TN/. 1989 Chateau Leoville Las Cases

[Pat_Martin]

@Howard_Cooper

My biggest problems with Bordeaux is knowing which estates are Lynch Bages and which are Pavies.

This is why I only drink 80s Bordeaux.

[Victor_Hong]

BYOW Oops!

A good friend and I met at Union Square Cafe last night for dinner. Each person pulled a bottle from the cellar. Unfortunately, both were 1989 Leoville Las Cases. Fortunately, they were wonderfully and virtually indistinguishable from each other, in terms of appearance, condition, and palate. Rich, dark, complex, layered, and alive in a classic, Old-World St. Julien way. Lots of muscular fruit, minerality, tobacco, clay, and gravel. Many, many years ahead in its drinking window. [image]

[Robert.A.Jr]

@M.Kaplan

@Howard_Cooper

To me, in particular the 1986 is similar to the 1975 in style

My least favorite ‘good’ Left Bank vintages of the past 50 years. Because they are similarly hard and charmless.

Interesting. I love 86. But it took decades to get there. My experience with 1975 is limited, but most have been pretty austere.

[Howard_Cooper]

I have not had that much 1975 Bordeaux. When I first started buying wine, the 1978s and 1979s were on store shelves. Then, when 1982 Bordeaux futures came out, I pretty much stopped buying earlier vintages and concentrated my pretty scarce at the time wine money to be spent on Bordeaux on 1982s.

But, the two 1975s I have had a few times are Pichon Lalande and Leoville las Cases. I loved both of them - with time. For me, the 1986s are getting really good right about now. Yes, they have the structure of the 1975s, but they have a lot more fruit and now are almost 40 years old.

[Howard_Cooper]

@Robert.A.Jr

@M.Kaplan

@Howard_Cooper

To me, in particular the 1986 is similar to the 1975 in style

My least favorite ‘good’ Left Bank vintages of the past 50 years. Because they are similarly hard and charmless.

Interesting. I love 86. But it took decades to get there. My experience with 1975 is limited, but most have been pretty austere.

It took decades for the wines to get there.

[jon_leifer]

I loved the 86 LLC last night…but not the decades it took to get there…bottle was in my cellar for > 30 years…