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Christmas Claret |  (184 page views) | | | - 2000 Château Rauzan-Gassies - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Blind. Dense and deep fully ruby. Violet and blackcurrant nose. Quite rich and plush, but tannins a little blocky and drying. Guess a Margaux, though no idea which chateau, and 03. With air there’s a maturing classic claret here, classic profile emerging, but needs a little more time. ***(*) (91 pts.)
- 1998 Vieux Château Certan - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Balackberry and blackcurrant. Darker and slightly surly on the palate cf the 01. A pinch of unresolved Ed tanninninitially that seems to resolve quite quickly in the glass. A lovely purity and density of fruit on the nose. Smooths and rounds in the glass. Deeper toned than the 01. ***** (95 pts.)
- 2001 Vieux Château Certan - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Really exuberant blackberry fruit when first opened and double decanted. More restrained a couple of hours later. A little more bright acidity than the 98, slightly lighter redder fruited too. Long, precise and lovely. Silky tannins. ***** (95 pts.)
- 1970 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Not flawed per se, but too much fine sediment from transport rendering it muddy and sludgy. Shame. (FLAWED)
- 1982 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Lovely nose. Madeira cake with a pinch of green pepper to give it line and freshness. Violet talc. Just so sweet, rounded and giving. One could argue it needs a bit more oomph on the finish, but it’s resolved, harmonious and downright gorgeous. Consistent with a pre-Covid bottle, I think from the same case, at Piccolino. *****. (95 pts.)
- 1996 Château Léoville Las Cases - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Deeper, denser nose. Lovely blackcurrant fruit with a Vicks menthol top note. This is classic and vital, deep long and with a lovely line. Super now, but in a decade or so… ***** (95 pts.)
- 1996 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
A clear step up from previous bottles. A touch more restrained on the nose. Elegant and classic, more Pauillac than Baron, but opens to,show its class. Deep, plush, nuanced and a sense of elegant restraint. Excellent, and really starting to come in to its own. ****1/2 (94 pts.)
- 1998 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Again, perhaps unsurprisingly, a step up,from a couple of bottles fifteen years ago. Classic Baron nose of rich cassis and mocha.,a bit broader and more obvious than the 96, without quite the line and elegance, but very good indeed. Another day, without the embarrassment of riches alongside, this would shine in its own right.**** (92 pts.)
- 1995 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Coffee and beef tea on the nose. Quite evolved. Beef and soy in fact. A little flat, not blowsy but lacking focus. Again, not helped by the company, but on its own I suspect a very decent showing. **** (91 pts.)
- 1996 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Quite a cool, slightly restrained nose. It’s all there though, just in a minor key. Cool mineral edge. More composed than the 95. **** (92 pts.)
- 2004 Château Montrose - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Ever so slightly corked, initially quite subtle but enough to,dull all its edges. (FLAWED)
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