Monday night we had a Pape Clement vertical at the Musket Room on the Lower East Side. One bubbly and 3 whites to start
NV Doyard “Oeil de Perdrix” Rose Champagne Very pale pink (I had to hold up to be sure was rose), quite dry, more toas ty than fruity and I found a touch severe. Others liked more. B/B-
[ scallop with citrus and herb]1994 Ch. Pape Clement Blanc Ben said he had lots of oxidation from this case, but this was quite lovely to me, with only the oxidation you’d expect in a 23 yr old. Pear a nd pit fruits, a waxy/oily note, good length. I really enjoyed, a bit more acid and I’d have thought it extraordinary. Some others liked less. B+/A-
1996 Lopez de Heredia “Tondonia” Rioja Blanco Reserva Typical oxidative notes, lemon curd and almond, good. B+2013 F. Carillon “Champ Gains” Puligny-Montrachet 1er Pretty ripe white peach and pear fruit, touch of sourness on finish. Maybe just needs time, for now B
Then the reds (not blind)
[ 2 quail legs with blackberries]1986 Ch. Pape Clement Full, not especially tannic, some coffee and tobacco leaf over blackcurrant fruit. I enjoy. B+
1990 Ch. Pape Clement Redder fruit than others, cigarbox, earthy. Still some structure. B+/A-1996 Ch. Pape Clement Lean but not austere, very minerally (a ferric note), cocoa. I liked but li ked even more on retaste. A-/B+
1998 Ch. Pape Clement Some people preferred this to the ‘96, but to me this is where the modernity is beginning to show, but not overpower. Ripe fresh fruit, some m ocha, good length. B+/B [venison (red deer) with a little farro]2000 Ch. Pape Clement Fresh fruit, nice balance, young but giving. This is modern but I really en joy. B+/A-
2001 Ch. Pape Clement Big ripe fruit, but overlaid with a bit of gloss. Someone says “fud ge” and I can’t argue. Oak tannins. B/B-2003 Ch. Pape Clement I’m surprised this isn’t roasted as I expect, there is som e freshness, some acids, moderate tannins, but open and ready. B+/B
2009 Ch. Pape Clement Redder, kirschy, wood tannins, not sure how this will age. B-2014 Ch. Pape Clement (from 2 375s) Primary, just tannin and oak, not sure how this will emerge. B-?
[blue cheese]1988 Guiraud Apricot, pineapple, not intensely sweet. I didn’t write anything el se down for this but enjoyed.
Afterwards, we did our 3/2/1 voting for favorites of the red. An extra poin t scooted in there somewhere, but 2000 won going away.
2000 22 pts 1996 9 2001 8 1990 6 1998 3 2003 1Good night with good people. Service was very good, I quite liked the space , food was delicious but we all left wishing we had a little more (some veg etable sides or more than a ¼ cup of farro would have made a big diffe rence).
Grade 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 p arty where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivi ty, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.