Westchester Wine School - The Right Bank (Red Bordeaux)

White Plains, NY
Tasted Tuesday, February 25, 2014 by cephomer with 456 views

Introduction

Ned's production of a red bordeaux right bank tasting for the WWS. Note that there were actually 6 flights at this tasting but I have here included only the flights that involved wines from the Pomerol and St Emilion regions.

Flight 1 (2 Notes)

  • 2005 Château Lafleur-Gazin 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Drank blind at WWS bordeaux tasting vs the 2010. This was a ruby color, some age apparent, perfumed nose with some fruity notes. Some black fruit on the palate, along with mocha & nice spice. Soft, fairly well-integrated tannins. This wine has evolved nicely, shows harmony among its various elements, and has nice complexity. A bit short though, and fruit a bit faded which reduced my score. Liked it much more than the 2010. This wine tied for favorite of the nite with 98 Haut Corbin.

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  • 2010 Château Lafleur-Gazin 88 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Drank blind at WWS bordeaux tasting vs its 2005 version. I much prefer the 05. This wine showed a fairly bright red color, looks young in the glass. Nose of oak, vanilla and fruit. This wine tasted hot (14.5% and it showed!). Very tannic, sweet plumy fruit. This wine needs lots of time during which it will hopefully mellow and become more harmonious. Not particularly enjoyable at this showing.

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Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 1998 Château Bellegrave (Pomerol) 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Drank at WWS right bank Bordeaux tasting vs. Haut Corbin 98. The Bellegrave was a medium red color, some bricking apparent, with a slightly vegetal nose. Fruit was kind of plummy, tannins mostly resolved, decent length. Not an overly complex wine but showed far better than expected--at first. Voted #2 wine of the nite. The wine faded badly in the glass and became overly vegetal by the end of the evening. Drink it now, and don't decant.
    The Haut Corbin 98 was a medium red color, sweet fruit and earth on the nose. Dark fruit on the palate, along with notes of chocolate, tar, leather and mushroom. Soft tannins, wonderful complexity. This wine got better & better in the glass. Drinking well now but has the potential to become even better. Remember to decant. Favorite wine of the evening.

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  • 1998 Château Haut-Corbin 93 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Drank at WWS right bank tasting vs. Chateau Bellegrave 98.
    The Haut Corbin 98 was a medium red color, sweet fruit and earth on the nose. Dark fruit on the palate, along with notes of chocolate, tar, leather and mushroom. Soft tannins, wonderful complexity. This wine got better & better in the glass. Drinking well now but has the potential to become even better. Remember to decant. My favorite wine of the evening & tied for #1 wine of the tasting.
    The Bellegrave was a medium ruby color, some bricking apparent, with a slightly vegetal nose. Fruit was kind of plummy, tannins mostly resolved, decent length. Not an overly complex wine but showed far better than expected--at first. The wine faded badly in the glass and became overly vegetal by the end of the evening. Drink it now, and don't decant.

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Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 1995 Château La Croix du Casse 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

    Drank blind at WWS right bank Bordeaux tasting vs. 1999 Ferrand Lartigue (St. Emilion). Somewhat cloudy ruby color, age apparent from the browning at edges. Nose of mushrooms & earth. Dark fruits on the palate, along with various tertiary elements, particularly leather & coffee. Some spice here too. Good length. Overall, a very pleasant, fine example of a mature bordeaux still drinking well that I had never before experienced.

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  • 1999 Château Ferrand Lartigue 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Drank blind at WWS tasting vs. 1995 Croix du Casse (Pomerol). Fairly generous nose of coffee & earth. Pale pinkish/red color with lots of bricking--this wine is looking older than it tastes. Some dark fruit on the palate, perhaps blackberries. Nice earthiness & still decent length. Cedar, leather, tar & coffee dominate here--fruit is fading fast; not much left in the mid-palate. Some said the finish was somewhat bitter. I've had this wine several times and was frankly surprised at how well it showed this evening--nice wine, but never anything particular special about it. The tasting crowd's #3 wine of the nite.

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