TN: 2016 Château Lanessan (France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc)

My case of this just arrived in California, felt like opening one right away.

  • 2016 Château Lanessan - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (3/26/2019)
    Very classic Medoc style. Good fresh red currant fruit, with strong oak spice, pepper, and bay leaf. Palate is quite dry, with great freshness and a medium finish. Tannin is relatively modest, not too silky and with a good grip to it. I’m certainly confident the oak will integrate here with a few years sideways, and the acidity is excellent, nothing spoofy here, just is a very nice, typical Medoc profile that should develop well over the next 10-20.

Posted from CellarTracker

3 Likes

Thanks for the note. Sounds a lot like the '15 I opened a few weeks ago. Have some of the '16 on order too.

Awaiting the response from the legal department…

[stirthepothal.gif]

2 Likes

You rang . . . .

Just popped my first 2016.

Yea I am finding the oak presence off-putting here. Dry and astringent, and has become more pronounced over the last hour open. Clean dark fruit hidden behind that veneer of oak, even a hint of menthol. Has a cool climate feel here, so something I should like if that woodsy element moves aside. Will circle back tomorrow to see if this tones down a bit.

Frankly, I don’t know if this is Bouard, but on pop and pour, I’m not a fan of 2015 and this 2016 is not showing it to me, but then again, neither did the 2010. The 2010 took some time to come around for me to assess. Compare that to 2014 and 2009, that floored me from the get-go with their fresh red crunchy fruit and mid-weight palate, alcohol and oak totally in balance and integrated.

Keeping mind open . . . .

1 Like

Thanks for the early looks. I need to pick up my order from the retailer, got notified it arrived on Monday! Robert, thanks for your take on 2010, and 2014. I opened a 2009 too last December and thought it was plenty nice.

I am with Alfert on this. FWIW, tried a few other ‘16s albeit somewhat higher prices that I liked much, much more: Lilian Ladouys at only a couple dollars more, Potensac and Fonbadet. I have become a fan of the Lilian over multiple vintages.

How was the Potensac? I really liked the 2014.

TW had the 2016 Capbern as well. I’ve seen reference on this site to it, but am not familiar with the style. Any input?

Thanks!

1 Like

I liked the Potensac a lot. Do not know if you will. I would say more open than the Lilian Ladouys which was pretty tightly wound. Kind of fleshy and drank nicely. I think give it, and the others 5 years, and they will be tremendous drinks. I have the Capbern, a few, but have not tried it. It was a bitch to find in NJ and I, as a rule, maybe stupidly, do not go out of state and ship in such wines. I have high hopes though. Crap, I should try one.

I do have to wonder if the knowledge of Bouard’s involvement colors perceptions for some folks.

Most of what I saw between 2014 and 2015 was a dramatic difference in vintage style that has been consistent across other wines. Haven’t had the 2016 yet.

hey Junior - have you had any of the '14 Lanessan recently? I purchased 6 of them, probably at your pushy suggestion…

(sorry for the sort-of thread drift)

Senor Leve has presented his thoughts on the 2019 Lanessan.
The WWF has been in need of a cage match.
[stirthepothal.gif]

1 Like

Are you tasting wood tannin or vanilla? Neither Jeff Leve nor the website refer to new oak, though that hardly means it isn’t there. They may both think it goes without saying.

I had a 16 Capbern last year and immediately went back for another half case. Similar in style to Calon Segur (same winemaking team) - definitely cool St. Estephe profile but with an added dollop of juicy black fruit to go with the structure. No overt oak. Some tomato leaf in there for you if I scared you away with the mention of fruit :wink:.

Another ‘16 St Estephe to watch out for is Meyney, which at Farr Vintner’s Southwold blind tasting, tied with Calon Segur as best of St Estephe, beating out Montrose and Cos (It was Jancis’s favorite).

1 Like

Good call, Vince. I need to grab both of them!!

Very nice write up in Vinous today on Meyney. I may have to check these out - apparently they’re on the rise.

1 Like

I didnt find 2016 capbern that interesting 1 year ago. For the price I preferred Dame de Montrose.

I’ve been enjoying the ‘14s quite a bit (Capbern)

Dame de Montrose is better, for sure, but it’s $40, and Capbern was going for $25. That’s almost twice the price.

2016 Capbern is great. 2016 Lanessan is fine but Capbern outperforms it fairly easily IMO (I have some of both).

Sorry about the thread drift, but Meyney has been consistently out performing for several years at the Southwold tasting, on the back of which I have stocked up on the 2014, 2015 and 2016. It really seems to be a case of if you see it, grab it.

1 Like