2 St Emilions, opinions sought

I'd personally consider '96 a great year in the Medoc, but mediocre on Right Bank ('98 is probably other way around). More tannins than fruit in many cases. But I haven't tasted these 2 wines to memory.

I'd personally rank the last decade+ of vintages like this: Medoc

96, 00, 90, 01, 95, 99,94, 98,93, 97, 91, 92

Libournais

90, 00, 98,95,01,96, 94 (better Pomerol than St E), 97, 93, 92, 91

If I did this againtomorrow, it might not be exactly the same. And 2000 might well end up being better than 90 & 96Medoc, just tht I've only tasted as very young wines, so I'm being conservative.

2000 is certainly a good year. I've got a lot of this (because I was in St. E. last september and that was what most of the stuff in th stores was). I've got some good 2001's as well.

I've had Bellefont Belcier (it's pretty common stuff domestically). It's OK, but not the best I've had.

see, the vagaries of vintage variation- looking at this, I don't agree with myself 2 hours later. Medoc

96, 00, 90, 95, 01, 99, 94, 98, 93, 97, 91, 92

Libournais

90, 00, 98, 95, 01, 94 (better Pomerol than St E),96, 97, 93, 92, 91

Dale, There's no 99 in the Libournais: oversight, or a comment on the quality of the vintage?

Mark Lipton

Oops Mark, just oversight. Libournais:

90, 00, 98, 95, 01, '99, 94 (better Pomerol than St E),96, 97, 93, 92, 91 Sorry about that.

It would be easy for me to shuffle these around a space or two. This is seat of my pants stuff, based on what I've tasted. Which for me is concentrated on a lot of mid-priced stuff (2nd to 5th growths and the better Cru Bourgeois in the Medoc, lots of middling St. Emilions and Pomerols like Pavie-Mac, Pavie-Decesse, Troplong-M, Certan de May, Gazin, Nenin, the Beausejours, Figeac, Barde-Haut,. etc).

And while I'm going out on a limb with vintage generalizations: Graves/Pessac-Leognan 00,90, 98, 01, 96,'99, 95, 97,93 94, 92, 91

jcoulter wrote in news:Xns960EAB73547CB225stellar@216.196.97.136:

mea culpa, the bottle next to the Bellefont was Grand Cru Classe though it was a 98 and actually cheaper than the Bellefont

I bought the Larmande FWIW

And, of course, the usual caveats apply: Good producers in bad vintages, etc.

Mark Lipton

"And, of course, the usual caveats apply: Good producers in bad vintages, etc."

Indeed. Vintage generalizations are just that, generalizations. On average, this is how I'd rate the vintages for mid-level Bordeaux. Yet there are over-achievers and under-achievers in every vintage. I'll take the '97 Leoville-Poyferre over the '95 Rauzan-Gassies, thank you very much. There's also the issue of current drinkability- the '93 Lynch-Bages isn't really an overachiever (compared to other Lynch-Bages) , but it's currently drinking quite lovely, while '00 & '95 are "better" but too tight.

How was it and what was theoter, cheaper, 1998 GCC as a matter of interest?

Timothy Hartley

Timothy Hartley wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@tgh.eurobell.co.uk:

will let you know, The wine is for my wife's birthday next week and I will have to recheck on the cheaper GCC (something around 24USD as opposed to 29 for the Bellefont)

jcoulter wrote in news:Xns9610AD8C2D929225stellar@216.196.97.136:

the GCC next was Ch. Laroze marked down appearantly because the 2000 was "so much better".