2003 Malescot

[JeanFred]

During a Zoom meeting...

In a warm and atypical vintage, Malescot St-Exupéry 2003.

My memories of Malescot 2003 and 2005 drunk in youth, several years ago was a wine without personality and rather industrialized with notes of cherries and a woody too present.
But this 2003 delivered the goods. The color already led us to a 20 year old wine with a ruby ​​rim. An incredible and very complex nose with powerful notes of leather like a 40-year-old Pessac (Haut-Brion 66 and 70),spicy, with still a hint of barrel but all in finesse and a beginning of the tertiary side - brown sugar.

On the palate, it is velvety and of a magnificent balance. The barrel is still tasted with notes of cocoa but the tannins are round and melted and a nice acidity balances it all. On the start of its plateau and at its best for 5-10 years. 93++pts

Long times I didn’t have 2003 Bordeaux and I was impress by how this 2003 was. Other comment from recent 2003 Bordeaux?

JeanFred

[JCNorthway]

I had a 2003 Pontet Canet a few months back that was drinking really well after a 2-3 hour decant. It was still pretty youthful with lots of fruit, but not much in the way of secondary characteristics.

[JimHow]

Indeed, Jean Fred, my experiences with 2003 have been far more positive than negative.
And Malescot seems to have come to a new level around that time. I've heatedly loved the 2004 Malescot.

[Blanquito]

I recall a wise soul on BWE once saying, “drink traditional wines in big years and modern wines in leaner ones”. This applies to Malescot for me, as I a fan of the 04 but not the 05 (I’ve not had the 03, having offloaded most of my wines from that vintage).

[Nicklasss]

Happy this 03 Malescot delivered the goods JeanFred. Knowing you, a rating of 93 is very positive for the quality of that wine, but from your description, don't look like an elegant Margauxberry wine to me, but a very ripe Cabernet Sauvignon. The years in the cellar seem to have helped it, so i have some hope for my 2005 and 2016.

For my part, not a big fan of the 2003 vintage, and in one of the latest Decanter magazine, Mr. Jefford confirms that "yet 2020, 2018, 2014 and 2019 are (in that order) the hottest years in France since 1900, significantly eclipsing 2003". I guess Bordelais have adapted a few things, according to what they lived in 2003, but i guess warmer times in the future will become a challenge for Bordeaux.

Looking at 2018, a vintage with high alcohol in many top Bordeaux (Calon Ségur at...15%, Montrose-Cos d'Estournel-LLC-Ducru Beaucaillou-Palmer-Cheval Blanc-Petrus-Trotanoy- VCC-Conseillante all at 14.5%), it is like 12.5 to 13.5 % alcohol red Bordeaux are behind us.

Finally, i'm looking to see who will be the first to say that "this 2003 Château X is the top wine that Château X ever made".

[JeanFred]

Happy this 03 Malescot delivered the goods JeanFred. Knowing you, a rating of 93 is very positive for the quality of that wine, but from your description, don't look like an elegant Margauxberry wine to me, but a very ripe Cabernet Sauvignon.


Finally, i'm looking to see who will be the first to say that "this 2003 Château X is the top wine that Château X ever made".

Agree Nic that this 03 Malescot isn’t a classic Margaux but I already know that for this wine from my memory. At the end, I had a better Cab than I expected!

And for 2003, I still have a Montrose, from comment, one of the best wine of this year. Is it the best Montrose, don’t think so. We will see in a near future...

JeanFred

[AKR]

I had a really great 2003 Kirwan a couple of years ago, that really surprised me to the upside. I hardly bought any Margaux AOC in that year, and wasn't expecting much, but the Kirwan was really terrific.

M St. E is one I don't think I have any left of in any year, maybe a 2000 perhaps.

[robert goulet]

2003 D'issan I drank with OrlRobert....one of the most intoxicating perfumes I've ever encountered...the palate was nowhere close to overripe, in fact you might lean towards a moderate climate vintage.

[JimHow]

D'Issan 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006....

Greatest d'issan run ever?

[robert goulet]

Yes! With '01 as my current fav.

OrlandoRobert and I drank the '01 a few months back... gorgeous classic Margaux...D'Issan is possibly the most underrated Bordeaux.

[JimHow]

Indeed, Bobby, I elevated d’Issan from fourth growth to third growth in my updated ranking of the left bank:

First Growths

1. Lafite Rothschild
2. Margaux
3. Haut Brion
4. Mouton Rothschild
5. Latour

Second Growths

6. Pichon Longueville Baron
7. Montrose
8. La Mission Haut Brion
9. Ducru Beaucaillou
10. Leoville Las Cases
11. Palmer
12. Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
13. Cos d’Estournel
14. Leoville Barton

Third Growths

15. Calon Segur
16. Smith Haut Lafitte
17. Haut Bailly
18. Brane Cantenac
19. Rausan Segla
20. Pape Clement
21. Giscours
22. d'Issan

Fourth Growths

23. Pontet Canet
24. Clerc Milon
25. Branaire Ducru
26. Gruaud Larose
27. Leoville Poyferre
28. Sociando Mallet
29. Lafon Rochet
30. Beychevelle
31. Malescot St. Exupery
32. Duhart Milon
33. du Tertre
34. Talbot
35. Lagrange
36. La Lagune
37. Lascombes
38. Prieure Lichine
39. Domaine de Chevalier
40. d’Armailhac
41. Kirwan

Fifth Growths

42. Lynch Bages
43. Gloria
44. Meyney
45. Malartic Lagraviere
46. Cantemerle
47. Chasse Spleen
48. Haut Batailley
49. Batailley
50. Langoa Barton
51. St. Pierre
52. Cantenac Brown
53. Boyd Cantenac
54. Les Ormes de Pez
55. Phelan Segur
56. de Lamarque

[stefan]

Jim, you should demote that crappy La Lagune to sixth growth.

[Comte Flaneur]

When we can all agree that Mouton is a first growth, and that Lynch Bages is super second we can make progress with our BWE rating system.

[JimHow]

In all seriousness, I can't put Lynch in the same category as Baron, Montrose, Ducru, etc.
And I'm not trying to be contrarian, that's just the way I feel.
From what I've tasted, Lynch has produced one, maybe two "great" wines since 1989.
But that is just one benevolent dictator's position.

[Comte Flaneur]

1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2019 all great Lynches

[DavidG]

So maybe it’s time for a little political horse-trading? Isn’t that how these classifications get done?

Jim, what do you need to accept Lynch as a (non-super) second?

[JimHow]

Lynch Bages certainly achieved greatness in the 1980s. For me, it seems to have been defined by a GPL-like record of underachievement since then. As solid as the 2000 is, it has never blown me away. The 1996 has a great bouquet, I felt it was better in its youth. Ian has more experience than me with post 2000 vintages but, of those that I’ve tried, I thought they were Parkerized and international. The 2014 is just weird. I gotta try the 2016 to see if it is as great as they say. As with the 2016 GPL, which everyone thought was “great,” I thought the 2016 GPL was “very good” but not great. It just seems to me that Lynch sold out after those great Jean Michel Cazes vintages of the 80s. As with anything, I’m more than happy to change my mind if I can be convinced.

Davey, I think about the best I could offer would be to move it up to the lowest spot in 4th growth category, perhaps accommodate Stefan by moving La Lagune from 4th growth down to 5th to replace it.

[JoelD]

When we can all agree that Mouton is a first growth, and that Lynch Bages is super second we can make progress with our BWE rating system.

Well I don't think we all need to agree, just a vote? Maybe true majority of over two thirds? Although, how many votes does the BD get?

[Comte Flaneur]

Joel this board is not a democracy but there is method in the BD’s madness because we have to ply him with lots of young vintages of Lynch and Mouton at future conventions which will end up seducing him and changing his mind..

[JimHow]

Hey I have Mouton fourth in my First Growths, ahead of Latour! But you can still ply me with Mouton nonetheless. And hey, I don’t know whether you noticed, but I elevated Lynch to Fourth growth as part of a La Lagune switch.

[Racer Chris]

Hey I have Mouton fourth in my First Growths, ahead of Latour! But you can still ply me with Mouton nonetheless. And hey, I don’t know whether you noticed, but I elevated Lynch to Fourth growth as part of a La Lagune switch.

Of all the Moutons and Latours I've had *, the Latours have been better.



cough cough

* (one vintage of each)

[JimHow]

Yeah you had a pretty good little experience there Chris.
I was fortunate to experience a '59 and '61 Latour that Stuart brought to a dinner a few years back.
They were pretty sublime, very different wines, it was tough to pick between the two. Very different styles.
The '61 was big, beastly, immense, minty, still youthful.
The '59 was more sexy, racy.
Both tour de forces.

[robert goulet]

Great to see the elevation of D'Issan Jim....I should be popping the 1990 here sometime soon, I'll make sure I get a note up on the board