The first weekend of April this year did Easter and a little wine tasting in Wichita. My older brother, Tony, sent a few items from his cellar for the folks I know in town to taste and enjoy. The line up, graciously hosted by John and Jane at their picturesque home, is listed below. My brother and his wife had come to visit from Kingman, Arizona and were in attendance as well.
· 1996 Chateau Lafon-Rochet, St. Estephe, France (Bordeaux)
· 1995 Chateau Lynch Bages, Pauillac, France (Bordeaux)
· 1999 Carruades de Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, France (Bordeaux)
· 1998 Reserva Seleccion Especial, Rioja, Spain (from my cellar)
· 1998 Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
· 2000 Swanson Alexis, Napa Valley, California
· 2000 St. Supery Elu Meritage, Napa Valley, California
· 2001 Joseph Phelps Hdr Auction reserve, California (Magnum – from my cellar)
The wines were opened and tried in the order listed above. I played “master of Ceremonies” and chatted about the wines as I poured for the 16 or so guests. Below are my notes, scribbled during tasting and rewritten after the event. I will follow with the Wine spectator ratings and note on the wines that were available on the web site.
1996 Chateau Lafon-Rochet, St. Estephe, France (Bordeaux)
The wine had a slight brick color, a moderate nose of berry and fruit. In the mouth, it had decent upfront fruit, cassis and blackberry, with a nice backbone to balance. Not an overpowering wine, but nice and at or just beyond its prime.
1995 Chateau Lynch Bages, Pauillac, France (Bordeaux)
Nice dark color with a nice nose that continued to get better with time in the glass. Hints of graphite with the fruit in the aroma. Good body wine, deep dark fruit including blackberry and plum with an overtone of spices. A wine that could age 5 more years and still be drinking this well.
1999 Carruades de Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, France (Bordeaux)
Big, dark color in this wine – the nose jumped right out of this one – with dark fruits and stone (really, like a big smooth type of stone). Big body with enough acid to balance the light remaining tannins and fruit. Dark berry, cassis and hints of vanilla and mocha were the flavor structures, and the wine had a deep lasting aftertaste. A very good bottle of wine.
1998 Reserva Seleccion Especial, Rioja, Spain
I should never have put a tempranillo right after the best French wine of the evening. It fell flat in comparison, although it still had a decent nose and nice tempranillo flavors with cherry and plum on a slightly dusty flavor profile. Color was slightly brick, not too many years left in the tank for it, but not really a bad wine.
1998 Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
The harvest of 1998 in California was plagued by rain and a difficult growing season. Many wineries churned out weak, inconsistent cabernets, sold them off cheap and fast. This wine was an example of a producer trying to make the best possible result form a tough year. Nice color, with only a slight amount of brick. The flavor profile was typical Napa – hints of bell pepper but dark jammy fruits like raspberry and blackberry. Nicely balanced, no tannins left but a moderate aftertaste. Probably as good as it will get.
2000 Swanson Alexis, Napa Valley, California
Nicely dark in the glass, this wine had dark fruits in the nose with hints of spice in it. The wine is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and syrah. The fruits meld well together, with the syrah adding a different dimension, compared to the California cabernets. The dark fruit was fairly bright in the mouth and there was a nice aftertaste. This was a crowd pleaser.
2000 St. Supery Elu Meritage, Napa Valley, California
This wine had the most sediment of the group. Nice nose but a little subdued didn’t really grow like some of the others. The flavors blended nicely, dark fruits with hints of herbs and spice in a nicely wound package. Not much tannin remains, but the acid kept it balanced. Very nice wine that could still go a few years before petering out.
2001 Joseph Phelps Hdr Auction reserve, California
Unknown blend, probably cabernet sauvignon and merlot and maybe others. Lighter in color than the other wines, moderate nose of dark fruits, cherry and plum. Flavor profile similar to the nose, nicely balanced with the fruits and maybe some anise. At its peak, extra aging would rob it of the brightness of the fruit. Crowd pleaser for the group.
Wine spectator notes on the following wines.
1996 Chateau Lafon-Rochet, St. Estephe, France (Bordeaux)
Score: 90 Release Price: $30 Country: France Region: Bordeaux
Blackberry and licorice aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long finish. Clearly better in 1996 than in 1995.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2008. –JS Issue: Web Only - 2007
1995 Chateau Lynch Bages, Pauillac, France (Bordeaux)
Score: 94 Release Price: $40 Current Auction Price: $152 Country: France Region: Bordeaux Issue: Web Only - 2007
A wine that continues to improve with age. Shows loads of ripe plum, almost prune, with hints of vanilla and mineral. Full, chewy and tight. Still needs time.--Lynch-Bages non-blind vertical. Best after 2008.
1999 Carruades de Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, France (Bordeaux)
Score: 89 Release Price: $31 Current Auction Price: $332 Country: France Region: Bordeaux Issue: Mar 31, 2002
Lovely aromas of sweet, ripe berries with hints of chocolate. Full-bodied, with silky, caressing tannins and a long, fruity aftertaste. Very impressive for a second wine. Best after 2004. 25,000 cases made. –JS
1998 Reserva Seleccion Especial, Rioja, Spain
Score: 88 Release Price: $31 Country: Spain Issue: Oct 31, 2003
Harmonious, with a nice balance of ripe plum and cherry fruit, spicy oak and maturing notes of leather and game. The tannins are round, the acidity bright. Drink now through 2009. 2,000 cases made. –TM
2000 Swanson Alexis, Napa Valley, California
Score: 90 Release Price: $50 Country: California Region: Napa Issue: Sep 15, 2003
A stylish wine, with layers of rich currant, blackberry, coffee, toasty oak and spicy anise notes. It firms up midpalate, picking up chewy tannins and a peppery edge. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2009. 4,635 cases made. –JL
2000 St. Supery Elu Meritage, Napa Valley, California
Score: 88 Release Price: $50 Country: California Region: Napa Issue: Nov 15, 2004
Well-made, firm, intense and concentrated, with smoky currant, anise, sage and cedar notes that are well-proportioned, ending with ripe, integrated tannins and a burst of dark berry fruit. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2010. 2,367 cases made. –JL
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