A small 2002 Bordeaux Retrospective

Matt and I hatched this idea not too long ago figuring that 1) people would have some of these in their cellars and 2) there may be some value finds. Unfortunately no. 2 isn't as much anymore due to all bordeaux prices going up a good amount, but no. 1 still very much applied and most of these wines have been in our cellars for a bit.

• 2002 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  nose: showing more of a fruitful quality than one would expect from LdH(though this is far from juicy) with more citrus, navel oranges, and white fruits along with waxy tones and some minerals. Not as deep either right now though.
  
  taste: Silky and classy medium/full body with medium+ acidity that gives this a good spine. Youthful with really good balance and tones of navel oranges, wax, citrus and some white fruits as well.
  
  overall: This is young. It is more upfront on the LdH scale, but it also has some baby fat on it. I would like to see where this goes in another 10 years.

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• 2002 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons 93 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  nose: fresh and clear nose that has a real pristine quality to it as well. Deep, but tightly wound with tones of pears, green apples, loads of minerals with some white florals and biscuits. Though there is a tightness to it, the aromatics are wonderful
  
  taste: Lovely and classy medium body and noticeable medium/high acidity. The structure is certainly there. Though not entirely oppressive, it's noticeable with balanced and great tones of fresh picked citrus tones, pears, green apples, some biscuits and lots of minerals.
  
  overall: This is a bubbly that I would utterly love to be holding right now. It certainly needs more time, but what a gorgeous champagne right now. The structure is very noticeable right now, but it doesn't fully interfere with the wine.

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• 2002 Château La Mission Haut-Brion 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  nose: perfumed, elegant, and lovely on the nose. Beautifully balanced with unctuous tones of mineral rich earth notes, dark red cherries, dark berries, violets and other purple florals, scorched earth and some smoke tones as well. Real nice complexity with good depth, but not greatly layered like great la mish's can be.
  
  taste: Utterly attractive medium feel with good supporting tannins and medium+ acidity. Very good on the attack, but it does thin out on the mid-palate a bit though it does come back with a gorgeous finish. There is wonderful balance to the tones of scorched earth, smoke, charcoal, dark red fruits, purple florals and dark red cherries.
  
  overall: this was a wonderful la mish. This was hitting the cylinders I was wanting. It's possibly as good as it will get, but it will certainly last for a good while. It's almost there on greatness, but the raw materials aren't there to provide a great la mish. Still, this was a real delight to drink and is why I adore this estate.

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• 2002 Château Smith Haut Lafitte 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  nose: there is a good slap of wood upfront on it along with some coffee grinds and spices. There were some dark red cherries and scorched earth tones as well that brought back some of the graves quality that I was hoping for.
  
  taste: medium bodied with medium acidity and silky tannins. It is lacking a slight bit on the mid palate as well. The wood is noticeable again with oak and coffee tones as well as smoke, scorched earth, and dark red fruits. The oak seemed a little more dialed back on the palate.
  
  overall: This can definitely age some more, so hopefully the oak integrates a bit more. It will likely never fully integrate, but I was wanting more pronounced graves characteristics than oak.

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• 2002 Château Pavie 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  nose: oak is certainly there with tones of creosote, dark red fruits, dark cherries, some floral tones and coffee grinds as well. While the oak is upfront, things were more in place together for me. Still, oak influences are the dominant tones with some fruit as well.
  
  taste: full bodied with chewy tannins, but they aren't truly overpowering. The tones of coffee grinds, dark red cherries, smoke and some dark red fruits are a bit brutish and bigger right now.
  
  overall: The oak is certainly there, as well as some extraction, but it does come off as working together. I'm not sure how this will develop and where it will go.

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• 2004 Château Pavie 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  nose: very tight nose that is unforgiving. Tones of creosote, loads of coffee grinds as well along with rich tones of dark red cherries and some berries.
  
  taste: medium/full bodied with some chewy tannins. This was brutish for me with bigger tones of dark red cherries, creosote, lots of coffee grinds and dark red fruits.
  
  overall: This was just as unforgiving for me now as it was four years ago. It's still pretty big and brutish for me and likely in need of more sleep.

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• 2002 Château Calon-Ségur 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  nose: quintessential bordeaux on the nose with tones of leather, spice box, cedar, cassis, with some cranberries and dark red fruits. Nice complexity, but lacking some depth.
  
  taste: full bodied with good tannins. The tannins aren't overpowering, but quite there still. Very good on the attack, but the mid-palate and finish are slightly lacking with tones of leather, cassis, dark red cherries and cedar tones.
  
  overall: This was decanted for about two hours. The nose was really good, but the palate was still lacking a bit. If this fleshes out a little more it could be really nice.

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• 2002 Château Léoville Las Cases 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  nose: tight with tones of earth, cedar planks, spice box tones, dark red cherries, cassis and pencil lead. Very good depth with a robustness to it as well. While tight, it is more open than previous
  
  taste: full bodied with some grippy tannins. The tones of dark red cherries, pencil lead, cedar, and spice box are on the bigger side with some power behind them. The tannins are still pretty tough and do cover up the tones a bit.
  
  overall: This is a bit on the tough side right now, but is starting to open up from the previous occasion. This still needs more years, but was one of the more complete 02s on the night in dealing with the palate.

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• 2002 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  nose: well balanced with some oak based tones of campfire smoke along with earth, dark red cherries, potpourri, and cassis tones. Nice depth, but nothing that is screaming.
  
  taste: medium/full bodied with wood spices and campfire tones along with dark red cherries and cassis tones. Nice tannins that are there but not hrd either along with medium acidity.
  
  overall: there was some oak on this, but it wasn't bothering me too much. A nice and balanced bordeaux that is drinking now, but can certainly last longer.

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• 2002 Château Pontet-Canet 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  nose: straight forward and very pauillac tones of pencil lead, cedar, cigar box tones, and dark red cherries. There is a slight green element to it that is slightly distracting.
  
  taste: full bodied with some very taught tannins. The tannins are somewhat overpowering right now with tones of pencil lead, cedar, dark red cherries and some green tones as well. It thins out on the mid palate too.
  
  overall: still in need of time, but likely never to be more than what it is. A straightforward pauillac with decent depth on both the nose and palate.

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• 2002 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spätlese 92 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  nose: very fresh and balanced on the nose with tones of guava, white fruits, pears, green apples and some nice slatey mineral tones. Open, but still youthful on the nose.
  
  taste: light bodied with real lovely feel and noticeable medium/high acidity. There is freshness to the tones of guava, white fruits, pears and minerals.
  
  overall: This is still drinking young, but in a very fun place. Very enjoyable and a good way to end the evening

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Maude's is always a great place to have small group. We had 6 and everything was perfect for us. The la mission was the real revelation of the night as it was a lovely wine. Many of the wines were decent to good, only the la mish anad las cases truly stood out for me. On the whole they are wines I would never have a problem drinking, but I don't own many and don't plan on buying too many either.