New Year’s Eve 2009 – Part 3

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For dessert, I purchased a Chocolate Cheese Cake topped with brownies as I figured it would be a nice pairing with the 1999 Insignia. Unfortunately, but not completely unexpected, our wine glasses were quite empty before the dessert was even removed from the fridge. So, I decided to open another red -- a 1996 Château du Tertre from Margaux.

"This is what happens to picture quality after a couple of bottles of wine!"

I’d picked this up at a local LCBO earlier in the month as I was amazed to find an aged French Bordeaux in stock.

The nose on this wine was much fainter than the Insignia, but you did get truffle, loam, green pepper and lead pencil shavings off the nose. The wine was much thinner than the Insignia as well. This wine was a medium bodied wine. A very precise tasting wine with light fruit and eucalyptus with a nice finish.

"This was a hard act to follow after Insignia"

The ladies were not big fans of it on its own but really liked it with the dessert. I liked the wine off the bat but as it sat for awhile it really opened up and became a much nicer wine. It was really good with the dessert. Mick liked the wine as more time went by and suggested that this wine should be decanted for about 30 minutes before serving.

Here is the group rating for the wine -Mick – 91, Mark - 90, Kathy – 90, Amy – 88, Overall – 89.75.

Here is the LCBO information on the wine –

Château du Tertre 1996

VINTAGES 72132
750 mL bottle
Price: $ 95.95
Wine, Red Wine,
12.5% Alcohol/Vol.
Sugar Content : XD
Made in: Bordeaux, France
By: Nath. Johnston & Fils
Release Date: Nov 8, 2008

Tasting Note - Delicious looking, glossy sheen to this wine. A serious, stylish nose, with notes of graphite. Slightly hard and austere tannins on the palate, but these underpin a luscious, creamily textured body of fruit. Good acidity completes the picture. Should age nicely. From a Bordeaux 1996 tasting. Score - 17+ (out of 20). (Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com, July 2001)

The evening was truly a great time. There was actually a 4th bottle of wine opened but by that time none of us were in any condition to makes notes on the wine so that one will remain a mystery to my three dedicated readers. Happy New Year to all and to all a good night!

Cheers!

Mark