Dinner at Home

Fremont, CA
Tasted Wednesday, February 25, 2015 by aagrawal with 245 views

Introduction

The La Couspaude was a style that I liked better, but it is on its way down. The Monbousquet is maybe still on its way up, but in a riper more spoofed styled that I like less. Overall scored the same, but different wines.

Flight 1 (3 Notes)

  • 1998 Château La Couspaude 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Medium-deep ruby color with only slight bricking; nose has very subtle fruit, subtle spice, very subtle tobacco (have to concentrate on the nose to get anything); palate is full bodied, smooth balanced texture, some red fruits, cherries still present, some slight secondary tobacco character; finish is short-medium length. This is fully mature, starting to head downhill based on my bottles over the last 3 years. Still good and worth the $40 release price, though it lacks distinctive character and could be substituted with most other ripe right bank wines (though better balanced than some of them). Drink my last bottle before the end of the year. 89-88-

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

  • 1998 Château Monbousquet 89 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

    Deep ruby without bricking; nose has black fruit, vanilla, some oak, still very primary; palate is full bodied, black fruit with moderate intensity, tannins are integrated but provide structure, still quite primary without a lot of secondary complexity; short-medium length finish. This is a modern-styled, still youthful, right-bank Bordeaux. Give it a little time to integrate, but even at peak it will still lack character and distinction, though it is easy and pleasurable to drink. Not bad at <$50, but not worth much more than that. Next bottle in ~3 years, will likely drink well for 10. This actually tastes younger than my note from 2013. Next time give it 30-60 minutes of air. 89-90

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No

  • 2002 Joseph Phelps Eisrébe 89 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

    From 375. Medium golden color; nose has crystalline pure orange, citrus, purity of an icewine; palate is full bodied, excellent acidity to balance the sweetness, but even more than past notes this lacks persistence and depth on the palate; finish is short. This is on the decline and will not be improving, drink up in the short term. Still immensely pleasurable, but won't live up to top tier icewines. 89-

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No

×
×