MNSC dinner - forgotten years

MNSC dinner. Theme was "the forgetten years of 1993 and 1997".

First pair:

1997 Les Carmes Haut-Brion - showed heavy smoke, earthiness, stewed prunes. Rather enjoyable and not bad. Good drinking wine.

1997 La Mission Haut-Brion - initially it smelled of "shit" that reminded me of Beaucastel, but this faded and fruit core emerged. Ended up drinking better than the Les Carmes.

Second pair:

1993 Ducru-Beaucaillou - I recognized this very quickly. It had a vegetal nose, and the fruit was somewhat subdued, but this could be a result of opeing 1 hour earlier than the other wines. Anyway, smooth on the palate, with lots of finesse. Typical Ducru.

1993 Lafite-Rothschild - initially smelled of wet rag, this faded and beautiful red fruits showed. Very, very nice indeed!

Third pair:

1997 La Gomerie - this was very nice, showing wet chalk initially but turning into sweet vanilla and fruit, with oak treatment that reminded me of New World wines. In fact this would be halfway between old and new world.

1997 La Fleur-Petrus - this was my first taste of this wine. Very nice, indeed. Stewed fruits, nice on the palate.

Pahlmeyer and Armagh

Dinner with friends.

1997 Jim Barry The Armagh - drank very well. A bit typical of Aussie shiraz, with lots of new oak, sweet cotton candy, lots of red fruits and power. A bit of spice on the palate.

1997 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red - took a while for this wine to open, but it was pretty powerful throughout, too. Vanilla and oak in the nose, a bit of earth and smoke in the beginning, but sweet fruit core opened up more with time. Very good but needs more breathing time than expected,.

Bought from Ponti for HKD 958.

1998 Petaluma Coonawarra

Dinner at a friend's place.

1998 Petaluma Coonawarra - must say that I was disappointed. Very closed and not ready at all. Lots of earth, minerals, and smoke. I would have guessed it was a Bordeaux! A little sweet fruit emerged with time, but tannins were very heavy. Needs lots of cellaring to round out the edges.

Bought from Jebsen for HKD 298.