Recommendations for 1995 or 96 Bordeaux?

I don’t want to spend more than $150, and I’d like something classically styled but preferably on the riper side that is already well into its drinking window.

'96 Cos d’Estournel is nice

Haut Bailly, Cantemerle and (in 96 at least) Langoa Barton.

I had a '96 Cos and found it still too tannic to enjoy. My '96 Cantemerle was corked :frowning:

am a big fan of the 95 Grand Puy Lacoste. 2 bottles recently. 1 was just entering it’s drinking faze, other not quite.

1996 Cantemerle is drinking really nicely, will hold, and should be great value.

95 pichon baron

From waht I’ve checked in on 95/96 this year…

In Margaux
95’ Segla was quite good
96’ needs a bit more time
for a lot less coin I liked Monbrison, du Tertre (96’)

Paulliac:
95’ Pichon Baron
95’ Pontet Canet
95’ Lynch
but I’d wait on the 96’ Pichon Lalande
for less $$ Clerc Milon after a 2 hr decant, it never really did seem to come around though

St Estephe:
90, 95 Calon is quite good now
Wait on the 96’ Cos
Lafon Rochet has some decent lower cost St Estephe, 90, 96 were good as well

Haven’t checked in on much else except lesser years of 94’ St. Julien (Leoville Barton), I suspect the 95 is soming around.

Graves:Pessac Leognan:
Can’t go wrong w/ Smith Haut Lafitte or Haut Bailley in 96’. Had both and nice with food.

96 lynch is lovely

I strongly recommend 1996 Ducru Beaucaillou as it is clearly of first growth quality. It may be just above your budget, but it is worth every penny.

'96 Lynch Bages – changed me from a pure Napa Cab drinker to an ever growing Bordeaux fan. It was wine of the night in a Napa vs Bordeaux evening when Napa cleaned the clocks of the Bordeauxs with the sole exception of the 96 Lynch Bages. You can’t go wrong with that one.

Cheers!

Agree on the 1995 and 1996 Lynch-Bages recommendations. The 1995 I think will be a more fragrant and understated wine ala 1985 (my favorite Lynch-Bages of the many vintages I have tried over the years, just to let you know that is where my own tendencies are), and in the early 2000s it was just starting to emerge from its shell. Should be lovely by now.

1996 is excellent as well, fuller and a bit more lusty. Interestingly I have had this a couple of times and never found it closed as I did the 1995. Been a few years since I had one, but I would be surprised if it is not open for business as it has been pretty approachable both times I had it- and when I was not expecting it to be so generous.

95 cos is drinking beautifully.

+1 they’re still closed up

Try the '96 Domaine de Chevalier (Pessac-Léognan).

I’m with Ed. I’ve had about 5 bottles of this in the last 18 months and only one of them felt a little sheepish. All others were really something nice.

+1

the 96 is equally good, maybe better, IMO.

A couple of bottles of the 96 Talbot that I had three or four years ago were drinking very nicely.

+1 I have also really enjoyed the 94, from what was supposed to be a very difficult vintage.