1986 Gruaud Larose, 1985 Montrose, 1986 Ausone

The following wines were drunk over an omakase dinner at Akashi, Paragon Singapore, 28 June 2016. Jon had proposed an ’80s theme which turned out well. All wines were popped and poured on-site over 3 hours, with the exception of the Montrose which had been double-decanted. All wines were tasted blind.

1986 Ch Ausone (courtesy of Jon). This wine was rather backward and relaxed at the first pour, displaying predominant red fruits, rather bright with a mild medicinal tinge, still carrying good levels of acidity, soft and subtly structured. Over time, it fleshed out with notes of old leather and red plums with an easy elegance, gaining in gradual intensity with a trace of sweetness, rather delicious, certainly not in danger of drying out, cloaked in feminine tones with an eventual note of soy. Unmistakably Right Bank. Like all top crus, this wine doesn’t call attention to itself, neither voluptuous nor a stand-out. An understated Ausone on song. Thank you, Jon!

1985 Ch Montrose (courtesy of Hiok). The bouquet here is marked by an earthy pungency with overtones of dried mushrooms, rounded with understated acidity but solidly structured, developing a plummy glow and emerging tone of sweet dark currants against a backdrop of dried leaves and snuff that hinted strongly at Pauillac, though it turned out to be its its neighbouring commune St Estephe. It stayed this way throughout the evening, mellow, harmonious and structured without any hint of drying out. An excellent Montrose.

1986 Ch Gruaud Larose, a bottle I’d cellared for the past ten years. Powerful tones of plums and tangerines dominate on the nose and palate, coupled with an attractive earthy pungency. Infinitely masculine and harmonious, subtle in structure at first, eventually developing a glorious tone and fabulous intensity from the ripe dark fruits that belied its 30 years. Still incredibly youthful, this has the legs to carry on for the next decade, at least. Superb.