The wine club @ La Brasserie: June 24th session

There was another session of the Wine Club started a couple of months ago by Emil from La Brasserie and me. Our aim has and will be to sample some of the most interesting and exciting wines from all over the world. The thematic for this session was mainly red Bordeaux, but there was also an intruder served blind after the 1999 Margaux.

2003 Chateau Cap de Mourlin St-Emilion

Garnet, dark red color. Developed and evolved nose, really over ripe profile, intense aromas of stewed dark cherry, prunes, Mon Cherry candy – almost like an Amarone, dark chocolate, cocoa, leather and mildly minty. There is also a toasty aroma. Fully integrated tannins, supple Merlot based blend, balanced, stewed red fruit and cocoa on the palate. Medium finish and at its peak. An enjoyable wine that can go well with food. (87/100)

2005 Chateau Gruaud Larose St Julien

Very dark, red garnet color. A well developed and intense nose that shows clear class above the first St-Emilion tasted. Very different than the 2006 Gruaud Larose I had in December and over an year ago. I prefer more this 2005. Well developed and youthful nose, complex, showing freshness and beautifully alternating between gamey, blood beef, smoky and pencil shavings aromas to sweet and fresh red fruit, black tea and green coffee bean. Full bodied, it has a very healthy ripe tannins backbone that will ensure a long life ahead, but always staying on the elegant path. There is enough substance to please any fan of Bordeaux and to allow a good evolution, but this is not a powerful wine. It surprises how smooth it feels on the palate for a 2005. Generous flavors of black tea, mocha, black currant and graphite coat the palate. Long and fresh finish, with grippy tannins in the aftertaste. 13% alc (92/100)

2002 Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac

Coming from an average and rainy vintage, this is a real success story.

Red garnet color with no signs of aging. Expressive, complex and youthful nose, admirable balance between smoky, minerals, graphite aromas, intense primary aromas: black currant and cassis, and secondary: tobacco, green bean coffee, tea leaves, with an enjoyable flamboyance of fruit. Full bodied and well structured, refreshing, fully ripe and sweet tannins, with generous flavors of cassis and black tea leaves on the palate. This combines power and elegance, already showing a smooth character with rounded tannins. Long finish, fruity, with additional coffee and black tea mild bitterness. This shows extract and richness, and does not have anything of the diluted character seen in other 2002 Bordeaux. 13% alc (93/100)

1999 Chateau Margaux

The wine of the night for me and for most of the attendants.

Dark garnet color. Profound, well developed, youthful and maturing nose that smells and tastes differently with every sip. Complex and deeply aromatic profile, with aromas shifting from sweet ripe fruit, red and black currant, cassis, plums, to smoky minerals and even a hint of brett. The richness of its flavors and the depth on the palate is unmatched by any of the previous wines. Fully ripe and healthy tannins, smooth and velvety, but yet firm and assertive, always elegant and aristocratic, everything seems to be in the right place for this wine. Intense fruit, velvety texture, layered on the palate, with complex smoky and mineral flavors. Long finish, really fresh and very convincing. This seems to be in a perfect drinking period where it could stay for another few decades. 12.5% alc (95/100)

The blind tasted wine was a challenge launched by Emil to all of us. Initially presented as a 2007 Romanian Cabernet Sauvignon it did not convince anybody to be a Cabernet.

2007 GAJA Conteisa

After the 1999 Margaux any wine faces a great challenge to convince and impress. Yet this wine managed to do it.

Saturated ruby red color. Deep, complex and expressive already on the nose, it immediately seduces with its minty, pine needle freshness, dried rose petals, tar and additional layers of sweet red fruit, undergrowth and spice. Full bodied, perfectly ripe, round and sweet tannins, supple, intense and rich flavors on the palate mirroring the nose, with perhaps a deeper and fuller aromatic profile. Its amazing how balanced it feels. Elegant and feminine wine in spite of its mountain of tannins. Long finish, fresh and complex. 14.5% (94/100)

What a night.

Bătrânei de la Știrbey – Joi 20 Iunie 2013

Este timpul sa verificam cat de frumos au evoluat vinurile Stirbey in timp. Asa ca va propunem, pentru prima data in Bucuresti, doua verticale cu vinurile din Dragasani. Mai mult, despre fiecare in parte va povesti Oliver Bauer, autorul.

Vinurile pe care vi le propunem la degustare sunt:

• Sauvignon Blanc Vitis Vetus ani de recolta: 2007 (editia Lufthansa), 2008, 2009 si 2010

• Negru de Dragasani ani de recolta: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 si 2010

Vom avea desigur si o gustare inclusa, pentru a putea trece mai usor de la un an la altul.

Degustarea va avea loc joi, 20 iunie 2013, de la ora 19:00, la restaurantul Dada (Str. Matei Voievod nr. 94bis). Sunt 20 de locuri disponibile și fiecare costă 165 lei, sumă care include vinurile, aperitivele și prezența noastră agreabilă.
Rezervări la +40 722 141 879 (Nicușor) sau +40 723 240 102 (Cosmin).