Puligny - Clavoillons..... Ch. Pavie.....

26-September-97

Friday night exquisite dinner at home with our wine partners Amihai & Daphna. [Note the the dinner "theme" - duality :) ]

Puligny - Clavoillons		1989	Dom. Leflaive

9/97. Acquired at auction Dec-95 for $55 (imported from Chicago for $65 net).
This 1er Cru Puligny-Montrachet accompanied the extremely rich and tasty dish of the two fish tartar. Domaine Leflaive is of course one of the super-star sources and 1989 is a superb vintage for white (B).
COLOR: Medium deep straw yellow.
NOSE: Very assertive. Nothing shy about the nose. Apples and pears, toasted almonds and some mineral tones. Unfortunately too much wood tends to overwhelm the otherwise intense and pleasing aromas.
TASTE: Excellent on the plate yet even the taste suffers from overdose of wood. More opulent than a classy Puligny though less 'fat' and charming than a good Meursault. Both Leflaive's and the '89 Vintage's concentration made this wine a perfect friend of the rich dish.
LENGTH: Medium to short though fully developed aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Though the wine does not lack in fruit, taste, substance and acidity, the most prominent impact is that of over-oakiness. Dommage...
OVERALL: Excellent and mature wine no doubt. Perhaps for a good 1er Cru from a good year by Leflaive it is not even too expensive. Why bury it in wood though?
MARK: 17+/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Maybe.

Ch. Pavie			1982	St. Emilion

9/97. Acquired at auction July-97 for $80 (imported from Chicago for $90 net).
This was my second bottle of the charming '82 Ch. Pavie. I had my first one some 16 months ago.
COLOR: Impressive violet red all the way towards the rim. Some sediment at the bottom though not much.
NOSE: Beautiful mixture of floral and red forest fruit bouquet. Some cigar-box and even ripe gamy tones. I guess the relative high percentage of Merlot and Cabernet Franc contribute to the feeling of warmth on the nose.
TASTE: Lovely sweetish and concentrated raspberry flavors, engulfed by a taste of roasted almonds. Well developed, multi-layered and quite forward by now. Extremely tasty wine throughout.
LENGTH: Long long and ever present impressive aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Mid weight wine, complex and full of 'winyness'. Ample fruit, good acidity. Good grip and structure in spite of weakish tannins. Very well balanced.
OVERALL: Superb! Deep rich and complex yet very pleasant to drink. More open than the previously tasted bottle. At its peak IMHO.
MARK: 18/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.

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Jacob "Yak" Shaya.