1998 Ridge Lytton Springs: i did not know what to expect, of that 24 yo Zin. But, what a surprise! Medium red color. Nose was clearly fragrant, with diverse spices (cinnamon, muscad), blackcurrants, zin berries like concentrated cranberries, leather, nuts, flowers and pink peppercorns. In mouth, little light acidic red berries flavors, old leather, with a light blue fruit core. Long, with that well integrated oak, and light touch of rusticity, and cherries. No that much tannins left, but this hold very well during the night, and faced competition with pride. My no 3, group no 3. Tn: 92.
1998 Almaviva : Chilean wine, joint venture with Baron Philippe de Rothschild. This was also a nice surprise. Dark red color, lot of blackfruits on the nose, black pepper, light smoke, and that nice grilled green pepper vegetal tone. Seductive nose. Nice mouth well supported by generous concentrated blackberries and blackcurrants, creamy, silky, with a tone of earth and long low acid final on vegetal, and more blackfruit. Tannins ripe and still there. Excellent. My no 4, group no 3 (same number of points than the Ridge). Tn: 92.
2000 Chateau Lynch Bages: this wine didn't want to cooperate on that night. Strange for a 22 yo Pauillac. Dark red color. Nose was very closed at first, opened a bit during the night to give pure blackcurrants, cigare, blackberries. Mouth stayed mostly closed all night
. Yes, there was some blackcurrants, minerals, cedar, but strong tannins, light ashes but no greatness like expected. This is sad that the peacock didn't want to show us it nice feaders. My no 6, group no 6. Tn: 89-90, but with hope for the future.2003 Chateau Trotanoy: was a bit wondering how Moueix managed that very warm vintage there. But if Trotanoy couldn't do it, who would? Medium dark red, slight touch of evolution. But surely, it gave us a lot during the night. Nose of caramel, lightly sunburned red berries, and than crushed rasberries, ferrous argile tones, mint, cookie dough and lavande. Destabilizing nose. In mouth, complex as well, with medium core of black prunes, light blue fruit, argile soil flavors. Oak on the nose, but can taste it at all. Ripe tannins, with a decent long final on more ripe concentrated red berries and finally.... that nice touch of truffle. Clearly not a 1989 or 1998, but i guess Trotanoy team made the best choices in 2003, and i guess it was not easy. But the result is there. My no 1, group no 1. Tn: 94.
2000 Clos du Marquis : second wine that took more time to open. Medium dark red color, nose opened on blackberries, red berries, that nice light spicy note of Saint Julien and something like roasted almond scales. In mouth, respect Delon style, as the wine has clear blackfruit (blackberries, concentrated blackcurrants), some minerals, and something i didn't taste often in wine, some sichuan pepper corn (of course without the tongue numbing effect). Austere (in a LLC way), but finish on tannin, nice fresh currant and violet flowers. My no 4 (ex aquo with Almaviva for me), group no 4. Tn: 92.
2005 Chateau Duhart-Milon: it has been a long time i did not smell a perfect badly corked wine, like that bottle. I did not take any risk to ruin my palate and did not even taste it. Latter in the night, nothing corrected, even worst! No rating.
2005 Chateau Malescot Saint-Exupéry: my cellar being a bit warmer, i thought it was time to try that one from my stash. I would say this is not near the 97 points rating from Parker. But it is a very nice wine. Medium dark red color. Nose of Margaux, can't get wrong here, with fine blackcurrant, red flowers, concentrated red berries, strawberry syrup, and perfumed vanilla sweet oak. Medium power mouth, again very Margaux by the nice fruit (strawberries and blackcurrants), lilac flowers, complex seducing oak. Long balanced final, on light minerals mixed with bright fruit. With time, you could feel the "modern making" of that wine, as becoming a little bit more oak and sweet fruit with more time, and bizarrely, i would recommend to try a bottle now if you have some, as i don't think it is a 30 years wines... My no 2, group no 2. Tn: 92-93.
2005 Clos des Jacobins: another nice wine. Dark red color, with a nose of cinnamon, concentrated red cherries, strong roses, rasberry gelly candy. Mouth is clearly in two steps: first strong powerful attack on concentrated silky sweet cherries and blackberries, with like on the nose strong roses flavors. Than switch slowly to unsweeted cola and than a decent long, almost non-fruity, limestone strong feeling. Ripe tannins, medium to low acidity, i would also say you can open one now. Lightly glossy, but still under control. A bit "dramatic" style. My no 5, group no 5. Tn: 90-91.
Again, it was tough to do a rating of the wines, as at the end, they were all excellent and special.
