The Auswine Forum

Dinner on Sunday night at the Park Hyatt in Sydney. Menu tailored to the wines. Excellent food, excellent views of the Harbour Bridge, excellent wines, great night.

Kurobuta prosciutto with tomato water & olive jelly, mustard figs, herb crusted petuna trout with mille feuille of celeriac and ocean trout roe.

1979 Pol Roger Extra Cuveé de Réserve Champagne
No pop. No mousse or bubbles to speak of which was worrying. Mid gold. Beautiful, intoxicating nose of honey, almond, dried apricots. Palate retains streak of lovely acidity. Beautiful length. Full and balanced. Gorgeous old champers. Outstanding stuff.
92/100

1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Champagne
Light straw. Extraordinarily youthful nose, packed with lemon rind. Palate is very dry and tart, which I found quite muscular and massive in both texture and body. So primary still that I really found it difficult to enjoy this. Improved with time in glass revealing hints of lemon squash and citrus sherbet. Not in same class as the 96 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill or Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs. Gotta say I was a little under whelmed and disappointed with this. As were most of the other guys.
90/100

Baby calamari with fregola and king prawn.

2002 Domaine Gerard Chavy 1er cru Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres
Masses of sulphur initially, then minerally flavours seeped through. Palate a touch dilute and a fairly innocuous wine with nothing to transgress its mediocrity.
85/100

1995 Domaine J.L. Chave Hermitage Blanc
Touch spirity at 1st but alcohol augments and aids the wine. Lovely subtle sweetness to bouquet with very pineapple-rich nose. I quite liked this (despite others saying their previous bottle was far superior). Fine racy acidity that stands to attention.
88/100

Crisp skinned snapper with saffron ratatouille.

1983 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche
Mid to light red. Ravishingly tempting and fragrant nose that filled the air with rhubarb, dried rose petals, sous bois, violets and moss. Based on the amazing tonality and complexity of the nose I would have scored this wine highly in the 90s. Unfortunately the palate is a big let down: there is very little semblance of fruit left. Tannin comes to the fore almost instantly and jars the palate. This bottle is exactly how I remembered my last bottle over a decade ago. Held up in glass but clearly the fruit is fading, leaving a tannic swath in its wake. Still, happy to drink any DRC, and drink every last drop I did. The 85 La Tâche had recently was a better wine. Served blind to most people and I reckon they would have caned it. But we can all be label drinkers for a brief flirtatious moment.
85/100

1999 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze
Deep red. Lots of spearmint and spice, akin to Clare Valley shiraz. Surprisingly very approachable for both Faiveley and the 1999 vintage. Cushy, velvety tannins that are very fine. A certain elegance that is at once beguiling and seductive. .Very youthful. Needs time for oak to integrate but I liked this a lot and I’m not a big Faiveley fan. Very new worldish.
90/100

Chestnut and spelt papardelle with duck.

1998 Château Léoville Las Cases
Deep purple of lovely clarity. Rich mix of blueberries and captivating ripe black fruits that is at once very forward and already so well integrated. Palate finishes with clean, chalky tannins. Excellent length. Class all the way. Should build weight and complexity. Fab wine. LLC rocks!
92/100

1996 Château Léoville Poyferré
Mid purple. Bretty nose. Never lost its vegemite bite. Bit short on palate vs. LLC. Got much better with airtime after many others had given up on it. Then went into Incredible Hulk green territory after 25 minutes and stayed dirty. A bit all over the shop, like a dog’s breakfast. Perhaps a faulty bottle?
86?/100

Rare roast cervena venison.

1964 Château Cheval Blanc
Cork out in two pieces. Stupendous mid purple colour that was darker than the 82 LMHB!!!!!!!!! Seriously I thought they were pouring the wrong bottle or an 02 Barossa shiraz. No bricking that I could find. Now that is effing astonishing. Nose leaps from the glass evoking herbs and basil, rhubarb and berries. The palate was simply extraordinary: full without being broad, powerful yet indisputably elegant, forceful yet sensual with the wine fanning out more dimensions and nuances as it eases onto the back palate, concentrated yet delightfully seductive and decadent to drink. It is wines like these that propel you to throw out the prevailing doctrine. Cynics may say this is not one of the most famous Chevals, nor among the most highly rated, but this bottle was truly remarkable and amazingly still youthful with perfectly integrated super fine tannins, with all the telltale Cheval silkiness and exotic lushness that it is famed for. To drink this is to believe in wine immortality and is almost as good as it gets. An irrefutably great wine that after 43 years appears ageless and timeless. Thank you Nev!
98/100

1982 Château La Mission Haut Brion
Mid purple, akin to the 96 Poyferré!! No browns. Bouquet abounds with dusty tar, earth, and dense underlying black fruits straining to cut loose. Seamless palate with incredibly fine balance and length already but with oh-so-much potential. Amazing structure to last eons with stupendously woven tight tannins and brooding ripe fruit that needs at leats another 5-10 years to unleash their beauty. Great wine in the making. An intellectual wine that demands concentration and focus. On any other day, one of the wines of the year.
95+/100

Red wine braised wagyu beef cheeks

1985 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Côtes Brune et Blonde
Unfortunately this very fine wine was shadowed by two great wines that preceded it, which was a pity. This was fully mature, with lovely balance, with flavours of game, meat, candied plums and spiced cherries. Top notch.
90/100

We needed a refresher at this stage to get back our breath so the call came out for….

1996 Moët et Chandon Cuveé Dom Pérignon Champagne
Our last one was badly corked. Light straw. Beautifully fragrant nose, redolent of limes, meringue, vanilla cream and marshmallows that I often get in Dom. Palate is super with exemplary structure, a hauntingly long length, and crisp acid. The best young Dom I have ever had with oodles of potential. Streaks ahead of the 98 and 99.
96/100

Cheese platter

1983 Château d'Yquem
Mid gold to orange. Very rich and developed butterscotch, quince marmalade and poached nectarines. Fully mature on palate too, with excellent length and judicious balance of sweetness, purity and acid. A pointe.
92/100

NV Chambers Rutherglen Rare Muscat (375ml)
The Rare Tokay (which I prefer for its more earthy characteristics; 98/100) of the Chambers we had a fortnight ago was near flawless wine. This Muscat is not as mind blowing but nonetheless great wine. Burnt copper colour! Mega intense raisins running rampant, coffee, spiced raisins, raisin crème brûlée, chocolate bullets. Super elegant and yet so intoxicatingly rich, even decadent! A 50 second finish that batters the palate into delectably sweet purity! There is such stunning intensity and concentration here that the wine seems teetering on its edge, almost precipitously tipping over into over-the-top fruit-rich concentrated sweetness. Brilliant, overpowering wine. What a way to end the night.
95/100

Thanks to all for a brilliant evening!

Once again, a gamut of impressive wines. Good notes, thanks.

Hey Danny,

once again gobsmacked by the wines you drink.

I have a 67 Cheval Blanc squirreled away and Lisa's 40th birthday is approaching rapidly - thus the perfect occasion. Any chances of the 67 being even a shadow of the 64. I know it wasn't exactly a brilliant year.

Danny,

Count me in for the next bank robbery you guys have planned.

All the best

bacchaebabe wrote:Hey Danny,

once again gobsmacked by the wines you drink.

I have a 67 Cheval Blanc squirreled away and Lisa's 40th birthday is approaching rapidly - thus the perfect occasion. Any chances of the 67 being even a shadow of the 64. I know it wasn't exactly a brilliant year.

Neal Martin's Wine Journal (before it got swallowed up by eBob) suggested the right bank produced some excellent wines in '67 that exceeded expectations, especially in Saint Emilion. Petrus (from Pomerol) was his pick of the vintage and he didn't have a TN for the Cheval Blanc, but it still suggests your '67 could be a good chance of being something special.

I couldn't find anything on Cellartracker, but there was an odd note on Belmaati that said it's a classic Cheval Blanc while not quite as good as the '64 or '70:

http://belmaati.com/about11517.html

Cheers,
Ian

Great, thanks for that Ian. Things are looking up.

Agree with your comment on the Grande Dame. To be honest, I've never had one of any vintage I've enjoyed.

Veuve Cliquot La Grande Dame 1996
Opened pretty powerfully on the nose, but seemed to become reclusive after a few minutes in the glass. Fresh green apple, dough, citrus peel and sherbert. The palate is soft and fluffy and while it isn't overly broad, it does seem to be lacking a bit of definition and focus. I don't think that this is going to age very well, it just doesn't seem to have the expected acid structure (especially for a 96!), but I enjoyed it for drinking now.
89/100

Pol Roger Cuvee de Reserve 1979
Gentle, meandering bead. Caramel, lime, bread, hazelnuts and olive oil on the nose. The palate is distinctly earthy. Shows great restraint, as though the flavour is desperate to burst out but is held in check by the core of acid. Excellent length and a most enjoyable wine if you are a fan of aged Champagne.
91/100


Gerard Chavy "Les Folatieres" 1er cru Puligny-Montrachet 2002
Sulphur dominated initially, and while it remained prominent in the time it was in the glass there were also some aromas of stonefruits, citrus, restrained oak and minerals coming up as time went on. The palate is quite lovely with delicious focused fruit richness across the excellent length. Delicious to drink.
90/100

J.L. Chave Hermitage Blanc 1995
Copper gold in colour, much darker and a bit more advanced than the previous bottle opened a month or two ago. I still quite enjoyed it, with those perfumed aromas of citrus peel, pineapple, peaches and ginger still present but probably not quite as explosive. Palate tells a similar story, there is still good length and the balance is fine, it is just not as complex OR youthful as the last bottle. Very good, but knowing what it could have been is a bit of a disappointment.
90/100


Faiveley Clos de Beze 1999
Very expressive and exaggerated on the nose, and I could see how some might not enjoy it, it is in some ways a caricature of Pinot. You are hit with aromas of spearmint, toasty oak, rhubarb, cherry and raspberry. The palate is very approachable with bold flavour, good length and pleasing mouthfeel. The tannins were certainly there, but they are very fine and not obtrusive.
91/100

Domaine de la Romanee-Conti La Tache 1983
The nose on this is multi-layered, intoxicating and memorable with fennel, earth, leather, five spice, tea leaves and smoke aromas. The palate is a different story and is sadly looking a little bit tired and lacking in fruit. As a consequence the acid and tannins stand out a bit (although the tannins are clearly very fine), with a bit more fruit I'm sure that they wouldn't have been a problem. Still, it's not every day one gets a chance to drink La Tache, and I am thankful to Alex for the opportunity.
89/100


Chateau Leoville Las Cases 1998
This wine is incredibly classy. The aromas of pencil shavings, iodine, graphite, gravel and juicy blackberry really burst out of the glass. The palate is serious and youthful, but has superior balance and is a delicious joy to drink. Great length and so open and enjoyable compared to what I had imagined that it may be and it still has the potential to get better.
94/100

Chateau Leoville Poyferre 1996
Probably a faulty bottle, there was a line of wine running up the entire side of the cork from memory. Very much dominated by earth, vegetables and vegemite on the nose and tannin on the palate. Flavour fell away on the mid-palate and never returned. Cleaned up a very slight amount in the glass, but it was still pretty un-enjoyable.
NR/100

Chateau La Mission Haut Brion 1982
Mid purple in colour. Brooding nose of crushed rock/gravel, tobacco, blackcurrant, spice, floral hints and cedar. Superb concentration and rather amazing length. So young and with so much densely coiled fruit and potential. Needs another 10+ years to fully show what it is capable of. A superb, beautiful wine that was somehow humbled by the next bottle in line.
96/100

Cheval Blanc 1964
This wine almost brought silence to the table, with people on the verge of speechlessness but for an occasional uttered superlative. It was as though people just wanted to savour being in the presence of this wine. My notes for this night have been held up by this wine, what can one say to do it justice? On one occasion sitting down to write about it I was almost overcome with emotion just thinking back about the experience of drinking it.

Incredible colour, no bricking around the rim - in fact it is even more youthful in colour than the '82 LMHB side by side. Utterly seductive, layered aromas of cherry, spice, raspberry, rosemary, cedar and truffles. The palate continues the stunning trend with peerless structure from the finest tannins I can imagine and breathtaking balance from the ripe, layered fruit. There are the youthful, luscious flavours that come together in harmony with the more complex and layered aged textures and flavour. Endlessly long on the palate, and will spend the length of my life in my memory.

The third wine that I've given 100 points, and like the other two, it took a couple of weeks of thought to be certain that they were deserving of the score and that it wasn't just the emotion of the moment, but I am now certain that it is worthy.
100/100

Guigal Brune et Blonde 1985
This wine stood up well, despite having an impossible act to follow. Spice, earth, smoke and meaty, animal like aromas that could be off-putting to some, but I personally thought were enjoyable. A good, balanced palate without a great deal of complexity but drinking right at its peak and providing a lot of pleasure.
91/100


Dom Perignon 1996
The third time I've had the chance to try this, the first was stunning and the second couldn't have been more disappointing as it was corked! This bottle was very much the equal of the first and served at a perfect time in the meal as an incredibly indulgent "palate cleanser" before dessert. Citrus peel, lemon meringue, toast and cherries on the nose. Beautifully elegant on the palate with brilliant acid structure and depth. Outstanding length and even though it is young, it is already an incredible wine.
96/100


Chateau d'Yquem 1983
Looking slightly advanced in colour compared to some bottles that other people have had of this wine. On the nose there was butterscotch, apricots, honey, marmalade and a nutty element. Fine balance between acid and sweetness on the palate, with richness across the excellent length and then finishing dry. Very good, but I think the palate is a bit simple in order for this bottle that seemed to be at its peak to be amazing.
92/100


Chambers Rare Muscat NV
I had the Rare Tokay around a month ago, so it was going to be interesting to compare. The nose starts off with some expected aromas of toffee, caramel, brown sugar and raisins and then all of a sudden there was a surge of coconut and chocolate. Quite different on the palate to the Tokay, there is an astounding richness to the Muscat, much more so than the Tokay that is still powerful but a little bit more controlled and complex. This on the other hand is so unrelenting in its rich flavour that it is hard to find anything else on the extremely long palate. So the Muscat is a little bit one dimensional on the palate, but oh man what a dimension! I love it and find it incredible regardless.
97/100

Beautiful notes Cam. Balanced, thoughtful, and not cloyingly unctious.
Considered. R.E.S.P.E.C.T.