A few Clarets last night

[Comte Flaneur]

I went to a tasting at the Winemaker's Club under Holborn Viaduct in London the former location of Oddbins fine wine which was a legendary outlet in the 1990s. We had a fun night, maybe too much for a school night! I made cursory notes and of course left them there. So these are rather hazy observations:

Bérèche Brut Reserve NV - had this before (in 2011) with David Crossley (UK champagne expert and aficionado) loved it
Louis Roederer '02 - in a really good place now I thought, good bite and finish
Etienne Sauzet 'Les Combettes' '01 - I really liked this wine's floral delicacy and finesse
Cos d'Estournel '99 - like walking into a coffee shop, spikey tannins and initially disjointed. It improved markedly over the evening but still a less-than-stellar Cos...low on fruit and possibly acidity relative to the tannins.
Leoville Barton '99 - perfect poise and pitch. However still a bit curmudgeonly on the palate. It still needs 3-5 years. I love this wine, but the 00/01/02 and 04 moved the game to another level. 
Rauzan Segla '00 - this bottle had an off-putting high-tonedness. Underneath is a compact, dense and classy wine which needs 5+ years. Without that initial fault, probably the wotn. 
Pichon Comtesse '01 - not as good a bottle as the one I had in May. Mid-weight, refined. After an hour: So light it became coca-lite, a bit odd.
Vieux Château Certan '01 - cocooned, somewhat dumb, and a long, long way from being ready. Similar to the 98 and 00 but the least impressive of the trio. Other people around the table thought it might be flawed but could not articulate why. I think it is just in a deep,slumber. Give it 8-10 years.
Warre's Vintage Port '70 - wonderfully resolved old port, very much in the image of Robin, our MC, who reminded me of my housemaster at boarding school. 

[Nicklasss]

I own only the 2001 Pichon Comptesse, and which it Will be like your previous bottle, when I'll open my first bottle.

That 2000 Rauzan Segla seems promising! I had the 2000 Chateau Branaire few weeks ago, and while excellent, still need 5 more years. Crushed rasberries, grainy tannins, niçe minerals and oak. Dense in mouth.

Nic

[AlexR]

Hi Ian,

Thanks for sharing your impressions.
You didn't say how many there were of you .

Yes, 99 is a funny vintage. Most all, I find, are as good as they're going to get.

All the best,
Alex

[stefan]

I agree with Ian on the '99 Leoville Barton, Alex. It will continue to improve for a few more years.

Ian, I had so many Sauzet premoxed wine that I drank all of mine up and have not bought any since. The bottles that did not get the pox were really good, though.