TN: bordeaux notes

[jmccready]

• 1996 Château Malescot St. Exupéry - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (4/18/2012)
  Bright cherry red brick color with browning rim. Dried red currant fruit aroma with hints of forest floor and earth. Medium weight on palate, hints of cherries-a wine of finesse, elegance and restraint.
  The tannins are well meshed and not too assertive but they do add to the drying aftertaste. I couldn't get Burgundy out of my mind while tasting this from the color to the finish. This is one of the
  more interesting clarets I can remember with many complex flavors which justify its 3rd growth status. Drink now although it has enough balance and structure to last for a good many years. (89 pts.)
• 1996 Château Potensac - France, Bordeaux, Médoc (4/9/2012)
  Dark brick-red color with garnet browning rim. Nose a light mix of youthful and more mature red fruits with hints of chocolate. This wine has perfect balance to my taste with soft integrated tannins,
  hints of plum, an elegant style not at all jammy. For an everyday drinking claret, I can't imagime a better one at this price. This wine is respected as one of the finest just below the fab
  five classification and this vintage is showing the best of its terroir. Buy and drink but a warning-the bottle evaporates rapidly so open two. (94 pts.)
• 2005 Château d'Issan - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (4/2/2012)
  Very dark opaque purple color, tight nose of plums and dark berry fruits. The taste has about all you can pack into a fine Margaux-a real iron fist in a velvet glove. Most all of the
  adjectives recorded by other tasters on this site can be found in this layered wine. It is 60% Cabernet and 40% Merlot and its balance makes it a wine whose maturity should
  be measured in decades and not years. If there are any bottles around in 15 or 20 years then I hope I am here to try one. A seamless classic! (95 pts.)
• 2005 Château Giscours - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (3/26/2012)
  Dark black cherry color, Slightly browing rim, nose of blackcurrants, light plums, and light cherrires. Rich, mouthfilling and soft texture on palate. Structure behind the fleshy new world fruit with tannins
  that support the new world impression. A wonderfully balanced wine-the result of the great vintage and excellent winemaking. It will be tempting to drink this wine before more advanced flavors
  develop, but that will involve the experience of the collector. All aspects, including the oaky overtones are well meshed. Try a bottle in 5 years. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

[Houndsong]

Thanks. I've had one 96 Potensac from a case that was great, probably what you're describing. Maybe one or two were nice/OK, and a handful have been rather dry and lame. There seems to be a lot of bottle variation with that vintage.

[DavidG]

Nice notes, and welcome to the forum. Great introduction! Tough to keep your hands off those '05s, eh?

[AlexR]

Thanks for sharing your notes.

I have a bottle of 2005 Giscours, so it's good to know where it's at.

Potensac has a huge following, but I am not often impressed with the wine, usually finding it more "solid and reliable" than anything else.
However, I do not know the 96 vintage.

Issan is I wine I thoroughly enjoy, and it's one of those wines that never seems to get the attention it deserves.
So much the better for the pocketbook...

Alex R.

[robertgoulet]

i have the dissan...can't wait

[Bacchus]

I think I have a thing for Margaux; I have both the d'Issan and the Giscours, love them both, and think they'll only get better. But the problem with reading these types of notes is it makes me want to go out and buy more.

By chance has anyone tried the 09 d'Issan?

[jmccready]

I think I have a thing for Margaux; I have both the d'Issan and the Giscours, love them both, and think they'll only get better. But the problem with reading these types of notes is it makes me want to go out and buy more.

By chance has anyone tried the 09 d'Issan?

I wish I had more of both of these too. I am looking forward to tasting the 09 d'Issan if I can find it. This property must be making their greatest
wines ever, and I am sure that is true of many other prpperties. So long to wait for maturity, so little time left for me, and the price is always
a factor with Bordeaux (and Burgundy, etc.) Thanks for the reply. Jmccready

[JimHow]

Great report, jmccready.

1996L is awesome.

Potensac has a huge following, but I am not often impressed with the wine, usually finding it more "solid and reliable" than anything else.
However, I do not know the 96 vintage.

Issan is I wine I thoroughly enjoy, and it's one of those wines that never seems to get the attention it deserves.
So much the better for the pocketbook...

I'm with you Alex R. on your comments above.

I have six bottles each of the 2005 d'Issan, Brane Cantenac, and Grand Mayne, I refuse to touch them for at least another 10 years.