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DaleW DaleW is offline
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Default TN: 1982 Bordeaux at Park Ave Cafe

On Apr 20, 5:02�pm, Bi!! > wrote:
> On Apr 20, 3:29?pm, DaleW > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Matt Richman called for an offline of 1982s, I was happy that he aimed
> > midlevel, as I wouldn't have been able to come up with an entrant if
> > he was going for the Firsts, LLC, P-lalande, etc. We had a great
> > lineup of respected Bordeaux. Arv Rao arranged for dinner at the Park
> > Avenue Cafe, they did a nice job. I enjoyed my cavatelli with black
> > truffle & mushrooms, and my main course of braised shortribs and filet
> > mignon. Sides were especially good- French fries with truffle mayo,
> > sauteed wild mushrooms, creamed potatoes, asparagus. PAC does no
> > corkage if not on their list.

>
> > The starters:

>
> > NV Henriot "Souverain" Champagne
> > Warm apple fruit, very bready. Fairly full-bodied, but with zippy
> > acidity, I like a lot. A-/B+

>
> > Mystery white starter
> > Oak overlying sweet apple fruit, this is in a Bordeaux-shaped bottle
> > and I ask Matt if he switched bottles, as I'm thinking Chardonnay.
> > Nope, it's the 2003 Vergelegen (Stellenbosch), which Matt says is
> > blend of white Bdx varietals (I'd guess heavily weighted towards
> > Semillon). A bit too oaky for me, but nice fruit B/B-

>
> > On to the reds, most in flights of 2 (as I've noted before, I'm not a
> > consistent grader, probably all of these but 1 would have gotten an A
> > or A- at my dinner table, but I spread it out to show the mostly
> > minute differences in how much I liked):

>
> > 1982 Ch. Pavie (St Emilion)
> > I liked this a bit more from a past bottle, this is herby with some
> > still raspy tannins. Nice Bordeaux earth, but a bit underripe feeling
> > (I hadn't felt that before) B-

>
> > 1982 Ch. Le Bon Pasteur (Pomerol)
> > Not as lush as say the '90, but pretty medium-bodied Pomerol with
> > sweet black plum fruit and a little cocoa. B+

>
> > We voted on each flight, LBP carried this one 9-2

>
> > 1982 Ch. Magdelaine (St Emilion)
> > A little funky at first, but settles in nicely. More acidity than most
> > wines tonight, I found this rather elegant. Red plum and currant
> > fruit, tobacco and cedar, fine length. A-

>
> > 1982 Ch. Figeac (St Emilion)
> > Also good acidity, very bright and young. Red fruit with just a
> > (Pleasant) hint of green pepper, good length, very nice. B+/A-

>
> > Figeac edges Magdelaine, 6-5

>
> > 1982 Ch. Sociando Mallet (Haut-Medoc)
> > Also a touch of initial funkiness (though this one was in decanter a
> > while due to a cork crumble), but finds its stride. A little more
> > mature than the mag we had last year, but not at all old. Dark brambly
> > sweet fruit, cigarbox, a bit of herbs and smoke. A-

>
> > 1982 Ch. Talbot (St Julien)
> > Rich creamy texture, a touch of Cordier funk, sweet fruit, nice wine
> > but not as complex as the stars. Thought it very Merlot for a
> > traditional Medoc estate. This is one 1982 I like a bit less than its
> > 1986 counterpart. B+

>
> > SM by a hair, 6-5

>
> > 1982 Ch.Leoville Barton (St Emilion)
> > Big and rich, great length. Deep dark fruit, complex aromas of forest
> > floor and cigarbox, best showing I've seen of this. A

>
> > 1982 Ch. Leoville Poyferre (St Emilion)
> > Lovely sweet cassis fruit, tobacco, earth. Nice length. A-

>
> > Barton ahead 7-4

>
> > 1982 Ch. Pichon Baron (Pauillac)
> > Nose of cocoa and earth, big and dense on the palate, young- I mean
> > young. Lovely bruiser of a wine. A

>
> > 1982 Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste (Pauillac)
> > Sweet fruit, nice pencil shaving notes, just not as long as its
> > flightmates. Could easily be WOTN with other lineups. B/B+

>
> > 1982 Ch. Lynch-Bages (Pauillac)
> > Good nose of earth and cedar, lovely blackcurrant fruit, fresh and
> > young.
> > A-

>
> > In 3 way vote Lynch Bages got 6, the Baron 4, and GPL 1.

>
> > 1982 Martinez Vintage Port
> > Decanted before dinner, an ok Port from a year few declared. Lighter
> > body and texture, warm red fruit, moderate sweetness. B

>
> > Top vote getters (3,2,1 system) for WOTN were Leoville Barton (21
> > votes), Lynch Bages (15 votes), Leoville Poyferre (12 votes), and
> > Pichon Baron (11 votes).

>
> > Excellent lineup, nice group of winegeeks, good food, fun night.
> > Thanks to Matt and Arv for their work.

>
> > Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
> > wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
> > drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
> > promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

>
> Dale,
> * If you ever do something like this again let me know at least 8
> hours in advance and I'll be there!!!!
> The top wines are all of my favorites from the vintage.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -


Would love to have you join us, but alas this is probably the last '82
horizontal I'll ever attend. This was my last Magdelaine (that and
Port were my contributions); all I have left is couple of lesser wines
like Nenin, Gloria, etc. While '82s have always carried premium, with
recent runups in Bdx pricing even the midlevel wines are now out of my
league. None of the wines I liked are available for less than $170 - I
just can't justify that.

But if you come to NY metro area, I'll try to sell you on the virtues
of the '83s.

It's sad to me that this was probably last '82 tasting I'll ever go
to, as the Gloria (a lesser wine, but very nice in '82, though fading
now) was my epiphany wine, and what got me started really paying
attention.