Big Bordeaux IV: All 5 First Growths (including '96 Margaux, '95 Mouton and Latour, plus '89 Lynch Bages and more)

Ten of us gathered for my semi-annual Bordeaux tasting. We decided to go a bit bigger this time and celebrate the completion of remodeling. All 5 of the first growths were represented tonight along with an exceptional 1989 Lynch-Bages. These wines were all quite remarkable and showed extremely well. The food pairings were also exquisite. Our goal was to feature the wines with food that enhanced but did not compete with the wines, and I think we were quite successful.

Thanks John!

• NV Charles Heidsieck Champagne Brut Réserve 91 Points

  France, Champagne

  Medium gold color. Drank 2 glasses over 30 minutes. This was a bonus bottle to get us started. Nice nose with biscuit, yeast, hazelnuts, lemon, citrus, and minerals. The palate is dense, chalky minerality, citrus, some green tree fruit. Medium finish.

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• 2003 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Deep gold color, gorgeous. PnP, drank 1 glass over 1hr+. Effusive nose right off the bat, dense with minerality, lemon peel, earth, stone fruits, later taking on white flowers. The palate is full, round, and viscous in the mouth, earthy notes, citrus, lemon, stones. This is a very well balanced wine. This was evolving in the glass for over time. Lots of life left.

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• 2002 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année 95 Points

  France, Champagne

  Light-medium gold color. Drank 1 glass over 30+min. Started at 49 degrees on serving. Outstanding nose, green apples, pear, citrus, biscuit, sea spray, delicate minerals, becomes very floral as it approaches room temp. The palate is oh so elegant, it feels weightless in the mouth with such vibrantly delicate flavors of fruit and minerals. The finish just lifts you and whisks you off and never wants to end. The depth of fruit and layering here is amazing. Stunning.

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• 1993 Château Haut-Brion 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Very dark red-purple color. Slo-O for 2 hours, decanted for 30 minutes. Drank 1 glass over 2 hours. Excellent nose, perfumed, very earthy, funk, cassis, black cherry, tobacco, tar, smoke, spice. The palate was medium full bodied, chewy black fruits, lots of tobacco and graphite, gravellly minerals, earth. This quite refined, balanced, with fully integrated tannins. This was a huge surprise, amazing showing. This started out strong and continued to take on weight and definiiton over the next 2 hours. Recommend a 1-2 hour decant for best drinking. Has at least 5 years left.

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• 1993 Château Lafite Rothschild 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Very dark red color, subtle 1-2mm bricked edge. Slo-O for 2 hours followed by 30 minute decant. Drank 1 glass over 1.5+hr. Nose is a reticent to start. It VERY gradually starts to reveal some pedigree after about an hour in glass. Nose develops notes of pencil lead, cedar, funk, red berry fruits, a little herbal, light floral perfume very late. The palate is medium bodied, tart red berry fruit that softens and becomes more velvety, red currants, feminine, elegant. This was very interesting. I elected to only give this a short decant based on the vintage and current data. While this is never going to be a superstar wine, I do think that decanting for 1-1.5hrs is advisable for this to show well, unless you wish to drink this over an evening and really see the evolution. It was not until after 2+hrs that I would say this approached the 90pt threshold for me. If you pop and pour this is an unremarkable, very expensive 88pt wine. Drink now.

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• 1995 Château Latour Grand Vin 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Very dark purple-red color. Decanted for 4.5hrs. Drank 1 glass over 2 hours. Now there's a nose, perfumed with violets, damp earth, graphite, cassis. The palate is dense and concentrated, full body, cassis, blackberry, cigar tobacco, graphite, intense black fruits, earth, silky tannins, vibrant and very long finish, 60sec plus. Really stood out over an excellent '95 Mouton. Is it better than the '95 Lafite I had at the Chateau a year ago? I'm not sure. That wine was probably more feminine and elegant, so stylisticly they are different. Would really be nice to drink them side by side someday and see. My and group #3 WOTN. 96+ to 97pts.

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• 1995 Château Mouton Rothschild 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Very dark red-purple color. Decanted for 4.5 hrs and drank 1 glass over 1.5 hours. Nose has cedar, blueberries, cassis, mint, graphite, earth. The nose is more reserved here, and the palate is what stands out. Very concentrated, black fruits of cassis with cherry and blueberry, pencil lead, licorice, soft tannins, and a long finish. This was on the borderline of 94 to 95pts for me. Clearly a step down from the Latour though.

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• 1996 Château Margaux 99 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Dark purple color. Decanted for 5.5hrs and drank 1 glass over 2+hrs. Absolutely stunning. I believe this to be the finest wine I have ever enjoyed. This wine really defies accurately describing the experience and sensation of drinking it, but I will try. It is sex in a glass. Beautiful, alluring, tempting, elegant, soft yet firm, everything you dream of in a perfect wine. I'm not sure what perfection is, but this as close as I think I have come, and it is hard to imagine anything more. The nose is simply stunning and offers a gloriously complex perfume that wafts out of the glass and makes me just giddy. Perfume does not do this justice, a cornucopia of florals, creme de cassis, black and red berries, forest floor, leather, tobacco leaf, and more. The palate is complex, layered, extremely elegant, cassis, blackberry, vevety tannins. The wine is impeccably balanced, power, depth, and elegance and has a finish that is 90+ seconds. I can't write some of my notes, so I will just say OMG & WOW. My & group unanimous WOTN.

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• 1989 Château Lynch-Bages 98 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Purple color. Decanted for 6 hrs, drank 1 glass over 2+hrs. This was another stunning wine with a truly complex and powerful nose and palate. A formidable wine to match against the '96 Margaux, falling just sort of matching it. The Lynch is more powerful than the Margaux, not quite showing that elegant side as much. The nose has violets, funk, creme de cassis, mulberry, spices, cedarbox. The palate is inky and dense, chewy, sweet black fruits of cassis and mulberry, richly layered fruit, graphite, oak and spice on a very long penetrating finish. The tannins are round and well integrated. Incredibly young for 23yrs old. This has a very long life ahead of it. My and group #2 WOTN with 7.5 of 10 2nd place votes.

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• 2003 Château Climens 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Barsac

  Deep gold color. PnP, drank 1 glass over an hour. Nose is loaded with pure apricots, honeysuckle, honey, spices. The palate is rich, viscous, unctuous, racy acids balance the deep sweet fruits of apricots, orange zest, botrytis. The finish is long and delightfully spicy. Excellent, still youthful. Drink or hold.

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Thanks to all our wonderful chefs for creating some outstanding food to go along with these outstanding wines. This was a memorable night of wines, food, and friends.

The unanimous WOTN was the impeccable 1996 Chateau Margaux (10x3=30pts)
The #2 WOTN was the 1989 Chateau Lynch-Bages with 7.5 of 10 second place votes (7x2+1.5+1=16.5pts)
The #3 WOTN was the Chateau Latour (2+1.5+1+1+1+1=7.5pts)
1993 Haut Brion (2+1+1+1=5pts)
1995 Chateau Mouton Rothschild (1pt)