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Then we were served a platter of 3 tapas: deep-fried tofu skin with caviar, iberico ham wrapped around white asparagus and a pan seared red shrimp, bursting with sweetness from the flesh of the red shrimp. A pair of 73 Dom Perignons were served to go with these tapas.
The 1973 Dom Perignon showed a medium gold robe. The bouquet was a mature expression, with savoury notes, mushroom and rye toast overlaying the honey, caramel, roasted hazelnuts and acacia. Creamy mousse with still persistent fine bubbles within a richer and fuller body than the later disgorged version (Réserve de l’Abbaye). Long and satisfying finish. 17.5/20
The 1973 Dom Perignon Réserve de L’Abbaye had received over 20 years of ageing on lees, compared to the minimum 7 years for the normal vintage version. The bouquet was fresher, as was the palate. Notes of citrus marmalade, orange peel, almond and pear. Distinct minerality lined the energetic and relatively youthful palate. Crisp vibrant finish. A stunning wine that promises a strong mid to long term cellaring potential. There was hardly any sign of the supposed accelerated ageing post disgorgement here…….18/20 (This bottle was sourced in Japan – it seems that the Réserve de L’Abbaye label was first released in 1994 as a late disgorged 1962 vintage champagne in the Japanese market alone. The label is a cream-coloured label, compared to the Oenothèque label which is dark slate grey.)
A quick word about the 1993 vintage here….an excellent year for reds if the awkward tannins did not get the better of the fruit....after a cold start to the vintage, warmer temperatures arrived late May....the earlier part of the growing season was marked by a number of weather hazards (hail storm, torrential rainfall in June/early July)....the vines were then a bit stressed out by the dry hot weather in second half of July continuing into August. Rain came to the rescue early September and allowing the grapes to ripen through to harvest date. For the reds, tiny berries with thick skin. Rain did arrive mid-harvest....and caused a few concerns! When to harvest was a critical decision for this harvest, casting the die for the level of maturity and acidity.
Following this pair, we were served 2 Montrachets from the 1993 vintage, one by Leflaive and the other by Domaine de La Romanée-Conti (DRC).
The 1993 Leflaive Montrachet showed a superlative opulent bouquet…..smokey, very ripe pear, brioche, nuts, quince with liquorice, with tremendous balance, harmony and concentration framed in a full body. The intensity of the flavours and the gargantuan proportions building into a crescendo, with the finish lasting over a minute. Very impressive! This provided very worthy company to the pan-fried goose liver with hazelnut and seasonal berries (and I think I found a piece of roasted pineapple too!). 18.5/20
The 1993 DRC Montrachet was the quiet one at the beginning…..and it took over 45 minutes to open in the glass! Honey, pear, ripe apple initially, and taking on smoke and spicy notes later on. While this did not have the expansiveness and fullness of the Leflaive, this was elegantly balanced, subtle and unassuming in the way it delivered depth and power. Very classy. I think this is nowhere near its apogee, with a long way to go. My neighbour who’s a connoisseur of DRC Montrachets (I think DRC in general) told me that right now we should be drinking the 1982, 1983 and 1985 DRC Montrachets. Not sure I will ever get that chance to imbibe again this heavenly nectar made with such delicate hands! 18+/20
The 1993 Romanée Saint Vivant, Leroy was the perfect Vosne….spicy nose, with beautiful fruit of raspberry and a hint of prune, with some coffee notes. Very supple on the palate, silky to the touch. There was no excess of acidity on the palate, which seemed to be a hallmark of the 1993 vintage. The quality of the firm tannin of the vintage was more vividly felt on the palate, leaving a slightly astringent finish, but the overall impression was still one of harmony. Drinking so beautifully now…….with a long life ahead. 19/20
The DRC equivalent was a bit disappointing. It did not have the same generosity on the palate as the Leroy, though the nose was still very Vosne, but less intense than the Leroy. The acidity and the firmness of the tannin were also more poignant here, more eagerly felt, despite the quality of ripe fruit underneath. I am not sure if there would be enough fruit to see this last another decade! 16.5/20
The long-tailed red snapper in an iberico ham consommé was very delicate!
We next had a pair of 1993 Bonnes Mares: d’Auvenay and Comte Georges de Vogüé. The d’Auvenay was a little restrained today……there was firm acidity and tannic structure. The nose was still very primary, consisting mostly of red fruit and spice. Well-balanced and very elegant. There was just a hint of bitterness detected at the finish. Very youthful today….I would recommend trying this again in 8 – 10 years’ time. 18/20
The de Vogüé version was a deeper ruby than the d’Auvenay version. On the nose, it showed more evolution with ripe fruit, sous-bois, coffee and earthy notes. Much more fleshy on the palate than the d’Auvenay, with greater density and concentration. This paired exceptionally well with the forest of mushrooms with aged raspberries! 18/20
The next flight was 3 Clos de La Roche: Leroy, Rousseau and Dujac. The Leroy was harmonious in every sense…..sweet on entry, great balance and freshness on the palate, with very expressive aromatics of prune, plum, and game. Like silk, it caressed the palate. Finishes long. 18.5/20 (this for me was the best pairing with the pigeon bun, Spanish style! )
The Rousseau seemed a little four-square and less refined, albeit with more than a hint of Burgundian classic characteristics. Sous-bois, earthy and spicy notes. Lacking in complexity and concentration on the palate. It did develop a little in the glass but not enough to warrant a higher rating. 17/20
The Dujac was in a style of its own. Lively acidity, ripeness of fruit, and finesse of structure characterised this gorgeous wine. Mineral notes on the palate, giving this wine an edge of its own. Lithe and elegant, very boutique-ish. A very fine Clos de La Roche! 18/20
The last red wine flight was the Musigny flight. The 1993 JF Mugnier was disappointing….rather light, ungenerous and did not have the weight and concentration of the class. 16.5/20
The de Vogüé was aromatically a bit dumb – it did not really open up in the glass.. Perhaps if we had given it a full hour, the result would have been different. Quite clumsy on the palate too, a bit chunky….did not deliver the finesse expected of a Musigny, while there was certainly weight, complexity and concentration. 17.5/20
We saved the best till last - the 1993 Musigny, Leroy. It was the epitome of Burgundian finesse, elegance and terroir typicity. It resonated a panoply of aromas from plum, prune, to truffle, sous-bois, rose petals and spice. The palate was silk-woven tapestry of complexity, depth, concentration, balance and seamless harmony. A very classy wine and one that left you wanting for nothing more! Perfection in a glass. Drinking very well now but there is enough to keep this going for another 10 – 15 years. 20/20 (this went so seamlessly with the suckling pig croquette with cherry kirsch butter and truffle! And the Wagyu beef short rib too!)
We finished with a sensational 1993 Tokaji Esszencia, Château Pajzos. Lusciously sweet, concentrated, unctuous, and well-balanced. Aromas of date, caramel, rich dark honey, pineapple and lychee. Excellent acidity. This was serious indulgence. 18.5/20
Mostly the 1993’s we tasted this evening had been of a consistently high quality, with just a couple of less successful examples, justifying the acclaim for this vintage for reds. Even the whites came through with dazzling colours (as it’s only meant to be a ‘good to average’ year for whites by most counts!)
