Bordeaux Night: 78 Margaux, 2000 Palmer, 89 Montrose, 96/98 Calon Segur

Château Margaux, Margaux 1978
Consensus WOTN; at first nose was mindblowing, with tons of graphite, violets, and blue/black fruits. Initially a little disjointed, with a kind of milky taste in the midpalate. Breathing up in the glass, it was just a beautiful wine, so well-balanced and silky, with a lasting finish, with lingering notes of graphite and blue fruits.

Château Palmer, Margaux 2000
Still on the young side, though decanted for about .5 hours. Perfumed nose, rather extraordinary, but a big bold wine in the mouth. Lots of material, somehow more red-fruited than the Margaux, acidity and perhaps some unresolves tannins (compared to Margaux) at the end. I might have liked this better than some; along with the brashness, it still had considerable elegance especially when it breathed up in the glass, and a hint of cocoa, along with perfume gave it a distinctive signature.

Château Montrose, Saint-Estèphe, 1989
After the previous wines, this one seemed a different beast. At first it appeared almost austere, though also towering, with a distinctive nose in which tobacco and maybe something like ash and even a little bergamot featured. Like the Margaux a pop n’ pour, it gained more depth of fruit in the glass, the black fruits combining with the signature notes, leading up to a long and still surprisingly dense finish. A more contemplative, and perhaps less gorgeous wine than the Margaux, it invited more lingering than was here possible.

Château Calon-Ségur, Saint-Estèphe, 1996/1998
The 98 was poured first, followed by the ’96, which alone had been decanted, again for about half an hour. Sadly, the ’98, which I believe would have been enjoyable on its own, in present company was simply outclassed. It showed slightly thin, though displaying some distinctive Calon character (somewhat herbal, a little iron or mineral) in the finish. The ’96 was a different matter: a lovely wine with depth of fruit and plenty of time left on its clock. Notably balanced with a long finish–perhaps a little more approachable than this wine tends to be; it would be interesting to try up against the '95.

Joshua,
Great notes, thanks.
I agree with your assessment of the '96 Calon Segur. It’s a beautiful wine, just entering a nice drinking window. It is my “anniversary wine”, so I’ve been opening a bottle every year since 2006, when I bought one for $55 from WineCommune. It’s been nice to see it develop. I knew it had potential, but it’s been glorious the past couple of years, even better than I expected after early tastings. I have a couple a 3000cc bottles of 1996 saved for our 25th and 30th anniversaries, and a couple of cases of 750’s to get us through our anniversary dinners until we’re in our eighties.
I haven’t liked the '95 nearly as much. I’m not as big a fan of that vintage in general as some around WB. Most of the wines I’ve tried have dense tannins without enough fruit.

Cheers,
Warren

Thanks, Warren,

And glad to hear that the '96 Calon has been giving you so much enjoyment. I have not has as much luck with '95’s myself, but have not drunk many from Bordeaux to be honest. (Some red burgs are notoriously as you describe.)
Unless I am miscalculating, it sounds like you will be opening one of those double mags soon. I hope it shows as well for you as the '750’s.

Best,
Josh

Great spectrum of wines and years there.

Thanks, Arv!

Wow, killer note and really excellent notes!

I love that Montrose. Dang it’s pricey these days, though.

Fabulous lineup and notes. Still have a few 89 Montrose in the cellar ($32 back in 1992). It’s an outstanding wine and still on the upswing IMO.

Pretty much agree with Joshua. He 78 was the 11th bottle of a case I’ve had over the last 8-9 years. This was probably the best that I have had. Lots of graphite, cedar, completely integrated, its on the downside-but far from dying-so drink now. This showed very, very well.

The Palmer was excellent but showed very young along side of the rest of the group. I love Palmer and this is a very good wine. Probably needed much more time & air, but it is big, bold and red fruited, still youthful. Very good now but it is going to pick up more character with time.

The Montrose was very close to being my favorite. A touch more rustic, saddle leather, tobacco, old wood on the heals of the Palmer. Loved he maturity and balance. Fully mature and I would bet in a good place for a while to come but I would not hesitate to pop one.

The 96 held its own. Very good, dark, deep wine with plenty of time and a good future. The 98 just didn’t have the stuffing to hang. Agree with Joshua, it likely would have been perfectly nice alone. Overall a very good night.

The Billecart-Salmon Rose to start the night was, as usual, a nice rose Champagne and perfect with the starters. And the 63 Niepoort Colheita 1963 was out of this world. Long, sweet, still plenty of back bone, and the fruit was a wonderful foil to the chocolate dessert.

I still distinctly recall paying $40 in late 1992, thought I was crazy dropping that on a bottle, but had some young new lawyer money in my pocket!

I had a fair amount of '89 bought on futures, though no Montrose, too pricey for me at the time. A case of Haut-Batailley, another of Meyney, and one other, the fanciest, that I cannot recall. It all disappeared when in a break-up, it was stored in my (former) partner’s cellar in their old house in Buffalo and I never saw any of it again. I think the local wineshops got and sold most if not all of it.

great notes, Joshua…The 78 was my very first Ch Margaux…lovely wine…went through about a case of the 89 Montrose and probably a 6 pack of the 90 Montrose…Terrific wines…I think the 89 ran me around $30/bottle, the 90 cost more

Great notes, and useful.

I have an untapped case of '00 Palmer (actually Sally has one, but I am the sommelier). Was thinking about dipping in. Will wait.

Anybody have any recent notes on the '99?

Dan Kravitz

Thanks, Dan,

Unfortunately, no '99 in my cellar–or any Palmer in fact, this and the Margaux were brought by a fellow Beserker here in Bloomington. Maybe some other folk have some data points?