| | The 'second table' at another Monday night 2004 Bordeaux session Aperitif - 2016 Laherte Frères Champagne Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Grandes Crayères - France, Champagne
Immediately reassuring in terms of quality and readiness. Fruit gums and herbs on the nose. The amount of dosage (4g/l) seemed well-judged to balance the ample malic acidity, with the wine extremely refreshing but also not at all harsh (the barrique maturation presumably also knocked off some corners). Herbal and sherberty too. A lovely aperitif, and would have been easy to drink a whole bottle too. (92 pts.)
Margaux - 2004 Château Rauzan-Ségla - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Same bottle as SimonG (the other notes from today were from an adjacent table with a different bottle). A compelling nose, with some sweet decay that at first was slightly offputting but increasingly made sense. Quite complex on the palate, which was slightly lactic, had some graphite and game as well as purple fruit, and (its best attribute) was refreshingly pure and middleweight. Something of a dry finish, but oh-so-friendly to the food (bone marrow on toast in my case). My and the group's #2 wine tonight. (93 pts.)
- 2004 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Initially more attractive than the Rauzan, its charms much more conventional. Big, rich, smoky nose, with some exotic musk. Smooth and luxurious on the palate, with attractive blue fruit. Tannins now very well integrated, but there was a nice chew to the finish. Definitely tasty, but the consensus seemed to be that the Rauzan ultimately offered more interest. (92 pts.)
Pauillac - 2004 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Same bottle as SimonG, rather than the other notes from this day. Rather brightly-fruited nose, with some graphite coming through. Fresh, elegant and juicily red-fruited on the palate, with a herbal side and a touch of espresso. A compelling wine, and much improved from a bottle I had five years ago. To our surprise, everyone preferred this to the Baron. (92 pts.)
- 2004 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Soft, rounded, sensual nose. Very approachable and easy to drink, with a hint of savour and some sweetness and decay showing with air. Fabulous with the T-bone, then, but I actually preferred the punchier showing when I last had this in 2020. Given that, I'm tempted to leave my other bottles a few years in order to lean into the wine's tertiary side. (92 pts.)
Right Bank - 2004 Vieux Château Certan - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Hmm - some really enjoyed this, but it seemed faulty to me. Rich, evolved and chocolatey, as expected, but also lactic and volatile, giving the impression of a blackcurrant milkshake. It did taste good, but the other two bottles of this I've tried recently were more complex and (surely) correct. (89 pts.)
- 2004 Château Pavie Macquin - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Cor, this is great. Energetic nose, with a great combination of savoury notes and spearmint. Airy, greenish and exciting on the palate, again with some lovely savoury development, then softer and redder-fruited with time in the glass. Super finish too: long and seductive. My WOTN and the group's #3. (93 pts.)
Bonuses - 2004 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Bonus glass from the other table. In contrast to the VCC, this bottle was clearly correct, thus convincing me that the one I tried a couple of weeks ago was indeed faulty. Forest fruits and oak on the nose. Really lovely on the palate, with oodles of red fruit and plenty of framing structure and tannin - another 10 or more years of pleasure to come from these, I'd say. (93 pts.)
- 2004 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
A late bonus bottle... glad we opened it. Really dry, dusky, grown-up nose. Deeply savoury on the palate, with the suggestion of cassis and truffle. Again, very dry - not eager to please, but undeniably pleasurable. My #3, the group's WOTN (again). (93 pts.)
Dessert - 2004 Château Suduiraut - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
Half. Really hit the spot. Fresh and marmaladey nose, with lots of spice. Lime and tangerine rind on the palate... so delicious. Excellent length, the wine lingering beautifully. (94 pts.)
Perhaps the wines weren't quite as exciting as at the first dinner, and there were some signs that they're at peak, but hey, 2004s are really tasty now! |
