Two Right Bank 1998s

[Musigny 151]

I cannot think of a better Right Bank vintage than 1998. Perhaps 1982 is its equal, and I have tasted a few outstanding 2016s. But overall, for present drinking, I can’t think of a more interesting, complex, pleasurable year than 1998.

Figeac 1998
I have drunk many Figeac from the glory days of the forties. This is a return to them; the minerality, the licorice, leather, and a slight hint of the Figeac green. Love the wine. Depth, a good deal of subtle power, beautifully structured and a long easy finish. Eric d’Aramon made wines for the long term, and some of them could be hit or miss. This is clearly the former, and without doubt, the best wine he ever made. Still could do with a few years. 98 plus

Pavie 1998
When he first purchased the property, the consultant was Dr. Alain Raynaud, from the family who owned Croix and Fleur de Gay. A gifted man, he made this Pavie, and it too is brilliant.

Pavie sits on a hillside, one of the best sites in Saint Emilion, and Raynaud was able to craft a wine that was both opulent and still complex. Plenty of fruit, slightly ferric, smoky, with underlying spices. Not quite the length of Figeac, but pretty close. It has aged beautifully, and I doubt whether it will get much better, but will plateau here for some years. 96

[JimHow]

Whuzzup sold all his 1998 right bankers not long after he bought them.
He was just wrong. And all the talk about the lack of age-ability of Pavie and its like was poppycock.
Parker was right about the 1998 right bank.
I have one half bottle of 1998 Pavie left in the cellar, I'm thinking of uncorking it in the name of science when some BWEer comes by the homestead in Maine.

I think the 1998 Figeac was at the top of the list of wines of the night for me at some BWE convention or two in the past decade, Denver? DC?

[SF Ed]

1998 Right Bank and Graves are awesome. My biggest problem is that I've drunk most of mine.

Most of you know how obsessed I am with 1964s, and when 1998 came around early in my wine fandom, I immediately saw the weather parallels and bought a bunch. Just like 1964, 1998 was a great year across BDX until massive storms came in during harvest. In 1964, if you picked before the rain, you had really nice wine. But since nearly all Left Bank chateaux didn't pick until after the rain, the reputation of the vintage is marred by the dilute and uninteresting wines they made. In 1998 better technology allowed the Left Bank to make decent wine, but just like 1964, it is special on the Right Bank and Graves.

I still have some Le Conseillante, La Mission Haut Brion and Haut Brion, but that's it. I have enjoyed the fruit of the 1998s for years and don't feel bad to have drunk them "early".

SF Ed

[DavidG]

We did a huge bunch of 1998 right bankers at the BWE Convention a few years ago. Gotta agree it was a great vintage there (and Graves).

Ed, I drank almost all of mine too. Still hanging on to a lone bottle of 1998 Pavie.

[AKR]

I've still got a few left, but the flashier names are all gone. That's ok, though. They were much loved, and I would not expect much survivors for those who purchased on release.

The 1998 Pavie Decesse is pretty good too.

[JoelD]

Sounds like a lovely night, Mark.

I am very curious to try this 98 Figeac in the future. Hopefully with Blanquito after half a Blanquito.

How would you compare/contrast the Figeac to the 98 VCC? I forget what rating you have given to that before as well.

[Harry C.]

I just reviewed the 98s in my Cellar. Lots of Chateauneuf and still about 20 right bankers and some Pessac-Leognan- as the latter tends to mirror the right bank in vintage quality. Gotta start drinking more!

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks for the notes Mark. I still have half a dozen 1998 Figeac which I have found to be a particularly slow maturing wine - drank the first few too quickly - so happy to sit on the rest for a while - have you or anyone here tried the 01 Figeac recently? I have a full case of that. If either are anything like as thrilling as the 2000 I am in for a treat.

The last time I tried 1998 Pavie was well over a decade ago. I found it overwrought. Wasn’t it the first vintage after Perse took control? Maybe it has mellowed and aged well?

Last night as a result of Covid I missed out on a London right bank dinner which featured VCC and Lafleur 1998. Neither bottle shone. The VCC apparently wasn’t right and the Lafleur surprisingly tasted over the hill. Apparently Cheval Blanc 2000 galloped away with the wotn accolade.

[greatbxfreak]

I have tasted Figeac 1998 in 2017 and totally agree with Musigny 151. Rated it 95p. Luc d'Aramon got it right in this vintage but made some uninspiring wines towards his last years at Figeac. 2016 Figeac tasted last November at the property was a sheer beauty.

Ian, I've never had a good 1998 Lafleur. Tasted it twice. Imho grapes were not harvested at the right time and the wine is dull and lacks sweetness and volume.

Cheval Blanc 2000 I tasted at the property two years ago and it was a stunning experience.

[Musigny 151]

I have tasted Figeac 1998 in 2017 and totally agree with Musigny 151. Rated it 95p. Luc d'Aramon got it right in this vintage but made some uninspiring wines towards his last years at Figeac. 2016 Figeac tasted last November at the property was a sheer beauty.

Ian, I've never had a good 1998 Lafleur. Tasted it twice. Imho grapes were not harvested at the right time and the wine is dull and lacks sweetness and volume.

Cheval Blanc 2000 I tasted at the property two years ago and it was a stunning experience.

Last time I had the 1998 Lafleur, it was showing signs of emerging from a long period of dumbness. Far from being cheerful and amiable, it is incredibly tannic, and the fruit is currently in check. I sense something of the traditional Latour; another ten years at least.

I wish I had tasted the VCC next to the Figeac, in fact that was my intention until I realized I had run out of bottles at home. Still a few off site, so reached for the Pavie instead.

I have not had the 2000 Cheval since Primeur. I imagine it is stunning.

[marcs]

I have just a few right bank 1998s - they tend to be so good I can’t resist drinking them - but my tiny stash includes 3*1998 Figeac and 3*1998 VCC