JSM@RSJ Pre2000 Right Bank Offline

Another interesting selection; solid wines without any on-theme standouts. Strange that both Pavie Macquins were corked and also interesting to see the Tetre-R had calmed down and showing closer to Keith's blind challenge bottle rather than the C9dP-like one at Peddling For Pebbles2. 99 Conseillante seems to bs tightening up from a couple of very generous bottles in 2008.

The memorable wines for me were the off-theme start, middle and finish. Thanks to all, and especially Julian for pulling together and Alex, Chris and Druin for their extras.

• 2000 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut 92 Points

  France, Champagne

  A bit of sulphur initially, then cream, slightly appley fruit. Hard to get much out of this in what's essentially little more than a Paris gobbler, but very smooth and elegant. Decent length too. Nose developing a nicely floral quality. Lovely. ****

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• 1978 Château Latour à Pomerol Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Blind. Mid garnet, nicely mature nose. A touch of sweetness and some mellow spice. Quite light, slightly dry on the palate. Mature and actually quite woody/corked. No.

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• 1995 Château Belair (Dubois-Challon) 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Blind. Mid, slightly dull ruby. A richer, fuller nose. Some richness upfront but quite lean through the mid-palate. A less fashionable vintage? Gosh, I'd have guessed older and leaner than 95. ***

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• 1998 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Far darker and younger looking. An almost purple tinge to the red. Still quite tannic and dark fruited on the attack. Drying tannin on the finish. Over extracted modern St Emillion? bare ***

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• 1999 Château La Conseillante 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Blind. Quite a sweet vanilla and slightly minty nose. Quite full and a slight hint of alcohol. Slightly drying tannins. Does start to show more fruit though and starts to open up, but (when revealed) this is quite tight and a little closed cf previous bottles. Time to hold for a while I think. **(**)

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• 1997 Château Pavie Macquin Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Blind. Mid to full ruby. Quite an expressive herbal nose. A touch corked on the attack with a dry and unforgiving finish. No.

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• 1989 Château L'Enclos 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Full garnet. Mode mellow. Sweet fruit and some spice on the nose. Very floral and fragrant. Mellow and rounded. Lacks some zip and grip but mellow and pleasant. ***1/2

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• 1945 Château Léoville Las Cases 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Blind. Mid garnet. Quite relaxed and mellow nose. A touch of mint. Quite full, sweet-fruited and rounded on the attack though it drops away to a fairly short finish. Decent acidity with a slightly tobacco and cedar quality to the finish. (*)**1/2

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• 1978 Château Canon 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Blind. Lovely nose. Slightly clayey, spivey maturing red fruit. Very mellow and lovely. Doesn't finish as smoothly or as positively as some, but when revealed you can see the vintage character. ***1/2

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• 1986 Château Certan de May 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Mid to full garnet. A little less expressive on the nose. Again, a touch of clayey, spivey earthiness. A slight dryness on the finish but this is lovely. Barest ****

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• 1999 Château La Chenade 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  Meatier, slightly floral nose. Slightly darker, quite full. Nicely rounded and mellow with a fresh savoury finish. A touch younger and with a bit more grip. Very decent. Top ***

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• 1994 Château Pavie Macquin Flawed

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Corked

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• 1995 Château Grand-Pontet 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Blind, but my wine and running out of bottles, so guessed. Mid to dark ruby. A touch of mellow oak. Some tobacco, chocolate and spice. A little more modern than previous bottles. ***

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• 1989 Tertre Rôteboeuf 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Blind. Fuller and seemingly younger. Sweeter, vanilla fruit. Quite dense and tight and modern in style. Opens up and shows sweeter fruit and a little more elegance. So different from previous examples. Quid dense and tight but not jerky as porty hot as Keith's bottle showed. With a tail wind this could get to barest **(**)

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• 1998 Château L'Enclos 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Blind, but my wine and running out of options, so guessed correctly. Quite a dark red fruited nose. Slightly mellow around the edges. Putting on weight with every bottle. Still young. The showing of he 89 makes ms think it's worth keeping my last bottle of this. Great vfm at the time. ***

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• 1930 Château Sisqueille Rivesaltes 90 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Rivesaltes

  Very tawny. Banyuls-like nose. Figgy, raisiney, slightly lifted. Decent length, a little volatile and lacking the persistence of the 50 Banyuls in this release series, but very enjoyable and a real treat to finish off with ***1/2

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