St Emillion First Growths

Chez Bruce, London
Tasted Thursday, November 3, 2016 by SimonG with 451 views

Flight 1 (2 Notes)

Flight 2 (2 Notes)

  • 1979 Château Ausone 90 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    A slightly hazy deep full garnet. Nose a touch volatile. Slightly lifted sweetness on the attack with a drier finish. A bit of bite too. ***1/2

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

  • 1976 Château Cheval Blanc 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Deep full garnet. Lovely nose, gently autumnal. Gorgeous on the palate. There's a sweetness to the fruit. Nuanced, mellow and with a vibrancy too. Long and glorious. Just spot-on. *****

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

Flight 3 (2 Notes)

  • 1989 Château Angélus 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Deep, full ruby. Quite dense. Quite dark and plush on the nose, almost velvety. Yes, dense and plush on the palate. Lots here upfront but doesn't quite have the staying power on the finish. Quite new-worldly fruit profile. ****

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

  • 1989 Château Pavie 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Similar colour to the Angelus. Nose a little softer and dustier with a hint of Brett. More vibrant on the palate. Not quite as composed as previous bottle last year. A touch of spearmint and the fruit drying a little on the finish. ****

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

Flight 4 (4 Notes)

  • 1990 Château Pavie 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Deep mid ruby. Dense and really rather gorgeous nose. Ripe and full with a nuanced, floral, suave nose. Quite rich on the palate without being fat in the slightest. Possibly again, just a little dry on the finish. ****

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

  • 1990 Château Angélus 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Dense. Dense and a touch more savoury. Almost a touch of licorice. Shows well on the palate. Again a denseness but also a dryness. ****

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1988 Château Cheval Blanc Flawed

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Corked.

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

  • 1988 Château Ausone 91 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Drier nose, but also something spicy, savoury too. Carroway almost. Quite densely compact on the attack with vintage character but a denseness to the fruit too. A slightly prickley wine on the finish. Some nuance though. ****

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

Flight 5 (3 Notes)

  • 1995 Château Angélus 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Quite bright and reasonably dense and fragrant. On the palate this is a bit of a bruiser but it is mellowing and pulling itself together cf a bottle five years ago. Mellows with air. Should be super but needs far more time. **(**)

    Read 1 Comment / Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1998 Château Cheval Blanc 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Another big nose. Dense. Dark. A touch of mulberry. Very young and full. A pinch of dryness on the finish but this is far more together than the slightly volatile reductive bottle here a couple of years ago. Needs a long long time. (****)

    Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 1998 Château Figeac 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

    Served blind. Far more of a bruiser than the same wine served blind at the same do a couple of years ago. This seems far denser and portier initially. I think it's an ambitious St Em, possibly 89 Tertre R or similar. Feels a little overdone though it does mellow in the glass. **(**)

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

×
×