Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Just opened a bottle to go with lunch. Rather to chilly (out of the wine fridge) but even so showing a classic Pauillac nose and smooth texture. I think this is going to be nice.

Opened up really well. Soft, supple and smooth. Plenty of fruit. Well balanced and, as expected, classic Pauillac.

Thanks for the report JonathanP, this has been a bit of a controversial BWE wine, some of us think it may have been a bit too soft.

Jim, it did not seem overly soft to me. Maybe just needed time?

It's been years since I've had it.

I thought the 2012 GPL was very soft, almost merlot-like.

Haven't had the '03 GPL in a while but when I tasted the '12 at the UGC in January 2015 I remember it being lighter styled and lacking compared to most of the other Pauillacs in show. One of things I find interesting about the '12 GPL is that James Molesworth of the WS rated it 93 points which is the same score he gave to both the '09 and '10 which I had no problems with. That rating almost got me to jump and buy a case as it was under $600 but my gut instinct prevailed and I haven't caved

I'd say the hate meter runs about 95% on this, both in breadth of hatred and depth of hatred. A"bit" controversial and a "bit" soft Jim? I think this was exhibit A in your last "GPL sucks" screed (feel free to go to BWE/factcheck.com, I could be wrong, maybe it sucks, I don't know, many people say it sucks, maybe it does but many people have told me so). Personally I like the wine a lot. To recap: I found it simple and grapey at first (which was probably 2010). I also find it to be maturing rather rapidly and skipping any closed phase. And though marked by the vintage I find plenty of classic flavors, but it's not taught, tense or nervy (like Bordeaux of yore). It just tastes like a highly fruited wine that maybe is on the long side of 20 and fairly well resolved rather than 13.

I found it pretty awful on release circa 2006. I liked a lot more when I tried it recently.

Lol I was trying not to cast too much of my negativity on JonathanP's positive experience.
And admittedly I have not had it since its early days.
But of course I maintain that the only great GPL has been the 95.

I love the 82 and 90 GPLs along with the 95, but I too have my doubts about whether the other well regarded vintages (96, 00, 05, 09, 10) will ever be great.

We need to do a blind tasting of GPL, Lynch, Baron, and, I don't know, Haut Batailley or a Cali Cab?

nothing wrong with the 03 GPL drinking now. Lovely classic Pauillac and I never drank it young so don't know what Jim and others are talking about. This is very nice right now and yes even Jim may approve. Pour it in a Lynch bottle and see how his judgement is influenced!

I'm more than happy to be proved wrong Danny. I have no allegiance to any estate. When I have thought Lynch was great I have said so. When I thought it had come to suck, I have said so. Ironically, my favorite estate in Bordeaux right now may be the Purple Baron, I think they are firing on all cylinders. The 09 and 10 GPL we had in DC last spring were not impressive. And the 12 is not impressive. I have not had the 03 in a decade, we'll have to get it into a blind tasting and see how it performs!

Someone on WB had the 59 GPL and posted a positive note.

Supposedly that was a hot year like 2003 too.

http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/vie ... 0571e9c285

Jim, welcome to the Baron side!

Give me a break. If GPL is a bad wine, than 99.8 % of wines produce on Earth are plonk. PERIOD.

"I like 1 or 2 vintages of GPL every 10 vintages". Guess you're ready for California Cabernet Sauvignon or The Evil Bourgogne. Have fun baby!

Nic

I'll defend Jim here a bit (not that he needs any help)... for me there's a big difference between GPL is crap (which I admit Jim has intimated from time to time) vs. GPL has only rarely made a great wine (let the record reflect that the BD has oft stated that GPL has only made a single great wine, the 1995). The latter notion is much easier to support, in part because the standards around this board are so very high. We do drink the best wines from the world's greatest wine region after all.

I had a bottle of the 03 GPL tonight with goat shoulder pasties and a green salad.

(One of my little monsters ate her entire one up - surprisingly - as I thought the pies were strongly flavored)

The Pauillac went well with that, even though its not a big wine. There is hardly any sentiment, although I do pick up a little band-aid.

Still plenty of this estate left to consume, but I won't be reloading until prices are much lower, which seems unlikely. I won't cry -- there is no shortage of good wines, at good prices, at least while I can get shipping.

A very nice midweek drink. I still have yet to try the 2005 (beyond a slash at the UGC event) and the 2010. I look forward to seeing how modern ones are.

A very nice midweek drink.

Well, come on...
If 2003 GPL is "[a] very nice midweek drink," then GPL is in big trouble.

Unless you're a baller.

Speaking of ballers, I went out for dinner last night, and on the wine list these items were offered

2000 Lanessan $150
2005 Caronne St Gemme $160
2003 Sociando Mallet $200

Those prices are only a little bit lower than where one could have bought solid cases EP.

Sometimes I think out west, the hospitality industry expects people to pay much more for BDX than comparable CA Cabs. All wonderful wines but that's like putting Mondavi Napa CS on a list for $175 or something.

Wow, Arv! Where you live corkage is easy. Does anyone really buy things like that off a list at those prices? According to WineSearcherPro, the average retail price for Lanessan 2000 is $34. If I saw it at $150 I would be tempted to go next door to eat even if I had brought my own wine.

GPL has fallen so low that it has become a mid-week quaffer, like most other $20-30-ish supermarket wines.

1995 gpl is wonderful...and I loved 2010 on release, but could be in shut down stage.

1995 GPL is the one "great" GPL since the controversial 1982.

I was blown away by the 90 GPL in DC last Convention.

I like 96 gpl also...but a notch below 95

stefan wrote:Wow, Arv! Where you live corkage is easy. Does anyone really buy things like that off a list at those prices? According to WineSearcherPro, the average retail price for Lanessan 2000 is $34. If I saw it at $150 I would be tempted to go next door to eat even if I had brought my own wine.

I suspect when its diners own money, they aren't buying those. But this is seat of state government, so there's a lot schmoozing that happens non stop, often with other peoples money. So if one is a lobbyist, and needs to get some airtime with a legislative aide, and than guy wants a to drink a high falutin Bordeaux, this place will sell you one ... at a high falutin price.

We rarely go there but when we do, typically BYO. That night instead we picked a NV PIerre Morlet, some grower bubbly off their list, for a net price of $40. (The SO had been sent a coupon to encourage her infrequent patronage). It was only a couple bucks more than the corkage fee, so seemed reasonble.

Yesterday I welcomed seven GPL 2000 buzzards into my cellar. One is already stood up for ritual sacrifice, probably on Thursday night. Will report back. P.S. Not a fan of the 2003.

I never thought about Chateau Grand-Puy Lacoste as a midweek drink. Compared to other Pauillac around the same level of classification, I think i prefer GPL to Armailhac, Clerc Milon, Pedesclaux, Haut-Bages Libéral, Batailley, Haut-Batailley or Grand-Puy Ducasse.

For my nose and palate, the 1982-1985-1990-1996-2003 have all met the right Pauillac standard, when you review them on the quality/price ratio.

Nic