textbook classic claret. Cassis? Check. Cedar? Check.
On first decanting the 1995 tannins still predominate but it gradually and steadily smooths out and is drinking very nicely at the 2 hour mark.
Enjoying this and happy to have a few more bottles.
Posted from CellarTracker
I like this wine and I’m just one bottle into my six pack. Best of all, I convinced a neighbor to buy some so I’ve been drinking his!
I think is my fifth bottle of the case. Sixth?
Your bottle of this at Fabio’s 5 years ago convinced me to source some. Checking my spreadsheet, I some how managed to accumulate a baker’s dozen of these through the years!
I’ve been holding off opening them, but it sounds like it’s time to drink (at least) the unlucky number.
As good as the 95 GPL is, I find the 96 even better, but the 90 is far and away the best of the decade.
This is quite clever, I have never thought of such a technique
On another wine board a very active member stated that GPL is a fraud – meaning that the Chateau produces mediocre wine all the time and a merchant he knows has the same opinion. Based on this expertise your palate is a complete failure 
This is showing great at the moment, just about to finish the first case.
I’ve had GPLs during the heralded and semi-hearalded vintages of the 70’s, 80s, 90s and up until 2000, that performed relatively as well as other major Bordeaux names. Unless fraud-accuser noted above refers only to 2003, it sounds like a gross exaggeration and misrepresentation.
Btw, I’ve had the 1995 about 4 times in dinner tastings, at least 2x from Jay’s contributed bottle (iirc), and I regard it as one of the top successes of the 1995 Bordeaux vintage. Also, during 2 of those tastings, we had it head-to-head with the very good 1996, but the ‘95 always squeaked out a win in the out-performance meter.
I backloaded this wine when I first had it some years ago and it was less expensive. Agree with the OP in calling this a “textbook classic” wine, that’s always what I think when I have it. To me it’s a real reference wine for classic Pauilliac. Obviously not from the standpoint of being the greatest wine from the area or anything but just in the sense that it is beautifully executed and has fantastic typicity. It has that extra layer of poise, class, and depth you expect from a Pauilliac classed growth vs a haut-medoc like Sociando Mallet or whatever, while still being pure left bank cabernet.
Looking forward to finishing up my bottles in the coming years, to my taste well stored bottles are entering peak but it easily has a solid 5-10 years to go.
My advice is to give it a good decant before drinking. My initial reaction was “this is much more backward than the last bottle I opened” quickly followed by “duh, I decanted that one for over three hours”.
Exactly what I intended to convey but you express more completely and clearly. Are you sure you aren’t moonlighting as a mind reader?
If memory serves, Jim bashed the 2000 GPL ad nauseam on BWE. I absolutely adore the 2000 GPL, and I could never figure out how someone, particularly a Bordeaux lover, could have such a disdain for that wine. That said, I think the 2005 is shaping up even better.
My main recollection from that time was of him complaining about how ridiculous the 2000 prices were and how he wasn’t going to buy any as prices were sure to go down before giving in and buying a huge bunch of them .
Was that like Jim How? Something like that. Prolific poster and seemed like a good guy. I remember a mostly BWE inspired offline at Café Loup to try a broad spectrum of 1997’s and see if there were any swans among the ugly duckings to lay down. If memory serves Léoville-Barton and maybe LLC were the winners that eve.
Regarding Jay’s point, I remember looking at the Sherry-Lehmann 2000 offer prices and thinking they were nuts. Bought a couple of mixed cases strictly as a hedge but totally expected prices to dip on release and then buy in greater quantity. Insight into my mental competence.
I think Jim is half serious about hating Grand Puy Lacoste, half stirring the pot.
The serious side agrees that the 82, 90 and 95 GPL’s are terrific wines, but he claims to despise the 96-03 string, which of course is silly.
The 96 is very close to the quality and style of the 95, which I marginally prefer. I am not impressed by the 01-03s, all quite poor for the vintage IMHO, but the last time I had the 2000 (5 years ago), it was young but quite promising. The 05 also looks like a winner.
I do have my doubts about the 09 and 10, which came across as far too modern when I tried them on release.
Maybe on the whole not the most consistent chateau, but the highs are quite high.
Agree, I have both the 95 and 96, but unfortunately more of the former, nevertheless preferring the latter, which is also more youthful.
The only complaint one can have drinking GPL is the high dose of brett. Those who dislike this aroma will not be happy.
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That’s my strategy with white Burgundy. A friend buys it in quantity and shares it, and he bears all the premox risk.