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The biggest Bordeaux wine tasting of this year in the fantastic 2000 vintage was organized by Philipson Wine in Copenhagen at the end of April 2003. And it turned out to be excellent. Here are the wines tasted, one by one:
Château Lynch Moussas is on the rise in terms of quality. It was a delicious and pleasant wine with well-integrated fruit and tannins. Started out a little rustic and edgy, but that went away very quickly. This wine will surely improve after a while. 90p.
Château Grand Puy Ducasse and Château Talbot perhaps lacked a little more power in their guns, but they make up for it very well, with sweet ripe fruit throughout, and elegance and finesse. 89-90p.
Château d’Issan was almost as beautiful as Lascombes, but here we had a wine from the traditional school. Soft and incredibly attractive. 91p.
Château Lascombes seems well on its way to regaining glory. Sophisticated with elegant and graceful “steps”, aromatic and deliciously ripe fruit in perfect marriage with silky tannins. Very long aftertaste. Pretty and fascinating wine in a modern style. 91+pp.
Château Beychevelle is well known for its elegant and finesse wine. In the 2000 vintage, it is beautiful but light. For me, I would have liked a more intense and concentrated wine, but that’s not because I’m going to replace Julia Roberts with Arnold Schwarzenegger. 90p.
Château Cos d’Estournel beautifully defended the “colors” of Saint-Éstephe. Not as refined and multi-dimensional as Montrose, but the intensity, depth and complexity of this wine was truly exceptional. Extremely well deserved 94+p.
Château Figeac was slightly marked by vegetal aromas. Cabernet Franc tastes the same when young. Either way, splendid berry fruits, intense and creamy, full-bodied and refined wine with a beautiful structure. It will take some time to improve it. 92p.
Château Gruaud Larose impressed enormously. It was very strong and robust with lots of sweet, creamy, concentrated cherries, blackberries and black currants. The balance, complexity and depth of this wine were simply extraordinary. A bull's eye, which ensures 20-30 years of pleasant pleasure. 95p.
Château Lynch Bages is a favorite of many wine lovers and rightly so. It’s not that often you get such a generous wine with luscious, high-class fruit. In the 2000 vintage it was incredibly flavorful, well balanced and with silky tannins. It will easily keep for 20 years. My vote is 93p.
Château Montrose has always been one of the most consistent and classic wines of Bordeaux. In the 2000 vintage, it was so sublime, so sophisticated, so aromatic and so succulent, that it took some time to digest all the nuances and finesse of this wine. It fulfilled its promises of the cask sample completely and then some. This wine is a masterpiece to be enjoyed for 25-35 years. The Lafite of Saint-Estèphe. 96+pp.
Château Ducru Beaucaillou was a big, bold, spicy and powerful wine. Not as succulent and creamy as that of Gruaud Larose. If the balance holds, we will expect more treats from this wine. 93p.
Château Clinet has always had the potential to be one of Pomerol's best wines, but unfortunately this wine rarely impresses. In the 2000 vintage it tasted of sweet fruit and candy, was quite complex and well defined, but clearly lacked the extravagance and intensity found in many other wines of this vintage. Only 90-91p here.
Château Léoville Barton was as always a classic Bordeaux with pure lines, lots of succulent berries, very nuanced and exemplary balanced. It was a great pleasure to encounter this wine, which easily lasts at least 25 years. 95+p.
Château Pichon Comtesse showed great class. Strong and powerful, but also with many elegant, refined and fine elements. Very nuanced and dense structure. 95p.
Once again, Château Palmer has proven that it is part of the absolute elite of Bordeaux. The 2000 wine is so sophisticated and refined, and has so many facets to show, that you jump for joy. Sweet berries and tannin in a silky smooth package added incredible elegance and complexity. Pure extravagance at 96+p.
When I tasted Château Léoville Las Cases 2000, I wondered if this wine could correspond to 1.Crus. It almost is! With such a richness of nuances, concentration, depth and length, this wine can conquer the whole world. A masterpiece for 30-40 years lay in the cellar. Jean-Hubert Delon continues the eminent winemaking work of his father in the most exemplary manner. 98p.
Unquestionably Pomerol’s most graceful and elegant wine, Château La Conseillante, did not disappoint. Light but very refined. Incredibly beautiful harmony between fruit and tannin, and round and joyful finish. 94p.
The very powerful and strong Château L'Evangile offered truffles and sweet blackberries in large quantities, as well as an extremely long aftertaste. This wine wasn't the easiest to make friends with, but it will come later. Wait another 10-12 years. Comes from the same “source” as Lafite. 94+pp.
So Château Lafite. A legend, the best wine in the world and ghost-level perfectionism. Here, the senses went into high gear to captivate all these fireworks of nuances that this wine possesses. This wine is the true essence of Bordeaux – it is unique and cannot be imitated. 100p!
Chateau Mouton Rothschild had a too delicious scent of perfectly ripe blackcurrants and blackberries, almost aristocratic. The palace however was not of the same level, but still in the upper stratosphere. This wine has a good deal of extravagance and sublime quality. 97+p
Château Latour was quite different from the other 1.Crus tasted. For what? - Because of its modern style which means lots of extract, enormous concentration and power. A wolf in sheep's clothing. Is 30 years enough horizontally? 99p.
WINES TASTED ON NOVEMBER 1, 2011 - COMMANDERIE DE BORDEAUX COPENHAGEN CHAPTER
Vol 1 – de Chambrun, Clos René, Corbin (only Corbin was served from a magnum bottle)
Flight 2 – Clos de Marquis, Rauzan Gassies, Roc de Cambes, Talbot
Flight 3 – Beychevelle, Giscours, Monbousquet
Vol 4 – Pape Clément, Pichon Comtesse, Troplong Mondot
Vol 1
1. Dark red, slightly watery edge, elegant blueberry nose, ripe but a little edgy tannin, finishes rather short on the aftertaste. Overall quite good wine but it was too light for me for the vintage. I assumed it was Clos René, but it turned out to be Corbin de Saint-Emilion. Corbin's owner, Anabelle Cruse Bardinet, bought it in 1999, finished vinifying the 1998 vintage, so 2000 was her second 100% clean vintage. She told me that Corbin had not shown its true potential in the 2000 vintage, due to the poor shape of the vineyard. 88p
2. Dark red, more intense blueberries on the nose, well-balanced and fine structure and long aftertaste. Already tastes great. A good effort indeed for the vintage. 90p. I guessed Corbin here but it was Clos René de Pomerol.
3. Almost black red. Easy to guess with its modern style. Lots of fruit supported by lots of oak, clearly well extracted, splendid balance and length, quite lively. I guessed from Chambrun and it was from Chambrun. Will probably keep for 5-10 more years. 91p. Directed by Jean-Philippe Janouiex (Croix Mouton and La Confession).
Volume 2
1. Dusty, spicy and very special flavors on the nose. Cranberries? Not showing much, too young to taste. Well balanced and well structured. .89p. I guessed the Roc de Cambes and it was the Roc de Cambes des Côtes de Bourg. I expected it to be better than his current watch.
2. Really fine blackberry/blueberry nose, very captivating, splendid balance, sapid, deep and long aftertaste. I was pretty sure it was Talbot, but I was wrong. But no, it was Rauzan Gassies, this eternal underperformer from the commune of Margaux and neighbor of R.Segla. What a pleasant surprise!! 93p.
3. Similar to wine nr. 2 in this flight, but slightly less intense on the nose and palate. I guessed Rauzan Gassies but it was Talbot de Saint-Julien. 93p.
4. Powerful, tight, deep and long stuff. Great structure and style. Magnificent wine with great possibilities. My guess was Clos de Marquis de Saint-Julien and a correct one. Good game! 94p.
Vol 3
1. Almost black red. Very captivating nose of perfectly ripe blueberry/blackberry, deep and solid structure, rich, sophisticated touch, finesse. Beautifully balanced. Long and firm aftertaste. This wine oozes class and classic Bordeaux style. Giscours, not really, it was Beychevelle de Saint-Julien. This bottle was better than the one I tasted five years ago. Long life. 95p.
2. Almost similar to wine nr.1 in this flight with a little less fruity sweetness. It was still fabulous. Guessed Beychevelle, but it was Giscours from the commune of Margaux. 95p.
3. Raspberries, spicy, clearly surpassed by these two beauty wines in this flight. Beautiful depth and concentration. Easy to guess – Monbousquet de Saint-Emilion and it was. 88p.
Vol 4
1. Dusty flavors, very intense and deep for the nose and palate. Solid iron structure, multi-faceted, amazing balance and length. Very young wine but already showing its formidable qualities. I guessed Troplong Mondot, but it was incorrect. It turned out to be Pope Clément de Pessac-Léognan. 15-25 years older. 96p.
2. An incredibly elegant wine, full of finesse and sophisticated movements. Very elegant with enchanting dark berry fruit. Big, great balance, great length and caressing aftertaste. It must have been Pichon Comtesse de Pauillac and I was right. May he live forever! Magnificent bottle. 96+p
3. Very, very woody, solid iron structure, deep, immensely concentrated (black fruits/blueberries) and long. Many, many years to come. I guessed that Pope Clement and I were wrong. It was Troplong Mondot from Saint-Emilion. Great bottle. 96p.