Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
CAB Bordeaux AOCs
Pat's
Tasted August 25, 2016 by jim_crane with 398 views
Introduction
Blind tasting of Saint Estephe (2 examples), Pauillac (2 examples), Saint Julien (3 examples), Margaux (3 examples), Graves (1 example), Pomerol (2 examples), and Saint Emilion (1 example), primarily 2009 and 2010 with some back vintages mixed in. Objective was to call the AOC and provide a top five ranking. Wines were poured two at a time and we could choose any two per pour.
Flight 1 - Top 5 (in order) (6 notes)
Red
1996 Château Cos d'Estournel
Tasted blind. Bricking. Wow! Nose explodes with waxy flower, clove, orange peel. Medium body, but bigger than expected. Very dry. Menthol rising on the finish. This was gorgeous.
Red
2000 Château Lynch-Bages
Tasted blind. Mature color, bricking, fading rim. Nose shows tobacco, waxy flower. Soft tannin, bright acidity, smooth, med/full body. Shows traditional Bordeaux secondary aromas and flavors. Drinking well now, but could be held.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
Red
2010 Château La Pointe
Tasted blind. Interesting that, in this blind panel, two bottles of this wine were presented as a curve ball. And since we had 14 wines to taste, my notes are more stream of consciousness vs. structured.
Bottle 1 note: Waxy flower, wonderful nose. Balanced, dry, med/full body, smooth. Huge traditional Bordeaux nose. Classic.
Bottle 2 note: Dried fruit, trace of heat, drying, raisins, Valpolicella notes. Meh.
Go figure. Bottle variation I suppose.
Bottle 1 note: Waxy flower, wonderful nose. Balanced, dry, med/full body, smooth. Huge traditional Bordeaux nose. Classic.
Bottle 2 note: Dried fruit, trace of heat, drying, raisins, Valpolicella notes. Meh.
Go figure. Bottle variation I suppose.
Red
2005 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Tasted blind. Tobacco notes, smooth, dry, medium body. Easy. I wanted more from this wine. Hold for more development.
Red
2010 Château Malescot St. Exupéry
Tasted blind. Trace of heat on the nose. Nose wants to show, but is shy. Not sure if this had been decanted. Hint of forest floor. Extremely dry, cedar, pencil shavings, gripping. Clearly left bank.
Red
2010 Château Gruaud Larose
Tasted blind. Nose shows brown sugar, creme brulee, Christmas spice. Fresh palate, gripping tannin, balanced, astringent finish. The nose perplexed me because I've not sensed these elements in Bordeaux for the most part. Good wine though.
2 people found this helpful
Comment
Closing
I am a fan of Gruaud Larose and this just missed my top five, so I added the note as an honorable mention.