Tasting book no. 4 - Birthday Tasting
A friend’s birthday is always a good opportunity to open beautiful bottles, even more so when that friend is a great wine enthusiast like you.
May 14th was the occasion to celebrate my friend Théodore’s birthday. Appointment taken, at the Chais de France, our favorite spot, to open some bowling pins with friends, without any hassle. The theme was 2003, his year of birth. Some having been unable to bring back any, other vintages were opened. At the end of the article, I give my Top 3, with some surprises in view of the Line Up.
It all started with a superb brut champagne from the house Gosset, Grand Millésime 1999, in magnum. Opening with a nice pschitt. In glass, the bubbles are fine and of a beautiful vivacity. The nose is evocative of a champagne that has aged with brio. Some notes of white flowers quickly erased by very pretty pastry notes. Expressive, refined with a nice tension, this champagne was perfect to awaken our taste buds. Thank you Nicolas.
Place au second champagne, and not the least, a Krug 2003. Exceptional, as usual with this house. The nose is radiant with its richness, intensity, and freshness. We were able to appreciate its wonderful bouquet of citrus fruits, honey, brioche with subtle notes of nuts. On the palate, the magic operates. It is a perfect harmony between tension, finesse and aromatic expression. The finish, mineral and of great elegance, is of an endless length. A true meditation champagne. Thank you Théodore for sharing this bottle.
We continued with the only white wine of the day. A magnum of Gilbourt from Benoît Courault. A chenin from the Angevin region vinified to perfection. After a slight opening, the nose quickly reveals fresh notes of pear, apple, mixed with subtle floral notes and a very fine stony character. On the palate, from the start, it is taut to perfection, with a balance that is simply close to perfection. Aromatically, it is faithful to its terroir, expressing it in the most beautiful way. A fresh finish and a very pleasant length. A wine of pure pleasure, which, drunk well chilled, will be the ideal companion in this summer period.
Now, place to the selection of red wines, and again, exceptional wines have been released. 3 French regions are honored. Burgundy, Languedoc and Bordeaux. Théodore being a commander within the Commanderie des vins de Bordeaux in Paris, it is therefore natural to have an overrepresentation of this region with no less than 6 different wines.
It was therefore necessary to estimate the order of tasting of wines, so that none is erased by another.
We therefore decided to start with the tasting of a Chambertin from Domaine Ponsot on the 2001 vintage. What beauty. Initially on the reserve, he revealed to us, by giving it time, the finesse and elegance of his bouquet, composed of ripe red fruits, dry flowers, smoky notes, leather with a hint of cocoa. On the palate, it’s lace, between balance and aromatic richness, it’s the height of refinement. The tannins are of considerable suppleness, giving this wine everything one can expect from it. The finish turns out to be of the most sophisticated length. A very great wine that was a real privilege to be able to taste. Thank you Keanu for this generosity.
Then, my friend Guillaume wanted to introduce me to a wine he talked so much about. The GN cuvée, from Terrasses d'Elise, vinified by the very famous Xavier Braujou, on the 2022 vintage. Infanticide according to some, and I agree. On the nose, it is an explosion of fresh red fruits, perfectly infused, with surprising notes of lychee, mixed with considerable floral notes of peony, rose as well as very pretty spicy and garrigue notes, simply radiant. On the palate, it is pure, precise, fresh and of remarkable subtlety. The aromatic, however, is more on the reserve than on the nose. The tannins are crunchy and confer great gourmandise. The final length is however a bit shy. A pure, juvenile Grenache, which needs time to express all its qualities. Thank you Guillaume for this discovery.
Second contribution, and this time in the theme of the day, a Domaine Peyre Rose, Clos des Cistes, on the 2003 vintage. Maybe this time, we have a little underestimated the place of this wine within the tasting session. On the nose, the aromatic expression is of remarkable power, exposing with intensity and depth its notes of ripe fruits, spices, scrubland, as well as its animal notes of leather and musk. On the palate, it is powerful, with an aromatic of a striking depth, which does not betray the nose. The tannins are ripe, firm and together form the backbone of the wine. They are accompanied by a slight acidity, which brings balance and sufficient freshness to carry this wine for many more years. Both arrogant and with boundless energy, it will be necessary to return to it in about ten years to see if time has managed to soften this monster.
Now, place to the wines of Bordeaux. Six bottles were waiting for us wisely, each classified in a very precise order. All the wines are in the theme of the day, that is, 2003. Solar vintage on which there have been great successes, which have survived the decades; there have also been wines with less well-balanced profiles.
We therefore started with a château Citran 2003. A wine that the weight of years has unfortunately crushed. A wine surely drunk too late. The nose is Médocain in the soul, without a doubt, with notes of ripe black fruits and undergrowth, which lack intensity. In the mouth, it is identical to the impression felt on the nose. It’s racy but on the decline. The tannins are ripe, but do not know how to carry the structure of the wine. The finish falls, as if the weight of its 22 years weighed too much. A bottle maybe poorly preserved, or simply a wine that reached its limits a few years ago already? Curious to be able to taste another one in order to judge it. His place within the tasting was good, at least, within the wines of Bordeaux.
We continued with a nice château Chasse Spleen. A property that I like to taste in its young years, I still remember the 2018 and 2020 vintages of very beautiful invoices. On the nose, the black fruits are ripe and are accompanied by slight notes of tobacco, mushrooms and undergrowth. On the palate, it is well structured, notably thanks to tannins that are both fine and melted. The aromatic character of the wine is distinguished, just like what one can expect from a Bordeaux of this age. The finish is of a pleasant length. Moulis-en-Médoc is an appellation renowned for producing wines that are appreciated from their earliest years, we can see here that after 2 decades the wines are in great shape. The order is currently being respected.
Then, make way for the pope, I named the very famous château Pape Clément. Considered one of the best in its name, both on red and white, it is logical that expectations are high. Our thirst for great wine has clearly been satiated. The nose is remarkably deep, offering us from the start its notes of cooked black fruits, undergrowth, with a hint of truffle and subtle cigar notes. On the palate, the wine is full, dense; its fruity character is still quite perceptible, as well as the sunny side of the vintage, without being too present; the wine is very well balanced. The tannins are fine, elegant and perfectly integrated. The finish extends with length and refinement. Well done to Hippolyte, this bottle delighted us.
Once the journey on the graves is over, place to the only bottle from the right bank (my personal contribution), a château Belair 2003, better known today as Belair Monange. A historic property of the appellation that is no longer presented. On the nose, the generosity of the vintage and the nobility of the terroir appear to us as obvious, between ripe black fruits, undergrowth, cigar box and truffle notes; the aromatic palette is precise, rich and very elegant. In the mouth, one can only be conquered by such refinement. Silky, racy, the tannins are supple, and bring all their delicacy to the structure of this wine. The finish is balanced, full of harmony, elegance and persistence. A very beautiful wine that the weather has managed to ennoble.
Now, place on the left bank, and there, on the paper, the duel is of size. Difficult to have one to start with, so we decided for the château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Originally full of promises, it must be admitted that it was a disappointment. The nose is not very expressive, we perceive notes of black fruits as well as shy herbaceous, spicy and tobacco notes. On the palate, it is hardly better. The wine sorely lacks aromatic expression. The structure is provided by a sure tannic frame, ripe without being astringent. The final length falls down quite quickly. Was the wine in a bad phase, closed or too young? It will be necessary to try again in the future to not remain on this impression and give a chance to a wine that, I know, will express itself with panache. Isn’t that Théo?
It is now time to close this very beautiful tasting. Direction Saint-Julien, one of my favorite appellations, with a superb château Ducru-Beaucaillou. From the start, the nose is revealed to be brilliant by its wonderful aromatic expression. It reveals notes of ripe black fruits, undergrowth, mushrooms, with a touch of minty and a hint of tobacco, as if we plunged our nose into a cigar box; which confers all the aromatic complexity of this wine. In the mouth, the structure is monumental. The material is imposing but of great refinement. The tannins are racy and bring us to the left bank with enthusiasm. Ample, dense and of great richness, one easily perceives the solar character of the vintage, all with a remarkable balance. The finish is of a wonderful length, we measure the mastodont we have in the glass. A fiery, youthful wine for which the future looks radiant. Prefer it aged 3-4 years more. Thank you Alain for this jewel.
In sum, this tasting was a privileged moment of sharing and meeting, marked above all by the opening of exceptional bottles in honor of a precious friend.
Now, here is my Top 3:
- 1st : Krug Vintage 2003
- 2nd : Domaine Ponsot, Chambertin Grand Cru 2001
- 3th et ex-aequo : Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 2003 et Domaine Peyre Rose, Clos des Cistes 2003
For the 3rd place, I must admit that it was very difficult to separate them, so draw between these two monsters that their overwhelming energy will carry for many decades.