Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

What estates make very classic styles of wines that in recent vintages can still give me an idea of “old school” Bordeaux (i.e - pre consultants)? I want to do a tasting of the classically-structured wines in the region.

Here's what Neal Martin wrote about the 2009 Ch. Cantemerle:

Tasted at a negociant. The Cantemerle '09 has a well defined, quite pure nose that shows more precision and essence of terroir than the Camensac sampled alongside. A very nice marriage between exuberant ripe, rounded fruit and Bordeaux austerity. The palate is medium-bodied, quite smoky and meaty on the entry, just a hint of leafiness that here lends the wine freshness and vitality. Unashamedly classic in style, but I think they pulled off a lovely, traditional Haut-Médoc here. Excellent. Tasted March 2010
Score: 91-93 Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com, April 2010

Nobody makes 'em just like they did back in the day. A good thing IMO but that's another discussion. Old school pre-consultants I guess means pre-Peynaud? If I wanted to taste that style, I would buy some 1970s-era Bordeaux. Maybe '78 or '79. Or if you want a current release that retains some of that character, Sociando Mallet or one of the Fourcas properties?

I personally find Lanessan to be a traditional styled wine.

Calon Segur comes to my mind.

JimHow wrote:I personally find Lanessan to be a traditional styled wine.

That and La Lagune.

Figeac for St. Em but I cannot afford it any longer.

Doesn't Leo B. get any votes? Not that I've had many, but I think in three or four vintages since 1998 I would say not one of them was flashy. Maybe Langoa is even less modern. At least they always seem yield remarks from certain quarters about being for the grandkids.

Sociando Mallet does seem immutable. But Jean Gautreau is 80 or so. Better get them while he's still in charge. I'm a big fan of the green peppers.

On the right bank all the Moueix wines tend to be traditional, so Trotanoy, lafleur Petrus etc. Newly acquired Belair Monange which has swallowed Magdelaine (another great source of trad wines) is worth looking for at half the price of Figeac. Canon is back in gear, and also worth buying. A sleeper is Chateau Corbin, priced in the $30-40 range and an exquisite wine for the price.

Graves is also interesting but there are too many wines made to the Parker formula; exceptions Haut Bailly is a little more plush than before but certainly not a modernist wine. Bouscaur and Malarctic La Graviere.

Medoc: Cheap: La Tour de By, Greysac, Prieure Lichine,
Not so cheap: Beychevelle, lagrange, Giscours, Rauzan Segla, Pichon Lalande, Montrose (esp 2009) Ducru Beaucaillou
Expensive: Of the first growths, only Latour seems to have stayed (relatively) traditionally made.

Right Bank: Magdelaine and Canon in St. Emilion, and Trotanoy (and probably lots of other Pomerol I never get to taste)
Left Bank: Sociando-Mallet, Calon Segur, Grand Puy Lacoste, Boyd Cantenac, Haut Bages Liberal, Carbonnieux, Lanessan, Louviere, Tour St. Bonnet, Tour Haut Moulin

Thanks guys...this is been a fun experiment and learning. I have an '83 Segla standing up for the weekend.

I would say all wine that Parker rates 86-89, that are Crus Classés, are more "traditionnal".

Dufort-Vivens, Boyd-Cantenac, Figeac, Gruaud Larose (I thought the 2006 was very traditionnal Bordeaux), Haut-Batailley,...

Nic

Nicklasss wrote:I would say all wine that Parker rates 86-89, that are Crus Classés, are more "traditionnal".

Dufort-Vivens, Boyd-Cantenac, Figeac, Gruaud Larose (I thought the 2006 was very traditionnal Bordeaux), Haut-Batailley,...

Nic

MERCI.

Probably everyone thought I was joking all this time when I said 89 points was my 100 points.

I often find many of the ususal suspects/oddball/kitchen sink Bordeaux characteristics (which I love but I think many - and many of them newly arrived - probably don't) in these wines, and in my view the reason a lot of these wines don't get the magic extra 2-5 points is they just aren't warm, soft and uniformly sweet (like the Haut Bergeys of the world). They have the added attraction of (usually) carrying a price deemed somehow commensurate with the points.