TN: 00 Potensac [Medoc]

[AKR]

00 Potensac [Medoc] Served cool, over two days, from those plastic hotel crushy cups. 13% abv. Still a dark purple, no bricking at the edges. Medium bodied. Has a powerful curranty, black fruit flavor on the palate. That note is very strong, but like a song which keeps repeating the same riff over and over. I don't pick up additional layers of flavors here. On the second day, the wine is a little bit less flavorful than the first, suggesting to me that waiting more will not add anything extra. But its a very good cru bourgoise, with some tannic structure still present. I believe it can continue to hold, but without gaining interest. The last glass shows a lot of sediment. Sadly, one glass was lost, when one of my destructive minions, splattered it all over, which will probably cost me a towel damage fee too. I think this estate's wines can taste lean in their youth, and when tasted vs. comparable right banks, when young, they don't show well. But after a decade, when some smaller merlot oriented wines start losing their spark, Potensac pulls ahead. So despite my comments this is really nice so I'll give this a B+

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From a month or so ago

[Nicklasss]

Lately, I tried and liked the 2010. Austere, but like that 2000, will be at it best in 10-15 years.

Nic

[JonnyGusto]

Although not quiet as reputed a vintage as 00', the 97' is most certainly proving most enjoyable drinking at the moment.

[robert goulet]

Drank the 01 last week

Wine was in a bit of a coma....some classic claret notes but fairly muted

[AKR]

I had another bottle of the 00 last night. I was really struck by its monotonic nature.

It doesn't have the layers, or complexity, that others might offer.

It's still a very good wine, but I guess this would be an example of why this might be a cru bourgeoise, rather than a great growth.

Sometimes the whole classification system feels like a scam to me, and then there are times, when given some aging, one can understand.

The SO felt it went very well with a pressure cooked goat stew I made for a a cold, uncharacteristically drizzly day.

[AKR]

Another bottle decanted and aerated this afternoon, sampled while I wait for pool party guests to arrive. Rich currants, but lean fruit. Fairly typical of Potensac. These are better enjoyed by themselves than with a flashier wines. I'm making ribs and chorizo, so this is totally the wrong choice of wine, but hopefully the wine pairing police won't catch me today.

[AlexR]

Potensac is from the Northern Médoc (used to be called the Bas-Médoc, but that has a connotation of inferior quality, so was scrapped), so one should really not expect miracles from it. It is a solid dependable wine that is much advantaged by its Relationship with LLC.
There are other northern Médocs that represent better value for money. I'm thinking in particular of La Tour de By.

Alex R.

[AKR]

Potensac is from the Northern Médoc (used to be called the Bas-Médoc, but that has a connotation of inferior quality, so was scrapped), so one should really not expect miracles from it. It is a solid dependable wine that is much advantaged by its Relationship with LLC.
There are other northern Médocs that represent better value for money. I'm thinking in particular of La Tour de By.

Alex R.

Yes I think prevailing pricing doesn't seem warranted. But a few decades ago when they were $200/cs, more interesting.

[Comte Flaneur]

I really enjoyed this wine even more so than the 1996. I have one left which I will try soon.

[AKR]

Another bottle tonite with meatloaf, double decanted 24 hours ahead of time. Again, on the lean side with its fruit, some coffee and currants on the palate. Finish is 20 seconds or so. The wife thinks it was better last year, and I think she's right. It does flesh out a little in glass. It's a B for me, other examples have been better.

As mentioned up thread, this estate tend to show best by itself. If one needs multiple bottles for a supper, open more of this, rather than having something else with it.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Haven't tried on lately but have not had much luck with this one. Unpleasantly ornery is my recollection. Might have been a problem with my case.

[AKR]

I think they consider that a feature. I'll consume what I have, but its not something I particularly look to reload on with modern vintages, upon full reflection.

Charmail and Lanessan are comparable Medocs to me, and they just dominate this every which way.

[AKR]

I take a bottle of this on every years ski trips to have a fixed point to compare, plus its a bottle I wouldn't get upset over if it broke while traveling, or was filched by baggage hAAndlers. Another bottle of the 2000 Potensac at age 20 remains a stalwart battleaxe even out of paper hotel cups. Strong earthy grip, drying tanning (still!) and a cool, lean palate of fruit. It's not a good wine to sip by the fireplace, without any food. But it richens up slightly as it aerates with a little blackberry fruit, I'd give it a B. I don't think this would be a crowd pleasing choice, but the BWE cadre should try various vintages of this estate to get a sense of what a solid C-B can do, and how well they keep.

Probably not mentioned in this thread, but I had a genuinely excellent bottle of this sometime in the fall (with appropriate food). It was one of those bottles that makes you sit up and realize this is why oenofools cellar the better smaller estates.

At our last hotel I was drinking Vielle Ferme out of a 3L box (gratis from the property) so it was striking to compare a true quaffer to this, which has a touch of gravitas, even if not friendliness.

Happy New Year