Giacomo & Aldo Conterno / Bruno Giacosa 1990

Lørdag kveld 25.5.13:

Barolo 1990, Aldo Conterno

Lys pen farge, elegante jordbær, syrlige kirsebær og alle var ikke i Barolo. Lett munnfølelse og flere trodde dette var Barbarescoen til Bruno Giacosa. Frisk frukt, god syrlighet og vinen viser kjølig frukt. Lang ettersmak, kraftig og vellykket. 91 poeng.

Barolo Cascina Francia 1990, Giacomo Conterno

Mere varm frukt, litt rosin på nesa og antydning til buljong. Anis, trøffel, floral og spennende. Mørk vin i en tydelig mere Barolo stil enn forrige vin. Roar var tidlig på Cascina Francia. Tørrer i munnen, litt trå tanniner som frenstår litt uharmoniske. Kanskje litt skuffende. 93 poeng.

James Suckling sier dette om vinen:

What an incredible nose! Unlike the ’82 the fruit never retreats. Good color. Some complained it was overripe, but for my taste it’s the best wine in the flight. Wine is dense and leather & tobacco accompany the delicious fruit. The first flight would be a foreshadowing of what was to come the rest of the night between the ‘82s & ‘90s

Cascina Francia Vineyard

• In 1974, Giovanni Conterno purchased the entire 14-hectare Cascina Francia vineyard in Serralunga d'Alba.

• Here is a photo of Cascina Francia vineyard taken from the winery by Rune Rake in 2010.

• At the time of purchase, the land was not being used for vines, so the entire vineyard was replanted in 1974.

• The G. Conterno winery has not used purchased grapes since that time. No G. Conterno Barolo was made in 1975, 1976, or 1977.

• 1978 was the first vintage in which both Barolos were made exclusively from Cascina Francia grapes, though the vineyard name did not appear on the Barolo until the 1979 vintage and it has never appeared on the label of Monfortino.

• This blog has a nice story from John Kapon that "Giovanni asked his wife by what means they could consolidate their business. She logically replied that they should purchase their own vines, nurture the vitis vinifera themselves to control quality. He discovered a vineyard whose entire crop was being sold to other growers and its acquisition meant that they gained exclusivity, Mrs. Conterno reasoning that higher quality and prices would yield financial returns."

Monfortino

• Monfortino is not a vineyard. It is a name invented for their top bottling at some point early in the 20th Century.

• Since 1974, when they purchased Cascina Francia, it has been made only from this vineyard.

• The Conternos only make Monfortino when they feel the quality warrants it.

• Monfortino is sometimes made in vintages that generally don't have a good reputation for Barolo in general, but Monfortino can be surprisingly good in these years. For example, Monfortino was made in 1968, 1969, 1987, 1993, and 2002, all considered mediocre or even poor quality years for Barolo.

• On the other hand, no Monfortino was made in 1989, arguably the best vintage in Barolo between 1978 and 1996. The reason for this is not entirely clear. Giovanni Conterno has stated that it did not have the requisite balance. I've wondered if that was a euphemism for something worse that happened as the wine was developing. The Cascina Francia vineyard was hit hard by hail early in 1989. Initially, Giovanni said he might make no wine at all in 1989! Eventually, he bottled a Cascina Francia, but at about 30% of his normal total production of Barolo. Thankfully, he did, because it's quite a wonderful bottle of wine. Perhaps not among the best Monfortinos, but among the best Cascina Francia certainly.

• Another generally good vintage in which no wine was produced at all by G. Conterno is 1986. There was a devastating hail storm that swept through the region. Many vineyards were completely wiped out. Other were untouched. It was actually a pretty good vintage for those that made wine. Giacosa even made a Falletto Riserva.

Barolo Cicala 1990, Aldo Conterno

Lysere vin med innslag av te. Ren stil, kraftigere enn standard Baroloen og tørrer korrekt i munnen. Mye tanniner også her og spørsmålet er om de vil smelte i denne varme årgangen. Balansert vin på den rike siden. Noe uharmonisk pga tanninene. 92 poeng

Barbaresco 1990, Bruno Giacosa 

Klar og briljant farge. En fantastisk bra standard Barbaresco. Kirsebær og full harmoni. Som alltid med Bruno. Legger på seg litt unoter etterhvert med buljong og klassiske tearomaer. Utviklet stil med noe tørre tanniner. 92 poeng

Fra Dn.no:

Unge Bruno Giacosa startet sin arbeidskarriere i 1944. Det var krig og byer ble bombet, deriblant Alba hvor han gikk på kostskole. Faren kom og hentet Bruno, gjemte han i kjelleren ”og der har jeg blitt siden”, har Bruno Giacosa tidligere uttalt. Han hadde et stort ønske om å bidra til familiebedriften, kunnskapstørsten var stor og han ønsket å forstå prosessene som ga de forskjellige resultatene.

Perfeksjonisten. Etter hvert har han også blitt svært detaljstyrt og har satt for seg at han skal ha de beste vinmarkene, den beste frukten, det beste treverket – alt for å lage de beste vinene. Ingenting overlates til tilfeldighetene og hvis kvaliteten på vinene ikke når opp til ønsket standard, deklassifiserer han dem, eller selger dem videre. 2006-årgangen er i så måte meget spesiell, fordi Giacosa valgte å forkaste hele produksjonen av Barolo og Barbaresco og solgte den videre til en annen tapper. Brunos far eide ingen vinmarker, han kjøpte kun frukt fra andre dyrkere - noe han var veldig god til. Også denne egenskapen har Bruno arvet fra sin far, og det var først i 1982 at Giacosa kjøpte sine egne vinmarker - den ettertraktede Falletto-vinmarken i Serralunga. Siden den gang har han kjøpt flere vinmarker. – Vi produserer rundt 400.000 flasker vin fra omtrent 300 hektar - 100 av disse eier vi selv. Resten dyrkes på kontrakt med bøndene, forteller assisterende vinmaker Roberto Garbarino. – Dette er bønder Bruno Giacosa har jobbet lenge med, mange i over 35 år. De kjenner Bruno godt og vet hvilken kvalitet han vil ha, så vi trenger ikke å sjekke dem. Vi tar en runde og ser på vinmarkene sammen med bøndene i august, mer trenger vi ikke å kontrollere, fortsetter han.

Skiller klinten fra hveten. Bruno Giacosa skiller uansett mellom egne vinmarker og innkjøpt frukt på etiketten. Vinene som kommer fra egne vinmarker tappes under navnet; "Azienda Agricola FALLETTO"– di Bruno Giacosa, mens der hvor frukten er innkjøpt merkes etikettene "Casa Vinicola BRUNO GIACOSA". Etikettene ligner, men du ser straks at førstnevnte prydes med en tegning av Fallett-vinmarken og sistnevnte er illustrert med det gamle slottet i Neive. Noen viner, da kun utvalgte Barolo- og Barbaresco-cru, tappes også som Riserva om kvaliteten tillater det. Designet på etikettene er den samme, men de er røde.- Årgangen og dens karakter legger selvfølgelig grunnlaget for om vi kan lage Riserva-viner, men avgjørelsen blir tatt i sisten liten. Det er en pågående prosess og Bruno har alltid siste ordet, forteller Roberto. I 2006 fikk Bruno Giacosa slag, og det var lenge uvisst om han ville returnere til vineriet og arbeidet han elsker. Men han kom seg på mirakuløst vis, og i 2008 var han tilbake i arbeid. I mai 2011 kom ønologen Dante Scaglione, som jobbet for Giacosa fra 1990 til 2006, tilbake til som husets ønolog. Mange av de daglige oppgavene har blitt overtatt av Brunos datter Bruna, og i dag overvåker han prosessene og holder kontakten med bøndene.Bruno Giacosa lager vin på tradisjonell manér og han søker alltid eleganse, renhet og delikat frukt. Det er noe rent over vinene hans, de er aldri sminket eller tilgjort. Dette er viner som minner om legenden selv, viner som snakker med dempet stemme og få ord, det de sier er endeløs vakkert og de kommuniserer på et eget nivå.

 Barbaresco Riserva 1990, Bruno Giacosa 

En mer lukket vin enn standard Barbarescoen. Dypere frukt med overraskende bløte tanniner. Denne tørrer også endel i munnen, den mer intense frukten drar deg til Barolo.  Men samtidig en burgunderaktig eleganse. Vinen bør fortsatt lagres. Snev av kaffe og kanskje noe større kompleksitet enn forrige vin. Alle ble litt overrasket at Red Label ikke skilte seg mere ut vs. standardutgaven. 94 poeng.  

• "The 1990 Barbaresco Riserva is unique in that it is the only non single-vineyard Red Label Riserva Giacosa has ever made, with the possible exception of the 1961 Barbaresco Riserva (which pre-dates the use of the Red Label). Masses of dark fruit, spices and minerals emerge from this large-scaled, dramatic Barbaresco. The wine remains impressively young, but the balance here is stunning. Readers who own this rare bottling should be thrilled. According to Bruno Giacosa the 1990 Barbaresco Riserva is a blend of the Santo Stefano and Gallina vineyards, both in Neive. The wine certainly shows the power and exuberance of the village, at times reminding me of Barbarescos from Starderi in its expansive, dense personality. This is wonderful juice. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035." - 96 Pts Antonio Galloni - The Wine Advocate

Barolo Colonnello 1990, Aldo Conterno

Mørk vin med trøkk og tanniner. Maskulin, eksotisk med snev av tikka masala. Ved påfyll mere markert og solid. En tøff vin fremdeles som fortsatt kan lagres. Rik og streng. En typisk Aldovin. Den beste Aldo i rekka. 94 poeng. Begge de to siste viner havnet på 93,75 poeng.

B

Riesling of the Year 2013

lørdag 25. mai 2013

Riesling Kirchenstûck GG 2009, Weingut Bûrklin-Wolf

Noe gylden i fargen med grønnskjær. Men også med antydning til gule frukter i munnen. Floral og hvite blomster i nesa. Deilig og harmonisk. Noe forventninger hadde vi og vinen virker litt enkel ? Relativt lite utviklet, bør fortsatt lagres og vinen har et stort potensiale. Den yngste i rekkea ? 90 poeng.

Riesling Clos Ste Hune 1999, Domaine Trimbach

Gylden, skiferplater med tydelig mineralitet. Litt innadvent og moderat fremtoning. Konsentrert og pen nese, men vinen følger ikke opp i munnen. Igjen en skuffende St Hune. Sinnsyk pris, men kanskje den bør lagres lengre ? I denne smakingen ble den feid av banen av GG`er til halve prisen. Det kan virke som om Alsace ikke har de unge dynamiske nye vinmakerne som Tyskland har. 88 poeng.

Riesling Peckstein GG 2001, Weingut Bûrklin-Wolf

Strågul mot gylden. Aromatisk, utviklet og moden munnfølelse. Kjempeflott duft, kanskje noe "flabby" syre, men alle var ikke enige i det. Oljeaktig og bør vel drikkes. 91 poeng. Vinmarken gir strammere viner enn Kirchenstûck.

Vi drakk denne på vinmøte hos Roar 2.9.10: Transparent rik riesling med noe grønt skjær i fargen. En aromatisk  frisk og strålende GG med fast mineralitet og solid syrestruktur. Noen gjettet Alsace. Årene har stelt pent med denne vinen. 93 poeng

Riesling Monzinger Halenberg 2004, Weingut Emrich-Schônleber 

Fersken, gul frukt og en mere "giving" smaksprofil enn de tidligere viner i rekka. God balanse, bra moderat syre, lime og aprikos. Veldig mye av alt og mangler litt eleganse. 90 poeng.

Monzinger Halenberg; The smallest vineyard in Monzingen is completely planted with Riesling; the lion's share - 5 ha - belongs to out estate. Facing south and having incline of up to 70%, the Halenberg with the soil mainly consisting of blue slate and quartzite demands quite a little of the vines. Inevitabily, they must repeatedly struggle for water during summer. In this way, the berries remain small and develop a truely special aroma. The finely structured mineral charakter is typical of the Halenberg. We often discover aromas that remind of ripe grapefruits or other tropical fruits. When ripened, the wines show their typical spicy-herbal characters in aroma.

Riesling Kirchenstûck 2001, Weingut von Buhl

Mye strammere og faktisk bedre fruktkvalitet enn BW Kirchenstûck 09. God kombinasjon av syre, mineralitet og frukt. En strålende vin som tåler lagring. 92 poeng.

Riesling Smaragd 2002, Franz Hirtzberger

Solmoden, opulent og gul. Mangler snerten som vinen hadde i vinmøte hos Are i februar. 88 poeng.

Riesling Smaragd 2002, Franz Hirtzberger

Litt elde på nesen, frisk og fin syre. Noe våte ullsokker, snev av gønnsak, Øyvind var på Grûner Veltliner. Skifer og petroleum etterhvert som ledet oss mot Riesling. Syra er fenomenal og det funker bra mot en viss fedme i vinen. Vi var i Alsace, Clos St. Hune og Leon Beyer. Enkelvinmark ? En klassevin til en rimelig penge. 92 poeng.

Karl Kristian Bjørnland sier dette om vinen; gullfarget, lys, klar. Stor, frisk og fruktig nese. Moden ananas, modne gule plommer, mineralitet og litt sødme. Stor munn, fyldig, frisk, fruktig, mineralsk, konsentrert, balansert, meget lang. Moden gul plomme, stålmineralitet, middels pluss syre tørrer pent. Frukten har nærmest mineraliteten som elegant og stor frakk. Den ligger der inne og viser seg frem, men beskyttes av stålet. Avslutningen kribler av frukt, spillende syre og mineralitet. Lenger enn jeg klarer å vente på neste munnfull. En nydelig vin. Fortsatt ungdommelig, men fylden og rikdommen gir så mye. Denne skulle jeg gjerne hatt en kasse av. Antagelig fantastisk til kraftige fiskeretter med rik og fet saus, grillet sjømat.

Riesling Kabinett Doctor Bernkastel 1998, Weingut Thanisch

Moden, litt søt, nesten spâtlese i stilen. Noe møllkuler og "off" i dusften Mangler litt snert. 85 poeng

Berncasteler Doctor is one of the most famous vineyard names in the world, although the wines that are currently made there do not have the reputation any more that they used to have. The Doctor is a small (3.3 hectares) plot – south-facing, and with an extremely steep slope of between 45% and 60%. The Berncasteler Doctor was owned by Count von der Leyen until 1760, and in 1794, under French rule, declared community property. During most of the 19th century, the Doctor was leased to the Thanisch family and it eventually became the property of Dr. Hugo Thanisch and his wife Katharina.

Pictures: Berncasteler Doctor

As part of the 1971 German Wine Law, the Bernkasteler Doctor’s boundaries were extended. The owners of the original vineyard understandably objected, and the matter was not settled in court until 1984.  As a result, the vineyard boundary remained extended to the west, encompassing what was once part of the adjacent Graben vineyard, but not to the east. By way of appeasement, this land was renamed Alte Badstube am Doctorberg.

The vineyard is planted exclusively with Riesling vines, about 45% of which are ungrafted.

Today, the Bernkasteler Doctor is divided up among the following owners:

Weingüter Geheimrat J. Wegeler - Gutshaus Bernkastel

Weingut Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch – Erben Thanisch

Weingut Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch – Erben Müller-Burggraef

In 1988, the Dr. H. Thanisch property was divided in two equal parts after a disagreement amongst the family members on how the business should be managed: Weingut Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch - Erben Thanisch, now owned by Sophia Thanisch-Spier and Weingut Wwe. Dr. H. Thanisch – Erben Müller-Burggraef, now owned by Barbara Rundquist-Müller. The labels of the two wineries look almost identical.

Red Wine of the Year 2013

lørdag 25. mai 2013

Chateau Leoville Lascases 1986, St. Julien

Imponerende tett, mørk og strøk av purpur i fargen. Litt vandig kant og en overraskende elegant og fremadstormende nese. Skogsbær, moderat munnfølelse, men med mye tanniner. Tørker ut i munnen og bør nok fortsatt lagres. Bedre nese enn munn. En fabelaktig delikat vin, kanskje på grensen til en spinkel struktur, og vinen er overraskende skjør & fragrant. Utvikler seg positivt i glasset og denne vil nok bli mørkere og "legge på seg litt" over tid. Medtatt av Øyvind. 94 poeng.

Christer Byklum skrev dette etter en vertikalsmaking av Leoville Lascases hos meg i januar 2013:

1986 Château Léoville Las Cases: In neck fill. Ruby. Scented, deep and intense. So youthful and more open than the last few bottles, but also more air. Five hours in decanter, and could still have more. Layered and nuanced, very refined. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, superb texture and structure, still very youthful, superb bottle and incredibly long. 99

Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1986, Pauillac

Mørkere vin enn Lascases 86. En enorm dybde, men ikke purpur. Vandig kant og veldig frisk frukt i munnen. Noe utviklet, men vinen må lagres betydelig lengre. Veldig mye mere 1986 karakteristikk enn 1985. (Det var nesten omvendt med Lascases 86) Har mye struktur, men domineres av en fløyelsaktig nese med sommerblomster. Margaux sier Jon. Etterhvert en kraftplugg av dimensjoner og en fantastisk god vin i glasset. Tror nok denne kunne fått mere luft. Ikke den beste Lafite 86 vi har hatt, men et vanvittig potensial ligger der. 94 poeng. Flasken var medtatt av Jon.

Christer Byklum skrev dette etter en "søskensmaking" i 2012 der vi bl.a. drakk 1985 vs 1986 Lafite:

1986 Château Lafite Rothschild:
Bottom neck fill. Ruby, tight nose, cassis, leather, very nuanced, layered and seductive. Transparent yet full somehow. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, slightly grippy in the most elegant way ever. Violets, perfumed and exceptional length. More closed even so than other bottles. 99

Darmagi 1997, Gaja

Mørk vin med en ungdommelig purpursvart tone. Kraftig, noe uelegant med lang ettersmak. Varm "finish", men den er relativ streng med god syre samtidig så den balanserer nogenlunde. Toskansk Brunello-aktig sødme, men ingen var i Toskana. Mye "omphh" med sigartoner. Noe sjenerende alkohol. Grove tanniner, typisk 97 Italia med  sødmefull og kantete fremtoning. Men en opulent og rik sak, for de som liker det.
94 poeng. Medtatt av Kim

Vi drakk denne på Ristorante Lamole i oktober 2012:

Darmagi 1997, Gaja

Utrolig nese med høstløv, dyp frukt, sedertre og fullmodne rike bær. Fremdeles intens og fin farge. Frisk, kanskje litt utenpåliggende kosmetisk sødme. Holder seg veldig lenge både i glasset og i munnfølelse. 95-97 poeng (Are og Øyvind var på 93p)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Barolo Monfortino 1958, Giacomo Conterno

Lysere rød vin med karamellfarge i kanten. Tydelig barolo, med tjære og dessverre for mye buljong. Kjøttkraft, sursøt og snev av Fernet Branca. Små tanniner fremdeles. Et sjansespill å ta med denne :) 91 poeng (fikk nok litt for etiketten) Medtatt av Roar.

Chateau Palmer 1989, Margaux

Mørk purpur med lysere kant. Noe paprika, grønt, friskt og østsideaktig. Typisk 89 rikhet med overraskende markerte og tydelige tanniner. Eksotisk nese med godt trøkk. Bør fortsatt lagres. Igjen en litt utypisk Palmer, men den har årgangens modne uttrykk. Palmer 1990 er nok en bedre vin nå, men tanninkvaliteten i 89 kan endre forholdet over tid. 95 poeng. Medtatt av Are.

Vi hadde denne på GF 2010,  Kandidat nr. 9 Bordeaux 1989.
Mørk og overraskende stoffrik vin, mister litt toppfrukten og tørrer fælt i munnen. Bør lagres. Ikke den elegante stilen som man forventer. 93 poeng og nr. 6

An appealing, light and delicate perfume here, sweet smoke intermingled with notes of violets and thyme. It is remarkable how all three clarets poured here (Mouton, Palmer, Montrose) just don't seem fully mature yet. Supple and well defined on entry, then relaxing in the midpalate where it has a reserved and dry texture, although still with a broad presence of flavour. Savoury and lightly spiced. Stylish composition, very long, full of promise, but for my palate it still has more in the bank to give. 18+/20

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1989, Pauillac

Mørk purpur med lysere vandig kant. Dyp animalsk nese med lærhud og svette. En intens deilig og parfymert moden Bordeauxvin ! Bra finesse og vinen skilte seg tidlig ut i rekka mht. aromaprofil og harmoni i munnen. Bløte tanniner, vinen er på et optimalt drikkepunkt. En fantastisk balansert og deilig vin. Stor kompleksitet, lag på lag av nyanser. 97 poeng. Medtatt av Knut. RED WINE OF THE YEAR 2013 !

Vi hadde også denne på GF i 2010. Kandidat nr. 11. Bordeaux 1989. Korket duft. Litt rosin og ødelagt. Solmoden frukt under kan fornemmes. Ikke vurdert.

Champagne of the Year 2013

Den tradisjonell champagnefrokosten i Vinklubben ble avholdt lørdag 25.mai 2013.
Tilbudet av champagne er jo blitt formidabelt i Norge de siste årene, noe denne smakingen bar preg av.
Og spesielt liker vi champagne fra produsenten Charles Heidsieck...

Champagne Brut 1979, Charles Heidsieck

Strågul mot gylden. Utviklet stil, men fremdeles rik og pen i tøyet. De fleste var på en 20 år gammel champagne. 1990 ? Rolig mousse som dør hen i glasset. Vinøs og utrykksfull. God frukt på den slanke siden. Mangler kanskje litt eleganse og semi-presis munnfølelse. Litt spiss. Ved påfyll mere mot Cristal med sin slanke munnfølelse.Kim hadde med denne og "trodde" han hadde med en Champagne Charlie 1979 ! Men en veldig bra eldre standard vintage var det. Fellesscore 94 poeng.

Champagne Charlie Brut 1985, Charles Heidsieck

Strågul mot gylden denne også. Det var en ganske lik farge på de fleste av champagnene ! Noe mere trøkk og kant i munnen enn nr. 1. Et bredt slep av aromaer i munnen med touch av bitterhet i ettersmak. Mere tydelig autolyse og klassisisme enn nr. 1. Pinot, kremet og en fabelaktig balanserende frisk syre som topper det hele. Livlig i munnen i en utviklet stil, men fremdeles forfriskende. Veldig godt løft i smakskurven der epler og noe gul frukt dominerer. Men syrespiss og du tuller ikke med denne champagnen ! Tatt med av Roar. Fellescore 95 poeng.

Champagne Blanc des Millenaires Brut 1985, Charles Heidsieck

Kraftfull champagne i en mere opulent og rik stil. God mousse med en fantastisk innsmigrende munnfølelse. Mere eik, mere kraftessens og den oozer Cuvee-kvalitet. Fløtekarameller. Gylden, middels dyp, klar og balansert. Stor aromaintensitet med kalk og brioche. Fyldig og delikat og champagne blir ikke så mye bedre enn dette. En  karakterfull champagne som fortjener tittelen CHAMPAGNE OF THE YEAR 2013. Medtatt av Are og den fikk 97 poeng.



The house of Charles Heidsieck has seen something of a renaissance in recent years. It's been making waves with a succession of excellent wines, both vintage and non-vintage. Instrumental in the revival of this house has been Daniel Thibault, who died in 2002. Thibault was an excellent winemaker and blender, and has been responsible for what are probably the finest wines ever to bear the label of Charles Heidsieck.

The origins of Charles Heidsieck lie in 1785, when it started life as a Champagne company under the auspices of Florenz-Ludwig Heidsieck. This firm subsequently gave rise to all the Heidsieck Champagne houses; Charles Heidsieck, Heidsieck & Co Monopole and Piper-Heidsieck. Today both Charles Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck are under the ownership of Rémy Cointreau.

Up until the 1980s Charles Heidsieck produced a sound range of wines including a non-vintage Brut, a vintage wine and a prestige cuvée Champagne Charlie. But with the arrival of Daniel Thibault, and the backing of Rémy Cointreau, this was to change. Thibault's coup de grace was to convert the perfectly serviceable non vintage wine into a Brut Réserve. In order to achieve this Rémy Cointreau permitted sales to fall by millions of bottles so that Thibault could build up some reserve stocks. Whereas most houses have only a few vintages at their disposal for the production of the non vintage cuvée, Thibault had over eight vintages. Masterful blending of these older wines into the non vintage cuvée - which is, you may or may not agree, beginning to sound more like a multi-vintage prestige cuvée along the lines of Krug NV or Laurent-Perrier's Grand Siecle - with the reserve wines comprising up to 40% of the final blend, is what results in such a fabulous wine. Fabulous in it's own right, but particularly so if value for money is a concern. Further success came in 1997 when the already successful Brut Réserve was relaunched as the Brut Réserve Mis en Caves. With this change in designation Thibault was able to provide information regarding the non vintage cuvée by providing a date of cellaring on the label. The cellaring date follows on from the dated of the base vintage, so the Mis en Caves 1992, the first release, was comprised of 40% reserve wines and 60% the 1991 vintage. This model has continued with great success, with one of the most successful blends being the Mis en Caves 1997, based on the outstanding 1996 vintage. Overall I believe that this practice has been a great success for the consumer, who now actually know what they are drinking, unlike the situation with other non vintage cuvées which give no indication as to the base wine or blend at all. As such two bottles of externally identical non vintage Champagne may in fact contain two completely different wines. There is no such problem with the Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Mis en Caves range, however, and later vintages also included the date of dégorgement.

The range of wines produced here, other than the Brut Réserve Mis en Caves, includes two vintage wines the Brut Millésime and Brut Rose Millésime, both based on 30% Chardonnay and 70% Pinot Noir & Meunier, with the rose produced by the addition of red wine rather than the saignée method. The prestige cuvée currently produced is the Blanc des Millénaires, a pure Chardonnay cuvée. Although the Brut Réserve wines have seen great acclaim, Charles Heidsieck has not been raking in the profits. Sales have fallen, partly out of necessity whilst reserve stocks were built up, partly because the Mis en Caves concept took the basic cuvée out of the non vintage market somewhat. And the difference in quality between the Mis en Caves wines and the vintage wine has narrowed sufficiently to make the non vintage wine the preferred buy, affecting sales of the vintage wine. In addition, the once popular prestige cuvée Champagne Charlie is no longer produced, replaced by Blanc des Millénaires, which has not made the same impact as its predecessor. For the consumer though, the situation is good - the Brut Reserve Mis en caves wines offer extraordinary quality at an excellent price. I hope the currently evident quality is maintained by Daniel Thibaults's replacement, Régis Camus. (24/3/04)

Régis Camus is the chef de caves for both Charles Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck. He has an incredibly difficult job in that he must oversee two completely different wine lineups, each with their own style and fan base. I recently had the chance to sit down with Régis and discuss his vision and philosophy for Champagne. Assisting with some of the translations in our conversation was Charles Heidsieck/Piper-Heidsieck‟s International Communications Director Christian Holthausen

¤How difficult do you find it to oversee two completely different wine brands?
At first, it was very challenging as we had two very different wine styles and customer bases, each of whom expected the wines to be very different. We wanted each wine to excel and express itself in its own unique way. Each wine needed its own identity, which meant that we had to learn to think in two different directions at the same time. All of the wines for both Charles Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck are vinified together and we have to determine which wines go into each brand every year. While certain wines normally swing one way or the other, we start each year with a clean slate. You know, the more I do this, the more I enjoy making both wines. I view them as two train tracks that never cross each other, butinstead run side by side.
  
¤To you, what are the differences between Charles Heidsieck and Piper Heidsieck?
The most obvious distinction is that Piper-Heidsieck is the larger brand, by a good margin. We produce around eight million bottles of Piper-Heidsieck compared to two million of Charles Heidsieck. The NV Piper-Heidsieck is a fresher wine that is built from younger wines and bright citrus. The reserves in a NV Piper-Heidsieck can fall as low as six percent and tend to be fairly recent. In contrast, Charles Heidsieck is more complex and built upon a minimum of forty percent reserve wines stretching back well over a decade; it is full of creamy, dough based notes and hints of vanilla and nuts. These basic profiles go through the entire range of each brand to some degree. It offers consumers two very clear choices and wines that match beautifully to a wide array of food.

 Charles Heidsieck has always had a philosophy of using a large amount of reserve wines in the NV Brut Réserve. Why and how did this come about?
This was the brainchild of my predescesor, Daniel Thibaut. The classic non-vintage Champagnes have always been built around a large amount of reserve wines spanning a decade or more. Daniel was given the opportunity to create his dream wine and that is how the NV Brut Réserve was born. Daniel insisted on at least forty percent of reserve wines and made sure that the non-vintage blend took precedence over all else. I completely agree with this direction and have continued this trend as it leads to a very high quality non-vintage Champagne.

 The NV Brut Réserve is really the staple of the Charles Heidsieck house and has been praised for many years. How has it remained consistently good for two decades?
As I have explained, we are dedicated to this wine above all other wines that we make. A non-vintage wine is often seventy to ninety percent of your sales and the benchmark of your brand, so it has to be good. Even before the NV Brut Réserve Mis en Cave series was launched, the Brut Réserve (sans Mis en Cave) was a complex wine with forty percent or more of reserve wines. It is key to use a good amount of high quality reserves and to give your non-vintage wine first choice of whatever wine or grapes it wants.

 What wines have been the most challenging for you to make?
It is always the non-vintage cuvees. A good vintage wine can take care of itself, but to make a good non-vintage wine year in and year out takes a lot of effort and can be a difficult job. In a way, we are lucky because we have a large stock of reserve wines. This helps to make a consistently good non-vintage wine, but is also challenging from a blending perspective.

 You used to clearly list the base vintage and disgorgement on the NV Brut Réserve, but have now changed directions on this. Why?
I was and am a strong supporter and believer in the Mis en Cave (base vintage) labeling and the clearly written disgorgement date. Unfortunately, the market found both confusing and in the long run, it was not the best move for business. We still list the disgorgement date on the neck foil of each bottle (rather discretely), but have dropped the base vintage designation. Consumers can still write us with their lot number and we will tell them whatever information they wish to know. If it didn’t cost us sales, we would be all for listing more information.

 How did Charles Heidsieck and Piper-Heidsieck find their way back together again after so many years apart?
Both Charles and Piper (along with Heidieck & Co. Monopole) started from the original Heidsieck brand. We all went our separate ways in the nineteenth century, but Remy Martin brought Charles and Piper together again. Rémy-Cointreau (which was known as Rémy Martin at the time) purchased Charles Heidsieck in 1985 from Henriot right before Veuve Clicquot took over Henriot. Rémy then purchased Piper-Heidsieck in 1989 from the d’Alaun family and combined Charles and Piper-Heidsieck into one strong Champagne group.

 I really enjoy the Blanc de Millenaires, but have never found it to be
the true heart and soul of Charles Heidsieck in that it doesn’t call on
strong Pinot Noir; is Champagne Charlie ever going to come back?
People love Champagne Charlie. It is amazing to me that a wine that was only made from 1979 – 1985 can invoke so much passion. I have always liked the wine and we may one day bring it back, but for right now, it isn’t a wine we release in new vintages (though we do sell older vintages that we store in our oenotheque). It would be nice to see a prestige Charles Heidsieck cuvée with a good amount of Pinot Noir, but I don’t think our current prestige cuvée, the 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Millenaires (which debuted in 1983), is too shabby.

 What’s the story with Piper-Heidsieck Rare going from vintaged to non-vintage to vintaged again?
When Rémy purchased Piper-Heidsieck in 1989, Piper had its prestige cuvée called Rare. At this same time, Rémy also owned Krug and wanted to focus on making sure Krug had the “prestige” spotlight. As such, the Rare cuvee was discontinued after 1990 so as not to compete with the Krug line. When Rémy sold Krug to LVMH in 1999, things changed and we were asked to do a Piper prestige wine. With little time to get something on the market and no past plannning, the first few releases were non-vintaged in order to make the wines of high quality and still be able to get something out for the consumers. As we had time to plan for a vintage version of Rare starting in early 1999, we could set aside some of the best wines from 1998. Starting with the 1999 harvest, we were able to completely plan for it. It should be no surprise then that the “new” vintaged Rare debuted on the market with the 1998 vintage.

 Are there plans to release a 1996 Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Millenaires?
I can never say 100% to anything, but there will likely be a small release of this wine in the coming years. The wine is still in need of more time to mature since the 1996 vintage was very strong with a lot of acidity, but the wine will be beautiful. Whether the release will be 2011, 2012, or 2013, we don’t know yet. You will just have to stay tuned. When it is ready, we will release it. Look at the 1995 right now, it is fifteen years old and is very, very enjoyable. We want the 1996 to be this good or better – so we will wait for the right time.

 I know that Florens-Louis was once a vintage prestige cuvée of Piper
Heidsieck, but it is now a non-vintage wine. What exactly is the current
version of the Florens-Louis?
Florenz-Ludwig Heidsieck, aka Florens Louis Heidsieck (the French re-naming of a German name), founded the Heidsieck house in 1785 that eventually splintered into the three Heidsiecks. In honor of our founder, Piper-Heidsieck created their first prestige cuvée called Florens-Louis. It was a vintage wine, but was discontinued at the end of the 1970s in favor of the Rare cuvée. We have recently brought it back as a non-vintage wine that has a similar makeup to the basic NV Brut, but is aged longer on the lees and has a a lower and different dosage. It is not found in all markets

 Piper-Heidsieck was once known as a non-malolactic wine, but it now goes
through full malolactic fermentation; why was this change made?
I don’t think anyone can truly say that Piper-Heidsieck was always a non-malolactic wine. It certainly didn’t always go through malolactic, but there were times when it did so naturally – at least to some degree. I think the reputation it had as a non-malolactic wine stems from the fact the wines were not forced to undergo malolactic. We made the change in 1998 to put the wines through malolactic fermentation because we thought it made the end product better. While the lack of malolactic fermentation may not have been a big deal on the vintaged wines, the non-vintage cuvees are what the house is known by and Piper-Heidsieck’s non-vintage range is released on the young side and so doesn’t incorporate a large amount of reserves. Avoiding malolactic is not always the best recipe for success, especially when many consumers buy your Champagne shortly after release and plan to drink it the same day. We also do not think going through malolactic fermentation has cost the wine anything in terms of aging.

 I know Piper-Heidsieck has experimented with different wines in the US market. What is the story behind this?
Piper-Heidsieck and many other Champagne houses have always paid attention to their biggest growth markets and through the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970’s, the United States was a key market. A vintage Rosé called Piper Pink was made specifically for the US market and it was different from the normal Millésime Rosé that we released throughout the world. From the 1950s until the 1970s, we also created a US market vintage cuvée called “Goût de l'Ambassadeur” or “Taste of the Ambassador”.

 You have had the unbelieveably hard job of following in the
footsteps of legendary winemaker Daniel Thibaut. What
was it like to work with him and eventually take over from
him?
It was an honor and a thrill. Daniel brought me over to Charles and Piper-Heidsieck in 1994 to assist in achieving his vision. He was a tireless worker and taught me a lot about winemaking and his philosophies on blending. It is very sad that he is not with us anymore (Daniel Thibaut passed away rather unexpectedly in 2002), but he was smart enough to make sure we had a good continuity plan in place and I am doing the same. None of us will last forever and we need to make sure that the next generation understands what we did, has a library of wines to learn and

Champagne Blanc de Millenaires Brut 1985, Charles Heidsieck

Strågul og i et mere urent trav enn forrige flaske Noe stillestående myrvann i nesa med antydning til råtten duft. Sjøaromaer og flere var på Blanc de Blancs. Noe kork kommer etterhvert med champignon og gummistøvler. Utviklet stil og ingen trodde dette var den samme champisen som flasken ved siden av. 91 poeng. Medtatt av Jon.

Og vi hadde en ganske lik flaske ifjor på Champagne of the Year 12.5.12; Moden, lys gylden, servert litt varm, enorm mineralitet, men skjemmende korkduft sitter i. Bedre på smak, men selv ved påfyll merkes korkduften. Klassisk stil med tydelige og markerte gjæraromaer og god mineralitet. Synd ! 89 poeng og sisteplass. Ca. kr. 2 200,- på Vinmonopolet Vika.

Champagne Blanc de Blancs Jacques Selosse 

Gylden farge og den mest utviklede stilen i rekka. Honningtoner med skrot/nedfallsepler som har ligget litt for lenge på bakken. Kremet og rik og ørlite oksidasjon. Enorm aroma og noe diskusjon mht kvalitet/sherryaromaer. Har fremdeles kraft og "staying power"  for en videre utvikling. Degorgert i 1993. 95 poeng. Kim ga denne 97 poeng. Medtatt av Øyvind.

Notat Øyvind Jacques Selosse Blanc de Bl gogget 1993. Facebook/Vinforum 26.5.13:

Hadde samme vinen på CotY smaking med Norges Beste Vinklubb (tm) i går. Havnet på 3. plass av 6, med 95p (og det i en klubb som er gjerrige på poengene!)
Denne åpnet et par timer før smakingen, og deretter helt i 6 små(!) glass. Fulgt i 2,5 timer derfra. Den mest utviklede av de 6 Champagnene, men holdt stand utover hele smakingen. Kom seg faktisk ytterligere på slutten, og vant et par poeng hos de fleste mot slutten. Nydelige lagringsaromaer av nøtter og smørkaramell, med en herlig balanserende syre. noe bunnfall i flasken, og selv om dette havnet i glassene, var det ikke sjenerende for opplevelsen. Dette er en Champagne jeg ville åpnet og latt stå med åpen kork i flere timer før smaking. Tror dette ville gi den det nødvendige løftet - og ville fremstilt bedre fra get-go.
Håper jeg får tak i flere

Gard Kverneland 24.5.13: Rett fra flasken, 15 grader. Masse ristede nøtter, skorpe på nybakt brød, strålende frukt på nesen mot tørket aprikos og papaya. I munnen startende kaffe toner, tørket tropisk frukt, nesten ingen bobler igjen. Mangler friskheten ift tidligere flasker, men ikke for høyt på Herfjord skalaen. Etter 30 min i flaske, 13,3 grader, fortsatt enormt mye brødbakst i form av skorpen på et godt stekt og rykende ferskt brød. I munnen har vinen bygget seg opp en del mer intensitet, frukten er mer konsentrert, modningsaromaene er tydeligere med brente kaffebønner. Åpen flaske (halvfull) i 2t, 11,5 grader, brødbaksten har roet seg ned, men fortsatt tilstede, mye klassiske modne aromaer som vinen har gitt tidligere, frukten er fortsatt flott om vell moden ift tidligere flasker, mangler friskhet. 91p

Champagne Diebolt - Vallois Fleur de Passion 1996

Lysere gul farge, den lyseste i rekka. Typisk 1996 friskhet, men samtidig frukt nok. Flere mener at 1996 syra nå "spiser opp endel flasker", men denne var bra. Antydning til eik, kremet og fløte. Toppcuvee-aktig i stilen med Pinot i toppfrukten. Flere var på Krug. Lang ettersmak med klassiske toner av gjær og autolyse. Mye frukt og denne kan fremdeles lagres. 95 poeng. Roar ga denne 97 poeng. Medtatt av Øistein.

Rød Bordeaux 1990

Fredagsaktivitet kveld Generalforsamling Vinklubben Kåte Rhoner 24.mai 2013

Smakingen viste at 1990 er en solid årgang i rød Bordeaux der flere slott lagde fremragende viner. Selv om vi ikke smakte storheter som Chateau Lafite 1990, Chateau Margaux 1990 og Montrose 1990, viste smakingen at mindre slott som Grand Puy Lacoste og Haut Bailly lagde sine kanskje største viner hittil dette året. Og at Pichon Baron "overpresterte" med en tyktflytende , fet og tannrik juice. Årgangen har nok spesielt vært vellykket for Chateau Palmer, som "glemte" litt sin feminine elegante side. På Palmer vertikalsmakingen 7.5.13 mente de fleste at den litt utypiske 1990 var best. Og vi hadde 1959, 1961, 1966 og 1983 også ! Men mindre slott kan drikkes nå, noen slott prøvde litt for hardt og det var betydelig forskjell mellom de gode og de dårlige vinene. 2ndre cru`ene + Palmer, GPL og Haut Bailly holdt seg, resten bør vurderes mht. korkspretting.

Gleder meg til østsidesmaking i 1990, Merlot er enda bedre i denne årgangen !

Chateau Clerc Milon 1990, Pauillac

Lys rød farge og lett  Haut Medoc-aktig munnfølelse. Frisk, ren og elegant. Litt volatil med antydning til syrestikk. Tørr rødbærsfrukt. 90 poeng

Chateau Chasse-Spleen 1990, Moulis

Mørkere frukt, noe sursøt med lakris og fremdeles gode tanniner. Litt eksotisk og rik nese. Men ubalansert og ikke god i munnen. 88 poeng

Chateau Haut Bailly 1990, Pessac-Leognan

Medium purpur rød  kjerne med mursteinrød kant. Sursøt, frisk, krydder, kompleks. Pauillac-aktig. Solid frukt med elegant nese. Klar og tydelig. 92 poeng

Are; Klar, middels dyp, utviklet i kantene.Nesa: God intensitet, fokusert, utviklet, moden, men kjølig frukt, aromaer av modne mørke bær, med undertoner av modne røde bær, floral, balsamisk, krydret, salmiakk lakris, appelsinskall, underskog, te/tobakk, urtepreget, fin kompleksitet på nesa med fine overtoner og undertoner, nyansert. Munnen: Fylde 9, fast god elegant munnfølelse med smak av modne mørke og røde bær, snerper endel, men god tanninkvalitet, snerp 9, tiltalende friskhet som gir vinen livlighet, fin intensitet, konsentrert, lang ettersmak av moden mørke og røde bær, kryddertoner, urter, anis preg, Utviklet vin fin dybde i frukten. Vinen er fokusert i munnen og har en elegant munnfølelse. Drikker fint nå, men kan enda lagres mange år.

Chateau Batailley 1990, Pauillac

Lett volatil nese. Men samtidig mokka og relativ typisk Pauillac med sigar, sedertre og kaffetoner. Mere krydder, melkeaktig og tyngre i smak. Men mister årgangens trøkk. Drikk opp. 85-89 poeng

.

Chateau La Lagune 1990, Haut Medoc

Dyp og mørk farge fremdeles og flere trodde dette var Pauillac. Tydelige solbær, underskog og en elegant munnfølelse. Sursøt frukt og bløt struktur. Clerc Milon ? 90 poeng

Chateau Pichon Baron 1990, Pauillac

Overraskende lys og lett i munnen. Solmoden med tydelig alkohol. 1% for mye ? Endel fat. kaffetoner og sedertre. Kraftfull og i en litt vanskelig fase nå ? Men et betydelig hakk opp i kvalitet i forhold til de tidligere viner. 91-95 poeng.

A remarkable vintage for Pichon Longueville Baron, 1990 is one of this estate's two or three finest wines made in the last 40 years. Still inky/blue/purple-tinged to the rim, it reveals an extraordinary bouquet of charcoal, incense, creme de cassis, blue and black fruits, and a hint of licorice as well as an impressively long finish. While drinkable, its evolution is extremely slow, and I would not be surprised to see it last another two decades or more

Score: 97

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (183), June 2009

Chateau Lynch Bages 1990, Pauillac

Kjøttkraft og Bag in Box i nesa. Dyp, varm og rik nese. Kraftig med mye smak. Prøver litt mye med fremdeles kraftige tanniner. Uforløst med mokkatoner. Flere tok denne som Lynch Bages. Enten liker eller ikke liker man slike viner. 88-93 poeng

Chateau Palmer 1990, Margaux

Kraftfull og atypisk Margaux. Bra syre, frisk og god i munnen. Fremdeles mye tanniner. Tydelig solbær og en "amerikansk" Margaux-stil. Men har den typiske elegante stilen fremdeles, selv om den nok er litt annerledes enn man kan forvente. Dette var den beste Bordeaux 1990 ! Roar ga denne 97 poeng. Fellesscore; 94 poeng. Kim kjøpte denne primeur i London i 1991. Vinen fikk en relativ lav vurdering tidlig, men dette er en vin som blir bedre og bedre !

Sweet, open nose with some evolution and a subtle herbiness. Perfumed and very soft. Classic, sweet, seamless and earthy. The palate is open, smooth, complex and evolved with a lovely sweet earthiness. This is just drinking perfectly now, with weight and subtlety. Thrilling wine of great precision and poise. 96/100 (Blend: 37% Merlot, 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot)

Christer Byklum fra vertikalsmakingen Palmer 7.5.13: 

1990 Château Palmer:

Bright ruby. Scented, fruity, layered, nuanced and elegant, refined nose. Mint and spicy and touch of Christmas spices. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lovely fruit and balance, richer and somewhat exotic, refined and very long. 96

1989 Château Palmer:

Bright ruby, garnet rim. Leather, cedar, floral, very subdued and elegant nose, layered and a bit light on it's feet, gorgeous nose. Slightly heavier with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, elegant and leaner body, still quite intense, leather, tobacco and still a slight tannic grip in the finish. Long. 94+

1988 Château Palmer:

Lower neck fill. Bright ruby, garnet rim. Some floral notes over figs, anise, plums and blueberries. Slightly herbal and scented. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, playful and elegant, mouthwatering, long, but drops off suddenly.  91+

1986 Château Palmer:

Top shoulder fill. Bright ruby, very thin brick rim. Deeper nose, some plums, cherries, scented and intense nose. Layered and complex. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity and lively, quite playful and refreshing, towards mouthwatering, very long. But looses something with air. Becomes shorter. 95

1985 Château Palmer:

Bottom neck fill. Bright ruby, thin brick rim. Intense and scented nose, floral and layered, cassis and leather, lovely nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity and lively, lovely fruit and texture, very elegant but a little bit short. 93

1983 Château Palmer: 

Lower neck fill. Bright ruby, garnet rim. Scented, cherries, touch of figs and fruit stones. Minty touch. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lively and mouthwatering, slightly dry palate, long. 92

1982 Château Palmer:

Top shoulder fill. Ruby, garnet rim. Scented, fruity, floral, nuanced and layered.   Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity and very elegant, lively and lovely balance, long. 94

1981 Château Palmer:

Top shoulder fill. Garnet, thin brick rim. Some leather, lean nose. Fresh fruit, slightly dry, easy going but refreshing. 83

1979 Château Palmer:

Very top shoulder fill. Bright ruby, garnet rim. Mature nose of plums, anise, leather and tobacco. Slightly floral with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity and plummy even if leaner body, dying off in the finish. 87

1976 Château Palmer:

Berry Bros & Rudd label, estate bottled, dark green BBR foil. Cork confirms label. Bottom neck fill. Bright garnet, brick rim. Scented and floral, lean and very mature nose. A touch of VA that blows off. Sweet and sour. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, lean and drying, somewhat fruitier with air. 85

1967 Château Palmer:

Top shoulder fill. Garnet, brick rim, slightly cloudy. Cherries, liquorice and sweet and sour. Fresh acidity, few tannins, a bit lean and dry, lacks fruit. 82

1966 Château Palmer:

Berry Bros & Rudd bottled, darker red foil, lower neck fill. Cork states Berry Bros Rudd LTD London. Bright garnet, brick rim. Beautiful floral, cherries and red berries nose. Scented, layered and nuanced. Gorgeous nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity and lively, very elegant, quite refined, playful, slightly drying finish, but very refreshing and more so with air. 93

1961 Château Palmer:

Berry Bros & Rudd bottled, golden foil, mid-shoulder fill. Cork reads Berry Bros Rudd LTD London Château Palmer Margaux 1961. Slightly cloudy garnet with almost orange rim. Scented, slightly floral, red berries and cherries, figs, leather and prunes, dried tobacco. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, fruity and lively but drying finish, quite full bodied first, lean finish. Ads with air, getting fuller and longer. 92

1959 Château Palmer:

L'Acheteur negociant bottling.  Top shoulder fill. Cork stated nothing. Bright garnet, brick rim. Scented, liquorice, floral and a touch of mint on the nose. Red berries. Fresh acidity, drying palate, dusty and unpleasant, dry finish. Again it ads with air, getting more body. 86

Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste 1990, Pauillac

Mørk, kaffe med bittertoner. Denne vinen har alltid vært kraftfull og tanninrik. Og kjent for kanskje å være den beste GPL som er laget. Konsentrert juice, fremdeles tydelige tanniner og bør fremdeles lagres. Vi gjettet på GPL eller Pichon Baron. Broadbent er særdeles imponert av denne og spesielt da strukturen *(****) ! 90-95 poeng.

1990 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste

1. Tobacco, cigar box, earth, cassis, blackberry and forest floor scents are all over the place. Concentrated, powerful, and stuffed with ripe, chewy cassis, this classic, Pauillac wine is still young and will continue getting better for the next few decades. The $20 price on release continues paying dividends. 95 points - Tasted Oct 23, 2011
   
   
2. Truffles, tobacco, blackberry, cassis, earth, molasses and forest floor scents make up the complex perfume. Ful bodied and intense, this young wine is stuffed with ripe cassis, smoke and fresh black cherry. In select vintages, Grand Puy Lacoste produces stunning Bordeaux wine. 1990 is well worth seeking out. 95 points - Tasted Jun 16, 2011
   
   
3. 90 Grand Puy Lacoste expresses truffle, cassis, tobacco, cedar, leather and forest floor scents. Still young, this powerful, concentrated, masculine wine offers a big, beefy, juicy mouthful of ripe cabernet fruit. Some tannin remains that needs to be resolved. The wine finishes with cassis and a of hint green pepper which detracted from the otherwise sublime experience. I've had other bottles that did not display green notes that earned a higher score. Still, this is an outstanding example of a traditionally made Pauillac. 94 Pts. 94 points - Tasted Sep 27, 2010
   
   
4. Truffles, soy, smoke, tobacco, dark plums and jammy berries with forest scents pop up the moment the cork leaves the bottle, gaining in intensity as the wine slams into the glass. Rich, full bodied and intense, with long powerful, spice and ripe berry, with hints of jammy plums finish. This will age for at least 2 more decades. 96 points - Tasted Jun 28, 2010
   
   
5. I don't care how cheap it used to be. Those days are gone and even at today's prices, for a wine of this quality, it's worth the bucks. To me, when you get down to it, that is the best descriptor you can read. Would you buy more? I would. The rich, ripe, beautiful cassis laden wine is incredibly concentrated. Big, and broad shouldered, this is very well balanced and while not yet fully mature, can be enjoyed today. If you have only a few bottles, you can wait. It's not going anywhere. In fact, I expect it will drink well for at least another 25-30 years if well stored. 95 points - Tasted Feb 10, 2008
   
   
6. Cassis, wood and spice components add to the massive, classy, full bodied wine. But, don’t be fooled by it size, it maintains perfect balance. 94 points - Tasted Jun 15, 2005

   
   

   
   

   

   
   

   Chateau Leoville Barton 1990, St. Julien

Mørk, solbær med mye kraft. Fremdeles endel tanniner, men i et betydelig lettere format enn Pichon Baron & Puy Lacoste. Parfymert og litt overmoden i stilen. Ingen god munnfølelse og 1% for mye alkohol. Svir litt i munnen. Men samtidig litt uforløst og kan nok ligge fremdeles. Usikker.framtid.Broadbent påpeker også at denne er variabel.  91 poeng.

Red Wine of the Year 2011; Klar, intens og mørk Bordeaux som holder fargen helt ut. "Omph" i nesa,  rik og elegant på samme tid. Litt uenighet om dette var en "Parkerized" vin. Kompleks og lang ettersmak, lag på lag, litt 1990 Montrose-aktig soliditet.. 95 poeng. Øyvind tok med denne.

Vinmøte hos Kim 6.5.10: Kaffe, sedertre og solbær. Litt vandig, men elegant. Ganske muted i farge, med skjær av purpur. Litt lukket i stilen nå med whiff av alkohol. Stram og bør fremdeles lagres. Men det virker ikke som den har kraft igjen. 89 poeng