Saturday at the Convention

[Blanquito]

Was checking old notes (looking for the 95 PLL) and what a great night this was, despite the pandemic sapping our nation’s capital of it’s usual night time energy… So many incredible wines, hard to single any one out, but that said, I can still taste the finish on David’s 2000 LMHB.

[JoelD]

Was checking old notes (looking for the 95 PLL) and what a great night this was, despite the pandemic sapping our nation’s capital of it’s usual night time energy… So many incredible wines, hard to single any one out, but that said, I can still taste the finish on David’s 2000 LMHB.

I wasn't wowed by this 95PLL, maybe palate fatigue by then though. However, the bottle I had in the 21 vintage vertical last summer was in my top 3. So classic and great. Less oomph than the 89, less (good) funk than the 85. But for my palate it beat so many other great ones. Way better than the 96/00 that night.

I'm still surprised that some preferred the 2000 La Mish over the HB which was one of my wines of the year and I believe the highest price I've ever paid for a bottle of wine after trying that.

[Blanquito]

I recall really enjoying the 95 PLL in DC, but needed to check.

I’ve tried the 96 PLL 3 times over the last 6-7 years… and has been consistent, consistently underwhelming (for its rep and price). I keep saying, hopefully it just needs more time.

[Blanquito]

I l-o-v-e-d both the 00 HB (97 pts) and 00 LMHB, but I found the power/depth and minerality on the LMHB awe inspiring. I think, when fully mature, it’s a 100 pt wine.

[JoelD]

I l-o-v-e-d both the 00 HB (97 pts) and 00 LMHB, but I found the power/depth and minerality on the LMHB awe inspiring. I think, when fully mature, it’s a 100 pt wine.

I saw the masculine potential, but for my palate the La Mish needs a ton of time. Very gritty tannins when I tasted. And I had a pour towards the end of the bottle that soured. Maybe you caught it at the perfect time. I think this needs 3-4 blanquitos.

The 2000 HB would probably tie for the highest I've ever rated a wine. Around 98pts, with 99pt potential. I don't think it will ever hit whatever I am hoping/mentally reserving for a 100pt wine but about as close as it'll get. Now to just keep my mitts off my one bottle for at least a few more years. I think I'll open it in 2025 or 2030. Or maybe I'll just find some more. But is it really worth 3 bottles of 89 Pichon Lalande to me? Hard to say.

[Blanquito]

Apropos of this PLL chat, I just noticed as part of an auction write up this Gilman note on the '96 PLL written in 2019:

94 points John Gilman: "The 1996 Château Pichon-Lalande is a fine wine in the making, but this is one of the longest distance runners in the stable of the last quarter century here and the wine is still many years away from fully softening up on the backend and drinking at its apogee. The bouquet is still quite youthful and very promising, offering up a lovely mix of cassis, sweet dark berries, gravel, a hint of black tea, tobacco leaf, smoke and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with fine focus and grip, sound acids and outstanding balance on the youthful and energetic finish. There is plenty of inner fruit density here to carry the tannins, so I have no worries about the balance of this wine and if one is young enough, then eventually, they will have a really lovely bottle on their hands. But, patience is still very much necessary for this structured wine!" (09/2019)

Sounds like we've been drinking our 96 Pichon Lalandes too young! That has certainly been my hope, so (confirmation bias alert!) I am inclined to agree with Gilman, whose drinking windows tend to align with mine far better than most critics. Interestingly, Neal Martin tasted it in 2019 as well and said "[it] just beginning to entertain more secondary aromas of sage and spice on the aftertaste", so he might agree it is young still.

Meanwhile, William Kelley had it in 2/22, rated in 97 points, and made no mention of it's drinking window or presumed apogee whatsoever.

[JimHow]

Nicola and I were both sipping the 2008 Lafite this past weekend and we agreed that it was in a great place, did not need additional time. Will age for years to come, but offering up great pleasure now.