5/1/2024 - WineTraveler42 Does not like this wine: 87 points

I really struggled to get my head around this wine. I should say up front that I had traveled with this wine long distance just four days earlier, so much of my notes may be able to be attributed to the wine being agitated from traveling.

After two and a half hours open, we dacanted the wine to removed sediment. Immediate first impression on the nose was tar, tobacco, and heavy wood, with a hint of petrol. It was TIGHT and really fighting.

Notes on the palate were all over the place. At first, huge tannic structure that screamed for several more years in the bottle. After another half an hour, the nose turned to blueberry and cherry. A deeper inhalation revealed a cotton candy-like aroma. Almost chalky - like that powered sugar candy from childhood! Then it turned jammy with a syrupy sweet taste. Then it mellowed out a little. And finally emerged some classic vegetal (pepper?) notes.

I really struggled to like this wine. I wanted to love it. But either tonight just wasn’t the right time to open the bottle, or I’m not a La Mission Haut Brion gal. I guess another tasting down the road will tell…