Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Pomerol dinner to celebrate the publication of Neal Martin's book on Pomerol

A few Pomerol aficionados gathered in London in late January to drink some Pomerols with Neal. It was a rare treat to drink so many mature Pomerols 

With Cauliflower Arancini with Parmesan and Spring Truffle

2000 Chateau Guillot
Under the radar estate sought out by aficionados this is next to Le Pin. Still taut and youthful, dense, plush, rich and earthy. Very promising. 90+
1998 Bellegrave
A little more forward with nice pluminess developing. Ripe, chewy and delicious. 91

With Mushrooms on Toast

2001 Château Certan May
From an under-rated vintage this is a super  wine. Rich, lush, chewy, bumptious, buxom and full. It is already drinking very well but will continue to improve and last a long time. 93+
1990 Château Certan May
This is probably a fast forward version of the 01. It is a fantastic wine in a great place. It is rich, meaty and complex but retains that trademark rusticity and freshness. An absolute delight to drink. 94
1986 Château Certan de May 
Some people thought it was corked but i thought it was just a wonderful quirky wine with a bracing latrinal attack. On the palate it is all over the place and about as smooth as Les Patterson but i loved it. Some distance behind its flight mates but very enjoyable old school wine probably made in a filthy cellar. 90

Roast Pyrenean Lamb with a Gratin Daphinoise

1989 Vieux Château Certan 
Really youthful, fine, fresh and elegant, with mineral notes. This wine was a bit shy and difficult to coax especially next to its more flamboyant flight mates but there is no denying the quality. I think it will only improve. 93+
1989 Château La Conseillante 
This is lush, rich and luxurious but shows admiral restraint, poise and refinement and has a nice grippiness. It has been drinking well for a while but will continue to do so. 95
1990 Château La Conseillante 
On the night I preferred the 1990' because it has that added kinkiness, silkiness and exoticism that ultimately makes this the sexier and more exciting wine. It is lower in acidity but retains a remarkable freshness, minerality and  vitality. 96

Rib of Aged Beef with Oxtail Spring Rolls and Marrow

1966 Château Gombaude-Guillot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
A very mature, mellow wine with tertiary coffee and other notes. Just about holding together. 86
1971 Château La Fleur-Pétrus 
This was a rare treat and a privilege. A fully mature Pomerol from a legendary vintage in top nick. This had a dreamlike nose of truffle and sous bois and it really epitomised all that is magical about Pomerol. The most memorable wine of the night. 97
1955 Vieux Château Certan -
Remarkably fresh, red fruit, this had a slightly confected note to it. This settles down and shows plenty  of complexity.  90
1964 Château L'Evangile 
Some what less poised and muddy. Still holding up it actually pulls itself together well rather than go the other way but still more a curiosity. 87

With Truffled Brie de Meaux

1995 Château Clinet 
Not as good as the last bottle and not really coming out to play. Four square with hints of evolving plumminess. This will be good but is backwards and a vin de garde. 90+
1995 Lafleur
Though extremely young, unevolved and opaque this was in a different league. There is something very special about this wine and now I get what all the fuss is about. Petrus-like but at the same time very different - it has a lot of Cabernet franc where Petrus is virtually all merlot. This has a remarkably purity, integrity, freshness and brooding power. 98++
1996 Château L'Eglise-Clinet 
This really was a lovely wine, with floral notes. 91
1964 Château Latour A Pomerol. This was served blind. I guessed 71 Trotanoy. It was very suave mature with coffee mocha notes. It was absolutely magical and similar to the 71 Lafleur Petrus. 96

A very interesting selection to mark the arrival of Neal's magnum opus. If you only buy one wine book this year I would highly recommend this. It really is the definitive tome on Pomerol. 

I debated buying this book. It seems beautifully and painstakingly put together. But alas, Pomerol, which has always captivated me, is now out of my league. So I'm taking a pass, unfortunately.

Thanks for the notes, CF. I've always really enjoyed Neal's writing and need to get around to trying some of the more modestly-priced Pomerols he recommends. Planning on buying his book.

Ian,

Wish I had been there!

I do like the taste descriptor "added kinkiness".

As for 1971 the Château La Fleur-Pétrus, you mention that this is from a legendary vintage. Were you referring to Bordeaux, the Right Bank or the château? I only ask because when 1971 Trotanoy was in its prime it was a very impressive wine and the vintage may have been a winner altogether in Pomerol.

Alex R.

Hi Alex

I wish you had been there too...yes I was referring to Pomerol rather than that chateau in particular or the right bank or Bordeaux in general. I was lucky enough to drink Petrus 1971 several years ago, which is not too shabby either.

All the best

Ian

I just sent a note to determine if it is available in the states.

Comte Flaneur wrote:Pomerol dinner to celebrate the publication of Neal Martin's book on Pomerol

A few Pomerol aficionados gathered in London in late January to drink some Pomerols with Neal. It was a rare treat to drink so many mature Pomerols 

With Cauliflower Arancini with Parmesan and Spring Truffle

1998 Bellegrave
A little more forward with nice pluminess developing. Ripe, chewy and delicious. 91

A very interesting selection to mark the arrival of Neal's magnum opus. If you only buy one wine book this year I would highly recommend this. It really is the definitive tome on Pomerol. 

I had my final bottle of the 00 Bellegrave [Pomerol] over the last couple of nights. It is still doing well, although I think it was better 5 years ago. There are many estates with similar names so if one is looking for it, make sure its the Pomerol. Back at the turn of the century, MacArthurs was the only importer I knew of, and I have not seen it stateside in a while. (although a quick WS look turns up 5 btls of 2015 at JJ Buckley, $41/per) The wine is fully mature, showing a garnet color, and plum notes on the nose. This elegant, feminine wine avoids earthy/forest tones, leaning more on fruit. Tannins are resolved, and the acid balanced, so it drinks very well all by itself. There is touch of rhubarb here as well. Both times I've had it I recall the fruity St Emilion, La Fleur. The first two pix in the album are of the label and its color. It's still hanging on to its B+ grade for me.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3vRkWGCAdrGGwEXUA

I wish I'd bought NM's book on release !

Wow! This looked amazing. Even before we get to the wines, I was salivating at the thought of oxtail spring rolls and marrow, and it is only 7:20 AM here in NY. What a brilliant tasting. I will certainly be buying the book, but curious how does it differ from the first edition apart from updated tasting notes.?

I have had the Conseillante 1989/1990 on a few occasions, and while I totally agree with your description, stylistically I go for the 1989 every time. I also like the 1989 VCC; I was lucky enough to buy a few magnums, and I think the wine is in the same level.

The wine that stands out most in the memory from that dinner at The Square in Mayfair seven and a half years ago is the 1971 Lafleur Petrus

I thought it was a reprint of the original book. I did not see the date of your original post.

Arv has a curious, though endearing, penchant for dredging up old threads from the dim and distant past

California has strong green mandates for recycling (even of interweb threads)

AKR wrote:California has strong green mandates for recycling (even of interweb threads)

So much so that Rudy was trying to take advantage of the green mandates by recycling the old bottles...

Comte Flaneur wrote:Arv has a curious, though endearing, penchant for dredging up old threads from the dim and distant past

Yes. I had e mailed Vinous asking if they were selling the new edition.

This seems to be a reasonable deal, for a Pomerol that is not seen widely, and is decent.

https://www.winebid.com/BuyWine/Item/76 ... Bellegrave

Ian
I really did laugh at the “bracing latrinal attack” of the 86 Certan de May.
That sounds like bacterial spoilage rather than Brett or corked characters. Not something I want to taste.

I have to say that over the years I have largely ignored Pomerol and I only have in storage a case of 05 Lafleur (auction purchase in a fit of intoxication) and a few odd bottles of le Bon Pasteur and Clinet.

Yet their wines are celebrated and in high demand thus I can’t expect any price corrections - which I have noted this year in St Emilion and the Medoc. C’est la vie.

Ian
I really did laugh at the “bracing latrinal attack” of the 86 Certan de May.
That sounds like bacterial spoilage rather than Brett or corked characters. Not something I want to taste.

I have to say that over the years I have largely ignored Pomerol and I only have in storage a case of 05 Lafleur (auction purchase in a fit of intoxication) and a few odd bottles of le Bon Pasteur and Clinet.

Yet their wines are celebrated and in high demand thus I can’t expect any price corrections - which I have noted this year in St Emilion and the Medoc. C’est la vie.

Somehow the “latrinal attack” reminded me of the famous,well notorious, review of L’Ami Louis, the renowned Paris eatery beloved by Robert Parker.it may be one of the funniest and also nastiest things I have ever read, and is pretty close to our horrific experience there. I am still teased unmercifully by my family, as I insisted spending an extra night in Paris to experience the $100 chicken.
https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2011/0 ... uis-201104

Running the worst restaurant in the world, or at least in Paris, and staying in business, is a great testament to the ingenuity of the owner. I have horror stories about a number of famous expensive restaurants, but I cannot top Gill's.