Coravin fun - Bordeaux: Talbot, Meyney, Phelan Segur & 2019's

And here we are again in the happy world of Bordeaux tasting...each sample helps purge the dust of Dubai

This is about 3-4 years into the 'Bordeaux is approachable in it's youth' thing that, with the exception of the earlier forecast 2012 vintage, really commenced from 2015/2016 so I thought it might be fun to have a look as these slide into their 5th birthday.

• 2019 Château Tercesne

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  From Coravin. Fresh blackcurrant, a sprig of mint, cream, cedar, clove, very slight savoury underpin, biscuit and metallic notes here as well as a touch of raspberry. In the mouth it's savoury, meaty, that minty sprig has turned into a bunch, fruit muted behind this, talc textured tannic burr, the metallic note more bloody here. Meh compared to my memories of my last tasting.

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• 2019 Château Serilhan

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of plain chocolate, wild blackberry, sweet spice, a little polished oak, cream, plum and blackcurrant. In the mouth it has very slightly sour blackcurrant and plums, rocky minerality and woody, slightly chalky textured, tannins. finishes dry and savoury. A little disjointed. Hmm.

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• 2019 Château Mongravey

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  From Coravin. Tomato leaf and tobacco, plums, a little vanilla, cream and some blackcurrant and raspberry, smidge of earth. On the palate it's fleshy, earthy, plummy, broad mid palate, coarse flour textured tannins dry the palate but are in support, finishes savoury but creamy. Okay.

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Near vertical of three recent(ish) vintages

• 2016 Château Phélan Ségur

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  From Coravin. Plums, blackberry, a little cherry, sweet spice, cedar, biscuit and violets on the nose. A touch of yeast extract joins the savoury fruits on the palate, cream and sweet spice follows this accompanied by persistent, silky textured tannins. Balanced. Yum.

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• 2017 Château Phélan Ségur

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of blood/iron, brambles and raspberry, a little wet earth, touches of pyrazine, cream, sweet spice, with time some wild blackcurrant. Very savoury, herbaceous notes present but more controlled than e.g. the Caronnne Ste Gemme 2011, powdery tannins, brambly fruit, a little umami quality and cream on the finish. Hmm.

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• 2019 Château Phélan Ségur

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  From Coravin. Blackcurrant, plum and a little black cherry, slight violet, fruit smells a bit baked with time in the glass. In the mouth almost black coffee bitterness accompanies the black hued fruits; still quite reticent on the palate, tannins are integrated, though, and softly textured. Time but promise.

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A couple of older Meyneys to have a look at…the 1985 was showing particularly well

• 1982 Château Meyney

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  From Coravin. Historic signs of slight bleeding. Forest floor, a touch of red currant, biscuit/toast, meaty, touch of umami, smidge of baked apple and dried orange peel, very tertiary. In the mouth it's juicy, earthy, fully tertiary, savoury , mushroom, umami, slightly oxidised notes, tannic rasp dries the mid palate. Tidy up soon with something involving mushrooms, truffles, thyme, smoked bacon, garlic, shallots, perhaps leek, sage and butter with fresh pasta...

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• 1985 Château Meyney

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

  From Coravin. Savoury, clean, brambles, sous bois, mushrooms tend to truffle, sweet spice, coffee, wet leaves, cigar box, polished leather, umami, nice nose. Juicy tends to medium plus intensity acidity, fleshy, fresh, still very much alive, slight dried out blackberry fruit with a little mushrooms, truffle, leather...tannins are woody, integrated and support the flavours on the long finish. Very good.

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And, as is to be expected with older wines, the 1981 (despite critical rejection) proved rather splendid as did the 2013

• 1981 Château Talbot

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  From Coravin. Leather, earth, brambles, cigar box, gentlemen's club, semi dried blackcurrant, a little farmyard, herbaceous notes. Lovely tertiary notes dominate the muted red berry fruit with a slightly sur underpin, lots of umami, earthy, leathery notes, all persists very long. wonderful but tidy up very soon.

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• 2006 Château Talbot

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  From Coravin. Cream and blackcurrant morph into crème du cassis, plums sweet spice, leather, touch of umami and more savoury notes with time. Nice nose. On the palate the fruit has a bit of a green quality to it' less generous but still presentable blackcurrant with mint. Tannins are drying, slightly chalky and slightly clumsy and foursquare. It's a touch out of whack today. Hmm.

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• 2011 Château Talbot

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  From Coravin. Hmm, on the nose this smells like another disappointing and muted 2011 (after the e.g. Batailley). Medium minus intensity aromas of almost baked black fruits are non-delineated, a little cream, cedar, pyrazine. In the mut it's juicy and dense with concentrated black fruits that prove equally non-delineated here. Very leathery tannins persist long, almost feels a little closed for business. Hmm.

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• 2013 Château Talbot

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  From Coravin. Red berry especially raspberries, a little jubey fruit lozenge quality shows a touch of blackberry and black cherry as well as a little rhubarb. Cream, sweet spice complete the nose. The fruit is surprisingly (considering the vintage) quite compote. In the mouth it has dilute red over black fruits that prove fleshy, tannins offer a raw silk rasp. Simple, balanced. Good.

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Very frustrating about the 1996 and 2000...

• 1996 Château Talbot

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of brambles, blackcurrant, leather, a little biscuit and baking spice, cedar, cigar box. Slightly sur black over red fruits on the palate backed by leather, cedar. Drying, talc textured tannins, a little non intrusive alcohol warmth. Hmm. Drink up with something fatty...lamb lollipops are calling

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• 2000 Château Talbot

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  From Coravin. Blackcurrant, brambles, a touch of sweet plum, sweet spice, leather, slight mint, biscuit and, a little disturbingly, some volatility. And that translates to the palate and sours the fruit, tannins offer breadth and textured grip and prove chewy. On the journey to flaw so will join the 1996 with something fatty soon.

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• 2014 Château Talbot

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  From Coravin. Medium minus intensity aromas of brambles, plums, blackcurrant, controlled oak, sweet spice, a little cream. Juicy tends to medium plus intensity acidity, brambly frit backed by plums and blackcurrant. Chewy tannins are slightly woody, coarse and sit apart from the fruit. Time to integrate.

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• 2016 Château Talbot

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  From Coravin. Brambles, plums, blackcurrant, polished oak offers sweet spices; clove and nutmeg, slight pyrazine, cedar. Like a more powerful version of the 2014 on the nose. Juicy, rich, dense black fruits have a slightly savoury underpin, tannins are woody, talc textured and integrated. Balanced. Approachable now with a little air. Good.

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More fun, more excuses for lamb...happiness