All served at about 70F, no decanting
70 l’Evangile [Pomerol] Cork is crumbly yet intact. Label reads 11.8% ABV (!) which is probably the lowest number I can ever recall seeing for a serious dry red Bordeaux. Yet despite nearly a half century, it has aged well, and is quite drinkable today. Swirling the wine in its glass shows the lack of glycerin, yet it is balanced when tasted, and richens a little over an hour. The color is a medium red, with some cloudiness from the light sediment (wine traveled to supper). There are forest notes on the nose, and the last hints of red fruits on the palate. Not a long finish but still 20 seconds. This brings up a discussion on whether balance or rich fruit is the most important element in making ageworthy wines. I’d give it a B rating, but if you have any left, drink it up.
03 Pontet Canet [Pauillac] Against the other wines, this is the darkest, and tilting more toward the purple than red in the color zone. Has a nose that shows cedar, and to me, a little vanilla. I have not had this in a long time, and I’m assuming it will be, like other young P-C’s, quite tannic. Yet, even without decanting, this is not a stridently young P-C. Visually a dark purple core, very thick legs viscosity wise (I think the label’s 13% ABV must be understated given the huge ripeness of the year), and a long finish. Maybe its the relative youth, but it doesn’t make me think its left bank Bordeaux with the first whiff and taste yet. Or maybe because its so big and rich for a Medoc, that it could be confused for a New World wine. It’s going to be fun watching this develop. For grading, it gets an A.
00 Ferrand Lartigue [St Emilion] This is a lighter color than the Pauillac, more of a ruby red, and shows caramel, vanilla flavors on the nose. It spurs the discussion of: has this wine absorbed its oak? Which also begs the question, is there still oak, and is that a bad thing? I like oak, and still detect it, but others don’t find it so obvious, and believe that what ever is there, is all in harmony. I still find it a touch more woody and edgy than I’d expect given that its storage has been perfect from delivery en primeur. Of 3 bottles, among the 4 of us, it’s the only one left standing at the end of dinner, which is always a candid quiet assessment. Our friends will give it another day of airing and report back if it improves. Part of me thinks it should have been double decanted 24 hrs ahead of time, given how firmly tannic the 98 was, the last time I tasted it maybe 5-10 years ago. I’d give it a B but perhaps there is some upside.
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I used to think viscosity and grip were the only qualitities for ageworthy wines, but tonight, and other wines along the way are convincing me that its not as simple as that. That led to the discussion of what lightbodied wines offered intensity, concentration, and ageability etc.
