These two just got lost in the shuffle: had them Saturday before last, the 12th September 2009, with a casual family dinner at my dad's place with him, my wife and kids, youngest sis, my brother and his wife. My dad has always kept a few hundred bottles at home, but he is a very casual drinker - not semi-geeky into wine like I am. For him, wine is simply something to drink with meals - not at all a passion - his glasses are still all the old-style cut crystal sets of yore.
During meals at his place, he lets me open whatever I want. I don't abuse though, I leave the expensive ones alone unless it's a special occasion. Saturday before last, we had a simple meal of fresh steamed crabs; shrimp and arugula pasta; and a meat dish that I simply don't recall.
For the crab and pasta, I chose and opened:
2005 Domaine Robert-Denogent Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes "Les Reisses" Monopole - I first tasted this at an IWFS Blind Chardonnay Tasting (24th January 2008) where I personally ranked it 3rd Place. I've had it a few times since, but the last time was many months ago - at an IWFS informal lunch at La Chesa (13th December 2008; where the Doc told me he also liked this white) - so I was curious to see how it was coming along.
Les Reisses is a monopole vineyard of the domaine, on clay and chalky soils, the vines of which are old, averaging over 60 years (hence the designation "vieilles vignes"). Initially, the wine is a little tight, but, nonetheless, displays admirable purity and clean lines in its subtly concentrated ripe, sweetish lemon, pear and slight peach flavors with an alluring nuance of almond-nuttiness. Hint of orange blossoms in the nose. There is an underlay of oak that gracefully blends in. Very good structure and adequate acidity allow it to carry its richness well. Very good wine. My brother and dad who don't really favor whites much accepted 3rd pours of this - a good sign indeed.
For whatever it is worth, I just checked and Burghound gave this a rating of "90".
2000 Château Lilian Ladouys (St-Estèphe) - A cru bourgeois with 48 hectares under vine (averaging 40 years of age), the château itself just off the route du vin (D2), a little over a kilometer north of Cos d'Estournel. I have no idea where my dad got these, I opened one out of sheer curiosity.
There was good concentration in this round, fullish-bodied wine, its general character quite masculine, minerally and earthy. Those who prefer fruit-forward wines will likely not like this at all as the dark fruit, cassis with very minor black cherry ( + cedar, hint of ceps and violets) are almost totally submerged in asphalt, gravel and dark minerality. It comes off quite blocky and somewhat awkward. Decent, but nothing to write home about.
The bottle was left unfinished (something unusual for reds when my dad, brother and his wife are around). That fact is very revealing. I didn't care much for it myself.