TN 2000 Lilian Ladouys, St. Estephe

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Well it took 16 years and half a case but at last this wine has come to readiness. Early readiness but ready nonetheless. I should have known because from release this wine was tight and severe. But how do you know if that would last 10 years, 15 or 20? Perhaps one learns to gauge backwardness with experience. Now this has nice cabernet scents and a placid and slightly warm mouthfeel. Plenty of acidity and a minty aftertaste that has a sort of ginger prickliness. Going to have this with some Weber-ized, dry rubbed chicken thighs.

[Blanquito]

The 2003 of this was yummy. Bought from PJs on your recco, I recall

[JimHow]

Sipping another 2012 Haut Bergey tonight, I wanted to revisit this to see if I wanted to buy more at $22 from MacArthur. This is such a lovely 12.5% effort! Really beautiful, a tremendous bargain at $22.99. If the rest of the bottle keeps developing as well as this first glass I'm going to buy another case.

[AKR]

I loved that 2003 as well. I don't think the 2000 showed up locally, or at least where I was at the time.

The 1990 was a solid one as well.

Have yet to try the newest variants which seem to be also well regarded.

I'm doing grilled pork porterhouses and corn on the cob tonight but haven't decided what swill to have with it.

I get the sense the SO doesn't want anything.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

This is drinking very well now. It's also showing enough of everything to suggest, to me at least, that holding back a couple of bottles for another 10 years would not be a futile endeavor.

[dstgolf]

The 2003 was fabulous value and drank through 2 cases quite quickly at $24.99 CDN thought that it was a steal back in 2005. Too bad I have none left.

I think we should start a campaign to trash the 2012s or 15s so the masses get turned off the vintage and vendors have to unload their stock like they did with many 2003s. I'm just sad that I didn't load up with more 2003s because they were and still are pretty stellar early drinkers. I was a little puck shy during my 15 case purchase spree to buy more reading all of the negative reports about these being unbalanced/not enough acid with many adding acid pre bottling/too heavy use of oak etc etc. Can't we start an all out rumour thread on BWE to influence the market!!

[robertgoulet]

Mag of 2009 LL here $79

Any thoughts on the '09?

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

This is quite different from the easy-going 2003. I suspect 2009 would be more approachable in youth though I haven't had it. May I say also without denigrating this wine that by 2015 standards (not having tasted any 2015s) this might seem quaintly rustic? After all it has tannin and noticeable acidity and from what I gather those are no longer desirable traits in the modern era of silky smooth, low acid wines.

[AKR]

Mag of 2009 LL here $79

Any thoughts on the '09?

To whatever extent you consider RP's thoughts, here's what he had to say

Wine Advocate #199
Feb 2012 Robert M. Parker, Jr. 90 Drink: 2012 - 2027 $18-$45 (32)
Elegant, with loads of black currant fruit, cherries and dusty, loamy soil notes as well as hints of tobacco leaf, spice box and cedar, it is a medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, fleshy wine that should drink nicely for 10-15+ years.

This is the best wine I have ever tasted from this property, which has gone through many changes and frequent listless, uninspiring performances. The change to a better class of St.-Estephe was started by the late Vincent Mulliez, who passed away tragically last year, but who got things started by reducing yields, cleaning up the place, eliminating the TCA that had tainted so many wines in the past, and going with a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot. The result is the best wine they have ever made, or at least the finest I have ever tasted from them.

The price seems high to me. I'd think a good/fair price would be $60-70, even accounting for a bottling premium. My rule of thumb is that if I can buy odd formats for zero premium over 750ml, it's a good deal. Most of the time that doesn't happen. The other problem is shipping, it's usually inefficient shipping cost wise for large formats, so there is some logic/savings in buying locally, or in a spot where one can pick up at some point. I could swear at some point someone posted a link for a six pick of the 2010 with free shipping for $25 per, which sounded like a good deal.

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

Another bottle of this 2000 drank very well last night. Good density, good richness, good cut. Balance and harmony.

[Racer Chris]

I have '09 and '10 in my cellar and lately I've seen a number of very positive tasting notes on CT for both vintages.