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Diamond Creek..... Chambertin..... Quarts de Chaume.....


27-June-99

A regular visitor to my site, Mont Stern from Buffalo N.Y, came to visit Israel. As I am always glad to get to know 'virtual' friends, I gladly accepted his suggestion that we meet over some bottles of wine.
Dorit and myself spent a very pleasant evening with Mont and his wife Judy at a good local restaurants. Mont brought with him California Diamond Creek and a Quarts de Chaume dessert wine while I provided the Chambertin.

Red Rock Terrace 1986 Diamond Creek

6/99. Brought by Mont Stern.
It is a rare occasion for me to taste top-class American wine. I've never tasted any Diamond Creek so was looking forward to try this famous California red.
COLOR: Still dark and healthy looking though some clearing is apparent around the rim.
NOSE: Very nice, distinct and ripe nose. Good fruit though far from being a single-dimension fruit bomb. Very light wood notes (if at all).
TASTE: Mature and extremely tasty. Pure soft and velvety with delectable flavors and great balance. Quite complex on the palate with savory red fruit and medium grip.
LENGTH: Medium length with pleasant aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Medium bodied wine, more French than American in style. Smooth silky texture with good mature fruit, nice acidity and receding tannins.
OVERALL: Superb! A fine example of a mature Cal Cab that is well made and very pleasing.
MARK: 18/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.


Chambertin 'VV' 1988 L. Trapet

6/99. Acquired at auction Feb-97 for $150.
One of the most expensive Chambertins on the market. Many consider the Trapet tribe (Both the father Louis and the sons Jean and Rossignol) to be under-achievers. I have only tasted their wines once, many years ago. We'll see...
COLOR: Very good color for (B). Some sediment even on this relatively young bottle.
NOSE: Really enticing! Broad-spectrum nose with red-forest fruit, raw meat, dump earth and a good assertive 'Bourgogne Nose'. Relatively forward though still has something in reserve.
TASTE: Mouth-filling with a wide breadth of flavors. Rich, tasty and profound though more 'wide' in the mouth than 'deep'. Semi-mature fruit, fairly concentrated with nice acidity and some tannins.
LENGTH: Very long and impressive aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Medium-full bodied. Good fruit, excellent grip, good structure and fine balance.
OVERALL: Superb-plus! For its price it could have some more focus, but "under-achiever"? no way.
MARK: 18.5/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Maybe.


Quarts de Chaume 1990 Dom. Baumard

6/99. Brought by Mont Stern.
For no reason that I can pinpoint, I rarely get to taste a good Loire. This dessert wine is made entirely of Chenin Blanc and comes from a highly regarded tiny appellation in the Coteaux du Layon area.
COLOR: Medium-full straw color.
NOSE: Highly enticing nose. Honey perfumed with flowers and lemony tones. Clean fresh and elegant aromas.
TASTE: Sweet of course (as opposed to 'demi-sec'), but not as viscous and chewy as great SGNs or top-class Sauternes. Very stylish and elegant. Fills the mouth with fresh and tasty flavors.
LENGTH: Very long and lingering aftertaste.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Medium-light body (for a sweet wine!). Very elegant and deliciously tasty. Not one bit cloying with good acidity for balance.
OVERALL: Superb!. A high quality dessert wine, skillfully made from top-rated vines.
MARK: 18/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.


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Jacob "Yak" Shaya.