2008 Pauillac – the nose of the generic production was not very open, with a bit of fruit and slightly spicy.
2008 Les Forts de Latour – a bit smoky and grilled meat notes, with a tart finish.
2008 Latour – nose was not very open and tannins were pretty grippy.
2004 Les Forts de Latour – classic Bordeaux nose with smoke and a bit of coffee. A bit sweet on the palate.
2002 Latour – again a classic Bordeaux with smoky nose. A bit acidic on the palate.
2007 Latour – nose was a bit sweet like cotton candy, and a little smoky.
2006 Latour – open nose with smoke with grilled meats, still a bit tannic.
Wines served with canapes and dinner:
1988 Salon Le Mesnil – nose was a bit acidic, with iron rust, honey and oxidized pear notes. On the palate it was sweet and a bit metallic. I don’t get many chances to drink Salon, so this was a real treat.
1976 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc – nose of chalk, flint, lemon, a little sweet honey, oxidation and pineapple. Really wonderful stuff. Pineapple's birth vintage.
We were served three pairs of wines from the birth vintages of MNSC members. The theme was that one wine from each pair would be a Latour, while the other wine would be of equivalent stature (i.e. a First Growth) but selected to ensure that the Latour would be the winner of the pair… Of course all the wines are ex-château – even if they weren’t Latour, they have been lying in the château library since release – so we could not hope for better conditions.
First pair – the Ox, Lord Rayas and Juliano's birth vintage
1973 Cheval Blanc – smooth on the palate, with smoke, grilled meat notes. Orange and amber rim from the age. On the palate it was a bit watery but sweet.
1973 Latour – classic Bordeaux with smoke, lead pencil over a core of sweet fruit. Beautiful wine.
Second pair – Dr. Poon's birth vintage
1967 Latour – a bit of stewed fruit on the nose, with sweet grass and a little plasticky.
1967 Ausone – sweet, exotic and a bit funky nose.
Third pair – my birth vintage
1970 Latour – classic Bordeaux nose with smoke and sweet fruits. Quite a powerful wine after almost 40 years of age. I’ve had this wine a few times before – including last year – and recognized it immediately.
1970 Mouton – smoky, minty and a bit more ripe and open than the Latour. A beautiful wine. This was a surprise as I’ve had this wine a half dozen times – including last year – and I’ve never had a bottle as good as this one. This is where provenance really shows…
1953 Latour – Dr. Poon brought this bottle for Frédéric to taste and “authenticate.” Big nose of iron, rust and minerals, with sweet fruit, orange, grassy and a bit of smoke.
1975 Yquem – golden honey color, with nose of orange marmalade, plastic and acetone from the botrytis. This wine was sooooo rich! What a great way to end the meal!
Full post on dinner is here.
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