Pomerol Vertical including 1996 Petrus

[Winesense]

Flight 1:

1997 L'Evangelie
Nose: expressive, dark chocolate, barrique. Color: Shows some sign of maturity. Palate: little acid, vegital notes, flour, tired. 85
1999 Petite Village
Nose: prunes, rum, rich, overripe fruit. Palate: licorice, prunes. Short. light wine. unimpressive. 88.
2000 La Providence:
Too young. balanced, green notes, cresses, leather, tabacco. arid. 83
2000 Certan
Nose: Rosepedal, chocolate. Still young. Palate: powerfull, dried prunes, black tee, smoke. Needs more time (+8 years). 92
2001 Vieux Chateau Certan
Dark color. Ripe, sweet. accadia flowers, dark chocolate, cassis (20% CS in assemblage), elderberry. Needs a litte more time (+ 1 year) . 91.

[Winesense]

Flight 2:

2001 La Grave:
Nose: Dark chocolate, truffles, first signs of maturity. Dry, some chocolate, noticeable tanins. medium body. 88
2001 Clinet:
Powerfull. Some green notes.red berries. black pepper. Strong body. Long. Much too young (+8 years). 90
2001 La Clemence:
Great concentration , strong. Black cherries, wet stones, marcipan. Needs an other five years. 94
2001 La Conseillante
Dark chocolate, elderberry, very balanced, barnyard. Needs five more years. 89
2001 Trotanoy
Very concentrated, dark chocolate, black berries, rum. Needs an other five years. 93

[Winesense]

Flight 3
2002 lagrange
Chocolate, green notes, black cherries, delicate 87
2002 Eglise Clinet
I think they tried to much in this light year. Green notes, coal, noticable acid, elderberry. 88
2003 La Cabanne
Smoke, tar, fruit candy, red cherries, delicate, touch of honey. 88
2003 la Flaur Gazin
Balanced, delicate, some rum. closed. 85
2003 Pensees de Lafleur
Nose: Iodine, smoke, wet grass. Palate: green notes, cumin. medium body. 87

[Winesense]

Flight 4

2003 Certan Marzelle
Nose: intense. Green Pepper. Caramel. Palate: medium body. Black fruits. Strong tanins, Needs more time. 90
2003 Hosanna
Nose: Cold black tea, black berries. Palate: Black berries, ripe tanin, milky touch. 91
2004 l'Hospitalet de Gazin
Nose: Smoke, black cherries. Palate: medium Body, red cherries, green notes, almonds. 87
2004 Latour a pomerol
Rar, truffle, medium Body, ripe tanins, black cherries. 90
1996 Petrus
Dark chocolate, coffee, very concentrated. medium body. ripe, but still strong tanin. red cherries, raisins, honey.
Herbal notes: melissa, mint, verbena.Complex. Ist this the reaseon for the high price, - complexity? 92

Done.

[DavidG]

What a tasting! Thanks for sharing. Great notes. Very concise and to the point.

[Michael-P]

Makes me wonder if anyone in Pomerol makes good wine?

Thanks for the comprehensive list, which will help me weed out the good stuff....

[Winesense]

Thanks for the comments.
During the last year I emptied a case of Latour a Pomerol 1996.
At a price of 50$ (Raeders Wines & Liquors) it is not exactly cheap. It is a reliable high class Pomerol however that never let me down.

[Tom In DC]

Makes me wonder if anyone in Pomerol makes good wine?

Coming from you, Michael-P, I'll assume you'll eventually see a medical professional to extract your tongue from your cheek...

Seriously (and I hope I don't offend AlexR too much with my take on things), in my experience, Pomerol is not a wine to buy every year, so I'm not surprised that a tasting that included a wide variety of wines from a series of vintages didn't impress. The price doesn't go down enough in years like 1997, 1999, 2002-2004 to justify buying every year.

[Michael-P]

Yes, I was joking. As Tom knows, I am a big fan of Poms. But it does come down to vintage, as he points out.

Now where did I store that bottle of 59 Latour Pomerol....?

[JonoB]

I find that from certain Producers like La-C, Trotanoy, VCC, Pomerol can provide great enjoyment every year (in some you need to drink earlier than others).

In recent months I have veered towards it more than other appelations, but that is despite the fact that I'm not a fan of Merlot, but from the good producers they can do some wonderful things. To the point where I prefer 06 to 05 La Conseillante!

Of Course like in many regions there are may producers some who can only do well in good vintages, but when I look at the list of wines above, I do feel its like picking holes in great wines, they would all show decently on their own in isolation. But unless its the good guys, selective picking is always best.

Also in big tastings, the stuff from the plateau tends to suffer (especially when young) because they tend to be lighter, more fragrant and more feminine in style (but that is a big generalisation) and thus get overshadowed by the bigger wines. I am on the whole finding Pomerols far more enjoyable than St. Emilions at present! Much in the same way that I prefer 89s to 90s!