Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

2000 Ch. La Croix St. Andre, Lalande de Pomerol. Finally got all my wines in one spot and knew I had some small names that might need consumption sooner than later. This one was spot-on mature with some old library smells and a fully secondary flavor profile. Middleweight and quite vital with good supporting acidity and some slightly grainy tannin for structure. I recall this being a fairly forward wine on release yet for that it made a nice mature claret anyway. I don't know about you but it hardly seems like 15 years to me since 2000.

2002 Ch. Sociando Mallet. Bigger than I recall and certainly bigger than the likes of Branaire, Lafon Rochet and Clerc in this vintage, at this moment. This has got fresh green peppers out the wazoo and over the top, and driving (though not tart) acidity like Caruso on 78 RPM vinyl giving it a very dynamic, round and firm mouthfeel. Very good and quite interesting though I could see some would not go for this flavor profile.

2003 Ch. Gloria. En magnum. Well, meh is probably the word. Brought this up to RMNP 4th of July weekend and drank over two days with our host at her cabin in the park. Mild, "smooth" blackcurrant and raisin and medium-bodied but not a lot of interest. Kind of glycerous-light. Might have had one of these on release and think it made a better or more interesting impression then. Might be a victim of low acidity and light extraction. May also have suffered from lack of attention as it was not a focal point for me during consumption.

summers a tough time for bdx

Gracias for this looksees. You know, I've become a real fan of some green notes in my red wines. Like most things, too much is unpleasant but gosh I've really find the pepper, piney things in a cab refreshing and engaging. And I like how it morphs with age, becoming more like smoke and tobacco. Of course, it's nice when these notes don't come at the expense of depth and fruit, so some green pyrazines are great if things don't get thin and weedy.

I agree, a little green is nice and can add complexity. Like oak in wine or salt/spice in food, if it becomes the center of attention it's a distraction and a detraction. Sociando Mallet, like Loire Cab Franc, can keep it under control in a ripe year. Fresh green peppers out the wazoo sounds like too much for my palate. I bet Marc's buddy Orlando Bobby would go for it.

Maybe its because I only pick up S-M in ripe years, or wait til its mature, but I don't pick up all the green notes that people complain about.

I don't care for green peppers, or celery (other than slivers in a tuna salad or something), so if anything I'm attuned to that.

Orlando Bobby would....we luv the green notes as a background fixture