Listrac Médoc, Médoc

Château Lanessan

Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 1979

Medium light garnet , terracotta with terracotta rim . Quite herbal and cedary, light sous bois , earthy . On the palate this has quite fresh acidity , slightly herbal character, light sous bois and tobacco notes, grafite , quite light tannins . Alright length and balance . Drink now , probably would have been better some years (decade ?) ago . However quite commendable for a difficult vintage from a petit chateau . Tasted at Hedonism Wines , London . — 8 days ago

Dave, Tom and 7 others liked this
Andrew Cullimore

Andrew Cullimore Premium Badge

Sorry @Dave , rather surprisingly 1979 ! Actually had some ok wines from that rather forgotten year !
Dave

Dave

Yeah, I'm still trying to forget Led Zeppelin's performance at Knebworth in 79!
Bob McDonald

Bob McDonald Influencer Badge

@Andrew Cullimore A great wine shop is Hedonism. I bought a few bottles from them a few years ago at that shop in Mayfair.

Château Potensac

Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2007

Somm David T
9.1

For me, there are a lot stories associated with this little brother to Leoville Las Cases. Made by the same technical team, but certainly a different terroir.

Older vintages that were brought in by Clyde Beffa at K&L Wine Merchants kept me from opening my more expensive-younger Bordeaux in my collection. Starting w/ the 97 vintage well after its original release, I believe they sold through two lots of 5,000 cases over different years. A vintage crushed by critics. But with some long time cellar, value & quality. Magic!

This has always shown me QPR and to be a great fatty steak wine- Ribeye or Ribcap.

The 2007 Bordeaux vintage, critically not well reviewed. With basically 16 yrs plus in bottle, more special.

This has really come around and still ascending. Ripe, elegant, lush; dark currents, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherry skin, black plum skin, poached strawberries, black, rich, turned earth with dry leaves, moist & dry clays, graphite, tobacco w/ ash, slightly used leather, dry river stone, limestone minerals, dry top soil, pepper, some sweet tarriness, mix of fresh & dry herbs, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, some cinnamon & understated vanillin, dry, withering, dark & red florals, nice acidity with good tension, structure, finally balanced & elegant finish that lands squarely on soften earthiness, some spice and lasts two-minutes.

This still has 15 years plus of life ahead.

Paired with Costco Prime Ribcaps.
— 15 days ago

Rob, Bob and 13 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1985

No formal notes . Quite deep ruby , garnet , thin garnet rim . This is quite open and aromatic , with a spicy , herbaceous cassis , truffle , tobacco , grafite hints , very classic and serious but also really attention grabbing . On the palate this is quite rounded and juicy for Las Cases , good mineral , grafite tinged cassis , quite fine but present tannins , balanced acidity with a tobacco tinged finished and pretty good length . Drinking well now but also can go a while yet, perhaps over the next 10 or so years . — 5 days ago

Dave, Bob and 12 others liked this

Château Chasse-Spleen

Moulis en Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 1982

No formal notes . This is quite a deep colour still , medium deep garnet with medium garnet rim . On the nose this shows some ripe fruits , sous bois , tobacco and coffee , really quite rounded and generous , reminds me somewhat of Napa from the 70s . On the palate though this is more Bordeaux with a drier profile , sous bois , tobacco and grafite , quite generous mid palate and a well balanced if slightly short finish. Rounded tannin and balanced acidity . Quite a generous and user friendly 1982 , shows its charm and the ripeness of the year . I’m sure this was enjoyable a couple of decades ago and still shows well today and over the next 5 or so years though won’t improve . — 3 days ago

Jan, Dave and 10 others liked this
Dave

Dave

I love the frog.

Château Lynch-Bages

Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1975

Medium deep garnet with a terracotta rim . This has some sous bois , earthy tobacco , coffee grinds , herbal touches , cedar and dried currants . On the palate this is quite dense and classic in profile , still quite a lot of tannin , sous bois , cedar , some cassis , tobacco and a little herbal. Quite stocky and chunky . Medium length , and balanced acidity . This is still quite dense on the palate , with grippy , slightly rustic tannins . Probably just past peak , but will hold over the next 5 years or so . Tasted at Hedonism Wines , London …. No label on the bottle ! — 8 days ago

Dave, Tom and 14 others liked this

Château d'Armailhac

Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

dark fruits, oak, coffee bean, some leather, mild tobacco, medium bodied with smooth tannins. Good balance, long finish with dark chocolate notes. Very nice! — 2 days ago

Jan, Peter and 2 others liked this

Château Talbot

Saint-Julien Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1949

Medium deep garnet , medium terracotta rim . A very healthy looking colour. Quite mature and venerable on the nose , sous bois , iodine, plum, old wood , earthy with herbal touches and fresh tobacco . Reasonable volume on the palate with light sous bois and nori notes , quite fresh acidity and slightly gritty tannins still. Tobacco , grafite slightly short finish. Quite a good showing for a wine of almost 80 years old, enough interest and volume on the palate . Probably better a few decades ago , but certainly more than a curiosity as the wine stayed with us well for over 2 hours . Drink now . This was an ex chateau bottle that had been reconditioned at some point , I would imagine by the looks of the cork , about 20-25 years ago. No mention of this on the bottle however . Into neck fill. — 12 days ago

Jan, Dave and 10 others liked this
Dave

Dave

Amazing

Château Pichon-Longueville Baron

Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000

Pretty deep garnet ruby , garnet rim . This is pretty open and aromatic, with smoky creme de cassis , grafite , blackberry and cedar , light herbal touches , really quite classic and noble . On the palate this has good balance and density , good freshness also . Ripe , very fine but perceptible tannins . Dark fruits , grafite , tobacco , long and detailed slightly mineral notes on the good length finish . Really elegant , though quite serious and traditional, not easy to pull off. This is drinking perfectly now (Coravin might have helped here , I would certainly decant if I had a full bottle) , though still quite fruit driven with some tertiary complexity coming through . Really harmonious and complex . From now and over the next 15 years, maybe more . At Doppo Restaurant, Soho . — 8 days ago

Tom, Dave and 14 others liked this
David White

David White

Wow 🚀 that was an exciting line up of wines and it seems like the Pichon, Brunello and Lynch Bages were the cream of the crop
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Had one of mine two years ago. Didn’t think it was ready like a lot 2000’s I’ve had so far. Think it is either a forever vintage or just not living up to the hype of 2000? Cheers! 🍷
Andrew Cullimore

Andrew Cullimore Premium Badge

I thought this was really quite excellent @Somm David T , it did seem quite open , though this might be to do with it being under Coravin.. I would certainly decant for a while if opening a bottle . Or alternatively leaving for another 5-10 years will do no harm at all . One of the better 2000s I have had , in some ways it is a bit of a hit or miss vintage .. but the peaks are very high . Hope you enjoy your other bottles !

Château Langoa Barton

Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2017

Decanted to separate the sediment. Haven’t given it much air time but it’s already showing very nicely. Nose has lots of rich, gravelly earthy scents, competing with dark berry and cassis fruit. Cedar and underbrush notes too. Still hasn’t totally relaxed on the palate. Probably needs a few more years ideally. There’s a certain tightness to it but it’s nevertheless showing well. Nice flavor concentration, with fruit initially but getting tight and savory as the lengthy finish progresses. Lots of fine-grained tannins, and nice acidity. This seems pretty old-school in feel, not jammy and huge. 9.2 for now but let’s see what happens over the next hour or two.

UPDATE (night 2): This has developed nicely since yesterday evening. A lot more very pure cassis fruit showing on the nose, and the texture seems softer. Upping score from 9.2 to 9.3.
— 7 days ago

Tommy, Ira and 25 others liked this

Château Lascombes

Margaux Merlot Blend 2005

Enjoyed this showing red & black fruits with notes of cedar, leather, spice, earth, floral & tobacco — 3 days ago

Tom, Shay and 12 others liked this