Nice Neal!!..still a nice wine even though '87 was not considered long lasting and labeled weak due to heavy rain in the final month.
Makes me think of '93 Pichon Lalande, a supposed charming claret from a weak vintage.
I agree Marc, that Lalande and Mouton were solid in '93. I bought a few of the Moutons with the Balthus label when Chris and I were on our honeymoon there, the '93 was just being released. I had my last about 5 years ago.
my compliant about 1st growth…too clean
as for funk…among well known names…Sociando may be our final frontier
Sociando has that old school balance and that green streak but it doesn’t really bring the funk the way those Cordiers did.
very true…i do remember drinking an '05 Chateau Aney that was quiite funky…
I think it sits next door to Sociando, but Cordier funk is unique
Any other great examples of bordeaux bringing the funk?..right bank can do it too…'98 La Grave a Pomerol was a classic freak…now it’s all polish 
We did a vertical of Meyney a decade plus ago (so missed recent years) and I thought 86 was the best of that when compared to peers. It’s also my personal favorite of theirs. Sadly, drunk up all of them by age 20 or so…
Nice picture!
Marc, that ‘82 La Landone we popped with Roy qualifies. That was a killer wine.
Now I go to Levet for my funk groove.
unfortunately I was not there Alfert
Roy saves all his young new world wines for when I come over…dammit
I popped it, brought it. I’m pretty sure you were there, but admit many bottles were popped.
With a friend at The Milling Room a few weeks ago, we traded a pour of the beautiful 1998 Gilles Barge Côte Rotie Côte Brune my buddy opened for a pour of 1986 Gruaud, which I hadn’t had in over a decade. Unfortunately it was not a good bottle of the Gruaud. No Cordier funk, muted fruit compared to what I remember. Cooked bottle I think. Was a bummer. I was looking forward to revisiting an old friend.
They are totally different beasts in my view. the old Cordiers were earth and deep; Sociando is (usually) green and stalky. Gruaud is a forest after the rain; Sociando is biting into a raw asparagus sprout
I still have one bottle of 86 GL. I’d just need time to have it pulled. Though I can also point out exactly where it used to be in the cage at .chelsea.
Funny how our Venn Diagram can have such overlap, and then deviate so much on a wine that I think is not that far out of the traditional mainstream. I love the streak of green but have never encountered anything like raw asparagus. Our tastes can pick up some things so differently. I almost grabbed a 2000 Sociando for the table tonight, but ended up with the 2000 Les Carmes Haut Brion that you recommended, plus some other goodies.
Agree that they are different animals. More like a flora/fauna thing. Sounds like you’re not a huge fan of Sociando. I like it in warmish years but not as much as Talbot or Gruaud. I agree with your characterization but would look for descriptors with more positive connotations. Maybe a streak of green complexity, and putting your nose into a glass of fresh spring greens.
And to Alfie: they are both traditional, but occupy different points within that old school portion of your Venn diagram. Lots of room for different personal preferences within that space.
Some older SHL have those classic old school traits…'01 was gravel, slate, leather earth…'04 is in the same vein
Yea, I know there are both traditional. Both squarely in my wheelhouse. Love them for sure.
'01 bahans was old school…just gorgeous
for me…
better than any experience I’ve had with its big brother
then…there are those magical classic old school bottles of '99 d’armailhac…I have tasted it 5 times…all were good, but 2 were incredible.
Oh yeah, now you’re talking! Delish. (though for me it’s more like green peppercorns and capsicum).