Friday 11 December 2015

Some Nice Mature Wines

A couple of weeks ago Mikke invited to an impromptu tasting dinner. Great as always with some fine mature wines. Most of the wines came from Divino (https://vintagewines.be), a Belgian merchant that has lots of older wines, and is run by a very nice guy. The first time I was there, not only did he pick me up at the train station, he also openend a, albeit minor, 64 Bordeaux - that's service!
All wines tasted double blind.

2013 Sauvignon Blanc, Ni & Ro
The first wine was not that mature though. But nice! I don´t drink Sauvignon Blanc from Switzerland that often. The nose is young, sprightly and greenish with notes of elderberries, minerals, flint and some perfumed scents. Very good.
The taste is fresh and pure with notes of freshly cut grass, white currants, cucumber and elderberries. A medium long finish with a salty note. Very good.
87p   (tasted 2015/10)


We then were presented with three decanters and the guessing game began, and we of course nailed every one...
1996 Chablis Les Clos, Joseph Drouhin
The first one in this flight shows of a deep, mature, warm nose with notes of fudge, parsnip, earth and a hint of coconut. Very good. A fine warmth. Fully mature on the nose.
The taste is broad, soft and mature with notes of ripe peach, caramel, dried apricot and earth. Medium long and dry with a fine warmth. Drinking well on this evening.
88p   (tasted 2015/10)



1996 Meursault Perrières, Joseph Drouhin
The next Drouhin is less mature, with fine notes of lavender honey, melted butter, assorted nuts and smoke. Very balanced and fine. Deep.
The taste is also big and somewhat mature but compared to the Chablis is more structured, the acidity is higher and the length is better. Lots of dried orange peel, fudge, cap gun smoke and peach. Very, very good.
91p   (tasted 2015/10)



1996 Meursault Charmes, Bitouzet-Prieur
This Charmes is a real charmer! The nose is the freshest of the three, with fine notes of lemon cream, matchbox, candied orange peel, dried flowers and lots of slate. Refined and focused. Very, very good.
The taste is intense and focused with notes of lemon cream, bonfire, dark fudge and flowers. A very fine structure. A long, handsome finish with a great acidity. I need to get hold of some bottles from this producer!
94p   (2015/10)

Time to move on for the first flight of reds.
1983 Corton, Charles Viénot
The first wine is nicely matured with soft notes of reed beets, rose petals, dried orange peels and dried up strawberry jam. Not that deep but very satisfying. Fully mature.
The taste is mature and dry with notes of dried raspberries, rowanberries, earth and old leather. The finish is medium long, warm and fine. A fine dryness in the end. Very good.
88p   (2015/10)



1983 Charmes-Chambertin, Duroché
The second wine is more alert with a nose full of sweet mixed red fruits and additional notes of bakelite, dried herbs, crayfish and forest floor. Deep and complex. Some maturity. This is fine.
The taste is tight and concentrated with notes of dried strawberries, herbs, chocolate covered raspberries, undergrowth and dried flowers. A long, finely tuned finish. Really good and will keep for 7+ years.
93p   (tasted 2015/10)



1983 Bonnes-Mares, Domaine J. Mugnier
Bottle nr 19 out 1,264 made. A big, warm nose with notes of (over)cooked root vegetables, stale Coca-Cola, moist undergrowth and old leather. A touch blowsy. Some blood and iron after a while. Good.
The taste is big and steady with notes of root vegetables, iron, fried herbs and old leather. Better structure on the palate. A nice warm backbone. For drinking now though.
85p   (tasted 2015/10)

Next flight!
1970 Château L`Eglise-Clinet
Corked! "#%%¤#"¤%&



1970 Château Beauséjour, Duffau-Lagarosse
A mature, somewhat foursquare nose with notes of red currants, dry tobacco, burnt plastic and dusty earth. A bit flat. Fully, or really overmature.
The taste is mature, dry and angular with notes of red currants, bakelite, earth and dry leather. Good with food but too dry on its own.
77p   (tasted 2015/10)

1970 Château Calon-Segur
The last wine is a winner though! It has a deep, restrained yet powerful nose with lovely notes of cool black currants, fresh stables, pipe tobacco and dried plums. Very, very good. Almost fully mature but reveals lot of sweet fruit still.
The taste is tight, medium mature and velvety with notes of black currant jam, tobacco, plums and some rosemary. Long and balanced. A very fine mouth feel on this. Easy to drink sip after sip. For enjoying now and the coming +10 years.
93p   (tasted 2015/10)



A bottle of 2001 Villa Fidelia, Sportoletti was opened as a finish but after tasting these mature, soft wines it felt like a bruiser. Good though (87p).

But it wasn´t over yet - we were encouraged to make a wish for a final bottle and the votes on Champagne won.
1996 Blanc de Blancs, Launois
A soft, elegant with notes of dried lemon peel, old wrinkled yellow apples, milk chocolate and a touch of Belgian Lambic beer. Restrained. Fully mature. Very good.
The taste is mature and soft with notes of yellow apples, dried yellow plums, earth and dried flowers. A medium long finish with a good acidity. Soft and mature. A fine ending of a great evening!
88p   (tasted 2015/10)


No comments:

Post a Comment