Acker tasting with locusts

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Another pre-auction tasting hosted by Acker.  I normally stick to the rule of arriving before the 6pm start of these tastings, so that I would get to taste everything I wanted.  Unfortunately, I got a little busy in the office today and didn't arrive until around 6:25pm...

Upon arrival I was informed by some friends that the 2 bottles of Henri Jayer have already been emptied.  No surprise there... although one of them was apparently corked.  I was also told that the 1997 DRC Echezeaux was drinking well, so I went looking for a pour.

No such luck.  The two bottles on the table were both empty, and the server joked that the wine was gone "in 5 minutes".  I was disappointed, but not at all surprised.  At wine tastings like this "the good stuff" always disappears fast, even if the wine may not be ready and open at the start of the tasting.  I guess I'll just have to arrive earlier in the future...

1985 Haut-Brion - smoky, mint and fruit.

1996 Pichon-Lalande - lots of smoke with minerals.

1996 Palmer - minty and mineral notes.  A softer wine compared to the Pichon, and dry on the palate with plenty of tannins left.

2003 Cheval Blanc - a bit more green on the nose than the others, smoky.

Peter Sisseck - the man behind famed Spanish winery Dominio de Pingus - was here to share his wines with us.  I have long been a fan of his wines, ever since I drank a bottle of 1996 Pingus at Postrio in 2001...  It's great to finally meet the guy, but I couldn't help thinking that he looked like a blonde Austin Powers with good teeth... Must have been the hairstyle and the glasses!

2008 Flor de Pingus - big nose with smoky, dried fruits, a bit of herbs, tropical coconut and vanilla notes.  Very sweet on the palate.  Peter said this was more a "cool climate" vintage, and I could kinda see that.

2008 Pingus - tons of sweet fruit, caramel, smoke, vanilla and mint.  A richer wine and definitely in another league compared to Flor de Pingus.

2009 Flor de Pingus - loads of potpourri, forest, herbs... a huge, sweet nose.  Very tannic.  The 2009s are still barrel samples that will be bottled in the near future.

2009 Pingus - sweet and ripe, with dates, dried fruits and caramel notes.  Lovely.  Supposed to be a bigger vintage than 2008 but I think the 2008 is drinking better tonight.

Comte Louis-Michel Liger-Belair was here and we tasted a few wines from the 2008 vintage of Liger-Belair.

2008 Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée Clos du Château - lovely nose of leather, animal, fresh and dried fruits.  Beautiful and lively.

2008 Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Reignots - lots of toasty, roasted corn, oaky and smoky.

2008 Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots - riper and sweeter, a little toasty.

2008 Liger-Belair Echezeaux - very smooth and lovely, with lots of fruit.  Obviously better than the 1er Crus...

Jean-Luc Thunevin was also here, and I actually had missed a dinner featuring his wines on Monday.  I was totally the groupie, telling him that one of my best buys ever was the L'Interdit de Clos Badon.  Jean-Luc thinks - quite rightly - that it is actually better than the classified wine and would last longer.

2009 Valandraud - huge nose, very ripe, smoky and very rich. 

2010 Valandraud - minty, a little greener compared to the 2009, with mineral notes.

1999 Soldera Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - rubber, alcoholic, a little fruit, acidic on the nose like lemon juice...smells like rubbing alcohol.  Totally not pleasant at all.

1996 Masseto - smoky, ripe, sweet fruit, tangerine, oak and vanilla.  Very nice.

2000 Léoville-Barton - smoky, minty, a classic claret, a bit fruity but crappy on the palate.

1999 Cheval Blanc - smoky, oaky with brett.