In article
>,
"Bill S." > wrote:

> Notes from the Christmas blind tasting lunch.
>
> NV Luis Pato Vinho Espumante Bruto * a Portuguese bubby made from
> Maria Gomez grapes. Dried fruit nose, yeasty, with a short finish but
> clean and pleasant. had us wondering as it clearly wasn¹t Champagne
> but the varietal clues for anything else were absent.
>
> 2005 Lucien Crochet Sancerre * lemon, cheese and pear in the nose,
> clean, with a soft fruity entry and good length. Very tasty.
>
> 1995 Bouchard Pere Montrachet * obviously a totally different ball
> game here, with darker colour, a creamy vanilla nose, sweet vanilla on
> palate and complex with excellent length.
>
> 1996 Chapoutier Ermitage de L¹Oree * I had never tasted this top white
> Hermitage from Chapoutier before. It was showing a slight oxidative
> note in the nose, but tat abated somewhat with tim. Otherwise, it was
> as I expect good white Rhones to show * not quite as complex in
> general as white Burgundies, but pretty interesting. This one was
> darker than the Montrachet with more coconut in the nose, not as
> complex as the Burg but nice honey on palate and very good length.
> Another winner.
>
> 1990 Dom. Pegau Cuvee Laurence * I hadn¹t opened one of these before,
> preferring patience over curiosity (and having misplaced it until
> recently). I was very impressed by it. Great Rhone nose, which I
> identified right off (we were tasting double blind so I didn¹t know
> this was my wine, but once I figured it was a classy Rhone, I shut up
> and listened to the others). Still showing quite a bit of tannin, but
> also great levels of fruit. It mellowed over 3 hours or so, and I
> don¹t think it will ever drink better than it does now, but it is on
> plateau and will cruise there for many years. They give this more
> wood than the Reservee with the intention that it will develop and
> drink earlier. This was still pretty darned firm! Best CNduP I¹ve
> tasted in some time.
>
> 2001 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah * one of the best South African Syrahs
> (certainly the best I¹ve tasted) and not an easy one to identify. We
> were thinking pretty seriously about the Northern Rhone (the syrah
> part was obvious) and the other contender was California but it didn¹t
> quite convince us it was either. Sweet in mouth with soft tannins and
> lengthy finish. We were really bringing out the winners today.
>
> 1988 Ornellaia * this supertuscan fooled us all into thinking it a
> Bordeaux as the nose was dead ringer and the terminal acidity wasn¹t
> high enough to scream Italy. Now fully developed, it is showing
> wonderful levels of fruit and excellent length. Bright and very tasty.
>
> 1986 La Lagune - nice colour, floral nose, high acidity, drinking
> well and holding, and not showing the same slightly rough tannins I
> recall from the last time I tasted it. Drink now as I doubt it will
> improve (it will last, however).
>
> 1988 Talbot * acid showing in the nose, good fruit but a touch of
> green and lots of acid. Not what I¹d have hoped for this wine, but
> decent drinking.
>
> 1982 Cos d¹Estournel * wow, what a nice claret! Smooth cocoa/mocha
> nose with some cassis, smooth on palate with not much tannin and sweet
> fruit and a long gliding finish.
>
> 1966 Leoville Las Cases * colour was paling a lot on this, and there
> was a very good Bordeaux nose featuring coffee (not mocha), sooth,
> very elegant, but ending a little awkwardly with high acidity and
> medium length. Best part was the nose. Probably bottle variation as
> others have been better.
>
> Quady Batch 88 Starboard Port * a hot sweet fig nose and like liquid
> figs in the mouth. We knew it wasn¹t Port, but were surprised to see
> it was made from Port varietals.
>
> 1977 Kopke Colheita Port * colour like a pale Madeira * the tawny
> character really showing. Slightly Maderised oxidised nose, but
> otherwise very decent with nuts and slight heat at the end.

As usual, great notes on interesting wines Bill. I've have notes showing
little improvement in any of my '88 Bordeaux wines and will probably be
drinking them up now as several are showing signs of fading from sight.