Solihull Fine Wine Soc, March Tasting
A look at some 2000's which should be "a pointe" also a mini vertical of four years of a classed growth.
Blind as usual
Ch Potensac, cru Bourgeois, a youthful with some purple, a very simple generic nose of cassis and cedar, but very restrained. A gentle mouthful, fruit and spice. short. Disappointing.
Ch Marsau, Cotes de Francs. ( A new one on me). Bright brick, an organic marshmallow tobacco nose. Berry fruit and spice, some tannins. Faded after an hour.
Ch Cantenac Brown, Margaux, bright but poor extract, cinnamon cedar forest floor nose, great entry, fruit and tannins in balance but finished short.
Brown, Pessac Leognan, bright and viscous extract++ , a raw bab nose, very seaweedy, toast, Excellent balance of fruit and serious tannins, spice. Excellent,
Carillion d'Angelus, St Emilion, ( 2nd wine of Angelus), a bright deep stunner, restraind complex, violets and berries, leather, soft entry, restrained fruit, soft tannins, long. wonderful, but not yet, a real sleeping beauty. WOTN
Bahans Haut Brion, Pessac Leognan. (2nd of HB), purple brooding wine, huge legs, a dumb nose that gave hints of layers of complexity, some cedar and minerals. A mothful fo big tannins yet fruit and acidity, berries and tomato. Infanticide. Will be wonderful 2nd WOTN
Now a mini vertical of Grand Puy Lacoste.
1995, hint of brown, a little dull, a nose of stewed fruit and chips!! odd, a weak mouthful of fruit and pathetic tannins, also hints of MSG.. an odd bottle or is it this poor? Others felt I was being a little harsh.1990, huge extract, no age, perfumed cassis, organic, soft chewy tannins and fruit, almost blackcurrant juice, long. Excellent
1986. deep brick rather dull, oh dear a mixture of taint and slight oxidisation, reflected in the dried out palate. Pity, should have been lovely.1982 Some age but sparkled in the glass, classic claret, old cupboards and leather, cedar. Soft entry, tannins going but still spice and fruit, a most pleasant wine at the peak, good but not great.
The big boys of 2000 need a lot more time.
I thought the Grand Puy Lacoste flight was a St Emilion....back to the classroom JT !!