Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

johnz

What's most unfortunate is that the wholesalers and states have put the pressure on Fed Ex and UPS. Only some retailers still dare to ship to private customers except for those in a4 States, most of them in the Western US. I can't get wine shipped to me anymore from out of State retailers, and I fea...

johnz

Very interesting and surprising that 2000 D'Issan would be the most backward among such wines as Lynch B, GPL and Leoville Barton of the same backward 2000 vintage. I would never have guessed that.

--Gary Rust

johnz

I hear you all, but not a lot of sympathy from me here in Minnesota -- local Lakes have 26" of ice and Northern lakes have 30" plus. Fishing opener is in 4 weeks! I may have to bring my auger.

--Gary Rust

johnz

My advice -- stock to the Pessac Leognan wines like Carbonnieux, Latour Martillac, Haut Bergey, La Louviere and away from the overpriced newly developed Medoc whites. Pessac has been making great steely/austere white bordeaux wines utilizing Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion grapes for a long time, and ...

johnz

HOLD the '98 HB and LMHB -- they are babies.

--Gary Rust

johnz

To my taste I agree than 95 and 96 need more time. The only '95 or '96 classified bordeaux that I considered mature or close to mature is Pape Clement, and that's really good. For me, wines like LLC, GPL Leov P and Leov B need more time. Branaire usually comes around earlier, but the 2000 of that wi...

johnz

johnz

To me the 1996 Lagrange is still a very young wine. I've had the 1990 twice this year and it is going very strong at 27 years

--Gary Rust

johnz

Recently the 1988 Lafite from half-bottle. Not bad, but really quite boring. I sold most of my Lafite in 2011 and kept that -- sure glad I sold the 1988 Magnum for $2,000 and bought better wine.

--Gary Rust

johnz

The '96 better than the '82 or 90?

--Gary Rust

johnz

As awful and completely undeserving as Trump is, he is under tremendous pressure from almost everyone, including the Main Street Media, opposition Washington Insiders and political parties, and the Deep State (Military/Security/Intelligence/Corporate interests), which controls everything, does not t...

johnz

Oops -- Almost forgot that the best 1986 bordeaux I've had lately, and a truly great wine, is the 1986 Rauzan Segla -- terrific.

--Gary Rust

johnz

I too originally avoided purchasing 1986 bordeaux shortly after release and through the 90s due to the stubborn backwardness of the vintage, all the while enjoying the 85s, 89s and 90s. However, I know that 1986 Beychevelle is quite good now, and I imagine some (maybe not many) others are emerging a...

johnz

Thanks for the good TNs. I purchased more than a few 1996 Lagrange (St. Julien), but have not found it as pleasant as your note indicates, at least not yet. I last tried it about 18 months ago and it still began a bit weedy, green and angular, with drying tannins. Primary yes. I let it sit for a day...

johnz

Haut Brion
Angelus
Pichon Lalande

,but like Chris, my choices are based on no wines from the current century.

--Gary Rust

johnz

I've had this and pretty much agree. The 1989 is quite a bit better, more expressive and will last a few years.

--Gary Rust

johnz

I acquired some 1998 Bourgneuf on release at a really good price, but that wine contained an unrelenting green herbaceous quality that I really disliked. I won't be buying more.

--Gary Rust

johnz

I'm just proud to live in a State where Donald Trump came in a distant THIRD (and Bernie won!).

johnz

I agree with Blanquito. I've been trying to coax this wine out of it's shell for some time -- the last about 1-1/2 years ago when I gave it a 2-hour decant and still found it lean, a bit green with drying tannins. Perhaps in it's beginning window, but I don't think there is any hurry for this. --Gar...

johnz

In terms of the wines noted here, I agree -- the lesser, non-classified wines will get no better. I've had the La Louviere many times and agree that it will not improve from here. For higher-end wines I disagree completely. Drinking 2000 Pichon Baron, LLC, Leov Barton, or Montrose now is a terrible ...

johnz

I'm very surprised that the 1990 PB is starting to decline. The last time I had it 3 years ago that particular bottle took 2 hours to finally come around, and was very very sullen and one-dimentional before that. I've seen other recent tasting notes on the wine noting it's "slow evolution,"...

johnz

Overall, I am waiting on my remaining stash of bigger 1996 Left Bankers (e.g. GPL, L. Barton, Cos, Pichon Lalande, Lagrange) as I think they still need more time (though not much) to really shine. The 1996 Lafon Rochet is an exception that proves the rule-- the 96 Lafon Rochet was hard and pretty c...

johnz

I've had 2 or 3 of the '90 Haut Marbuzet, but finished the one last ten years ago or more. I thought it was fully mature then, and am surprised it's still good.

--Gary

johnz

I've always wanted to love this wine, but no vintages I've ever had have really "wowed" me, but the '82 came close. I've had the '70, '78. I've had many, many bottles of 1985 over the years -- good but . . . just not what I would hope for. I have a sole bottle of 1995 that I understand con...

johnz

Great TN, thanks. I too think the '90 PC is stellar, and I had more. The '96 is also really singing right now -- better than most '96's are now drinking.

--Gary Rust

johnz

No decant -- pronounced bouquet upon popping the cork, the nose is not complex but strong blue fruits, lightened wine rim in the glass, pencil lead and slight herbs, nothing hard or angular in the mouth, a bit low in acid. Very nice. Classic Pauillac. I think this is quite a bit better than Lannesan...

johnz

"BTW, fortunately, the quality of many second wines has increased dramatically in the last decade..." MAYBE, BUT SO HAS THE PRICE -- to ridiculous levels for many 2ds and the quality is rarely there -- I'm with Jim -- skip the 2ds and search out the cru b's, Castillions, Fronsacs or Moulis...

johnz

Boy, in big, classic vintages like 2010 Chasse can be a backward animal -- I've been drinking the '89 and '86 which are terrific now and will be good for some years yet.

--Gary Rust

johnz

I have been drinking through some auction bought 1989 Chasse Spleen and am continuously impressed by how good this wine is right now -- with many years to go.

johnz

If you get the change to drink the 1990 Clinet don't miss it - that wine is absolutely at the top of it's game right now -- fantastic. Of course it's super expensive now, and the '89 is even more costly -- a wine I've never been able to taste.

--Gary Rust

johnz

I too have been underwhelmed with the 1988 La Mission -- usually a stellar wine in almost any vintage. The last time I had it (2010) it had a reticent bouquet and an almost unripe, green quality in the mouth. I was hoping a few more years would bring out more complexity which I think has happened wi...

johnz

I agree that Red Obsession is interesting and entertaining, and I enjoyed it. It is, however, a bit dated, as the Chinese bordeaux mania has obviously backed off significantly. I'm sure glad I sold my Lafite in 2010!

--Gary Rust

johnz

I too was underwhelmed by a 1988 La Mission of mine about 3 years ago - edgy and drying, so chalked it up to more time needed. I only have one bottle left, but I'm not sure it will ever come into balance. How long to wait . . .?

--Gary Rust

johnz

Currently this week's Winebid auction offers two single bottle lots of the '89 Lynch -- one for $230 and one for $250, plus 15% premium. That's a lot of money, but it's not $400 . . .

-Gary Rust

johnz

I would never pay current prices for 1st or 2nd growth second wines, but I really liked the 1998 Bahans Haut Brion -- I had a 3-Liter of that about 2 years ago and was quite satisfied with the wine, especially for the price of $110 paid on release . . . !

--Gary Rust

johnz

Pardon my ignorance, but what does "reductive" mean in a tasting note? Is it as simple a meaning as "closed/needing air"? I've seen "reductive" used in a TN for a wine also described as "tired"!??

johnz

It's been a really cold December here in the Twin Cities, and this week in Northern Minnesota where my Father-in-law lives (Lake Vermillion) it was -43 F WITHOUT windchill. Next Week (Sun/Monday) it is predicted to be even colder -- minus 20F here and minus 50F Up North (w/o windchill considerations...

johnz

The best chateau bordeaux maps I've ever seen appear in Hubrecht Duijker and Michael Broadbent's "The Bordeaux Atlas and Encyclopedia of Chateaux." I too have never seen a decent "poster map" of bordeaux chateau, but the maps in Duijker's book are outstanding -- much better and m...

johnz

That's interesting. I've tried to break into my '96 Lagrange St. Julien's in the last year or 2, but have found them quite young -- not closed, and with a decent bouquet of black cherries, blueberries, spice, licorice that builds with time, but in the mouth to me it was angular, plenty of green pepp...

johnz

I had this one year ago -- the bottle was opened, not decanted and brought to a restaurant. It was in a shell -- just slight hints of sour cherries and little else. We coaxed it for a couple of hours, but it was really hiding itself. The bottle was not corked -- possibly "off" in some othe...

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