Bordeaux 1985 revisited (long)....

[greatbxfreak]

Last Thursday, 11 experienced wine tasters gathered together at classic French-Danish restaurant in Copenhagen, Restaurationen, to taste 16 wines from 1985 vintage, including 5 1.Growths from Left Bank, 1 PGCC A from St.Emilion named Cheval Blanc and whole 6 2.Cru Classe from Haut Medoc.

I was overseeing harvest in September 1985, it was my second visit to Bordeaux (first one took place in March 1984 in terrible rainy weather). I was treated with beautiful weather, sunshine from morning to evening, 27 degrees Celsius in whole September. Very, very few properties had thermoregulated vats, many others used ice blocks to cool the must from outside.
One of the main reasons for me to remember 1985 was meeting Jacques Thienpont of Le Pin, just by accident while going to Cheval Blanc, turning by mistake left after Catusseau instead of going straight some further 500 meters and then turning right. I also remember eating more than half a kilo of big, fat, juicy, sweet Merlot grapes at La Dominique.

Many wine critics call this vintage a woman vintage, because of wines seductive approach, great sweetness and balance, elegance and charm. I completely agree. One’s to remember that 1985 produced enormous amount of wine as yields were between 60 and 70 hl/ha at many famous places. No green harvest, no leaf removing. Remarkable vintage in many ways as my TNs imply! Classic Bordeaux at large!

The tasting:

Tattinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2005 – fresh with fine acidity, citrus, rich and refined with finesse and sophisticated touch. Long finish. 95p.

Rausan Segla 2. Cru Classe Margaux – light red, really fabulous on the nose with typical aromatic scent of Margaux commune, black cherries, a lot of sweetness, truffy with sheer elegance and finesse. Classy wine and still going strong. I didn’t expect this wine to be that excellent – there’s for sure at least 10 years more life in it! 94p.

Leoville Barton 2. Cru Classe St. Julien – much darker in colour, powerful, blackberry/blueberry compote, strong tannin to support the fruit, barely so elegant and finesse marked as RS, but this wine is something of a beast and will probably keep without any problems for another 20 years. 95p.

Gruaud Larose 2. Cru Classe St. Julien – fabulous thick layered nose of blueberries, fine acidity, truffles, fine grained tannin, great balance, depth and finish. As excellent as Leoville Barton but different style and I think it won’t keep as long as Leoville Barton. 95p.

Leoville Lascases 2. Cru Classe St. Julien – strong and powerful, reminded a lot of Gruaud Larose, but for me it lacked sweetness and length of it. 93p.

Cos d’Estournel 2 Cru Classe St. Estephe – yougurt, strong and powerful, spicy with truffles, sappy, big structure and backbone, great balance, depth and length. Mother….. of a wine, give it 20+ years more! 96p.

Blind wine – everybody guessed Bordeaux. It turned out to be 1985 Dunn Vineyards from Napa. I guessed Calon Segur. Pepper, strong tannin, strong structure and depth, meaty finish. This excellent wine has still 10-15 years to go. 95p.

Pichon Comtesse 2. Cru Classe Pauillac – extremely seductive on the nose, extremely charming, truffy, intense. A lot of sweetness, great, great balance, silky fruit and tannin, long aftertaste. In full blossom and what a treat!! I simply adored it. Sure bet for 15 years more in the cellar. 96p.

Lynch Bages 5. Cru Classe Pauillac – more raw and more powerful, great complexity to start with but after 20 minutes in the glass this wine falls apart for some reason. 92p?

Then 5 1.Growths served in one flight:

Haut Brion – aromatic and complex nose of blackcurrants, very stylish, excellent sweetness, truffles, great balance, silky fruit and tannin. 20 more years? Impressive stuff. 96p.

Margaux – already tasted twice in 2015 with same impression. I don’t think this wine offers tasters really much in terms of aroma, depth, structure and sweetness. It’s light but also round and charming. 90p.

Mouton Rothschild – distinguished and classy stuff, extremely rich and refined, sophisticated, truffles, fabulous structure and depth. Bull’s eye! Easily additional 20 years in the cellar. 97p.

Lafite – powerful, deep and strong, lots of fruit and tannin, perfect balance and big meaty aftertaste. Not as distinguished as Mouton Rothschild, but who cares. Many years to go. 96p.

Latour – a bit light and not really up to level of quality and excitement of Mouton Rothschild and Lafite. Still it isn’t a bad wine, just gracious, seductive and tasty. 92p.

Then two wines from Right Bank:

La Conseillante Pomerol – anonymous, light, round and pleasant. Just Ok wine. 88p.

Cheval Blanc PGCC “A” St.Emilion – showing some age, truffles, refined and elegant with finesse. Stylish wine which tastes extremely well. Excellent. 95p.

And we finished with:

1985 La Tour Blanche – this vintage wasn’t something memorable in Sauternes and Barsac because of lack of botrytis caused by lack of rain. Sweetness in wines was more the result of grapes drying out because of the heat. This wine was served from double magnum and was just OK. 87p.

[Comte Flaneur]

Izak, wow what a vicarious thrill!

What a line up...the 1985s are really singing aren't they? we did a tasting in London in July and they thrilled us. You have to say that this vintage is pretty close to -982...

A lot of what you wrote up completely chimed with me.

I think the wines of the vintage are the two Rothchilds...I prefer Lafite but that is nitpicking and they are very different...Parker didn't get it with either. The Margaux I think it is really backward like the 1986 in a vintage context...it is the only 1985 that needs a lot more time. I had a disappointing experience three years ago and when I retried it in July I realised I started to get it. Palmer can be great, but like Lynch is highly variable.

Where I differ is with Leoville Lascases. I had this the other day and I think it is absolutely out of the top drawer, and Latour is very good too, better on average than your example.

Lynch can still be great but is a bit hit and miss now...and my sentimental favourite is Grauad-Larose, so under the radar but singing.

[AKR]

Nice notes.

[greatbxfreak]

Comte Flaneur,

I've to find your notes from 1985 tasting. Can you give me a link.

1985 Margaux I tasted at the property in June 2015 (during Vinexpo) again at the property in October 2015 and for third time last Thursday. All three bottles tasted exactly the same, so it can't be question of provenance.

1985 Leoville Lascases was tricky, started extremely well but closed in quickly. Still I miss some more sweetness in this wine.

1985 Gruaud Larose is great quality for money.

[Claret]

85 was a vintage that never shut down. Very easy to enjoy at any stage.

I went through a case of Rausan Segla in the mid to late 90's. Full of Margaux charm and perfume.

I enjoyed Cos many times as a friend had ample access to his vacationing father's supply. Cheval Blanc was also a velvety treat.

[Comte Flaneur]

Izak here it is:

http://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/ ... 223#p45223

[RDD]

Glad they are holding up.
Still have a decent stash.
Anyone had GPL lately?

[robertgoulet]

Was the Dunn...Napa or Howell mt. ?

[Rudi Finkler]

Thanks for the wonderful notes, Izak!
After almost four decades of enjoying fine Bordeaux, for me, 1985 remains the most charming vintage of all, 1990 the most enjoyable, and 2001 the most sophisticated...

[Blanquito]

I love 1985, it is a vintage that always seems to exceed its reputation.
I find 1990 puzzling, with some terrific wines but also many heralded bottles providing disappointment in the context of the vintage.
1986 is right in my wheelhouse --though some wines can be just a little too austere -- and does just about what I expect.
1982 is pretty much awesome and deserves its rep.
1988 is underrated with some terrific wines.
1983 is my all-time underrated vintage, still affordable at auction, often showing terrific aromatics and charm, but they need to be consumed soonish.
Not sure about 1989, I haven't had enough of the big guns. What I have had suggests they need more time.

[dstgolf]

Loved the update and the notes got my mouth watering.

Did JimH influence the Lynch upgrade to deuxieme class?

[greatbxfreak]

Danny,

Yes, it did ha ha, no, just typing error from me, thanks for mentioning this.

robertgoulet,

Howell Mountain is part of Napa - found this on Danish wineshop, kkwine.dk - "Dunn Vineyards is located east of St. Helena in the town of Angwin on Howell Mountain.

One more thing about this tasting of 1985 - we were all impressed by the longevity of this vintage and we all agreed that the incredible balance between fruit and tannin is the main reason of long life of 1985.

As claret rightly says - 1985 has always been open arms' vintage and thanks a lot for that!

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

I guess the question is did Dunn have a "Napa" bottling in 1985 or was it just Howell Mountain then.

[greatbxfreak]

I've no idea, the guy who conducted the tasting said Napa.

[Blanquito]

Dunn had the Napa bottling back then, Hound.

I've seen the 82 Napa before on WineBid, I recall.

[DavidG]

Sweet! I think I drank a fair number of my 1985s too young. Thanks for the notes, Izak.