For over a year now, I've been trying to arrange a small tasting of aviation inspired wines for a small group of aviation geeks who also happen to be interested in wine. With a bit of cheating (UFOs are a bit iffy in an aviation theme!) I got together five wines:
Penfolds Bin 707 1993 - label
From what I had read on CT and a few other places, this is still considered a youngish wine that needs decanting. So I decanted it for 3h. But that probably wasn't enough: this is still a massive, monolithic wine. It still smells strongly of new American oak and mint. Very thick, extracted, powerful and raw. Seems like it still needs a decade. This is not a wine for drinking, but for laying down and avoiding?
Penfolds Bin 707 2009 - image
15% abv!!! As subtle as a brick to the head. And as painful.
Alpha Domus "The Navigator" 2008 - label
13,5% abv; Merlot 44 %, Malbec 24 %, Cab Sauv 19 %, Cab Franc 13 %. After those massive Australians it was nice to get a lighter wine. Though the last time I tried this, I felt it a bit much for me, but it is amazing how the companion wines can change one's perception. This time it smells like a youngish Bx-blend that is maturing nicely but still has a bit of oak to shed and some autumnal scents to gain. But it's getting there. A couple more years needed.
Ch. Dassault 1997 - image
A pretty decent St. Emilion from a not so great year: but the fruit seems ripe but age has brought a nice leafy, refreshing aspect to it; medium body, I didn't note down the alcohol% but I'd be surprised if it were over 12,5%. Seemed like proper refreshing claret and now is the time to drink it.
Bonny Doon Cigare Volant 2005 - image
Grenache 50%, the rest Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsault; 13,5% abv
A really attractive S. Rhône -style wine: ripe fruit, nice garrigue aromas, sadly I also see a touch of oak or something that smells of vanilla/butterscotch, too. But that's something in the background so I can force my mind to think past it to enjoy the wine. Sweet and rich but with refreshing structure. Really not bad at all though ideally it could use more age to get rid of that final touch of oak I thought I saw and to get some non-fruit aromatics.