TN 2000 Ch. la Croix du Casse

[AlohaArtakaHoundsong]

This is in great form once again. Mild, vaporous bouquet of milk chocolate and dry, deciduous woods in late autumn. Sound acidity that reaches the top and sides of the mouth = "the brains." Nicely dense, pliant mouthfeel with fine sweetness = "the beauty." Good volume, some fine lingering tannin, but not brawny; just a bit of warmth in the finish but this is carried off nicely by the acidity and a suggestion of bitterness that I like. Very claret. And this is all without food--yet. I love a Bordeaux that can express this level of maturity and coherence in as "little" as 16 years. For that, the Right Bank is the Right Bank.

[DavidG]

What a great note. Feels like I'm there, and makes me want some. Sounds like it's time to start opening more of those Y2K wines.

[AKR]

This is a favorite estate of mine

[AKR]

We had a bottle of the 95, with pan seared salmon & fluffy baked Russets, tonite.

It is really good, A- in quality. Lightening at the edges but just so well balanced between all the elements.

Drinks very well by itself while cooking, as well as with food.

Maybe a pinot would have been 'optimal' but this meets the 'satisfice' test.

I still have yet to order the 2015, and I should get around to that.

I've been spending the marginal dollar more on 15 Rhones, esp. the northern end of the valley, but given that I think part of the reason these 95's are so good, is that I've held them since release, there's a fair argument to repeat that, even if they don't particularly appreciate (beyond storage costs + inflation).

He's gone now, but J.M. Arcaute made some magnificent wines in that era.