At lunch with friends today:
1983 Ausone - Garnet tending toward red-orange and the rim. Quite perfumy, with the scent of Cabernet France immediately wafting upon pulling the cork, a pleasant spicy herbal quality. On the palate, flavors of tea and gentle red fruit. Delicious and well-balanced.
1983 Ducru-Beaucaillou - Purple-red color, aromas of black fruits, cassis and blackberry. At first, the palate showed black fruit flavors to go with cedar and gravelly earth, and the structure typical of Cabernet Sauvignon, even with some unintegrated tannin. The wine at first was not as balanced and seamless as the Ausone, with a bit of a hollow spot about 2/3ds of the way through the tasting experience, right after the appearance of the tannins. Over time, however, the tannins sweetened up and the flavors turned more red-fruity and the taste expression became more harmonious and broad. Meanwhile the Ausone did not evolve, remaining the same fine self it was to start.
I was more impressed with the Ausone to start but the evolution of the Ducru really impressed me.
Two different sorts of wines, both in style and how they evolved in glass today. Fun!