24 Sep 2011: Tasted quite a few Right Bank wines this week. Some of the more impressive ones that I tasted this week included:
2001 Gazin: Rich and complex nose of plum, chocolate, coffee, tobacco, and liquorice, showing some hints of leather and truffle. Very elegant and stylish, still lush, balanced by fresh acidity. Firm fine-textured tannin. A drying sensation on the long finish. Full of character. A very fine effort. Drinking well now and will continue to drink well for the next 6 - 8 years. (There was a bit of bottle variation - we had 2 bottles opened (from same case) and one tasted much leaner and less generous than the other bottle - almost as if they were from different vintages.) 16/20
2000 Troplong Mondot: Initially a little tight, needed time in the glass to open up to reveal its glorious bouquet of black and blue berries, plum, chocolate and eucalyptus. Velvety texture, a rich but fresh-tasting palate, with ripe well-integrated tannin giving an overall impression of a very harmonious and balanced wine with much depth and concentration of flavours and a very long finish. Still extremely youthful. Though drinking now, can benefit from some bottle age before trying again. A very long life ahead! Drink over next 15+ years. 18/20
2001 Troplong Mondot: Very deep ruby. An intense nose of cassis, blueberry, blackberrry, chocolate, espresso, cola and liquorice. Made in a big, bold and concentrated style, perhaps lacking the elegance and persistence of the 2000 vintage on the palate. Youthful and vivacious. Drinking now and will benefit from a few more years in bottle before trying again. 17/20
1985 La Conseillante (magnum): Ruby-garnet. A captivating perfume of tobacco, truffle, cloves, mocha, cedar and violet. Velvety tannin and still tasting rather fresh and concentrated, with the hallmark seductively lush character of Pomerol. Deliciously long and sweet (almost like caramel) finish. A wine with plenty of sex appeal, that makes you yearn for more and more. Drinking now and for the next 5 - 6 years. 18.5/20
1982 Figeac: Rose petal, violet, cedar, dried blueberry, star anise, mint and eucalyptus. Harmonious and well-integrated. Medium bodied. Tasted still very fresh but a little delicate and lean on the palate....I would have preferred a bit more generosity to give it a slightly more substantial mouthfeel. Today, I didn't like the somewhat (to me anyway) excessive cedar character on the nose and palate which will no doubt take on other complexities in the next 6 - 8 years. 16.5/20
The next 2 wines were enjoyed side by side and what a treat it was! Both decanted for 2 hours, while we enjoyed the lovely 1997 Salon that Patrick brought. Initially very tight and somewhat austere, the nose was mineral, floral, citrus and apple. The rounded character was evident but needed time to build up. The wine continued to develop after opening and 2 hours later, it flaunted all its richness and complexity which reminded me of a freshly baked pear tart, with a rich layer fo marzipan and the pear slices slightly burnt and caramelised. Absolutely delicious! 19/20
2000 Chapelle d'Ausone: Deep ruby. Graphite, blueberry, black cherry, violet and eucalyptus, some savoury and tobacco character coming through. Purity of fruit, delicious and ripe, balanced, beautifully textured with fine but firm tannin. Lengthy finish. A marvellous effort for a second wine sharing some of the qualities of the grand vin, though less concentrated. Drinking magnificently now and showing all the characteristics of an extremely well-made wine in its own right, pure, balanced, elegant and seductive. Drink now and for the next 8+ years. 17/20
2000 Ausone: A deeper hue than the Chapelle. An altogether more dense and concentrated wine, very rich and powerful. Black fruit, blueberry, liquorice, violet, spicy and fragrant, and some very intense minerality/graphite character. The wine took much longer to open up and 4 hours later, it finally revealed the unmistakable Bordeaux character. A very serious wine, totally reserved now, will benefit from further bottle age. Suggest trying this wine from 2014....and a very long life ahead. 19.5/20
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