TN: 1995 Bordeaux at Le Philosophe

[Randall_McFarlane]

I’ve had a couple of '95 Pichon Barons recently–they’ve both been very enjoyable after having been decanted for an hour.

[Jay_Miller]

@R Cabrera

GPL '95 and '96 proved to be a great back-to-back effort. Same style, classics, even same pricing to date. I’ve slightly higher regard for the '95.

1998 is quite good as well. Lighter in style but recognizably the same classic producer style as 1995/6. I wouldn’t age it as long as the latter two but I’d also drink it happily if I had it.

[Sanjay_Nandurkar]

I had the 1995 Leoville Barton and Leoville Lascases few years ago. The L Baron was more open and enjoyable but the LLC was hard as nails.

[scamhi]

@Ethan Abraham

How was the food? I know the original chef left a bit back and I haven’t been since. What was their policy for the lots-of-bottles byo?

Ethan,
we were quoted $15.00 per bottle. good stems and friendly service.
They have a new dish on the menu for spring - foie gras braised stuffed trotters served over flageolet beans. it was excellent. Flat iron steak was also good enough.

[Dale_Williams]

I had a 95 Beychevelle standing up as backup for this dinner, so had last night with lamb. Quite tight on opening about 6, when we sat down at 7:30 was showing more fruit but not much else (but tannin). By about 9 it had opened nicely. I’m feeling much more hopeful about this vintage, most seem to be a few years away from the early mature stage, but think they will offer pleasure.

[Ramon_C]

Just to pile on with thoughts on other '95s, I had a '95 Malescot St. Exupery 2 weeks ago with dinner with some friends. This bottle was popped-and-poured at the restaurant and it showed more harshness and nowhere near the same levels of good balance and pleasantness as those that we had in the ’95 horizontal that this thread started with.

During the dinner, the Malescot was drank alongside a much better and friendlier ’89 Cos d’Estournel. Based on this, I wonder how Margaux, in general, did in ’95?

[Ian_A]

Thanks Dale that is a very useful and timely update on this controversial vintage. It is also reassuring because I have a lot of faith in the 1995s, and invested quite heavily in this vintage from the outset.

In UK wine circles there is quite a degree of scepticism about this vintage, similar to the 1986s…the notion that the wines won’t come round or don’t have enough fruit to outlast the tannins, which is true fir some of the 1994s.

[Jay_Miller]

@Ian A

Thanks Dale that is a very useful and timely update on this controversial vintage. It is also reassuring because I have a lot of faith in the 1995s, and invested quite heavily in this vintage from the outset.

In UK wine circles there is quite a degree of scepticism about this vintage, similar to the 1986s…the notion that the wines won’t come round or don’t have enough fruit to outlast the tannins, which is true fir some of the 1994s.

I’ve never been a big believer in the “enough fruit to outlast the tannins” idea other than maybe 1975. I’m another person who had faith the 1995s would eventually come around I just had no idea when. This was a very welcome tasting for that reason.

Now if 1995 Burgundy could just follow suit sometime soon…

[Ramon_C]

@Jay Miller

I’ve never been a big believer in the “enough fruit to outlast the tannins” idea other than maybe 1975. I’m another person who had faith the 1995s would eventually come around I just had no idea when. This was a very welcome tasting for that reason.

Now if 1995 Burgundy could just follow suit sometime soon…

I’ve had recent 1995 red Burgundies, mostly 1er CdBs, that appear to have peeked out from shyness and showed some approachability. Over the last 3 months, I’ve had positive experiences with ’95 Drouhin Clos de Mouches, ’95 Dubreuil-Fontaine Epenottes, ’95 D’Angerville Clos de Ducs and ’95 Bertheau Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes. I know, it’s a small sample, but they drank well enough as per my experience.

[Brad_Kane]

@Jay Miller

@Ian A

Thanks Dale that is a very useful and timely update on this controversial vintage. It is also reassuring because I have a lot of faith in the 1995s, and invested quite heavily in this vintage from the outset.

In UK wine circles there is quite a degree of scepticism about this vintage, similar to the 1986s…the notion that the wines won’t come round or don’t have enough fruit to outlast the tannins, which is true fir some of the 1994s.

I’ve never been a big believer in the “enough fruit to outlast the tannins” idea other than maybe 1975. I’m another person who had faith the 1995s would eventually come around I just had no idea when. This was a very welcome tasting for that reason.

Now if 1995 Burgundy could just follow suit sometime soon…

Yes, Jay, but you forgot the caveat that you don’t like fruit and you love dead wine.

[Jay_Miller]

@Brad Kane

@Jay Miller

I’ve never been a big believer in the “enough fruit to outlast the tannins” idea other than maybe 1975. I’m another person who had faith the 1995s would eventually come around I just had no idea when. This was a very welcome tasting for that reason.

Now if 1995 Burgundy could just follow suit sometime soon…

Yes, Jay, but you forgot the caveat that you don’t like fruit and you love dead wine.

see my sig

[Brad_Kane]

@Jay Miller

@Brad Kane

@Jay Miller

I’ve never been a big believer in the “enough fruit to outlast the tannins” idea other than maybe 1975. I’m another person who had faith the 1995s would eventually come around I just had no idea when. This was a very welcome tasting for that reason.

Now if 1995 Burgundy could just follow suit sometime soon…

Yes, Jay, but you forgot the caveat that you don’t like fruit and you love dead wine.

see my sig

You need to add “dead wines rock” to it.