Michael Schuster Fine Wine Course Day 3

Third evening of fine wine course exploring the classic wine regions of France. More tasting technique focusing on tannins, using the Red Bordeaux to illustrate the differences. Key point about tannins from oak being chalky, tannins from the grape being more muscular.

Rich, fleshy, red fruit dominates, softer tannins and lower acidity.

• 2011 Ronan by Clinet 85 Points

  France, Bordeaux

  Medium ruby, garnet rim, clear, bright. Red fruit, plum, hint of grass. Fresh acidity, light dry tannins, medium body, medium (+) alcohol, ripe fruit, medium (-) finish. Good quality, generic Bordeaux, 100% merlot. Balanced, some concentration, but lacks complexity and length.

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• 2004 Roc de Cambes 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Côtes de Bourg

  Medium garnet, brick rim, clear, bright. Medium (+) intensity aromas, sweet red fruit, cedar, clove, game, undergrowth, smoke, fig, prune, truffle. Fully developed. Dry palate, fresh medium acidity, slightly drying medium (+) tannins, chalky, medium (+) body, medium (+) alcohol (14%), medium (+) finish. Nice complexity. Very good quality. Should be drunk now, not suitable for further ageing - unlikely to develop further but probably on a plateau that will last several years. 50% new oak, winemaker picks grapes very ripe, hence the relatively high alcohol.

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• 2000 Château Latour à Pomerol 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Deep garnet, clear bright, rim also garnet. Ripe red fruit, plum, prune, raisin fruit, clove, game, truffle, tobacco. Developing. Rich but elegant dry palate, fleshy, full body, dense, medium acidity, medium ripe chalky tannins, medium (+) finish. Very good quality but still young, will certainly develop further over next ten years.

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The Issan was clearly better quality when we went through it - greater complexity, energy, length. The Hortevie was good but more rustic and a little old-fashioned.

• 2006 Château d'Issan 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Deep garnet. Sweet red fruit, cassis, cherry, hint of grass, vanilla, cedar, leather. Developing. Still a bit closed. Dry, medium, fresh acidity, medium fine tannin, medium body, medium intensity flavours. Medium (+) length in mouth and aftertaste. Quite delicate, good energy, good length. Has another 10 years in it and will certainly develop further.

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• 2000 Château Hortevie 88 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

  Medium garnet. Cassis, dried cherry, smoke, clove. Fully developed. Dry, medium (+) acidity, medium (+) tannins, quite dry and rustic, chalky, medium body, lost of dark fruit on the palate, medium (-) length, fruit doesn't persist. Old fashioned St Julien. Drink now, not suitably for further ageing, starting to dry out.

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Wow, four lovely wines to finish with. A treat to taste genuinely mature claret (even if the 2001 clearly have years left in them).

• 1996 La Dame de Montrose 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Medium garnet, still clear and bright. Dried fruit, cassis, earth, bouquet. Sweet, suave. Fully developed. Dry, medium (+) acidity, chewy tannins (from grape rather than oak), ripe red fruit and leather, earth, medium (+) finish. Classic, mature Bordeaux, drinking beautifully, excellent value for a second wine. No hurry to drink but it won't evolve further.

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• 2001 Château Pontet-Canet 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Medium garnet. Cassis, dried fruit, earth, cedar, leather. Rich, ripe, complex. Developing. Dry palate, medium (+) acidity, ripe, fine, medium tannins, aromatic, complex flavours. Long finish. Just reaching maturity now but clearly plenty in the tank and will develop further.

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• 2001 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  Medium garnet. Red currant, cassis, hint of grass, menthol, leather. Developing. Fleshy, generous middle weight, fine, medium (-) tannins, medium (+) finish. Sweet, soft fruit. Really quite delicate.

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• 1989 Château Pape Clément 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  Medium brick colour but clear and bright. Distinct earthiness, was, brick dust, dried red currant, animal, undergrowth. Fully developed. Dry, medium (+) fresh acidity, medium (-) tannins, fine, chalky, ripe fruit and distinct earthiness, long finish. Outstanding, mature claret. Worth savouring and reflection. Clearly drinking beautifully. Won't develop further. May start to fade - drink in the next 3-5 years.

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Of course, another great selection of wines, and Michael generously added the 2001 Pichon Longueville as he was disappointed with the quality of the Right Bank wines in the first flight. Once again, I found Bordeaux hard to taste well and less enjoyable than I would a comparable Burgundy tasting. I guess it is just my palate but very few wines really shone for me tonight, despite the evident quality. My wine of the night was the 1989 Pale Clément although the two 2001 Pauillacs were very good indeed, as was the Dame de Montrose (I guess it shows that I like my Bordeaux with a lot or maturity).