Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

With apologies for that obviously “vinfluenced” title, one of my great discoveries on this board was that peculiar pairing of Bordeaux with burger. Thus, I decided to give the 2020 second wine of Chateau Calon Segur, le Marquis de Calon Segur, a try, against a bacon cheeseburger from a certain quinpopulated purveyor of hamburgers.

Pnp. Riedel Grand Cru Bordeaux glass. Lately, some estates in Bordeaux have handled heightened abv better than others. I would hope Calon Segur’s grand vin handled it better than this boisterous second, which was as jammy as Clark Gable in pajamas. It’s 14.5% abv, per the label. Very simple red fruit affair, “grippy” tannins trip to the background in about 45 minutes. Pleasure here and there from this mercurial Marquis, akin to the occasional talent at the local watering hole’s karaoke night between other singers of less cohesive euphony, and if it were the only option available as accompaniment I suppose I’d give it another audition, but were others available, I’d pass. Nothing obviously flawed or out of place about this bottle, and it registered as authentic per the QR code affixed to the capsule (exactly who out there is trying to counterfeit 2nd wines of 3rd growth chateaux, God only knows).

Somewhere around a CFSS -3 to -5. And the more I think on it as I approach the very bottom of my bottle, the less generous my assessment.

(Self-nominated for BWE’s 2023 worst wine review of the year)

UN bureaucrate
Faking a second growth from an esteemed estate such as CS would be perfectly logical just about anywhere outside of the western world - and those countries have all had fakes just maybe not of second wines.

I’ve been living in Singapore for 14 yrs and spend quite a lot of time traveling - presently in Central Java - and anything and everything in Asia is faked.

A few examples include milk powder - which killed thousands and led to numerous executions, beer, spirits, cooking oil, eggs, mineral water, any type of meat (I won’t sicken you with the details), every type of medication and pharmaceutical, every known type of shoes, bags, clothing and accessories, industrial equipment, engines, car parts, consumer appliances and of course watches and pens. Some in China don’t even know that “real” stuff exists.

I’ve checked out supposedly fine wine retailers and I can easily pick endless rows of fake wines from first growths to supermarket grade stuff. Even entry level Australian wines are faked. One importer in HK told me he was offered a parcel of DRC which was magically much larger than the entire production of the estate. Amazing how it can multiply so easily like a Biblical story……

In any case when in China I lose weight at the thought of fake food cooked in drainage slops and served with “recycled” water.
Cheers
Mark

Un bureaucrate, sorry to read that the second wine of Calon Ségur 2020 was kind of a deception. I would expect better result from this wine.

On the other hand, I opened the Grand Vin 2020 not so long ago, and was very impressed!

In all fairness, towards the very end, the nose developed very nicely, a saving grace — a proper decant would have served that bottle well. On review: CFSS -2.

After work today, engaged the 2020 Lilian Ladouys. Another pnp, Riedel Grand Cru Bordeaux glass like before, but this was immediately likable and of an extremely agreeable comportment, nose on the greener side at first but quickly came ’round. Excellent QPR, methinks. No other notes, funny how the spirit tends to move us most in states of ecstasy or outrage, no? This was also on solo duty, supper later.

Looking forward to the Saturday after this weekend, a friend and I are checking in on the 2016 d’Issan over dinner. Will report, and make an attempt at a tasting note more useful than these.*

P.S. Nicklasss, I will try it out at some point. I delved into the 2005 Calon Ségur last year (decanted), it was wonderful.


P.S.S. Mark, that’s crazy! I have not yet visited the PRC, but good to know.

—-

Edited to add — I’ve read Emile Peynaud’s book, and am (painfully?) aware of how write to a “useful” TN, so I do promise that I endeavor to be better.

One more fake thing in PRC.
Have you heard of Tofu Dreg buildings???
Buildings have a bad habit of falling apart in China for several reasons, not the least is usage of fake materials including cement and wood (fake wood is no more than compressed paper) and if developers can save a few RMB by using fake anything they do.

Re-bar is often fake in that it is poor quality pig iron or just low grade steel, made in the wrong type of furnace and at temperatures that are too low.

There are other nations that have shoddy buildings - there are plenty across the causeway from me (Malaysia) but China has taken it further. There are many YouTube clips about it.

Cheers
Mark