Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

hautbrionlover

Opened a bottle of the 1990 Pichon Baron over the weekend. It was an absolutely beautiful bottle - nose of cassis and a touch of smoke and leather. On the palate, fine, ripe tannins - mostly resolved, with black and red fruits. Beautiful balance and a long finish that made me wish it were a bottomle...

hautbrionlover

I’ve long been a fan of the ‘96 Lagrange. Sadly, I’m down to my last bottle.

hautbrionlover

I’ve been sitting on a half case of this for almost 20 years.
You’ve just stuck a pin in my metaphorical balloon!
But I guess it’s time to open one and see what I think.

hautbrionlover

I don’t bother with second labels other than from First Growths. (That said, a friend served a Sarget de Gruaud Larose which I found to be a poor substitute for its big brother.) I have had some very good experiences with Les Forts de Latour and Pavillon de Chateau Margaux. I think the Carruades is ...

hautbrionlover

I’m a big fan of Raymond Lafon

Planning to retrieve some of my ‘03s from storage soon

hautbrionlover

What happens if you have an even better wine on, say, Christmas Eve?

hautbrionlover

I was disappointed that Cos d’Estournel, a personal favorite, is not on the list. I assume that its omission is deliberate because you deem it to have gone too “modern”? I have had many Cos vintages from ‘66 to ‘96, but while I have some more recent ones in my cellar (including 6 bottles of the accl...

hautbrionlover

Jim, I agree with you about the ‘83 Palmer. Almost 30 years ago I split a case with a buddy at $45/bottle. It seemed expensive at the time, but I predicted that it would be well worth it.(Plus, 1983 was the year I met my wonderful wife.) I have loved every one of the five bottles I’ve had so far, an...

hautbrionlover

Vieux Donjon is also my favorite CdP, with Beaucastel close behind!

hautbrionlover

Blanquito,
Bruno Prats also loved the 1990 Cos.
Many years ago, I was chatting with him at a tasting, and when he told me his thoughts on various vintages, I promptly ordered a case of the ‘90. (A decision I never regretted)

hautbrionlover

Last night a 2014 Carbonnieux blanc, which was round, a little smoky and utterly delicious. Then a 2004 Chateau Montelena Estate Cab, which was excellent with boneless rib-eyes on the grill.

hautbrionlover

Tough to argue with the 1983 Palmer or the 1982 Haut Brion.
Some pretty fabulous wines being listed here!

hautbrionlover

Agree on both^^
For slightly more, I like Malescot St-Exupery and Brane Cantenac (the latter of which currently pushes the specified price limit)

hautbrionlover

I rarely use those adjectives for wine, but have sometimes seen them used meaningfully. For example, I have seen some St.-Juliens described as masculine - e.g., Leoville Las Cases, and others as feminine - e.g., Ducru Beaucaillou.

hautbrionlover

I have enjoyed a number of Bordeaux blancs, mostly from Pessac-Leognan.
I have bought Carbonnieux blanc in a number of vintages.
My favorite so far, though, by far, is Pape Clement blanc.

hautbrionlover

I would probably pick Les Forts de Latour, although there’s not a specific vintage I’d choose.

hautbrionlover

I half expect a hung jury, but if there’s a verdict, I’m predicting murder 2
(That said, I’m hoping for murder 1)

hautbrionlover

Indeed!

hautbrionlover

I was delighted to read about Tom’s ‘86 Montrose, because I acquired two bottles at auction last year and have been planning on opening the first of them to celebrate our 35th anniversary this spring!

hautbrionlover

21 years is quite an achievement Jim
You created something very special!

hautbrionlover

1. 1945 Mouton
2. 1947 Cheval Blanc
3. 1961 Petrus

hautbrionlover

Tough call for me, but I have to go with 1982 Pichon Lalande.

hautbrionlover

I had never had a fine bottle of red wine before, and I suddenly found myself drinking a bottle of Chateau Latour 1976 which had been mismarked (priced way too low) at a Paris restaurant. That was the “light bulb” moment for me, my wine epiphany. It’s been my passion ever since.

hautbrionlover

Jim,
I thought that Trump had won Maine’s 2nd?

hautbrionlover

Fox has apparently called AZ for Biden

hautbrionlover

Pennsylvania is key.
Unless, of course, Biden manages to win Florida, but what are the chances of him winning FL if he can’t win PA?
And NC, AZ and IA are all up for grabs (and possibly GA, but I wouldn’t bet on it).

hautbrionlover

I was a fan of the 1990 Chasse Spleen, and was delighted to discover a few months back that I had one bottle left.
We drank it with our son and his girlfriend at the end of the summer. Thirty years old, and it was still lovely.

hautbrionlover

I enjoy white Bordeaux very much.
In fact, when we traveled to Bordeaux three years ago, my favorite wine of the trip was a Pape Clement Blanc, which was stunning.

hautbrionlover

I bought 15 bottles of the 2000 BC on futures in ‘01.
I only started drinking them, slowly, about three years ago.
I think it is a terrific wine – silky, fragrant, balanced, lively. It’s a beauty.

hautbrionlover

Love those old Talbot bottles!
Who remembers the old Eschenauer Bordeaux bottles - like Rausan Segla (and maybe Smith Haut Lafitte?)?

hautbrionlover

1. Loire Chenin Blanc
2. White Bordeaux
3. Godello

hautbrionlover

I had the ‘96 Pontet Canet in December, together with the ‘96 Lagrange. I had the same two wines together about six years earlier. The first time, the Lagrange was the better wine, and the PC needed a little more time. In December, as good as the Lagrange was, the PC just flat out won. So I agree th...

hautbrionlover

While I agree it is important for Biden to win Wisconsin, I was not under the impression that it is do or die. I expect him to win Pennsylvania and Michigan. He also has a good chance of winning Arizona, and if he does that, I think he can lose Wisconsin and still win. That assumes he holds Virginia...

hautbrionlover

A pretty special anniversary!
Thank you Jim!
Here’s to many more years of BWE!

hautbrionlover

Personal favorites (not in order, and not necessarily what I think are the 10 finest films I’ve seen):
Casablanca (surprised no one else listed it)
Godfather I & II
A Man For All Seasons
E.T.
Shakespeare in Love
The Princess Bride
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Rocky
The Graduate

hautbrionlover

My personal top ten of the year, in no particular order:

1989 Pichon Baron
1999 Palmer
1986 Pape Clement
1992 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet
1986 Gruaud Larose
2000 La Fleur Petrus
1988 Lynch Bages
1993 Haut Brion
1991 Chateau Montelena Estate Cabernet
2004 Ciacci Piccolomino Brunello “Pianrosso”

hautbrionlover

The best Bordeaux I drank this year were:
Palmer 1999
Pape Clement 1986
Gruaud Larose 1986
Pichon Baron 1989

hautbrionlover

I had the 1970 Lafite in the early ‘90s and thought that it was just not a good wine.
On the other hand, I had the 1970 Saint Pierre several times between 1995 and 2010 and, to my surprise, it was a lovely wine.

hautbrionlover

We served the 1986 VCC, Pichon Lalande, and Gruaud Larose at the same dinner last spring, and had the Sociando Mallet over the summer. At this point, the Gruaud Larose is my favorite, although I did love the VCC and Pichon Lalande. The Sociando Mallet is solid, but it wasn’t in the same league. I’ve...

hautbrionlover

I had the 2016 Gloria at a UGC tasting last winter (admittedly only a taste) and thought it competed with more expensive wines in quality.

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