decanter bordeaux tasting

pontet canet masterclass
1990-some bricking red/brown-mature aromas mid depth,sweet cherry toffee-mature easy drinking slightly savoury mid length-drink up-high yield-90pts
1994-settled colour-mature elegant nose with depth and antiseptic aroma-still tannic with acidity and developing complexit,length and antiseptic ripeness-5-15 yrs-deeper than 1990-93pts
1999-deeper nose-poopy-good strength and wta little shorter but brighter fruit than 94-stll acid and tannins 5yrs-94pts
2000-2-3 hr airation-deeper broader aroma-smooth integrated elegant long no perceived acid great fruit leave 5yrs or decant 8 hrs-96pts
2001-not as profound as 2000-more acidic and not the depth but smooth and well integrated 93+pts
2002-darker than 01 with more astringency than 01but deep and fragrant-ice vanilla,acid,some elegance-needs a few years-92 pts
2003-deep purple and more viscous with deep nose,sonorous and brooding with faint smokey aroma at first then a little burnt but rich and powerful,ripe,tannic and full bodies-95+ now but could reach 96-98
2004-younger looking than 03-brighter purple and nose less intense-more acidic initial taste,good fruit,mid weight and length-93pts
2005-thick and young-deep sonorous nose with some maturity and intensity-tannic and young but delicious and rich with acid and grat fruit in balance-5-20 yrs-96+-98+-best wine in flight
2006-good blackcurrant nose and depth and youth-tannic,acidic then good fruit,vanilla needs time to integrate-92+pts
2007-sharp acidic nose and brighter softer fruit than 06 and same vanilla needing integration-93pts
2008-still in cask-young bright purple-high fruit/vanilla-tannic,good fruit,mid wt-92+
very consistent tasting overall-all wines approx same proportions of grapes eeah year-only young wines used for 2nd wine-2009 could be best yet

Elegance of st julien masterclass
branaire ducru 2007-young looking bright purple-sweet cherry plum blackcurrant mid strength and elegant but slightly tart and pepper on finish-light to midwt no real complexity -ripe/easy drinking-89 pts
branaire ducru 2003-deeper thicker colour -wow nose deep sweet blackcurrant very ribena like gorgeous floral violet-yum taste deep dark fruit with lift and sustainance very nice but ? falls off a bit at finish-fresh,developing some antiseptic tones-94 pts
branaire ducru 2000-as 2003 but bigger nose with depth and antiseptic overtones-lovely even elegant complex long with antiseptic rich-better in 2+ yrs according to patrick maroteaux-96 pts
Beychevelle 2007-mid purple mid depth-elegant but a bit muted with lift-nice attack fresh with lift falls off a bit mid palate then revives mid length and more complex than 07 bran ducru slightly savoury attack-elegant some peppermid palate-little tart at first mid wt-90+
Beychevelle 2003-?slight bricking like 03 bran duc,more red/brown tones than 07-nice deep sweet cherry plum,blackcurrant,a bit lighter than 00bran duc-nice elegant deep fruit withsome antiseptic overtones and length-very like 03 bran duc-very nice 94 pts
Beychevelle 1999-more brown/brick red-mature nose elegant not as deep as 03-slightly savoury, even,elegant some maturity,not explosive but very elegant-lacks the resonance and overtones of 03 but v nice-91+pts
Lagrange 2007-young purple mid thickness,nice young nose mid strength and elegant-young,sweet tannin,a bit drying but very elegant and ripe and even-may develop well-best 07 so far-91 pts
Lagrange 2003-some deeper red purple at rim,thickish-nice nose still some youth but deep and brooding-good fruit and elegant and deep-very nice,harmoniuos mid length 93+pts
Lagrange 1996-some mature browning-poopy and deep and elegant and strangely alluring,lovely-silky beautiful elegant mineral and antiseptic fuity deep and long no tannins unlike 00bran duc-97 pts-drinking beautifully now
Gruaud Larose 2007-not as violet purple as other 07s,looks more mature-nice mature nose mid strength elegant blackcurrant,slightly poopy and vanilla-good potential-wow,drinkable now,elegant with wt and persistence,tastes older well integrated,approaching if not equal to the best 03s,lacks complexity of 96 lagrange-93++-96 pts-find
Gruaud Larose 1998-mature but not fading-poop antiseptic deep sonorous lovely-sweet even elegant mineral and more silky than 07 great fruit-not as sharp as 89 but holds up longer-v good 95pts
Gruaud Larose 1989-most brown of all but looks good-toffee poopy blackberry and antiseptic-harmoniuos,a bit more minty than 96 lagrange-woweasy supple silky mid length beautiful close to 96 lagrange but becomes more tart in glass-97 declining to 95 pts
overall fabulous tasting-super aroma in the hall on entering-suprised by openness of 07s especially GL and impressed with GL overall-96 lagrange had the edge just