Tasting notes

[M.X.Hassett]

Hopefully I will be attending a dinner and the following wines will be served:

1) Krug ‘Grande Cuvée’

2) Meursault 1er Cru ‘Charmes’ Domaine Comtes Lafon 1997

3) Hermitage Blanc J.L. Chave 1994

4) Barolo Bartolo Mascarello 1971

5) Barbaresco Riserva ‘Santo Stefano’ Bruno Giacosa 1982

6) Barolo Riserva ‘Monfortino’ Giacomo Conterno 1978

7) Chateau d’Yquem 1983

8) Madeira Boal 1863 Barbeito

If anyone has had any experience with these wines any input would be appreciated. I like to have a few notes when dealing with wines to help guide my education in them. Thanks.

[Brad Ballinger]

I'm sure many of us envy you going to the dinner and tasting the wines. But I'm a bit clueless as to how any of our impressions of these will affect your experience. You're going to taste them regardless and form your own impressions I'm sure.

But, to indulge you, I've had two of them.

Krug Grand Cuvee -- Don't know if your bottle will be from the same assemblage or not, but the Krug Grand Cuvee Multi-Vintage wine is one of the best bubblies out there. I actually got to taste this side by side with the 1989 vintage wine, and preferred the Grand Cuvee. Incredibly balanced and seamless.

Chave Hermitage Blanc -- Aged Hermitage Blanc is one of those dividing wines -- people either really like it, really don't, or just don't get it or care to get it. Don't expect a lot of fruit, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Look for the complexity and layers of whatever the wine offers you. The 94 from Chave is one of my favorites from this producer in the 90s.

You are in for a real treat with the older Italian wines. Don't be thrown off by the orange-ish/brown-ish color some of them may show (particularly the Mascarello). The wines will be anything but thin.

[M.X.Hassett]

But I'm a bit clueless as to how any of our impressions of these will affect your experience.  You're going to taste them regardless and form your own impressions I'm sure.

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I am just recently starting to take wine seriously and therefore seek as much knowledge as possible . By seriously I mean that I love wine and have for years, but at this stage I am trying to learn to propely describe the flavors and textures of wine and learn more about ?viniculture?. I take extensive notes when dining out on the food and am trying to branch out into wine. I have found it usefull to consult a number of references before seriously tasting a wine such as the CIA's "Exploring Wine" I find it helpfull in learning how to properly describe the wines and I also learn interesting things about the land and people who produced the wine.It also helps me to look for more subtle flavors I may have missed otherwise while expanding my pallete. I try not to let it influence me but use it in the same way someone would hopefully learn from an organized class/tasting. There may be a thread in this post as to whether one should go into a tasting "blind" or with research.

Edit: Thanks for the info Brad

Edited November 7, 2005 by M.X.Hassett (log)

[Brad Ballinger]

There may be a thread in this post as to whether one should go into a tasting "blind" or with research.

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That's a fair comment. And an answer is probably somewhere in the middle. You may benefit from knowing something about aged Baroo in this instance that will help you enjoy the wines. Knowing information on the exact wine may or may not add much value. So let me add what little bit more I can.

Bartolo Mascarello produced (his daughter runs it now) very traditional (rather than modernist) wines. They will be treated with old oak in large botti, and not be as extracted as modernist wines. Same with Giacosa. Same with Giacomo Conterno (Aldo Conterno is more modernist). You are drinking older wines from traditionalist Barolo and Barbaresco producers. Whoever put the wines together is making a statement.

I'm sure you know something of d'Yquem. It's the only Great Grand Cru wine in all of Bordeaux. The grapes for Sauternes are sometimes picked berry by berry, which means huge labor costs, which translates to expensive wine. As Sauternes age, they gradually lose their honeyed sweetness and show more of a burnt sugar sweetness like the topping of a creme brulee. But this bottle of d'Yquem should come across as fairly young yet.

[M.X.Hassett]

Thanks again Brad this is the exact type of info I was looking for. I have had d'Yquem before. Sauternes are one of the few wines I know a decent amount about chalk it up to a foie addiction . I assume by "Whoever put the wines together is making a statement." you mean that they are strongly foccusing on tradition or is this a deeper issue.

These wines are going to be served at a White Truffle tasting at Cru NY with different chefs such as Esnault, Barber, Gallente. The full menu can be found here http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...dpost&p=1049591

[Brad Ballinger]

The white truffle thing explains much. Those Italian wines will be perfect. And both the white truffle theme and the high brow wines explain the $750 price tag.

By my "statement" comment, I simply meant to imply that a large number of B&B drinkers will debate the traditionalist v. modernist philosophy long into the night. Most are either on one side or the other with very few fence walkers.

[Vinfidel]

83 yquem is a legendary wine

enjoy and report back