Old white Bordeaux and some few red Bordeaux too...

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greatbxfreak
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Old white Bordeaux and some few red Bordeaux too...

Post by greatbxfreak »

Last Saturday I participated in very interesting tasting of white Bordeaux in vintages spanning from 1943 to 2013. There were a couple of ringers and we finished with some old vintages of two Cru Bourgeois wines. All wines were decanted and served blind.

We tasted following white wines:

1 flight - Malartic Lagraviere 2003 versus Bouuscaut 2013
ML 2003 was light with good acidity, pleasant and round. Nothing spectacular and can be explained with big heatwave in August 2003. 87p. Bouscaut 2013 in a really fine vintage for white Bordeaux, shined with green apple aroma, splendid acidity, freshness, fine structure and persistent fruity finish. 92p.

2 flight – Carbonnieux 1982 versus Carbonnieux 1985
Interesting flight with Carbonnieux 1982 being a bit bitter on the palate but with fine acidity and length, then more fruity 1985, better concentration and length, riper fruit and longer finish. 88p for 1982 and 90p for 1985.

3 flight – D.d.Chevalier 1953 versus Laville Haut Brion 1943
Old stuff but interesting to taste. D.D. Chevalier 1953 had almonds on the nose and sherry tones on the palate, still nice acidity, tasty, drinkable but well past it’s prime. 89p. Laville HB 1943 was full of sherry and nutty tones, potent, had nice acidity, great complexity, richness and length. Not bad at all for this 74 years old white Bordeaux! 94p.

4 flight – Latour Martillac 1972 versus Laville Haut Brion 1972
LM 1972 was rather anonymous and light while Laville HB 1972 was fresher, more concentrated and longer than LM 1972. Both wines did not have significantly good level of ripeness of fruit and acidity. 85p for LM and 87p for LHB.

5 flight – Smith Haut Lafitte 2005 versus Smith Haut Lafitte 1995
I guessed both wines with regard to the name of the property and vintages served. SHL 2005 was simply excellent with fatness, many aromas, richness, depth, remarkable acidity and substantially long finish. 96p. SHL 1995 found itself on lower level compared to SHL 2005, but graced ones tasting buds with crispiness, aromas of acacia, pear and peach, fine acidity and balance. 90p.

6 flight – Chante Alouette (white Hermitage from Chapoutier) 1955 versus mystery bottle with no label, which smelled and tasted like a very old Armagnac.
Ch.A. 1955 wasn’t to be found on the wine graveyard, far from. Has kept well, a bit sherry oloroso, still drinkable, nice aftertaste. 88p.

7 flight – Laville Haut Brion 1979 versus Domaine de Chevalier 1979
LHB 1979 was powerful, potent with lot of fruit slightly affected by sherry tones, had rather fine acidity, structure and persistent aftertaste. 92p. D.d.Chevalier 1979 was significantly fresher with more elegance, finesse and sophisticated touch. Rich with long finish. Remarkably excellent wine to be honored with 96p.

8 flight – Pavillon Blanc de Chateau Margaux 1999 versus Aile d’Argent (white Mouton Rothschild) 2014
P.Blanc de Ch.Margaux 1999 didn’t really hit the high notes being quite anonymous and light. 86p. Aile d’Argent was much better - great acidity, acacia flower and apricot, intense and rich, smooth aftertaste. 92p.

9 flight – Domaine de Chevalier 1961 versus Domaine de Chevalier 1969
D.d.Chevalier 1961 was darker the D.d.Chevalier 1969, still lively with some acidity, elegant, tasty and with nice finish. 91p. D.d.Chevalier 1969 despite some slightly sherry scent on the palate, showed potent approach and elegance, great intensity and complexity, splendid taste and persistent finish. Fantastic effort in a vintage where red wine in Bordeaux was dead and buried long time ago! 94p.

10 flight Domaine de Chevalier 2009 versus Malartic Lagraviere 2009
D.d.Chevalier 2009 had very flowery nose with acacia, lemon and green apple, was refined with splendid acidity and excellent balance. Great elegance and style. 95p. M. Lagraviere 2009 couldn’t really compete with D.d.Chevalier in terms of elegance, depth and length. Well-knitted wine, aromatic with fine acidity and strong finish. 91p.

And some reds to finish off the tasting…..

Lanessan 1990 in magnum versus Labegorce Zede 1990 in magnum
Lanessan 1990 impressed with large quantities of sweet berry fruit on the nose and palate, fine complexity and balance, mellow tannin and deliciously fruity aftertaste. Big surprise! 92p. Labegorce Zede 1990 was close to be equally excellent as Lanessan 1990, but didn’t possess same level of fruit sweetness. 90p.

Lanessan 1955 versus Labegorce Zede 1961
This time both wines were in normal bottles. Lanessan 1955 was mirroring 1990 a bit, still alive, complex and tasty, but had bit of dryeness creeping in on the finish. 89p. Labegorce Zede 1961 was strong and concentrated with well-trimmed fruit and tannin, fine complexity and length. Indeed impressive effort! 92p.

NB. Labegorce Zede was merged with its neighbor Labegorce in 2005.
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greatbxfreak
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Re: Old white Bordeaux and some few red Bordeaux too...

Post by greatbxfreak »

I guess nobody on this forum drinks white Bordeaux and especially in old vintages. Furthermore, if I put some TNs from some minor chateaux in Bordeaux, nobody reacts too. ;-)

Have to write soon about some big guns and catch the attention.....
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: Old white Bordeaux and some few red Bordeaux too...

Post by Comte Flaneur »

Thanks your interesting notes Izak.

What are the best modern vintages in dry white Bordeaux from the Graves/Pessac region?

This from JR does not seem to be very helpful

https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/vi ... eaux-white

I suspect you are right that we should pay more attention to these wines. The SHL 2016 was rather fabulous I thought.
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greatbxfreak
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Re: Old white Bordeaux and some few red Bordeaux too...

Post by greatbxfreak »

Ian,

She is dead right in her description of vintages and I agree with her. 2010, 2005, 2009, 2007, 2014, 2013, 2015, 2002 and 2001 in my order of preference. 2016 lacks acidity and volume to be a great vintage.
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Racer Chris
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Re: Old white Bordeaux and some few red Bordeaux too...

Post by Racer Chris »

greatbxfreak wrote:I guess nobody on this forum drinks white Bordeaux and especially in old vintages.
...
Here's my White Bordeaux consumption over the past 2 years, mostly easy drinking but nondescript wines, with a few standouts:

Producer__ Bottles Consumed__ AvgValue_ AvgPrice
Ch. Guibon ('13,'14,'15)___ 37__ 13.95____ 13.89
C Côte Montpezat ('14,'15)_ 5__ 17.49____ 16.25
Ch. de Chantegrive ('12)___ 2__ 15.99____ 17.98
Château Ducasse ('13,'15)__ 2__ 15.25____ 14.90
Ch Graville-Lacoste ('14)___ 1__ 17.83____ 17.22
Ch Tour de Bonnet ('13)____ 1__ 14.12____ 14.34
Château Villa Bel-Air ('14)__ 1__ 17.58____ 19.19
Barton & Guestier ('13)____ 1__ 15.13____ 16.26
Château Bellevue ('14)_____ 1__ 11.99____ 12.99
Château Carbonnieux ('14)__ 1__ 36.48____ 29.48

The Chantegrive and Carbonnieux were excellent, with the Chantegrive having great QPR.
The Villa Bel-Air and Graville-Lacoste were both very enjoyable.
I like the Guibon and Cote Montpezat for weeknight whites at a great price.
Only the B&G 2013 Thomas Barton Reserve was a "do not buy again"
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AKR
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Re: Old white Bordeaux and some few red Bordeaux too...

Post by AKR »

Wow Racer Chris - you drink a lot of white bdx.

I drink a couple bottles a year maybe.

==========

Greatbxfreak - thanks for posting the notes. I'm unfamiliar with those wines, although Pappadoc and I shared a 79 Laville Haut Brion some years ago. I remember it being very waxy in taste. He liked it, and I was non plussed.

I think it's a category that confounds Americans, and thus the limited response to your in depth post.

What do you think of all the new wave of dry Sauternes?
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greatbxfreak
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Re: Old white Bordeaux and some few red Bordeaux too...

Post by greatbxfreak »

AKR,

This new wave is OK, more properties in Sauternes & Barsac are making now dry white, but for me these wines never be substitutes for whites from Pessac Leognan and Graves.

Racer Chris,

I also enjoy Chategrive white, especially the Cuvee Caroline one.
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Racer Chris
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Re: Old white Bordeaux and some few red Bordeaux too...

Post by Racer Chris »

For white wines I pretty much prefer California SB and White Bordeaux over everything else.
I've never had any with significant age though. I just don't buy them with that in mind.
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