TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

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AKR
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TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

Post by AKR »

00 Sansonnet [St Emilion] This is a right banker that I don't hear about much. Back in this era it was made by Jean Michel Arcaute, who made many great wines at Clinet as well as a lesser known Pomerol, Croix du Casse. Purchased EP and first bottle tried now, as these had appeared to have gotten misplaced. Served cool, with no decanting. I was quite keen to see what my SO thought of it since she wouldn't have any preconceptions. She had a glass but didn't like it all that much, so her second glass turned into my third glass. When I tasted it, I thought it was like Barde Haut, partly because I had one of those a few days ago, but then after a google search to refresh myself on what this estate was (and why I might have bought it) realized it was very near B-H as well as Trottevielle. So my initial inclinations weren't so far off. It's not showing lightening at the edges yet, and is a full bodied dark ruby in coloration. I get a spicy, espresso, Jagermeistery nose. Fairly thick legs on the wine, although the label states only 13% abv. If I had this blind I would not have picked it out for a St Emilion, but I'm not fussed about that. It's not showing any abrasiveness and is smooth enough to drink by itself, sans food. I wish I'd tried a bottle when it was younger to get a sense for how it aged, part of me thinks that it might have better younger. I like it, and think it gets a B+. Recent vintages under new ownership seem to have more regard, but I've not seen any of those, nor tried one. It is interesting how different in maturity this feels compared to a 98 right bank the other night. In general I'd rather have an 00 merlot dominated wine today than a 98, but as they say, "on any given Sunday...."
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AlexR
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Re: TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

Post by AlexR »

Thanks for the notes Arv.
I have rarely seen this wine anywhere and have only tasted it once in my life.

Sansonnet was a GCC at one time, but lost that status and never regained it.

Many people think the 2000s are to keep for décades, and while that is undoubtedly true for the tip of the pyramid, the majority of wines are ready to drink.

Fifteen years is a long time, maybe not for Château Latour, but for most other Bordeaux.

All the best,
Alex
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AKR
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Re: TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

Post by AKR »

It's ready to drink for sure, but not tipping over, like some smaller wines. We'll use up the remaining 5 bottles over the next half decade.

If I somehow omitted stating it plainly - this tilts more toward the modern / international style.
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stefan
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Re: TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

Post by stefan »

This is a wine I have never seen. How did you come across it, Arv?
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AKR
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Re: TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

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I am guessing I bought them EP from The Wine Club, back then I seem to remember they brought in a whole bunch of estates that don't normally hit the American markets. I surmise that happens more often in peak years. I am actually going to look through a couple feet of receipts at some point this wknd to see if I can find the vendor / price. It could also have been Hi-Time. Both of these are Orange County merchants that were sort of near my in-laws house (when they were alive/living there). The estate does get coverage from the Wine Advocate, but clearly importation, or its abundance (lack of!), is an issue. Maybe it was Hi-Time since I remember they might have had rules on how many bottles had to be ordered, and six seems atypical for me, esp for something unknown.
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AKR
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Re: TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

Post by AKR »

Enjoyed another one of these tonight (or at least half a bottle) and it got better with air. Lots of toffee, espresso on the nose. Fruit on this bottle was a little wan at first. Perhaps that will round by tomorrow. Ramon suggests drinking these sooner rather than later, and I agree.

PS: added one day later - fruit richened up. a very nice St Emilion all in all.
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Re: TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

Post by AKR »

We had another bottle of this last night, with some roast chicken the kids helped assemble/prepare

https://goo.gl/photos/DDBR346bbxUGiTYT8

The double burner iron skillet on the right has been in the family for 3+ generations.

It's a nice wine but wish I had gotten to it earlier.

2012 was being offered rather cheaply a few months ago, which was mentioned in the Deals thread.

I've got enough of this ilk so I passed.
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Jeff Leve
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Re: TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

Post by Jeff Leve »

Arv... Do you ever Google these chateau you are discovering? Lots of info out there. At least to me, Sansonnet was not making very good wines in 2000. Since 2009 however, they have been on fire and making one of the better wines from St. Emilion at that price point. The wines are just super! You can read about the estate in detail should you wish: http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/bor ... sasnonnet/
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Re: TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

Post by AKR »

I bought this back in 2001, en primeur, without knowing anything about it, other than what was reported in WA#134, pasted below.

And in the thread's first point, a few years ago, I do mention a google search, but that was in 2015, when the thread started.


=========

Rating:
(88 - 90)

Price ($)
NA

Drink Date
2007 - 2018

Reviewed by

Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Issue Date
22nd Apr 2001

Source
134, The Wine Advocate

A sleeper of the vintage, this wine was vinified under the supervision of Jean-Michel Arcaute. An opaque purple-colored effort, it exhibits sweet, smoky aromas of prunes, black raspberries, cassis, and cherries. Firmly-structured, medium to full-bodied, and ripe, it is reminiscent of Clinet vintages of the late eighties. If everything comes together, the 2000 Sansonnet will merit an outstanding score. There is plenty of concentration, potential complexity and depth. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2018.
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AKR
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Re: TN: 00 Sansonnet [St Emilion]

Post by AKR »

the fruit is dropping here...drink up
the fruit is dropping here...drink up
breaded pork rib eyes, pan fried and oven finished
breaded pork rib eyes, pan fried and oven finished
It's time to finish up the 2000 Sansonnet [St Emilion] which remains medium bodied, well balanced, and a good expression of a mature flavor profile. However it doesn't scream St Emilion to me. The nose has some espresso/coffee types of flavors, and it leans plum/black fruit, but that is starting to thin out. I liked it more younger. I never noted it in prior notes, but the oak is all soaked up. I'm torn between a B+ and a B grade here. This garnet right banker didn't go well with the chops -- there was a touch of fenugreek in my rub -- but someone here mentioned duck with a recent Libournaise, which sounds better.

Jeff Leve suggests current releases of Sansonnet are very good, but I haven't tried (or even seen) any.
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