2004 Brane-Cantenac and 2000 La Prade

[Rudi Finkler]

No doubt, the 2004 Brane Cantenac is an excellent wine, but it completely lacks the extraordinary perfume that usually distinguishes this fine Margaux - at least in earlier days. Unfortunately, the acidity still is very present, but the delicious, complex fruit and the long finish compensate a little bit for these flaws.
So, last night, the interesting question was: Can the 2000 La Prade, AC Bordeaux Côtes de Francs, outperform the famous second growth from Margaux? - And the answer is: Yes, it can!
This elegant and extremely well balanced wine from Nicholas Thienpont impresses with terrific purity, a rich mouthfeel, and wonderful precision. Sweet cherry notes dominate on the palate, with spicy undertones. A wine of understatement and finesse.

[Roel]

LOL! Yes, it can! And I know of several so-called low-end Bdx being able to outperform a 1855-GCC. I remember wines like d'Aiguilhe, Haut-Macô, Faizeau and the likes from various satellites doing really well. Nowadays 'terroir' is being overshadowed by winemaking, so anyone can win..

[Rudi Finkler]

That's correct.
But for true terroir believers, the extraordinary significance of terroir is still a dogma and some of them can quickly become very aggressive when their sacred cow is touched.

[Roel]

I believe the best combination is Excellent Terroir + Excellent Winemaking + No Overextraction. Unfortunately, most properties are unable to deliver this package.

[Tom In DC]

Easy to say, Roel, since most of the world doesn't start with excellent terroir!

I'm gradually becoming more of a fan of "excellent winemaking" + "no overextraction" which seems to be improving wine quality everywhere without having to be located on a mythical piece of land.

[Rudi Finkler]

That is my view too.