On Jan 27, 12:17*pm, wrote:
> Notes from a recent dinner.
>
> 1999 Pol Roger Brut Extra Cuvee de Reserve – medium bodied fresh wine
> without too much yeastiness, but with good fruit and notes of nuts and
> fruit. Nice lengthy finish. Very early days yet, but could become very
> good with time. 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
> 2002 Louis Michel et Fils Chablis 1er cru Les Clos – citrus and floral
> nose, fairly full bodied with very good length. Very good!
> 2001 Zind Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl – a very interesting
> wine that we wisely opted to have without food as an intermezzo.
> Apricot colour with a pink tint typical of pinot gris, a big sweet
> nose with more of the said apricot and some honey, a thick viscous
> feel in the mouth, and seemingly low in acid but I expect that the
> acidity is just fine and the high RS gives the impression of
> softness. *This has the RS of a vendage Tardif wine. Sadly, there is
> none of this wine in my cellar….. *It should have a very long life.
> 1986 Ch. La Dominique – I brought this St. Emilion as a preface to the
> other weightier wines. I thought that someone should inject some
> maturity to the event! It showed well with a classic nose with a hint
> of green pepper, some light tannin, and what was a fairly short finish
> at the beginning but this seemed to lengthen as the wine opened up in
> the glass. It ended with an impression of cocoa. Mature and ready.
>
> 1986 Ch. Talbot – I was favourably impressed with this wine. The last
> time I’d tried it I saw signs of coming around (the previous few times
> it was hard and unyielding). This time it showed as still very dark,
> but had a nice nose of good fruit with some deep dark notes that
> reminded me of a Rhone. In the mouth is was a big wine, brawny and
> still significantly tannic, but also pleasurable and showed bags of
> fruit on palate and a long, long finish. *Ready for early enjoyment
> but absolutely no rush. My small stash will stay stashed for another
> few years (I like ‘em mature).
> 1986 Ch. Gruaud Larose – also a classic nose with tons of dark fruit
> and sweet cassis, and huge in the middle with more than mild tannins.
> Great length, a very good wine in the making, but for other than
> oenological pedophiles, one to be left alone for several years yet.
> We nicely bracketed the full range of readiness with these three
> wines.
>
> 1989 Ch. Bastor Lamontagne – I pulled a couple of early maturing
> Sauternes that had become sidetracked in my cellar and had recently
> surfaced in a massive dung-out and reorganisation. This was soft,
> simple and had a varnish nose. RIP.
> 1989 Ch. D’Arche – this wine had shown quite well for me recently but
> this bottle wasn’t as good. A rancio nose I hadn’t seen in the last
> bottle and an interesting middle. Decent botrytis and much better than
> the Bastor.

They demoted Les Clos?

I have singles left of the Talbot and Gruaud, both good wines. The
1986 is probably the best Talbot I've ever tasted, and drinks
beautifully now