2020 Chateau Siran and the Chateau Siran experience....

[JimHow]

Tom, Gail, Tim, and I had such a fun visit at Edouard Miailhe's Chateau Siran last October. I've uncorked the 2020, with it's celebratory label, here on the back deck. I believe there is going to be artwork a la Mouton each year from here on out.

[JimHow]

Like James Suckling, we visited the Chateau Siran nuclear bunker. Yes, an actual nuclear bunker turned wine storage cellar of ancient vintages of Chateau Siran....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBbMVGBmTyw

[JimHow]

One of the things about the 1855 classification that I really never knew much about, maybe I read about it somewhere along the way but forgot about it, was the extent to which politics played a role, whether a chateau owner was a monarchist or not, etc. Chateau Siran is right in there among the great wines of Margaux, it certainly should be a classified growth, but is not. I think I've only had the wines since the 2015 vintage, they certainly seem to be very well crafted, "pure," classy. The big question, of course, is the extent to whether it is too "modern." I say not, although there is certainly some modern winemaking personality here, but not offensively so, at least for me.

[JimHow]

And then there's the price -- $36 for both the 2019 and 2020 -- I mean, come on man, just like last night's Lanessan, how can you find better quality out there from any region at this price level?

[JimHow]

The 2018 Chateau Siran was the Wine Enthusiast magazine Wine of the Year.

[JimHow]

BWE at Chateau Siran with Edouard Miaihle in October 2023....

[JimHow]

The 2020 Chateau Siran is pretty keen, quite modern, reminded me in a sense of the 2020 Sociando in that everything was "perfect." Well, maybe I like a wine that's not too perfect, maybe with a little hitch here and there, a little personality. It's like in 2020 both Sociando and Siran are trying too hard to reach some profound apotheosis. Let it go, I say. Be different. Be funky. Let some personality in there. Don't try to be too precise, too perfect. It's like an olympic figure skater who passes all the figure eight prelims perfectly, for me give me the skaters who fall on their fannies but go for the quadruple lux, perhaps failing, but oh how we enjoy the ride. Having said that, this is clearly an excellent Siran, at $36 I will buy more, it is without doubt "technically correct." I liked the 2015 Labegorce from last night better but, of course, that wine has a five year head start from a great "Margaux vintage." As for the 2020 Siran: 93 points, an excellent value at $36.

[Nicklasss]

Seriously, who is better than Jim, has more enthusiast for young red Bordeaux?

J. Suckling? No. B. Parker? Na. Asimov in the Times? Niet. N. Martin ot G. Hindle? Not even close my dear. Rychlewski or Litwar? Maybe but no. Galloni, J. Robinson, J. Leve? Are you serious? Way no.

I need to buy a few more 2020, as the few ones i had i liked. Siran is great in 2015. But the 2020 looks a bit like an art work : truly personalized by the vintage.

[greatbxfreak]

Niclasss,

I think you've gotten too excited.

[Tom In DC]

Thanks for the memory refresher, Jim. I have never laughed so much as during our visit to Siran.

[JayLives]

Nice, I'm looking forward to drinking this in a few years.