stefanJr Comes to Town

[stefan]

stefanJr came from a conference in Arizona to Texas to pick up his daughters. Last night we ate grilled flat iron steak, baked potatoes, and green beens while drinking

1975 Giscours. Actually we drank this with cheese before dinner. This comes from the period when Giscours was the third best Margaux, after Margaux and Palmer. I bought three bottles at auction a year ago. It has held up well. The Margauxberries are fresh even though they are mixed with hay. The tannins are completely resolved, while the fruit is still tasty. It was fun for Lucie and me to revisit a friend we had not seen for many years, and stefanJr appreciated the introduction.

2002 Latour. This was the first bottle from a six pack I bought on futures. Unlike the tight and tannic Cos d'Estournel we drank in Oregon, the Latour is close to maturity. (I stored this and my other first growth Bdx at 65F for ten or eleven years). The tannins have softened and balance the fruit. This is definitely old style Bordeaux.

1999 Yquem (375). Young but certainly a pleasure to drink. Fortunately for stefanJr and me, this wine was too rich for Lucie, so stefanJr and I split her share. This was enough for us, so we'll each have half a glass tonight. Sure, 1999 Yquem should be Blanquitoed 2-10 times, but I don't have aged Yquem and Yquem was stefanJr's price for allowing his girls to visit us.

[DavidG]

Really nice set of wines Stefan. How lucky for you and StefanJr that Lucie was not into the Yquem. I don’t think Peggy’s ever met an Yquem that was too rich for her. I know I haven’t.

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks for notes stefan.

Re 2002 Latour: ‘This is definitely old style Bordeaux’

Is it any good, and how does it compare to other 2002s?

[JimHow]

Giscours, now back to its rightful place as the third best in Margaux?

[Jay Winton]

Sounds like a nice night.

[stefan]

I am slow to drink 2002s, Ian. I own Lafite, Haut-Brion, and Margaux but have not tasted them. Latour is better balanced than both Lynch-Bages and Pichon Baron and has softer tannins and is maybe less powerful. It is much better than the St Juliens I have drunk multiple times (Lagrange and Leoville-Poyferre). The Latour is a very classy wine. That is not an adjective I associate with Latour and I would not have guessed the wine to be Latour had I drunk it blind.

[stefan]

I don't know, Jim. I have not drunk much modern Giscours.

[DavidG]

Giscours, now back to its rightful place as the third best in Margaux?

I like Giscours but recent vintages are on the modern side ("polish," ripeness, oak) and might not appeal to the resolutely AFWE palate, so you might get some diversity of opinion on whether it slots in behind Margaux and Palmer for third place in the AOC. OTOH, I’m not coming up with any other slam dunk candidates. Rauzan Segla? Brane Cantenac? Bel Air-Marquis d'Aligre seems to get favorable reviews in some corners. I’ve had it once that I can recall, but I don’t remember which vintage. It was memorable for a lot of enjoyable old-timey character and complexity and was on the AFWE side but it didn’t show off the margauxberry plumage that I look for in Margaux.

[stefan]

Yesterday we ate simply and early because stefanJr had to get his girls up to make a 6 AM flight. With grilled chicken we drank

1998 St. Innocent Seven Springs Pinot Noir. Certainly a good wine even if it was better a few years ago. The structure is sound but I prefer 7 Springs when it is fruitier. I love old Burgundy, but excellent Oregon Pinot Noir is generally better at age 15 than age 21 in my experience.

2003 St. Innocent Seven Springs Pinot Noir. A sample size of 1 does not prove anything, but this experience supports the opinion I expressed above. The 2003 is an excellent example of a mature 7 Springs. The structure and balance is just right, the dark 7 Springs fruit is sweet and lip smacking good, and the finish is what one expects from a Grand Cru Burgundy even if the complexity is less.

I regret very much that Evening Land, with the help of Dominique Lafon, has managed to turn 7 Springs fruit into swill.

[Comte Flaneur]

I am slow to drink 2002s, Ian. I own Lafite, Haut-Brion, and Margaux but have not tasted them. Latour is better balanced than both Lynch-Bages and Pichon Baron and has softer tannins and is maybe less powerful. It is much better than the St Juliens I have drunk multiple times (Lagrange and Leoville-Poyferre). The Latour is a very classy wine. That is not an adjective I associate with Latour and I would not have guessed the wine to be Latour had I drunk it blind.

Fascinating. Ex ante one would assume a somewhat brooding, forbidding wine...like the 2004 we tried at the Chateau in 2015. If it is better than Baron it must be superb. You did well stefan to buy Latour the other first growths. I regret that I don’t own any FGs in 2002.

I heard very good things about 2002 Lafite from a reliable source albeit one never to pass up an opportunity to bash Bordeaux.

[SF Ed]

I am a big fan of 2002 for QPR and went long 2002 BDX as it is our wedding year. Getting first growths for $100 per also helped

I haven't tried any of my 2002 Latour, but glad to hear it is drinking early. I have it in 750 and magnum and Lisa uses it as an example of "let's not wait until we're 80 to open the good stuff" so maybe we'll have to try one in the next year or two.

2002 Lafite is good (but not worth the price), and 2002 Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion are excellent and taste very much like HB and LMHB rather than 2002, if you know what I mean.

I really enjoy 2002 Lynch Bages and Pichon Baron, having had many already, finding them a tad extracted but overall very nice. Pichon Lalande is even better and more complete.

SF Ed

[JimHow]

2002 Lafite not worth $100?
Geez I have three in my collection, sounds like I should drink up?
2002 left bank has brought me much pleasure.
A Leoville Barton I had recently, though, was ready for the pasture.

[SF Ed]

I should have been clearer. 2002 Lafite might be worth $100. I'm not sure its better than Pichon Lalande, and certainly not better than Haut Brion. It absolutely isn't worth its current auction value.

SF Ed

[Blanquito]

I "recently" reloaded on some 02s:
Pichon Baron 6 750 ml $36 (bought in 2016 at BWE DC at the MacArthurs heist)
Pichon Lalande 4 750 ml $99.75 (bought more recently at auction).

Funny to see these prices in today's light.

Bill, would you rather have the 02 Pichon Lalande or Latour for $100 (assume you can't resell for the purposes of this comparison).

[stefan]

I have not drunk 2002 Pichon Lalande, Patrick. Often I like Comtesse more than Latour but I neglected to buy in 2002.

[Claret]

I have not had 98 or 03 Seven Springs. An 05 is going down on Saturday.

I have not tried the EL variant. I did like their Gamay tasted in 10 and a 13 Santa Maria Chard.

[Winona Chief]

1975 Giscours has always been wonderful - I have enjoyed it many times over the years. However, I would rank Rauzan Segla above Giscours. Brane Cantenac has really stepped up its game in recent vintages.

Chris Bublitz

[jal]

Great to have family around, Stefan and Lucie. A great excuse to open the good stuff.
1999 Yquem has a reputation for being a lightweight, as per Jeff Leve and others, I always found it delightful, it used to be a bargain at $70 for a half bottle.
I have 3 half bottles of 2002 Latour, I would never have thought of opening them. Now, I’m tempted.