High expectations

[Andre]

Nuit St. George Dominique Laurent 1996

Expectations may prove problematic sometimes especially when fueled with long waiting.

6 days in a raw with 16 - 18 hour shifts need some sort of compensation and x-hairdresser's Dominique Laurent NSG 1996 was chosen.

The sight of a moldy cork deflated the forming imagination and brought down the expectations to a nervous tingling in my stomach. The last of two bottles of a magnificent 12-bottle case showed little promise.

Dark cherry color with light amber rims with a considerable depth.

A rather closed nose when poured to the glass with some promise of a concentrated fruits and well balanced oak that could be regarded as slightly over-oaked when compared to other fine Nuit St G’s

5 Minutes later, an off nose started forming with mold and stagnant water dominating the scene.

20 minutes later some fruits developed but still the off aroma was hovering with little chance of subsiding.

Harsh tingling sensation captures the mouth focusing under the tongue taming every bit of expectations left. Ripe black cherries and some spices gave way to rather harsh tannins that left some bitterness in the aftertaste.

Patience is a good thing, 30 minutes later and the harshness subsides to allow a fairly drinkable wine to be consumed by those blinded by the memories. Minutes later and the heavier aromas regained control dismissing any sweet fruits left.

Compensation is on the way….

[Chris Kissack]

Andre

Blo*dy shame. Sounds like a classically corked bottle of course. The only solution is to open something else. I don't think we'll see screw-capped Burgundy of this calibre for a loooooong time.

I don't usually worry about mouldy cork - provided yoiu are referring to the top of the cork, visible once the capsule is removed. That's often present and bears no relationship to a wine being corked in my experience.

BWs

Chris Kissack

[Andre]

Thanks Chris,

The problem of the wine was a fast and extreme change in temperatures but that did not help my feeling one bit.

Bottles of choice for the redemption:

Cornas, Paul Jaboulet Ainee 1995

Cornas, Clape 1998.

I am looking for an hours opening to taste those and promise to report back.

[Chris Kissack]

Andre

The problem of the wine was a fast and extreme change in temperatures

In what way do you think temperature change contributed to this bottle being off? What you described sounds like a corked wine. The development from muted upon opening to the development of the off aromas over the next few minutes to half an hour is typical as the aromas become more prominent after exposure to air/oxygen. The aromas you describe - mould, stagnant water - sound just like TCA. And I often find a bitter note in the finish in corked wines.

BWs

Chris

[Andre]

Andre

The problem of the wine was a fast and extreme change in temperatures

In what way do you think temperature change contributed to this bottle being off? What you described sounds like a corked wine. The development from muted upon opening to the development of the off aromas over the next few minutes to half an hour is typical as the aromas become more prominent after exposure to air/oxygen. The aromas you describe - mould, stagnant water - sound just like TCA. And I often find a bitter note in the finish in corked wines.

BWs

Chris

Hi again,

Note the development of fruits and the harsh tingling sensation mainly under the tongue.

The nose was not corked at the begining but rather off aroma and flavors developed later.

I must confess that reading my post can be misleading.

sorry...