WCC 1980s & 1990s Bordeaux & California Cabbernet
Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY, 3/19/2026


My Albany-area group (the Wine Collectors Club) got together to taste Bordeaux and California Cabernet from the 1980s and 1990s blind at the Fort Orange Club in Albany. Dinner began around 7pm and ended around 10pm.

The Fort Orange Club is a great venue for these dinners since we get a private room and Executive Chef Lou Agostinello is doing a marvelous job of making wine-friendly, delicious food. There was one off dish this time, but the rest was superb.


Click on any image with a border for a larger view of that image.


Flight 1: Early 80s
Monkfish with Walnut Crust, Cranberry Beurre Rouge, Affilla Cress.
For the first time here, we had a dish that was inedible. Maybe the walnuts were corked. I have no idea.
  1. 1982 Château Le Bon Pasteur - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
    [Double-decanted at 5:30pm.] Smoky black fruit nose. Sour cherries, tannin. Some oxidation. Drink up! (86 points)
  2. 1982 Château Palmer - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
    [Double-decanted for 1.5 hours the night before.] Cherries and cinnamon in the nose. Sour cherries and a medium length finish. (92 points)
  3. 1984 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville
    [Double-decanted at 4:30pm.] Muted nose of mature red fruit and forest floor. Quite mature, but still lovely. No mint. Some think it's mildly corked. It sure isn't showing like the bottle I had 15 months ago. (Flawed)

Flight 2: Around 1990
Duck Breast with Cherry-Pinot Gastrique, Grilled Sweet Potato, Parsley-Baby Spinach Puree.
Back on track. This was delicious!
  1. 1991 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate - USA, California, Napa Valley
    [Double-decanted at 4:30pm.] Smoky black fruit nose. Sweet tannins and rich black fruit. Long complex finish. Could have used a longer decant. (95 points)
  2. 1990 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    [Double-decanted for 1.5 hours at 4:40pm.] Black fruit and spice. Long, tannic, with good fruit and medium length. (93 points)
  3. 1989 Château Latour Grand Vin - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    [Double-decanted at 5:30pm.] Muted nose of leather and black fruit. Fully mature and lovely. (92 points)

Flight 3: 1995
Lamb Porterhouse: 8 oz. Grilled Lamb T-bone with Pomegranate-Cabernet Hollandaise,
Roasted Thumbelina Carrots, Minted Fondant Potato. This was so good!
  1. 1995 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
    [Double-decanted for 1.5 hours at 4pm.] Mature red fruit nose. Big, rich, tannic red fruit. Long complex finish. (93 points)
  2. 1995 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    [Double-decanted for almost 3 hours at 3pm.] Red fruit and cigar box. Big and rich with firm tannins. Lots of red fruit. Should drink well for at least another decade. (93 points)
  3. 1995 Château Lafon-Rochet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe
    [Double-decanted for one hour at 4:30pm.] Muted red fruit nose. Rich red fruit and tannin. Still young. Has potential. 92-94 (92 points)

Flight 4: 1999
Cheese Selection: Nancy's Camembert, Jakes's Baby Gouda,
Hudson Valley Aged Cheddar, Ballston Bleu, Berries, Crostini, Honeycomb.
  1. 1999 Château Pavie - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
    [Double-decanted for 1.5 hours at 4:30pm.] Huge, sweet red fruit nose. Big, rich, tannic and delicious. (93 points)
  2. 1999 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
    [Double-decanted for 1.5 hours at 4:30pm.] Smoky black fruit nose. Rich, silky with soft tannin. Lovely (92 points)
  3. 1999 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
    [Double-decanted for 1.5 hours at 10:30am.] Wow! Explodes from the glass with complex nose of black fruit and sandalwood. This is big and rich, but with incredible harmony. Easily my WOTN and group WOTN. (96 points)


Summary
Executive Chef Lou Agostinello comes for a visit.


Summary
Another great evening of food and wine with good friends.


My notes posted from CellarTracker.

Here are Salil's notes on CellarTracker.


WOTN Voting (3pts each for #1, 2pts for #2, 1pt for #3)

RankPtsWine
1171999 Philip Togni Cabernet
2101999 Château Pavie
3(tie)91989 Château Latour
3(tie)91995 Beaulieu Georges de Latour Reserve
571990 Château Pichon Baron
641991 Chateau Montelena Estate
7(tie)31995 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
7(tie)31999 Château Pichon Lalande
921995 Château Lafon-Rochet
1011982 Château Palmer

 

 

 

All original content © Ken Vastola