Pop and pour from a 3L bottle, been following over 3.25 hours.
Red berry fruit nose with a minty top note. Some lactose that blew off. Brambly fruit. Dank earth, green tobacco leaf, hints of leather. Loamy soils and citrus fruits on the palate. Broad fruit range from reds to plummy darks but it’s that blood orange note that gets me. My first Magdelaine was a 66 - maybe 10 or so years ago - and this 2011 has some of the similar markers: earth, red citrus fruits and mint. This 2011 is such a lovely old school classic, shining in a vintage that many critics seem to eschew (to their discredit, at least on the right bank). And incidentally, Magdelaine seems to excel in these so-called lesser vintages. I’ve had maybe 6-7 bottles of the 2011 and have enjoyed it from day one, but fully expecting that this wine will shine when it reaches that elegant age of when I had that 66. Paired so beautifully with a slow roasted pork shoulder with Cuban marinade, sides of rice and black beans, yucca and misc.
A fitting last vintage. I can’t say I love either the 2009 and the 2010, given the vintages hype, but both were hot and not surprisingly a bit of a whiff by Magdelaine standards.
But then along comes the 2011, a so called lesser year, and Magdelaine excels, and best of all, it is archetypal Magdelaine. It is lovely, understated, balanced, complex, and if not a great wine, it is a really good one, one of the best of the year. Had it recently and Robert’s mint is my Thai basil, but that could have been because I was chiffonading some a few hours before.
Dang, I had to look that up! Now I know, not that I necessarily want to know. Sounds like manual labor. @ToddFrench and @Jorge_Henriquez would approve.
You and I totally concur on this vintage. I skipped 09 after trying one, but do like 08 very very much. I bought 10 but have not tried it. I’m heavy on my fave vintages though, like 2005, 2000, and used to say 1998, but those are running out.
I’ve always enjoyed Magdelaine. I’m sitting on a case of 1995 which is just hitting stride, and I fooled a lot of people with the 1993 - it was so good that no one believed it could be an ‘off’ vintage, having been brainwashed by the mostly left bank aficionados. Ditto for both 93 and 94 La Mission vintages - excellent.
I actually liked the 2009 quite a bit and more than the 2010. I’m fairly confident they should work out in the long run (well, I placed that bet with purchases anyway). I bought all of the 2008 and 1998 that Tom sent to Winebid and am looking forward to trying the 2008. The 1998 is a modern monument and I’m always kicking myself for not buying cases years ago because I knew it was great (it roasted other 1998 right banks in a 2015 blind tasting).
Sounds great Robert. Finally got to try a Magdelaine at my birthday, a 1986, and I was really impressed. Would love to try a “young” version as well like this.
I am an optimist. I have a six pack of the 2010. I will wait another 20 years until they are 30+ years old and I am in my mid 80s and then declare (with my faded palate) that they are great after all……
Well the good news is that 2010 Right Bank in general have a lot of everything; alcohol, dry extract, big flavors, and a smash mouth personality. In your eighties, with palate fading, it will still make an impact🥹
