. Still a few more years to go but probably not much improvement left. B-
1995 Jadot Bonnes Mares-Still youthful looking in the glass with no signs of age. Dark Burgundy red and fairly thick with a bit of glass coating glycerin. Nice aroma of mature Burgundy with earthy mushroom, exotic spice and sweet red cherry notes. Beautiful fruit, a bit of red dirt mineral flavors, ripe sappy cherry flavors and a core of acidity made for a well balanced glass of wine. My favorite of the day. A+