96 Ch. de France, 04 Certan de May, 03 La Croix St Geroges

[AlexR]

Hi,

Izak Litwar ("Lafleur") is in Bordeaux, so we had a meal last night with the above wines after kicking off with a Crémant de Bordeaux Rosé.

I think Ch. de France is a fine Pessac Léognan, and good value for money. This bottle had a heady mineral/lead pencil aroma and a fine structured flavor. Still shy of its peak, nevertheless drinking very well. It reminded me of a good Paullac, but without the richness or quite the long aftertaste.

Izak had visited Certan de May in the morning, and had come back with a bottle of the 2004. I had never had wine from this estate before and was delighted. The wine had a lovely, complex nose of violet, plum, and (yes) truffle with tremendous class. A toasted oak side came to the fore over time. The palate was really very silky and sensual, but without overkill. Sensual *and* restrained. It'll be a beauty in a few years.

We finished with 2003 La Croix St. Georges. Izak swears he doesn't like any 2003s so, of course, he was critical of this wine. I was less so. While the previous Pomerol was clearly the better of the two, the latter also had a very suave, delicous flavour. The big difference is what the French call an "empyreumatic" smell and, to a lesser extent, flavor. This fancy word means sort of burnt rubber aromatics. 2003 *was* a difficult year in Pomerol, but this is a very creditable wine.

All the best,
Alex R.

[rjsussex]

Thanks Alex -

This brought back memories: Certan de May was virtually unknown in the early 80s when I bought a case of the 79 on a tip-off from a friend in the UK trade. (I think he'd supplied the legendary Harry Waugh with it.) It was not only easily the best of the very many 79s I was then collecting but it was also one of the most beautiful clarets I've ever drunk. And the price was very modest, amazingly so for the quality. I followed with the 81 which was less memorable and then the 82 - and shortly after that (before sampling the 82!!!) I went off my head and sold virtually all my cellar - including all three vintages of Certan de May.

Sigh.

And now the prices of Certan are where they should be - beyond me.

Best

Richard

[AlexR]

Richard,

Please don't despair.

There are ways and means of feeding your fine wine habit.

I should know...

I wish you the best of luck in scrimping, saving, borrowing, stealing, winning the lottery, marrying a rich widow, ANYTHING to be able to drink well.

Best regards,
Alex R.

[rjsussex]

Thanks Alex! I managed to build up, and then sell again, another cellar-full since those days and am now back at a third cellar-full of 120 cases or so which will see me out! (Selling those cellars made kind of sense - financially!).

R