mature Bordeaux wine evening

the wines were promising

• 1998 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
  dark red-purple-black.
  classic good St. Julien aroma of leather, floral earthiness with red & black forest fruits.
  Med-full bodied, pleasant mid palate, dark red fruits and cassis, good acidity, slightly mineral, soft & gentle tannins, med-long finish.
  Very enjoyable but low value for money. (92 pts.)

• 1996 Château Pape Clément - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  dark red-brwon with amber rim.
  expressive nose of rich black cherry and dark fruits with a good amount of lead pencil, black pepper, tobacco, mint, and charred oak.
  however lean fruits showing red cherries, tart raspberries, lead pencil shavings, black pepper spice, licorice, and some smokey oak.
  the crisp acidity is balanced by a moderate amount of round tannins.
  long ending on notes of red cherries.
  though not very complex, the balance is there.
  it will continue to improve and should be given at least a couple more years of bottle age.
  very enjoyable. (92 pts.)

• 2000 Château Le Bon Pasteur - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
  dark ruby red.
  feminine nose of jammy blackberry, plums, dark cherries, coffee, earth, mocha, violets, blackberries and a hint of sweet vanilla.
  med-full bodied, supple, round, soft textured wine with big, opulent plummy fruit, supple texture and good refinement.
  warm long and smooth finish, with black cherries, spice and still considerable tannins that make their presence known quite late .
  ends in a long, silky, black cherry, plum and espresso filled finish. it can live another 15-20 years.
  An impressive Pomerol! (92 pts.)

• 1989 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  Slightly corked aroma, with plenty of seepage through the cork.
  at the end this was still drinkable at least, but balance totally off and not at all as it should be - a real shame. (FLAWED)

• 1996 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
  deep garnet colour
  heavy intense aroma of pepper, slight earthiness, ripe black currant, blackberries, pencil lead, cedar, hints of chewy red fruit;
  thick and dense on the palate while still quite structured.
  firm tannin, full bodied, dense black fruits, nice cedar, hint vegetal flavours towards the end, good complexity;
  medium-long finish with a hint of bitterness.
  excellent and still young, though enjoyable now. can live at least a decade ahead. Great enjoyment! (93 pts.)

• 1998 Château Smith Haut Lafitte - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan
  dark red-purple color.
  classic Graves floral aroma - tobacco, earthy, blackberry.
  full-bodied, dense, concentrated, rich, black fruits with some tobacco, firm powerful silky tannins, well balanced, good acidity, wonderful harmonu.
  very long finish. Great wine. (92 pts.)

however the Comtesse de Lalande was quite corky...
and I hardly remember the great SHL...