Monthly Tasting Group HWS #044; Bordeaux 1999

Every participant had to bring a wine of the theme. I knew which wines were brought. The other participants did not. The bottles were covered with aluminum foil. I divided the wines into two groups and put them on a separate table randomly. I asked the participants by turn to get a random bottle for tasting. So I tasted the wines blind as well.
I don’t remember exactly, but we probably had flights of two or three wines.
One extra bottle covered with foil was brought, which I put in group 2, not knowing what it was. (It appeared to be Reignac.)

Below the wines in the order of tasting.

Special guest this evening was prof. PB.

• 1999 Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon 86 Points

  South Africa, Coastal Region, Stellenbosch, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch

  Still a beautiful and vital dark carmine color. Some cherries, oak and plum in the bouquet. Quite developed in the taste with some plum, cherry and pepper, but also hints of tobacco and metal. A bit short in the finish. Completely ready now.

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• 1999 Château de Chambrun 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol

  Carmine. Mature bouquet with red berry fruits and also some black cassis, smoky and tobacco tones. Medium to full bodied with good oak, cassis and a pleasant hint of sweetness. The tannin is mature and soft, but still has enough power to last for a few more years. In the finish the tannin is a little green and a bit drying. Overall a very pleasant wine. Ready now, but it should keep well for another year or two.

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• 1999 Château Marquis de Terme 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Garnet red. Really nice and mature bouquet with still some red and black fruits and liquorice as well. In the taste also quite mature, but there still is some cassis and ripe but sticky tannin. A little vegetal and drying in the finish. Not really full bodied, but pleasant juice, good acidity and a medium long finish. Drink within the next 2 years.

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• 1999 Château Fourcas Dupré 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Listrac-Médoc

  Slightly smoky and earthy bouquet with some hints of menthol. Juicy taste with also some coffee and smoky flavors. The tannin has melted completely. The finish is a bit short and drying, but there is also some pepper. Not extremely full bodied, but certainly pleasant and completely ready now. Drink now or soon.

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• 1999 Montes Merlot Reserve Special Cuvée 84 Points

  Chile, Curico Valley

  Complex but not extremely luxurious bouquet. There are some gooseberries, rhubarb, metal, lavas and smoky impressions. On the palate milk chocolate, still some juicy tastes and ripe, soft and round tannin. Some metal again. Short finish and fairly light bodied. Completely ready now.

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• 1999 Château La Croix Canon 86 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Canon-Fronsac

  Quite evolved and brown colored wine. There are some plum, raspberry, cigar box and smoky flavors in the bouquet. On the palate chocolate, coffee and soft and ripe tannin and bitterness. Soft and somewhat drying finish. Pleasant wine and completely ready now.

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• 1999 Château La Tour Carnet 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  This bottle was really a nice surprise. In the bouquet blackberries and other dark fruits. On the palate juicy ripe mainly black fruits and soft but still firm tannin. Red fruits in the medium long finish. Overall a really pleasant wine which is very well balanced and harmonious. There is more future in this wine than I expected. 2 - 3 years more will be no problem.

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• 1999 Château Saint-Pierre (Pomerol) 87 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Garnet brown. Evolved, creamy and elegant bouquet. Milk chocolate, some tobacco and coffee in the taste. The tannin is completely melted and soft. Pleasant bitterness in the medium long finish. Drink now!

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• 1999 Château Lascombes 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Much better than expected. Beautiful luxurious bouquet with dark cassis and cedar. Almost Pauillac like. Very tasteful. Cassis again, a lot of pleasant bitterness and good tannin. Very juicy and with a very long finish. The wine is starting to show its merits now.

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• 1999 Château de Fieuzal 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Beautiful and round bouquet with black and red fruits and pleasant oak. Medium to full bodied with cassis, ripe tannin and a lot of good bitterness. Mature, but the tannin is still powerful. Elegant and fairly complex.

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• 1999 Château Faugères 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  Creamy, butter, metal and eucalyptus in the bouquet. Beautiful concentrated cassis and blackberry juice in the mouth. Good tannin, long finish. Young maturity stage now. No hurry.

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• 1999 Château Lynch-Bages 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Beautiful bouquet with cassis, liquorice, eucalyptus and well integrated oak. A mouth full of wine. Black cassis, good sweetness, pepper, soft tannin, good acidity. Beautiful ripe fruits and very well balanced. A great wine.

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• 1999 Château Léoville Las Cases 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Luxurious bouquet with cedar, tobacco, cassis, dark cherries, mocha and graphite. Really complex! Full bodied and a mouth full of wine. A lot of cassis, firm and pleasant bitterness and a lot of good sticky tannin. Beautifully integrated oak. Complex and youthful. This is a great wine that still holds a promise for the future.

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• 1999 Peter Lehmann Mentor 88 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley

  Menthol and eucalyptus in the bouquet. Ripe cherries as well. Full bodied and a lot of sweetness. Ripe and soft blackberry juice. Some other berry fruits as well. Pleasant bitterness. Medium long finish with a lot of sweetness. All in all a very harmonious wine.

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• 1999 Château Chasse-Spleen 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc

  Beautiful mature bouquet with oak an red fruits, but not so very expressive. Cassis, oak, some cigar and good juicy bitterness on the palate. Medium long finish. Now mature, but no real hurry. Nice wine, but less great than a few years ago.

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• 1999 Château Cos d'Estournel 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  See my previous notes as well. The bouquet is a feast! So great! Everything comes back in the taste, but overall the wine is lacking a bit in body. Overall a complex and elegant wine. I scored it a little higher than on previous occasions.

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• 1999 Reignac 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Supérieur

  Rich and smoky bouquet with some sweetness and figs. Full bodied, ripe black fruits, soft tannin and bitterness. Supple. Fairly long cassis finish. Excellent and juicy wine. Ready now, no hurry.

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