Tour de Bordeaux; Next stop: Pessac-Léognan @ David's

Netherlands
Tasted Monday, April 26, 2010 by jkoenen with 617 views

Introduction

Assessing 12 different wines from Pessac-Léognan, together with David, Roel and John.
All wines served blind.

Flight 1 - Palate cleanser (1 Note)

  • 2009 Le Cecche Roero Arneis 83 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero

    Candy in the nose. Riesling-like acidity, apples and lemon. Lacking minerality and complexity. Young and impetuous, clean and brisk. A simple thirst quencher. Fair.

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Flight 2 - Chevaliers (3 Notes)

  • 1996 Domaine de Chevalier 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Lovely, aristocratic and luxury bouquet of antique-shop and ripe black fruits, balsamic notes, earth, touch of barnyard. On the palate I get cedar, licorice, mushroom and coffee. This wine is ripe and showing its age beautifully. Medium-bodied and quite low-key on the fruity business. Tertiairy notes are getting more prominent. But, still lively and fresh, so drink now. 17/20

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  • 1998 Domaine de Chevalier 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Somewhat reticent in the nose, less expressive than previous wine. Licorice, laurel, ink, school paint, forest floor, smoke. On the palate there's used leather, raspberry and cassis, fresh and elegant mouthfeel, good concentration, soft and velvety structure. Warm and glowing finish. Very nice. 17.5/20

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  • 1999 Domaine de Chevalier 87 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Clearly the younger of the 3. Prunes, rhubarb, touch of VA on the nose. On the palate this is light-footed and friendly, vivacious. Lots of sap, good drinkablility. Might need a little more time to develop some complexity and depth, but now it's an open and charming wine 16.5/20

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Flight 3 - Young and wild (3 Notes)

  • 2003 Domaine de Chevalier 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Volatile, cooked, overripe fruit. Cassis-preserve, blueberry yoghurt, cake batter. On the palate it shows a little bit more class, character and depth. Chalk, espresso, chocolate, prunes, lavender, earl grey. To me, more freshness is mandatory to make my wheels turn! A neat wine, but no emotions here. 17/20

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  • 2002 Château Haut-Bailly Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Locked as a prison door. After extensive aeration some forest floor, shoe polish and fresh garden herbs can be squeezed out of the glass. Also on the palate this is hard labour... Do I get cola? Maybe coffee? Faint hints of lavender, red bell pepper, toast and a medicine cabinet. Disjointed and lacking fruit at the moment. Faulty bottle? No Score.

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  • 2004 Château Pape Clément 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Big and bold nose with heaps of ripe fruit and some evolution too. Earl grey tea, cinnamon, cassis, blackberries, hot rocks. Polished, heartwarming, wonderfully layered and interwoven. Very complete, compelling, sexy, though rather fresh for such a concentrated and modern glass of wine. Awesome. 18+/20

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Flight 4 - The magical Y2K (3 Notes)

  • 2000 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Very shy in its aromatics. Closed for business? I do get some ink, luxury use of oak, leather. Lots of structure and stuffing so I feel confident about the future, but right now this wine is giving me a hard time. 17/20?
    On day 2 this wine fell completely in its place! Delicious and seemless. Textbook Pessac with it's soft and earthy black fruit core, complemented by creamy but well judged oak. Yum.

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  • 2000 Château de Fieuzal 87 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Authentic, some might say rustic bouquet revealing paint, printed matter, cola, blood, rust, red currants and some nutty action. Seems quite mature and evolved. Fortunately, after a sip it comes to live and becomes fresher, steely though. Nuances of olives, earth, autumn leaves, dried sausage and one or two cherries in the back. Early development? 16.5/20

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  • 2000 Château Haut-Bailly 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Fascinating nose of truffle, coconut, blackberries and sweet black cherries. Next there are luxury nuances of polished antique furniture, vanilla pods, damp earth and asian spicesl. Though classic and conservative (in a good way), this wine provides an impressive graceful, suave mouthfeel and gorgeous mature complexity. What a cool wine! 18-18.5/20

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Flight 5 - Older and wiser (3 Notes)

  • 1990 Château de Fieuzal 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Elegant and filigreed. Well developed (maybe a hair passed its prime) and not overly pretentious. Just a very tasty and inviting glass of mature, earthy Pessac. Slender and sinewy body, some red currants and cigar ash. No noticeable tannines anymore. Drink up. 16.5/20

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  • 1990 Château Pape Clément 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Not very fond of the first sniff of this wine: cheesy, band aid, slightly weedy... Funky. Blows off during the evening in order to show some complexity and mediterranean fragrance: dried herbs, salted olives, canned cherries, sundried tomatoes. Somewhat drying and jaded on the finish. An arduous but provocative wine, demanding attention, but not in terrific shape. 17/20

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  • 1994 Château Haut-Brion 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

    Cool, mysterious and backward. Hard to discribe, cuz it's not very expressive at the moment. This seems to be all about elegance and balance, and it's playing those parts very good. Would have liked it more if it showed brighter, looser. Now it's a bit stubborn and serious. Let's call it 'neat'. 17/20

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Closing

Personal WOTN: 2000 Haut Bailly
Other wines to look out for: 2004 Pape Clement

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