TN: 00 Ferrand Lartigue [St Emilion]

[AKR]

00 Ferrand Lartigue [St Emilion] Over two nights, one night popped and poured, the other cooled and decanted. 13% abv on the label. Sometimes buying EP and cellaring wines doesn't pay off. I've had a few of these over the years, and have never been really pleased, especially when compared to other similar St Emilions like Barde Haute which are much more thrilling. Lots of sediment, fairly dark, no lightening at the edges, but doesn't really show much on the nose. On the palate it comes across as underfruited and maybe too much tannin. Fairly consistent with the prior times I've had it as well. I remember thinking the same thing about the 98 too. I stopped buying these with the 2000 vintage, which is probably a lucky thing, since I don't seem to enjoy them. Maybe the newer years are better. Maybe a B- for me.

It seems like others on this board have enjoyed this wine in this vintage more.

[Comte Flaneur]

Arv

I really liked the Ferrand 2000, the estate we visited on 19th May. But qualitatively it is probably similar to what you described with the Lartigue. It is at the less exuberant end of the St-Emilion spectrum.

[AKR]

I had another bottle of this over the last two days, with some lamb kabobs. It remains too tannic, and the fruit is starting to fade, so one is left with big tannins and acid. It's kind of mystifying as the wine was purchased EP and stored well. The estate supposedly take exhaustive efforts in making their wines -- supposedly as labor intensive as Le Pin, Valandraud, first growths etc. The winemaker in this era was Francois Mitjavile's son, so one would have hoped some the Terte Roteboeuf and Roc de Cambes* magic would have rubbed off. Sadly, not for me. Others have tasted this and liked it more than I did (or maybe BillP was just being polite) but I can't but help compare it to other 2000 St Emilions which I like much more. Memories are blurry, but I seem to remember thinking the same thing about the raspiness in 1995 and 1998 too. I don't think is going to end up being like Soutard, a St Emilion where the ripe vintages eventually blossom given a decade and then some. The 2000 Ferrand Lartigue remains a B, being generous.

* 2000 RdC is still drinking ok, although on the downside

[dstgolf]

Arv,

I'm in your camp on this one. We had a nice visit wth BWE back in May and the excitement was high but I must say the room was split with lovers and those indifferent. All wines served had something lacking but some seemed to love this stuff. We didn't know if it was us or were everyone else just drunk after a days tasting and winding up a long day at FL for tour/tasting and dinner. You hit it on the head for me. Dry overpowering tannins and fruit a little lacking with most vintages we tried leaving it unmemorable and one we scratched off our personal list for future reference. Not up to standard for my taste either but others will likely disagree but I'll throw that out as personal taste. After all some enjoyed the 2013 La Lagune which I thought was undrinkable on this trip.

[AKR]

They are very oaky in their youth too. I don't really get it.

It seems like the more TLC is involved in the upbringing, the better the wine should be, so it is frustrating that they have not developed the way their vintage/AOC cohorts have.

I hope my minions aren't like that.