Our Bordeaux group and a couple of other friends met at Bobby Van?s in Midtown East last night. We had some whites to start (I started with a crab cake)
2014 Francois Carillon ?Les Macherelles ? Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Not sure I?ve ever tasted this vineyard before. Bright apple, lemon zest, touch of spiced nuts. Bright and very good. A-/B+2014 Niellon ?Les Vergers? Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Lots of matchstick sulphur at first, blows off fairly fast, pear and hazelnut, just a little vanilla, good length. B+/A-
Then a blind wine. Seemed white Bordeaux-ish, but she said not a classic region. Full bodied, oak, citrus and honey. I whiffed on guesses. 2012 Ornellaia Poggio alle Gazze (Toscana). SB with a little Viognier. B
On to the reds with our steaks
1975 Ch. Montrose Pretty good showing, red plums with leather and distinct ferric notes, some leather. Structured but not hard like some ?75 Medocs. B1985 Ch. Montrose Cassis and black cherry, earthy, mediumbodied with soft tannin. B+
1986 Ch. Montrose Great showing, lovely fruit/acid balance, showing well but no hurry here, cassis with long minerally finish. A-1989 Ch. Montrose Black fruit, cigarbox, coffee. Big, good balance. No funk/barnyard in this bottle. A-/B+
1995 Ch. Montrose Full, some tannic structure, black and red currant, tobacco, a tad tight. B+/B1998 Ch. Montrose A touch lean, black fruit, not as long as some. B/B-
2000 Ch. Montrose Large scaled wines, tannin but also good acids, needs time. B+2003 Ch. Montrose This was not a freakshow ?03, big lush fruit but not roasted, firm tannins, young. B+
2005 Ch. Montrose Such a baby but lots of potential- rich black cassis fruit framed by firm but supple tannin, bright acids. Not so fun to drink now, but A- potential2007 Ch. Montrose Cassis, smoke, nice flavors but I thought a little hard and a little short. I think others liked more than I did B-
in our usual 3/2/1 voting
1986 27 1989 12 2005 9 1985 2 1995 2 2003 1 2000 1Grade 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 only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.