Piecing this together, and to be honest somewhat delayed.
- From half bottle.
I tasted this En Primeur, and along with Ausone thought it to be the best Right Bank wine, beating out the the likes of Petrus and Cheval Blanc and Lafleur. My notes talked about a packed, incredibly complex, concentrated wine that was not overly heavy, and with a massive finish.
This the third bottle I have tasted since. You will note it’s from half bottle as the other two were in a very dumb phase, so it made sense not to risk a full bottle. Even so, I gave it an hour in the decanter.
The nose was a combination of cassis, red fruit, rose hips and spice. Certainly a lot more open than before, but still a long way from maturity. Balance was impeccable, finish long and easy. This will be very special indeed.
1989 From magnum
Marcus and Meghan joined us from Goodfellow along with some close friends. This showed beautifully, fully mature with plenty of fruit, a lot of floral notes, a tiny bit of the ferric which was the dominant note of the 1975, but also licorice and the scent of dry leaves. Again the balance was perfect, just enough acidity to keep things fresh, and a long layered finish. While I thought this a gorgeous wine, I think the ‘05 may actually end up a tad better.
1975
I gave the game away by mentioning a fairly dominant note of iron. We were split on this wine; I found there was plenty to offset the note, particularly as the wine warmed up. Some fruit, mushroom and again that hallmark balance.
1970
Served on the front porch with a friend. A lovely example of mature Bordeaux. Quite fresh, the Cabernet, which is a serious part of the blend, giving it a cassis backbone, against which the other flavors played. Spice, licorice and forest floor. The finish was actually quite impressive. This was good and traditional claret without perhaps the finesse I noted in the 1989, and which I am sure I will see with the 2005.