TN: two 2002 and a 2000

[William P]

2002 Leoville Poyferre: a good wine in a good place. Medium bodied, nice concentration. Bright acids, tannins softening. Dark fruits. Very drinkable. Nice finish. What a bargain this was.

2002 Clos D’Estrounel a step up from the Leoville. Fuller bodied, more concentrated but not bloated or lacking in definition. Not as bright as the Leoville. Tannins present but not harsh or angular. Sweet fruit without being offensive. Tobacco, forest floor, berries. Excellent finish. A super wine. If you got this, you are very lucky.

2000 Cantermerle while not in the same class of the former two, this is a good wine and a pleasure to drink. Neither as complex nor smooth as the others, it still was a nice medium bodied wine with 2000esq concentration. Yes, a touch rustic compare to the Leoville but this was still enjoyable and holding its own against the big boys. If you have this, drink or hold for a few years.

[Blanquito]

The 2000 Cantemerle is their best ever*. Ok, hyperbole aside, it's really good, maybe the best since the 1989 (although the 1996 is very good too)... Hope the 2005/9 can reach these levels. Such great QPR.

[marcs]

I have 7 bottles of the 2002 Cos (purchased at release)...should I be starting to drink them or let them sit a bit longer? Usually think of Bdx as peaking at about 15 years, but obviously 02 is not a "big" vintage.

[William P]

Marcs, this will last for many years, but it is drinking well now. Have a bottle and see what you think.

[Winesense]

There are great wines in 2002 and the cos is one of the best. It can improve for an other nine years.

[JimHow]

Lol, not ten?
I have ONE bottle of 2002 Cos, what is the year I should drink it for optimum pleasure?

[William P]

Ah, grasshopper, what is the sound of one hand clapping?

[Houndsong]

Lol, not ten?

No, not 10. The drinking window closes in 2020. That's clearly marked on the label "best before 2020."

[mike reff]

Lol, not ten?
I have ONE bottle of 2002 Cos, what is the year I should drink it for optimum pleasure?

Jim, I just had the 2002 Cos, about three weeks ago and it is drinking very nicely. I would drink within the next 2-5 years if I was you.

Mike

[JimHow]

2002L is indeed a favorite year of mine.
I wonder where I can get some 2002 d'Issan at a reasonable price.

[Ramon_NYC]

2002 Leoville Poyferre: a good wine in a good place. Medium bodied, nice concentration. Bright acids, tannins softening. Dark fruits. Very drinkable. Nice finish. What a bargain this was.

Yes, for a song, I bought a 6-pack back in the days upon recommendations here on this (or the old) board. I belive Chris/Chasse was the enabler then. Haven't had it since. Glad to read the good notes.

2002 Clos D’Estrounel a step up from the Leoville. Fuller bodied, more concentrated but not bloated or lacking in definition. Not as bright as the Leoville. Tannins present but not harsh or angular. Sweet fruit without being offensive. Tobacco, forest floor, berries. Excellent finish. A super wine. If you got this, you are very lucky.

Consider me lucky. I have 2 in storage.
Iirc, the Cos 2002 came out at about the same price as the Cos 2001. I've recently had the 2001, it was good but it didn't blow me away as much as this TN on the 2002 implied.

2000 Cantermerle while not in the same class of the former two, this is a good wine and a pleasure to drink. Neither as complex nor smooth as the others, it still was a nice medium bodied wine with 2000esq concentration. Yes, a touch rustic compare to the Leoville but this was still enjoyable and holding its own against the big boys. If you have this, drink or hold for a few years.

If I recall back then, this was somewhat of a "sleeper of the vintage" type of wine. Hyped as it was, I bit and bought some. Hey, it's Bdx 2000 afterall and every wine was supposed to be good. I kinda like the "rustic" descriptor. Thanks for t-o-f-t-t.

[Comte Flaneur]

Bill - it was good to meet you in San-Fran-cisco .. and thanks for your notes.

I was a smidgeon underwhelmed by the 02 Cos when I had it a few months ago but I may not have given it enough TLC/foreplay (I was trying to jump on Jim's bandwagon...).

I am drinking a split of one of my favorite 02s, right now - Leoville Barton, which I remember fondly from bottle 5-6 years ago - and it is actually really hard work - second one I have had this week -tannic and lacking charm, but I am confident it will pull together well. Phases these wines go through are fascinating.

[Houndsong]

That reminds me I had the 04 Leoville Barton this weekend. Right after two hours of "cleansing ales" at the Colorado Brewers Rendezvous in Salida. Actually what I do recall is the wine was very approachable and quite good. Showing better now anyway than the 04 PC and Montrose. Vaguely remember component parts of currants, oak and good acidity and depth.

[William P]

Nice meeting you Ian. Hopefully we can do it again. I loved your phrase, "smidgeon underwhelmed'. I suspect that was a mild understatement. : )

[Blanquito]

I am drinking a split of one of my favorite 02s, right now - Leoville Barton, which I remember fondly from bottle 5-6 years ago - and it is actually really hard work - second one I have had this week -tannic and lacking charm, but I am confident it will pull together well. Phases these wines go through are fascinating.

Yikes! I have a case of the 2002 L.Barton, in large measure because of BWE! Yes, it was $35/per (prices that we can tell our grand kids about), but how long will this Julien take to come around, I have to wonder???