Perhaps the Franc did not perform as well in those vintages.
What he said… Blends always change to some degree, depending on the vintage. Cab Franc has never been a big part of the blend here. They have more clay in their terroir.
I paired a bottle of the 2000 Lanessan [Haut Medoc] with a long shuffle of Brandi Carlile, which paired well enough for a gloomy day. Robert’s original assessment still rings true; my observations line up similarly, although I might note it might be more acidic today. Still, I love it, and am glad to have sat on this OWC for close to a quarter century. Bordeaux, as a region, has lost a lot of mind and wallet share among ever shrinking wine consumers but wines like these were how they built the regional brand. It’s hard to believe how much development, interest, and character one could get from fairly priced and - at least now - easy to find properties.
A- on my card.
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Awesome, Arv! Thanks for sharing! Wish I had some left. Although I do have a perfectly stored 1982 coming!
Wow, ten years since this note of mine. And I actually remember writing it. I’ve had some in between, but revisiting one tonight, 10 years later, and it just reminds me how astonishingly great of a QPR this 2000 Lanessan is. Almost 1986 Meyney level. And how remarkably fresh and youthful it continues to show. The bottle I opened is fairly pristine, no streaks on the cork at all, the meniscus of the wine, barely fading. Fairly powerful dark fruits, earth, leather and cigar box. Beautifully integrated on the palate, love its juicy freshness with subtle hints of sweaty saddle leather. Sweet and sour black cherries. Some cool minty notes, a surprise for a solar vintage. Dusty chalky finish.
(93 pts.).
Ya. I’m generous on a wine like this. Just too perfect of a QPR, hard not to love all over it. Wish I had cases of this elixir.
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Happy to be the 2nd biggest Lanessan fan on the board.
I’ve got one bottle of this left. Part of me wants to open it now, part of me wants to wait another decade or two. Having enjoyed a '66 a few years back and some '70s and '80s vintages also, I know it will be there.
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Yea hold it. I had a 1982 last year that was drool-worthy! We know this chateau can go long. Heck, this wine is 26 years old and it’s still young.
For anyone that has not had a long experience with this classic wine, and wants to try a truly classic and affordable wine, grab the 2014. They brought Bouard in as a consultant in 2015, and I think there was a stylistic shift, just enough to turn me off. I have heard good things about 2019 so need to circle back and give it a couple of tries. When I popped it recently, it was pretty darn good but definitely not a 2014.
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I just noticed this thread as it popped back up. Lanessan 2000 is one of my favourite wines for all the reasons you mentioned so enjoyed reading through. Unfortunately, I ran out a couple of years ago.
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I bought a 6er a year or two back off WineBid, largely on the strength of this thread, and they’ve ranged from merely very good to phenomenal depending on the bottle. The two that were really on were just extremely excellent bottles of wine, period, regardless of the price. Truly a knockout vintage for Lanessan. Only two left…
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