Old Right Bank

These were the wines drunk at a dinner at Jade Palace hosted by Ms Angelina Teh of Bordeaux Index on 5 February 2015, where the reds were based on a Right Bank theme. All bottles were decanted on-site over a couple of hours.

We began with a pair of contrasting whites. The 2005 Rene Lequin-Colin Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru (courtesy of David) displayed a luminous gold with a rich creamy bouquet and notes of white petals, very minerally, yet understated, paving the way for a seamless and  very well integrated wine that took on a rich petroleum-like quality after some time, ending in a long finish. Quite superb. Next to it, the 2012 Peter Michael Belle Cote chardonnay (courtesy of Kieron) was distinctly paler in comparison, considerably lighter in texture on the palate dominated by narrower spectrum of clear citrus, lime and morning dew amidst other mild grassy elements, ending in a bittersweet finish. Over time, however, it developed a quiet intensity at the finish that gradually built up into a high crystalline tone with a dominant note of caramel on the palate, yet surprisingly  smooth and controlled in spite of its 15% alcohol. Very lovely indeed.

The three reds were drunk simultaneously. The 1975 Ch La Conseillante (courtesy of Angelina) was still dark in color, proffering powerful medicinal and earthy aromas, surprisingly generous in body and tone, still imbued with an excellent concentration of dark currants, plums and wild berries amidst remarkable acidity in spite of its 40 years. Fully evolved, gentle yet exciting at the finish, this wine is likely to continue to hold for many more years. Outstanding. The 1983  Ch Figeac (courtesy of KP), displaying a dark dirty red, possessed a sweeter bouquet, notably a bigger wine filled with top-drawer plummy fruit and powerful salty minerality, matched by fine silky tannins that complemented the classic dryness of tea leaves and ash very well, still laced with great acidity. A great Figeac. Lastly, the 1988 Ch Troplong Mondot, highly consistent with a similar bottle Kieron and I had shared over lunch at Eleven Madison Park in New York back in 2012, was relatively youthful in comparison to the above, saturated with dark fruits, blackcurrants and wild berries that gave off herbal and earthy aromas, well-integrated but slightly subdued and brooding in spite of the sweet cedar that emerged after some time. This had been a wonderful evening; thanks to all for the wine and to Angelina for dinner.