At Kaivan's Georgian pile on a cold and and foggy Edgbaston night.

With truffle oil cream cheese canapes

Pol Roger 1996, a sparkly sparkler , deep straw, fine mousse and complex
cardboard biscuit nose. Very soft and balanced, again biscuits up ones nose.
A very fine fizz, drinking now.

Hot smoked Bradan roast salmon from the Isle of Arran with a rocket,
balsamic glaze and orange and cardamom reduction, orange dust. , the finest
smoked salmon many of us had tasted.
http://www.creelers.co.uk/ and no, I am not commission.

Puligny Montrachet les Combettes, E Sauzet 1999, a very restrained dumb
classic nose, smokey, intense entrance with buttery balance, silky smooth
and long. Much too young, nose is shut down, will be superb, try 5 years.
Opened up after an hour in the glass, but still closed.

A simple pheasant terrine with a cider and sage jelly.

Condrieu Domaine Porte Vincent 2004, a new one for many of us, close to
Grillet and half the price (£45)
All it said on the label, tinned tropical fruits spilled from the glass and
exploded on the palate, fruit salad yet not cloying, good balance, very
gewertzy but complex. We are told a wine for early drinking, like all
Condrieu, one of my wines of the night.

Burgundy beef stew with roast winter veg.
A pair of Beaucastels to stand up to the beef.

Beaucastel 1989 and 1990
1989, much brighter and younger than the 90!!, almost claret like spice and
tomatoes, a hot entrance and all in balance, soft tannin a spicy fruit, even
better after an hour....I really love Beaucastel.
1990, much more restrained, tight, burnt beef and onion nose, organic and
complex, big tannins, not ready but a good drink now.

A selection of English cheese

Ribera del Duero Vega Sicillia 2001, not Vega, but made by the same company
up the road, 100% Tempranillo. Half the price of Vega.
Garnet bright red young thing, with that intense spice, cinnamon and fruit
and heat. Big mouthful, allspice and tannin. long. Young, try again when the
tannins soften.

Dominus Napa Valley 1998, a port like stunner, dumb tobacco and leather, big
tannins out of balance. Much too young. Some wondered whether the fruit
would stand the pace...like 75 Lascases. Usual mutterings of the colonials
trying to emulate the Medoc!!!

Leoville Barton, 1990, now on home ground, no hint of age and that nose that
just said, "I am Claret, love me"and we did. Elegant and complex, bit
armpitty, but a true classic claret. Years of life ahead.

Pears poached in stem ginger infused syrup.

Clos du Bourg Vouvray Molleux Le Haut Lieu, Huet 1989.
An old fave , I have a few left, Pale gold, apples and pears, fresh and
young, quite tart and complex chenin, to be drunk on a summers evening with
a ripe pear. Wonderful.

Riesling Icewine Niagara Inniskillin 2004
Riesling syrup and nowt else, a good example to demonstrate the Riesling
grape but intense cloyness was off putting. And bloody expensive, well you
try these things..........

Monbaziallac, Chateau Caillou 1943...yes 1943, this wine was kept in the
wood till after the war, then into demijohns and bottled for the owners
granddaughter,s wedding in the 80's
Deep brown amontillado nose, , very interesting, a bit like the Ch Chalone,
a flor wine, wonderful dry sweet palate with balance very long like a good
sherry yet only 11%

Warre 1970, very sad, ? duff bottle, ? storage, dried out and like cough
linctus, sad way to end the night.

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bar.../ph//my_photos

I've pasted a couple of pics, so you can see what some of the old farts are
like.

Thanks for notes. I love the '89 Huet LHL. So I should drink the Pol
Roger 1996 now? I was planning on holding a little while (I like
Champagne on the younger side, but do like a little age on vintage).

John Taverner wrote:

> Beaucastel 1989 and 1990
> 1989, much brighter and younger than the 90!!, almost claret like spice and
> tomatoes, a hot entrance and all in balance, soft tannin a spicy fruit, even
> better after an hour....I really love Beaucastel.
> 1990, much more restrained, tight, burnt beef and onion nose, organic and
> complex, big tannins, not ready but a good drink now.

I've had the '89 a few yeara ago, and it seemed to me then to be an
*extremely* backward Beaucastel. I don't intend to touch it again for
another decade or so, long after my '90 has gone the way of all (vinous)
flesh.


> Dominus Napa Valley 1998, a port like stunner, dumb tobacco and leather, big
> tannins out of balance. Much too young. Some wondered whether the fruit
> would stand the pace...like 75 Lascases. Usual mutterings of the colonials
> trying to emulate the Medoc!!!

Christian Moueix is a colonial??? He might be interested to know that
it is the Mèdoc he's emulating there...


> Clos du Bourg Vouvray Molleux Le Haut Lieu, Huet 1989.
> An old fave , I have a few left, Pale gold, apples and pears, fresh and
> young, quite tart and complex chenin, to be drunk on a summers evening with
> a ripe pear. Wonderful.

I'm a bit confused: is this Clos du Bourg or Le Haut Lieu? Either way,
it was a damn fine wine you drank.

> http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bar.../ph//my_photos
>
> I've pasted a couple of pics, so you can see what some of the old farts are
> like.

Much appreciated, John. Are you in the second picture, or were you the
bloke behind the camera?

Nice notes,
Mark Lipton

> I'm a bit confused: is this Clos du Bourg or Le Haut Lieu? Either way,
> it was a damn fine wine you drank.
>
Mark
Clos du Bourg
I would suggest in IMHO, to try the 89 Beaucastel a bit sooner if you have
plenty.

I am behind the camera, the group of young men in the photograph helped form
our wine club in 1980, when we were all penniless wine lovers with masses of
dark hair and six pack stomachs. We were all young professionals, now look
at us......;-(

I have addded a few pics
http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/bar.../ph//my_photos

John

"DaleW" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Thanks for notes. I love the '89 Huet LHL. So I should drink the Pol
> Roger 1996 now? I was planning on holding a little while (I like
> Champagne on the younger side, but do like a little age on vintage).

Dale
The Pol was wonderful now but has 5-10 years ahead.
John

On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 04:08:45 GMT
Mark Lipton > wrote:

] John Taverner wrote:
]
] > Beaucastel 1989 and 1990
] > 1989, much brighter and younger than the 90!!, almost claret like spice and
] > tomatoes, a hot entrance and all in balance, soft tannin a spicy fruit, even
] > better after an hour....I really love Beaucastel.
] > 1990, much more restrained, tight, burnt beef and onion nose, organic and
] > complex, big tannins, not ready but a good drink now.
]
] I've had the '89 a few yeara ago, and it seemed to me then to be an
] *extremely* backward Beaucastel. I don't intend to touch it again for
] another decade or so, long after my '90 has gone the way of all (vinous)
] flesh.
]

Mark, John, I actually had an '89 over the hols, but apparently the company
(or the festive mood) didn't permit me to take notes. What a shame.

But the wine wasn't particularly backward and opened nicely. My
opinion on these two vintages is that time has shown -- contrary
to some expectations -- 89 to be the greater for long term aging.
I think this is a Beaucastel that is now waking up nicely.

-E
--
Emery Davis
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