On Sep 11, 11:40�am, Bobchai > wrote:
> On Sep 11, 8:10�am, "Bi!!" > wrote:
>
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>
> > On Sep 11, 10:28 am, Bobchai > wrote:
>
> > > On Sep 10, 11:33 pm, "JT" > wrote:
>
> > > > Solihull Fine Wine Society September Tasting
>
> > > > A vertical of Barton, put on by Kaivan, and on a rare occasion for the
> > > > society, not blind. You got what was on the label.
>
> > > > oldest first, another interesting variation and created some discussion.
>
> > > > 1985, bright hint of brown, expressive cassis, mint organic nose, complex,
> > > > true claret. What an entry of soft fruit tannins acidity, all in harmoinous
> > > > balance with pepper and spice. Wonderful. 3rd WOTN
>
> > > > 1986, youthful, full extract, very dumb with a bit of tobacco at a pinch,
> > > > then a mouthful of puckering tannin, there is fruit but will it ever come
> > > > round? reminded me of 1975 Lascases.
>
> > > > 1988, deep ruby, no age, a dumb nose of oak and leather, and then a suprise,
> > > > wonderful palate of berries spice, long, most unexpected after the nose.
>
> > > > 1989, viscous and deep, looks magic, textbook claret, cigarbox, cassis,
> > > > vegetal, leather, big soft tannins with layers of mature fruit, a rich wine
> > > > and a textbook claret, will still evolve.
>
> > > > 1990, deepest wine of the night with 1996, sparkles, another magic nose as
> > > > the 89, but even more layered and complex, superb balance, all spice and
> > > > fruit, very rich and so long, magnificent WOTN
>
> > > > 1993, quite pale ruby but good legs, a simple claret nose which revealed
> > > > nowt, soft with some tannins and good fruit, a perfect luncheon claret. Not
> > > > bad for a fair only year.
>
> > > > 1994, please be good as I have bottles left!!, deep ruby, shines,
> > > > marshallows and old dusty cupboards, sweaty saddles sweet violets, grip,
> > > > soft with still some unresolved tannins, good acidity and mature fruit and
> > > > cinnamon, needs food.
>
> > > > 1996, huge extract as 1990, dumb, but opens up in time to reveal muted
> > > > layers of immature claret, but what a palate, intense fruit and firm
> > > > tannins, liquid blackcurrants, good now but will be superb, a wonderful
> > > > Barton.
>
> > > > 1998,Looks like cherryade, smells like cherryade, a fruity alcopop,
> > > > overextracted and in the old days a few bags of sugar, awful..........much
> > > > discussion, duff bottle or the style of the vintage, I hope for the former.
>
> > > John:
>
> > > Sounds like a wonderful tasting! I'm living in a bubble in Napa
> > > Valley, because all of the local merchants stock mainly the local
> > > product, but I remember Leoville Barton and Leoville Lascases quite
> > > fondly. I even had a barrel tasting at Lascases many years ago,
>
> > > Pauillac and St. Julien tend to be the more tannic wines of the Medoc,
> > > but all that is changing with the newer styles of winemaking. I'm
> > > impressed that you found the 1985 still vibrant, because we are
> > > reaching the outer range of maturity for most of these wines. The
> > > 1982's survive, but unless someone wants to keep bottles as trophies
> > > under impeccable storage, they are probably going south. eBay might
> > > be a solution.
>
> > > My personal love affair is with the cantons of Margaux and Cantenac,
> > > Chateau Palmer and Brane-Cantenac, but I'm also a devotee of Pomerol
> > > and St. Emilion. Tasting Pauillacs today is a rare treat, because we
> > > just don't fine them locally. I have a Napa Valley palate, although
> > > I'm disgusted with so much of the local high alcohol, heavily
> > > extracted monsters. I see wine as Audrey Hepburn, not Jayne
> > > Mansfield. Yet I can appreciate a Bordeaux with power and finesse,
> > > character which is elusive in this part of the galaxy.
>
> > > I wish I had been there at your tasting. I am intrigued by your
> > > remarks about the 1998. That wine should be coming around by now, but
> > > your comments suggest that it's still a "mewling, puking babe" (as the
> > > poet said). After ten, eleven years, that is not a good sign.
>
> > > Because most of my experience is with tastings from barrel, my focus
> > > has shifted to young wines now. Tannin management in young reds has
> > > become the winemaking phenomenon of this decade, and we are starting
> > > to see powerful wines which are drinkable in youth. Anything beyond
> > > four years of age for me is now becoming a curiosity.
>
> > > --Bob- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > I found a number of Bordeaux at Dean and Deluca during my last trip to
> > Napa...I didn't buy them as I was visitng Napa for a reason..:-)..but
> > they did have a fairly extensive selection of Bordeaux.
>
> Bi!!
>
> I actually live within walking distance of Dean & De Luca here in Napa
> Valley. �I guess I should check in again with them, because I haven't
> been there for months. Most of my wine collecting comes from trades
> with local winemakers. �Dean & De Luca has one the most impressive
> selections of California wine I've seen, but your mention that they
> are carrying Bordeaux is very interesting. �Previously, the only
> imports they had were some cognacs, single malt Scotch whiskey and
> liquors like Pernod. �Because I'm on a budget, I usually go to Santa
> Rosa to buy imports. Thanks for the tip!
>
> --Bob- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

They also had some interesting Spanish wines like Alto Moncayo. IIRC,
the Bordeaux were in the "Premium" section.