France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Opened with low expectations, this was delightful. Very mature (shocking!) profile, with lead pencil and old wood, but not oxidized nor pushing up daisies. Definitely drying out, but still some distant sweetness, nice complexity, and a mature svelte texture to savour. I love mature wines, and nothing matures like Bordeaux. B+
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Classic, traditional Bordeaux which is now nicely aromatic with tobacco and black cherries. Medium bodied and very classy to taste, the palate impact is rich yet bone-bone dry with lots of finishing tannins to resolve. My WOTN, but still needs time to really shine (at least 5 years). A-/A with upside.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Starts all funky, but this blows off and the wine really improved over the evening. Still, too young. Dark and dense, yet like the Grand Mayne, very dry drinking with no discernable sweetness. Lots of tannins on the finish, these 1998's aren't closed hard, but they seems subdued and a little stern right now, the Pavie-Macquin most of all. Still, these will probably be wonderful once fully mature. But this reminds me why Bordeaux can lose some fans, who don't have the patience to wait 20 years nor the BD's tolerance of youthful tannins. B+/A- with a bright future.
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Minty, cab-franc bouquet that's really good, perhaps Californian on some level, but I really like it. This is my third vintage of the Monbo (along with 2000 and 2001), and I've never disliked the style. In fact, I'm a fan and it has great grip and stuffing to hold its flamboyance in check. One big redeemer is the lack of any apparent new oak, so bravo to Monsieur Perse. This benefits from drinking better than any other wine, being the most open and ready to go. It will hold for at least a decade more. A-/A
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Big bouquet flawed with an overwhelming overlay of Greek yogurt. This didn't blow off over the evening. On the palate, this was on the green side with a light-bodied texture, perhaps showing off lots of cabernet franc. Not my style or perhaps a flawed bottle. Others noticed the yogurt, but didn't seem to mind as much as I. C+/B-
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Lots of toasty oak, giving everyone a clear impression of espresso grounds. Tart (from high acidity) and toasty right now, a little stern but with a black fruits in the background. The texture is fairly fleshy and sexy after the 1998's, making this seem modern without being OTT (but why so much barrel toast?), but it needs time. B/B+
This was a disappointment. Dark with good depth and oomph, it came across a New Worldy with slick tannins and too much oak right now. That said, I wouldn't bet against this VCC coming together in 5-to-10, but lacking charm and character tonight. B/B+
A truly terrific sticky. Sometimes Sauternes can be all creme brulee, which is good in of itself, but some variation on that theme is welcome, and the 1990 R.L. does not disappoint. There's a wonderful interplay between flavors of toasty toffee-caramel, vanilla-bean, and burnt orange-grand marnier. A darker, richer style on the one hand with plenty of canned-pineapple sweetness, this richness is totally balanced by the impressive freshness of this wine which comes on strong on the finish making it seem light and ethereal. It will probably get more complex down the line, but drinking so well right now. A
1967 Château Chauvin
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Opened with low expectations, this was delightful. Very mature (shocking!) profile, with lead pencil and old wood, but not oxidized nor pushing up daisies. Definitely drying out, but still some distant sweetness, nice complexity, and a mature svelte texture to savour. I love mature wines, and nothing matures like Bordeaux. B+
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1998 Château Grand Mayne
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Classic, traditional Bordeaux which is now nicely aromatic with tobacco and black cherries. Medium bodied and very classy to taste, the palate impact is rich yet bone-bone dry with lots of finishing tannins to resolve. My WOTN, but still needs time to really shine (at least 5 years). A-/A with upside.
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1998 Château Pavie Macquin
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Starts all funky, but this blows off and the wine really improved over the evening. Still, too young. Dark and dense, yet like the Grand Mayne, very dry drinking with no discernable sweetness. Lots of tannins on the finish, these 1998's aren't closed hard, but they seems subdued and a little stern right now, the Pavie-Macquin most of all. Still, these will probably be wonderful once fully mature. But this reminds me why Bordeaux can lose some fans, who don't have the patience to wait 20 years nor the BD's tolerance of youthful tannins. B+/A- with a bright future.
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1999 Château Monbousquet
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Minty, cab-franc bouquet that's really good, perhaps Californian on some level, but I really like it. This is my third vintage of the Monbo (along with 2000 and 2001), and I've never disliked the style. In fact, I'm a fan and it has great grip and stuffing to hold its flamboyance in check. One big redeemer is the lack of any apparent new oak, so bravo to Monsieur Perse. This benefits from drinking better than any other wine, being the most open and ready to go. It will hold for at least a decade more. A-/A
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1996 Château Ferrand Lartigue
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Big bouquet flawed with an overwhelming overlay of Greek yogurt. This didn't blow off over the evening. On the palate, this was on the green side with a light-bodied texture, perhaps showing off lots of cabernet franc. Not my style or perhaps a flawed bottle. Others noticed the yogurt, but didn't seem to mind as much as I. C+/B-
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2000 Château Beau-Séjour Bécot
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Lots of toasty oak, giving everyone a clear impression of espresso grounds. Tart (from high acidity) and toasty right now, a little stern but with a black fruits in the background. The texture is fairly fleshy and sexy after the 1998's, making this seem modern without being OTT (but why so much barrel toast?), but it needs time. B/B+
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2001 Vieux Château Certan
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
This was a disappointment. Dark with good depth and oomph, it came across a New Worldy with slick tannins and too much oak right now. That said, I wouldn't bet against this VCC coming together in 5-to-10, but lacking charm and character tonight. B/B+
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1990 Château Raymond-Lafon
France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes
A truly terrific sticky. Sometimes Sauternes can be all creme brulee, which is good in of itself, but some variation on that theme is welcome, and the 1990 R.L. does not disappoint. There's a wonderful interplay between flavors of toasty toffee-caramel, vanilla-bean, and burnt orange-grand marnier. A darker, richer style on the one hand with plenty of canned-pineapple sweetness, this richness is totally balanced by the impressive freshness of this wine which comes on strong on the finish making it seem light and ethereal. It will probably get more complex down the line, but drinking so well right now. A
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