Black cherry, rosemary, roses and warm earth, licorice, potpourri, compact structure, firewood, underbrush, black olive, thick, full, ripe. Mocha. Could use more balance. The fruit remains somewhat in the background compared to the still-robust tannins. — 4 days ago
Nose of hibiscus and menthol. Tannins present and well balanced. A bit forward on the palate - meaning it is powerful mid palate. - finish is long but slightly off balance on the palate @Rajat Parr wouldn’t be happy - striving for balanced wine - but this one is a bit off the mark … — 16 days ago
Opened a few hours prior to service and enjoyed over the course of an hour. This bottle of the 1986 was re-corked at the chateau in 2011. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and some dried dark and red fruits: black currants, brambles, black plum, tobacco, pencil shavings, some dried flowers, green pepper, leather, some earth and a gentle mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This seemed evergreen and this bottle spending most of its life in the cellars of the chateau likely has a lot to do with that. Fabulous stuff. Drink now through 2046. — 16 days ago
Barely moved. Some softness and pyrazine. None of the heat markers. — 17 days ago
Andrew Cullimore
Medium ruby garnet , garnet rim . This has a spiced , slightly smoky red cherry , raspberry and rose notes , elegant and perfumed. On the palate this is very refined , with sweet red fruits , raspberry , cherry , light touches of sous bois , velvety tannins and bright acidity . Good density and excellent balance , good saline , mineral edged length . This is really open and aromatic , velvety , and so well balanced ,a model of elegance and purity . This just got better and better with more time in the glass . Drinking well now , though still very fruit forward not showing a lot of development, and I would imagine it will continue well over the next 10 years . — 2 days ago