All of the tasting notes of the wine critic mentioned above in tastingbook, comes from press releases from wine importers and vineyards, or directly from the critic and can also be found on the critic’s own website, which can be easily accessed by clicking on the link above.
DRC La Tache 1934-2002
La Tache 1934 94 points
While 1934 is a great vintage, this particular bottle seemed a little watered down, though that is the wrong word. There were some spiny edges underneath and nice earth, musk, vitamin and stalk aromas. Flavors of band-aid and earth were on its sturdy palate, but it had that reconditioned feeling, though the finish really came through. Someone said, 'if it weren't sitting next to the 1962, you'd like it better. The '62 shows its flaws.' Allen agreed by saying, 'I like it, but it ran into a buzzsaw. '34, '59, '90, '99 - all very high quality and big volume, which is rare.
La Tache 1942 93p
Someone uttered 'amazing' right away. The nose was so deep . big, rich and long. Rob summed it up as 'ridiculous,' which is another high compliment in Big Boy's world. Musk oil, leather and deep, dark rich fruit oozed out of its nose. The palate was enormous, expanding like a tidal wave in the mouth at first, and Allen also found it 'incredibly vibrant.' Long and spiny, the wine was a bit massive but smoothed out sooner rather than later, costing it a point or two in the grand scheme of things, but for those first twenty minutes or so, it was even more extraordinary
La Tache 1943 95p
The 1943 was more wound and subtle, nutty with more cola and dark, plummy fruit. Possessing even bigger acidity and alcohol than the 1942, the 1943 seemed a bit out of balance at first and squarer, but while the 1942 lost a step or two, the 1943 improved and got more delicious and more balanced with time. The acidity was long and strong, and it was also an outstanding wine, equivalent to the 1942 in quality but stylistically different. Allen, on the other hand, said that he has tasted these two side by side three or four times and has always preferred the 1942.
La Tache 1947 93p
1947 had a musty nose, but beneath that was some incredibly sweet and decadent fruit, along with some leather, Worcestershire and band-aid. Smooth and with long acidity, the palate had nice citric tension. Wilf said how 'neither of these two have ever been great La Taches,' and he would know. Paul and Allen concurred that the 1947 could never have been a great wine. If you could get past the fact that it was slightly corked, the 1947 was still a beautiful wine with some nice citric kisses and light meat flavors.
La Tache 1952 98 p
I recently acquired from one of our auctions. The '52 mag had an unreal nose screaming with terroir; when I say unreal it is a compliment like 'out of this world,' not that it was fake, etc. There were incredible, absolutely incredible aromas of slate, earth and minerals on one side, and the rose garden, leather and amazing spice box on the other. Eric called it 'immortal' and Allen echoed my sentiment of 'unreal.' Pinches of caraway and smokehouse rounded out the nose. The palate was super tasty, veritable catnip for the feline wine lover in us all. Long and sensuous with sexy strawberry fruit and great earth, the palate had amazing length. It was one of the all-time great bottles of wine that I have had, definitely 'Top 100' worthy.
La Tache 1957 93 points
1957 had a sexy nose that was very musky with rose, sweet red cherry, sweet leather, earth, band-aid and meat aromas. It was delicious up front with a touch of brown sugared fruit and that pinch of Worcestershire. There were nice earth flavors, and while the finish was short, its acidity was integrated, and the wine was gorgeous. Wilf commented how the '57 'always had a slight burnt quality, as in wood or charcoal.
La Tache 1961 97p
There is no doubt in my mind that that will be the greatest example of 1961 La Tache I will ever have. It was so fresh, meaty with such great spine and flavors. It left me with a distinct 2001 impression.
La Tache 1962 97p
1962 was the wine of the flight, as practice followed theory in this example. Its nose was richer, thicker and broader than the previous two, and its nose was a symphony of meat, rose garden and Worcestershire. Its palate was meaty and oily, and its acidity really stood out after some food. It was a real crowd pleaser
La Tache 1964 95p
Yhis was 'classic 1964 - big, rich' and 'ripe' Allen interjected and took over for Wilf. The 1964 was heady, rich and meaty with nice t 'n a, minerals and molasses. On the palate it was also rich and meaty with great animal flavors, both sweet and vigorous with nice earth supplements. Wilf summed it up nicely: 'This is how I remember 1964; the texture and richness - only Vogue Musigny is close'
La Tache 1966 96 points
It was an outstanding one and many people's favorite wine of the session. Sweet, musky and similar to the 1985 except even fresher and more precise, the 1966 was beefy and meaty with additional aromas of cedar, spice box, iron and minerals. Its palate was full of fresh, red fruits wrapped by some drier, autumnal flavors. Rich, long and fleshy, it was balanced with acidity that was far from its decline. Wilf cooed that it was a 'good bottle' on more than one occasion. Dalia keenly observed some 'green apple and nutmeg,' and a bit more wood came out with time in a cedar and mahogany direction. Saucy and long with a nice touch of autumnal flavors, I found some similar qualities in this '66 to the '85, and Wilf concurred aromatically but found more zip in the '66. Me, too!
La Tache 1971 98p
I have had this wine six times over the last two years, and every time it has been incredible. It remains one of the great all-time La Taches, and this bottle was no different. My notes began, .Incredible again&hubba hubba.. That should be enough. The wine had a youthful .I.ve just been opened. wave of t .n a and menthol with gorgeous red fruits behind it, strawberry and cranberry to be precise. There was a touch of divine mushroom and truffle as well as a bouquet of wet, long-stemmed roses. Dr. B chipped in that the .71 LT .embodies all I like in old Burgundy, and it.s still fresh.. Pinches of animal, vitamin and game rounded out the nose for this stallion of a Burgundy, with a great earthy edge underneath and a pinch of herbs. The palate was amazing . huge t .n a, make that enormous by Burgundy standards. There was great length and leathery flavors, with tremendous tension to the palate with a citric centerpoint to that tension. The wine was ridiculous, and the kind of wine that if no one were looking you would suck the last drops directly from the bottle.
La Tache 1985 95p
You know it's a good night when you go over to the magnum of 1985 La Tache and are like, 'that's nice,' which is exactly what happened when the Burghound found out! It was a great bottle of 1985 La Tache, pure, long and classic with lots of iron, minerals, smoke, citric tang and red fruits that only La Tache could have. Its musk was beautiful, its rust tasty, and its finish long
La Tache 1991 97p
Rob came out with a 'spectacular' right away, and I must admit that the wine was (is) in a great spot. Rich and meaty, its bouquet was filled with iron, vitamin, spice and leather. Intense, long, balanced and gorgeous, this was some serious Burgundy. It was a step up from the Clos de la Roche, possessing more intensity, spice and tannin than any of the prior wines. The palate was similarly rich and long with a touch of cola flavors.
La Tache 1999 98p
1999 was arguably the wine of the weekend. Bruce was in awe of its 'jammy' quality, especially since it was so young. Intense, super thick, full of t 'n a, the 1999 was so dark and deep, spilling out of the glass with its midnight-like black fruits. There was also menthol, musk, tree bark and minerals in this intense, rich, long and deep wine. 'Wow,' I wrote; I could see why Wilf chose this for the grand finale. There was great acidity. It was so juicy and tasty that 'you could nibble at it,' someone said. Allen called it 'impressive'
La Tache 2000 92p
The nose was rich in fruit, yet soft and approachable at the same time, although Mark found it .very tight yet gorgeous.. There were loads of spices of stems, cinnamon, iron, alcohol and earth. There was also beautiful rose and plum fruit, green beans and exotic spice. There was the intensity of La Tache with the approachability of 2000. The wine was young on the palate but still drinkable, with very long acids, a touch of rust and a light earthiness to its finish. It was caressing my palate and soft on the front and mid-zones and certainly a very good, potentially excellent La Tache. It held well and the acids were there, but the weight was not that of a great one texturally
La Tache 2002 96p
2002 was such a baby by comparison to anything that we had so far, but one could still appreciate its fresh, red cherry fruit. It was not fat and seepy but rather reserved with its mineral and stalk supporting beams. There was that hint of green that Aubert affectionately referred to before, which means that this should have a long, bright future ahead of it. There were stems, 'roses and almonds,' Dalia observed. The 2002's structure was excellent, a little '93-ish but with redder fruit. All of its component parts were there in a drier style. Wilf was quick to point out that the 2002 was 'showing surprisingly good, scary good.' An exotic, mandarin orange edge developed in the nose
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