TN: 1995 Bordeaux despite a strike

Transit strike be damned! Well, that was easy for me to say, because we were having dinner at Salute at Madison and 39th, 3 blocks from Grand Central (Metro-North commuter lines are not part of strike). Arvind Rao had put together a dinner featuring 1995 Bordeaux, and amazingly (as not everyone lives in northern suburbs) all eleven people made it (we had one earlier cancelation due to illness). The occasion was a visit by Australians Mark ("Claudius") & Jennifer Dignam. By happy coincidence West Coast BWEer Doug Lee was also in town. A very nice group gathered at Salute to eat and drink:

2000 Baumard "Trie Speciale" Savennieres My notes read wooly, wooly, wooly. No doubt this is Chenin. Bigger, rounder, and riper than most Savennieres I've drunk, but by no means fat or ungainly. Some chalky mineralitry. Opens up a lot over the evening, put away for several more years. B+ (A- by end of evening)

NV Pierre Brigandat Champagne This had a nice yeastroll nose, but I felt a little light/dilute. OK. B

1995 La Gaffeliere (St Emilion) Medium-bodied, still a touch tannic. Nice tobacco /earth thing on the nose, but the fruit seems to lack depth. B/B-

1995 Corbin Michotte (St Emilion) A little light, but attractively more complex than the Gaffeliere. I wouldn't go out of my way for this, but am glad I have a couple on the way (Benchmark blowout at $20). B

1995 Pichon Baron (Pauillac) Not a bruiser, pretty black fruit, medium body, good finish. Quite attractive. B+

1995 La Lagune (Haut-Medoc) Pleasant surprise of the night for me. Nice blackcurrant and black plum fruit, nicely herby with a touch of cigarbox. Excellent depth, good finish. B+/A-

1995 Gazin (Pomerol) Sweet roasted plum fruit, a note of chocolate. Nice, round, ready. B/B+

1995 Dauzac (Margaux) Light on the fruit, hard on the tannins (Betsy says "it hurts roof of my mouth"). I'm sorry I have a couple on the way (Benchmark blowout at $25). C+

1995 Grand Puy Lacoste(Pauillac) This had been decanted earlier in day, day before would have been better. Nice young Pauillac with rich blackcurrant fruit, firm ripe tannins, good finish. Give it ten years. B+/A-

1995 Pape Clement (Pessac-Leognan) Medium-bodied, fine tannins, smooth red fruit. Earthy, nice mineral finish. B+

1995 Calon Segur (St. Estephe) A bit high-toned at first. OK dark fruit but there's an earthy-decay leaf note that's puzzling in a young St. Estephe. B/B-

1995 L'Angelus (St Emilion) Tight, needs time. But there's a beautiful wine waiting underneath, with mocha and cigarbox notes over a nice dark berry fruit. A-

1995 Leoville Poyferre (St Julien) Nice, young, tasty. Some vanillay oak still there, but this is another one I wouldn't mind having in cellar. B+

1990 Filhot "Creme de Tete" Someone says that this is a little like a Quarts de Charmes,but I can't see hat. Very dark, with lots of caramel, pineapple, botrytis. B/B+

1990 Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Doctor Auslese I didn't give this the attention it deserved. Ripe peaches, Good finish. B+?

Nice night. Thanks to Gio at Salute for arranging no corkage, Arv for coordination, everyone for good company and good wines. I've been pretty down on '95s lately, these showed better than I expected overall. Pictures here (damn I hate that picture of me!):

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Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

Reply to
DaleW
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Amen, Dale! I got hooked on the Angelus with the 1990 vintage. The

2000 Seattle Wine Society annual tasting featured the '95 Angelus. It was incredible, even then. But you could tell that a decade or two in the bottle would really enhance its richness.

The following year, the Society still had a bottle of the '95 in their library, and offered it for sale. It was my birthday, and my most magnanimous girlfriend, who remembered how great the 1990 was, gifted me with the '95. Ah, for a vertical!

Jef

Reply to
jj

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