"Old Bordeaux" = '86!

Old Home of Woodward
Tasted Friday, February 4, 2022 by Grinner with 199 views

Introduction

JKW says "we're tasting some old Bordeaux!" Cool! The tasting sheet has room for "Notes / Vintage? / Region?" and Score.

After trying everything, the question is posed, "Was this a vertical or horizontal?" (we all said "vertical")

Flight 1 - The Opening Whites (2 Notes)

Flight 2 - Blind BDX (7 Notes)

  • 2005 Château Branaire-Ducru 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    In this tasting, we needed a red to bring our palates back to BDX for the main event. This was served non-blinded. Short decant: This remains a big, structured, slightly tight wine.

    "nice deep cassis, black plum, wet stone, cedar, and spice notes." from 2015, still applies. Add a hint of tobacco.
    Now with longer decant-2035.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1986 Château Gruaud Larose 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    First blind wine of the 6 bottle main event. All you know is it's "older Bordeaux". Color gives it away as such with the garnet bowl and brick, almost orange rim. It has an ethereal nose! Black currant, earth, pencil, tobacco and a lingering floral note. My only reasonably correct guess of the night: "an '86 St. Julien?"
    On plateau: Now-2026

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1986 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Amazing when the worst wine of the night (WWOTN?) is this good! Seemed substantially younger than the GL before it. More garnet at the rim. A sweeter floral nose, more plum, creme de cassis, cedar and spice. Lovely texture, fairly sexy, so I guessed a '95 from the Margaux appellation. Whoops!

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1986 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Beautiful mature BDX! Deep black currant, dark berries, mocha, loam/gravel, and cigar box with a very nice structure. First guess: '90 Graves, then thought Pauillac -- whoops! Now-2036

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1986 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 97 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Served blind with other "old BDX", this was my WOTN! This bottle had a beautiful open nose with both savory and fruit components vying for attention. Lots of wet stone, graphite, cassis, black plum, hints of cigar and eucalyptus. Guessed '89 Graves.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1986 Château Rausan-Ségla 96 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

    Another great bottle, 96+ and my second fave. Open for business in every way with a sexy nose, great depth, and superb balance including the most obvious tannins of the night. Red and black fruit, tobacco, spice, and cedar. Guess? '90 Pauillac. Now-2036.

    Read 2 Comments / Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1986 Château Talbot 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

    A great way to finish the reds with such a smooth customer! Red > black currants, plum, stone, minerals, tar, tobacco, and florals. Seemed a hair older than the last few so I went with '88 St Julien. Now-2026.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 3 - Dessert (1 Note)

  • 1989 Château Climens 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

    Another wedding year wine for us! Just great from 375 with orange rind, stone fruit, honey / botrytis, hints of nuts and tart pineapple. WOW! Now-2039.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Closing

DOH! I clearly had different appellations in my notes and OF COURSE there would be some seeming vintage differences across the 6 bottles which had differing provenances! Lesson learned!
Fantastic event! Next night a bunch of '2012 OPN's...dang.

×
×