The 2008 Meyney has been uncorked....

[JimHow]

Settling in for a beautiful October weekend in the Great State of Maine....

Been extremely swamped, especially in attending to the final details of the novel.

It's been years in the making, but, keeping my fingers crossed, it looks like it is going to be out as early as this week! You guys are going to have to humor me and buy a copy, available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle!!

Time to check out another 2008, this one the Chateau Meyney....

[JimHow]

First impression: Nice traditional St. Estephe! I'm excited!

[JimHow]

I see HWSRN gives this 85, calling it "angular," etc. We'll see....

[JimHow]

So far I don't think this is "angular" at all. Initially, anyway, it is... okay, here goes again... "2002-like"....

But there's a long way to go.....

[JimHow]

That deep ruby St. Estephe/Lafite-like color.
Very different than that Margaux purple, or even that Pauillac-Mouton-Pontet purple just a few miles to the south.

Amazing, isn't it?

[Claret]

Drinking 1986 Meyney tonight. It is finally ready with resolved tannins.

[JimHow]

I liked this wine. I think it is very solid. On the traditional end of the spectrum. Good solid fruit. Will age well for 15-18 years. HWSRN said this was "impressive from cask," but "hard, tannic, angular" after bottling. Gee, I guess I'm glad I didn't make any investments on his mighty word when he was drinking these wines from cask. It is surprising that he would have such different opinions of a wine from one year to the next, I mean, he probably spent an entire 15 seconds sniffing and spitting this wine each year, among hundreds of other wines, how could he POSSIBLY get it wrong? <rolls eyes>

HWSRN rates it 85 points. I give it 90.

[Bacchus]

Jim, sounds like '08 is at risk of becoming your second favourite vintage since 2000!

How's the '86 turn out Claret?

Anyone try, and I ask this question more for RobertGoulet than for myself, the 04?

[Claret]

The 86 from my 57 degree cellar is at peak and should be consumed. It has smoothened out and developed tertiary components. A solid wine rather than a blockbuster.

[DavidG]

Sounds like this may be one worth waiting for. OTOH, I can't wait for your book. Will dl it to my Kindle as soon as it's available!

[BordeauxKassett]

Had this wine last week and was not impressed. Obviously too young for drinking now, but I can't see this ever coming around to something really great. Hard, bitter, tannic, unfriendly - was close to undrinkable now. Lowest scores of the night (panel testing of different communes of Bordeaux).

[JimHow]

My style preferences are different from most. I've only had one bottle of the '08 Meyney but I liked it. It would undoubtedly fare poorly in a matchup of Parkerized wines, though, as it is more along the lines of a traditional, reserved claret. I think I'll buy another bottle ITNOS.

[Nicklasss]

Ok, the 2008 Chateau Lafon-Rochet is available here, I'll give it a try this weekend.

Nic