1996 is not a very good vintage for SM IMO. I bought a case after release and stored it in my active cellar. None of the 5 bottles I had so far were amongst the best SM I had. 1982, 1990, 2001 and 2003 are way superior. At least to me.

!982, 1985 and 1990 are superior to the 1986 GPL. The well known Swiss wine critic René Gabriel opened a bottle of the 1985 last week and postet a note and a score on his website weingabriel.ch. He loved the wine and rated it 18/20. I fully agree.

The Gold edition is very nice but my 6 glasses were broken within a few month. The standard collection is heavier but way less fragil. Good glasses.

My last comment to this issue. Fraud is a criminal act. Is GPL a criminal operation? I think it would be helpful if everybody is sensitive with words. But that seems to be more and more difficult. Especially in the internet.

That is certainly not what I wrote and meant. You made a caricature of my former post. Did you read it actually?

Fontenil is owned by Michel Rolland – for many the devil of Bordeaux. Fontenil is a very good wine in almost any vintage. I have not tasted the 2016 so far but am not surprised it is top.

Jim, I am not upset. And I have no problem with other opinions. Thats life. My only complaint is that overblown language. GPL is fraud ... 09 is undrinkable ... I find this insulting to the people who stand behind GPL ... the owner, winemaker and people who think GPL is fine ... if you say you do no...

I was not aware on what kind of Island I landed here.

This is what Neal Martin wrote after he tasted 2009 in 2019: Pauillac – This appellation is always given a head start by the First Growths, where, as already stated, Latour reigns supreme. Not many of us can afford those wines nowadays, but there are plenty of alternatives that represent better valu...

Stefan, what do you mean when you say "resembles an overblown Napa Cap"? This is something I hear for the first time. The contrary is fact. GPL is very traditional winemaking. No Monsieur Rolland or something like that. Do you speak about the 09? I guess you are aware what kind of climate ...

Jim, I am new here. And I have no clue how much experience you have or others. But you made a bold statement. GPL is fraud. I am sure you knew that this statement was a provocation. Was this your intension? To get attention? I know some critics personally and tasted with them. To state they are not ...

Virtually all wine writers or critics must be wrong in case of GPL because people like Jancis, Michel Bettane, Neal Martin and so forth rated GPL high in vintages 05, 09, 10, 15, 16. And again:the 1982, 1985, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2005 GPL are all amongst the top Left Bank Bordeaux. If the crit...

Wow. GPL = Crap. What a statement. I agree, that GPL got too expensive recently. I agree that GPL is made in a pretty traditional style. The wines need time to come together. Depending on the vintage. The 1996 is still too young from my cold active cellar. As is the 2000. Both are vintages with a st...

2001 SM is a fine wine with a cool climate profile. It reminds me on a Paulliac due to its pencil shaving aspect. I think it is a better wine then the 1996.

Robert,

not all Bordeaux show the character you described. Even not all St. Emilion are produced in this style. Some do actually exist and they are also not my preferred style but that is not the entire production. Generalization is always problematic or at least most of the times.

David, you are right – it´s not only brett. The climate is different too. The yields are lower, the selection is stricter and so forth. I love the fact that vintages like 1973 or 1984 are very unlikely these days. And vintages like 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2017 were not extreme in heat or ripeness. I th...

A while ago I opened 1986 and 1996 Talbot and tasted them side by side with a wine loving friend and wine writer. The former wine coming from the so called golden era of Cordier. The 86 had a strong band aid aroma while the 1996 was clean. One would say that band aid added complexity but to me the 1...

I taste, buy and drink Bordeaux for more than 30 years. And I have hard times thinking that 70th and even 80th Bordeaux was/is better than today. Knowing that many many Chateaux did not care much for the health of their vineyards and cleanliness in their cellars. Tons of chemicals were sprayed, no o...

I had some discussion with Francois over the years. His opinion is extreme. For instance: Champagne is produced with bubbles for a reason. If a Champagne has lost the bubbles it is fair to say that this wine is too old and no longer Champagne. Why buying Champagne and waiting until it lost the bubbl...