Yet another entry in the never-ending series of Stuff @AskoKassinen makes us drink!
(Here are some previous entries:
Stuff Asko makes us drink: Retro Cellars
Stuff Asko makes us drink: Santa wines
Stuff Asko makes us drink: Töövi wines
Dunn Dunn Dunn… (Stuff Asko makes us drink)
Stuff Asko makes us drink: old Ravenswood Zinfandels
Stuff Asko makes us drink: His own wines
Stuff Asko makes us drink: His own wines, again
Stuff Asko makes us drink: White wines
Stuff Asko makes us drink: old Ravenswood
Stuff Asko makes us drink: BIG wines)
This was a tasting from late 2024 which Asko had named “Bin Ends III”; a selection of random Bordeaux reds ranging from quite young all the way down to the mid 1990’s. Some wines we tasted were disappointing, some were amazing and some were somewhere in-between. I had tasted many of these wines before and for the most part, the wines were remarkably consistent - my tasting notes from this tasting were more or less identical with the ones I had written before.
Some mid-tasting fare.
Some quick points and observations before moving on to the tasting notes. Cos d’Estournel 2000 continues to disappoint. I normally enjoy Bordeaux from the 2000 vintage and I’ve loved Cos wines until the late 1990’s, but the combination of Cos and 2000 is not a winning one for me. The wine just isn’t up my alley. Unlike the 2000 Chevalier, which was superb. And Figeac continues to be one of the best châteaux in St. Émilion. Angludet can be really nice in good vintages, but doesn’t seem to perform that well in lesser vintages.
- 2015 Château Le Caillou - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (22.10.2024)
Typically a blend of Merlot (75-90%) and Cabernet Franc (25-10%). 13,5% alcohol. Tasted from a magnum.
Slightly translucent blackish-red color with a subtly evolved dried-blood hue. The nose feels ripe, dark-toned and sweetly-fruited with aromas of sweet red plums and black cherries, some toasty oak tones, a little bit of licorice, light woody notes of pencil shavings and a hint of smoke. The wine feels ripe and silky yet dry on the palate with a medium body and flavors of juicy black cherries and tart lingonberries, some peppery spice, a little bit of something metallic, light crunchy redcurrant and blackcurrant tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and a touch of toasty oak spice. The overall feel is quite open-knit and a bit soft with the medium acidity and quite ripe medium tannins. The finish is dark-toned and somewhat soft with a medium-long aftertaste of black cherries and brambly black raspberries, some sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of savory wood spice, light metallic nuances, a hint of ripe blackcurrant and a touch of toasty oak spice.
This was a rather lukewarm effort. The flavors were pretty nondescript - which in itself seems to be a defining quality of Merlot - and the wine was somewhat lacking in the structure department. And as if all that wasn't enough, there was this subtle yet somewhat distracting metallic taste that didn't make things any better. It's hard to say if we just had a poorly performing bottle, or if this vintage of this wine was as disappointing as this, but at least the bottle we tasted didn't really make me want to check things out with another one.
(81 points) - 2000 Château Le Caillou - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (22.10.2024)
Typically a blend of Merlot (75-90%) and Cabernet Franc (25-10%). 13% alcohol, 2 g/l residual sugar and 5,5 g/l acidity.
Aged, luminous and somewhat translucent maroon-brown color. The nose feels old and somewhat pungent with tertiary aromas of soy sauce, some beef jerky, light nutty notes of rancio, a little bit of smoky Speck and a woody hint of pencil shavings. The wine feels dense, dry and evolved on the palate with a medium body and rather tertiary flavors of tobacco and smoky Speck, some oxidative notes of soy sauce, light pruney tones, a little bit of soy sauce, a salty hint of rancio and a touch of gravelly minerality. The overall feel is pretty tired but still quite firm with the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is old, somewhat oxidative and moderately tannic with a long aftertaste of soy sauce and smoke-cured meat, some salty notes of rancio, light sweeter nuances of prunes and dried black cherries, a little bit of cassis, a tart hint of lingonberry and a touch of loose tobacco.
This bottle was already past its peak and getting moderately oxidized. I guess the wine was still somewhat identifiable for a Bordeaux, but it drank like a wine twice its age. I hope our bottle was just a dud and this wasn't representative of Le Caillou's 2000 vintage.
(NR/flawed) - 1995 Château Le Caillou - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (22.10.2024)
Typically a blend of Merlot (75-90%) and Cabernet Franc (25-10%). 12,5% alcohol, 1 g/l residual sugar and 6,3 g/l acidity. Tasted from a magnum.
Moderately translucent and subtly hazy dried-blood color. The nose feels savory and quite old school Bordeaux with classically styled aromas of redcurrants, some wizened red plums, light woody notes of pencil shavings, light herbaceous notes of chopped chili, a hint of leafy forest floor and a touch of ripe blackcurrant. The wine feels firm, savory and moderately evolved on the palate with a quite full body and intense flavors of tobacco and licorice, some herbaceous notes of roasted bell pepper and leafy greenness, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of ripe redcurrant and wizened blackcurrant, a hint of smoke and a savory touch of meaty umami. The overall feel is still relatively tightly-knit with the high acidity and still rather grippy tannins that show relatively little resolution. The finish is long, savory and quite grippy with an intense aftertaste of pipe tobacco and wizened blackcurrant, some woody notes of pencil shavings, light herbaceous notes of bell pepper and leafy forest floor, light plummy tones and a developed hint of meaty character.
A sophisticated, firm and classically styled proper claret that shows great flavor intensity and impressive sense of structure. Stylistically this was enjoyably stern and old-school with its quite dry and savory flavors and subtly herbaceous undertones that added lovely sense of complexity to the fruitier notes. Seeing how the wine is starting to feel quite evolved, I doubt the wine is going to improve with additional aging. However, seeing how wonderfully fresh and intensely-flavored the wine is now, at nigh 30 years of age, I don't see it falling apart in the immediate future. Drink now or within the next decade or so. After two disappointing vintages of Le Caillou (2015, 2000), this was a fine return to form.
(92 points) - 2016 Château Poujeaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc (22.10.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Merlot (35%) and Petit Verdot (5%), harvested between October 4th and 21st. Aged for 12 months in oak barriques (30% new). 13,5% alcohol.
Still quite youthful and more or less fully opaque black cherry color. The nose feels savory, rather ripe yet still pretty classically styled with dark-toned aromas of sweet blackcurrants, some tobacco, light green leafy tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, a hint of dark plummy fruit and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The wine feels juicy and rather ripe but also quite sinewy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and focused flavors of dark plums and fresh bilberries, some crunchy chokeberry tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice and mocha, light leafy herbaceous notes, a woody hint of pencil shavings and a touch of ripe blackcurrant. The overall feel is enjoyably balanced with the rather high acidity and ample, moderately grippy tannins. The finish is dry, juicy and rather grippy with a long aftertaste of fresh bilberries and ripe blackcurrants, some succulent black cherry tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light woody notes of pencil shavings, herbaceous hints of leafy forest floor and roasted bell pepper and a touch of dark plummy fruit.
An attractive, balanced and surprisingly classically styled effort for a contemporary Bordeaux from the 2010's - I did not expect any of these bigger Châteaux to show any herbaceous nuances, yet here we are. The wine is relatively ripe with some sweetness in the fruit, but the overall feel is nevertheless enjoyably firm and balanced with good backbone of fresh acidity and ample tannins, while the dark-toned fruit flavors are accentuated by subtly herbaceous nuances. At the moment the wine still feels a bit too young and the oaky tones have yet to integrate with the fruit, but the wine shows good potential all the same. Expect the score to go up as the wine ages. Good stuff, recommended.
(91 points) - 2005 Château Poujeaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Moulis en Médoc (22.10.2024)
A blend of Merlot (52%), Cabernet Sauvignon (39%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petit Verdot (4%) from vineyards averaging 30 years in age. Vinified in oak vats, epoxy-lined concrete vats and stainless steel tanks. Aged for 12 months in oak barriques (50% new). 13,5% alcohol.
Slightly evolved and moderately translucent blackish-red color with a subtle maroon hue. The nose feels quite savory, somewhat understated and enjoyably classically styled with layered aromas of leafy forest floor, some developed gamey notes and consommé nuances, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant, light smoky tones, a sweet hint of wizened red plum, a touch of fresh bilberry and a whiff of toasty oak spice. The wine feels ripe but also chewy, dry and quite concentrated on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of blackcurrants and juicy black cherries, some woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of ripe bilberry, light evolved meaty tones, a hint of toasty oak spice and a touch of leafy forest floor. The overall feel is firm and rather muscular with the moderately high acidity and silky yet ample tannins that slowly pile up on the gums, making the wine gradually feel quite grippy. The finish is dry, savory and quite grippy, showing quite a bit of ripeness without much fruit sweetness with a long, bold aftertaste of blackcurrants, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of fresh bilberry, light woody notes pencil shavings, a hint of leafy forest floor and a developed touch of consommé.
A tasty, harmonious and sophisticated Left-Banker that is slowly approaching its full maturity. There is still a little bit to go before the wine reaches its peak, but with its somewhat meaty notes, it is obvious the wine isn't young anymore. There is still some room for development as the oaky tones could use a bit more age to integrate better with the fruit and the tannins could resolve some more, but as a whole, the wine is in a quite enjoyable spot already now. Drink now or over the next decade or maybe two. Recommended.
(92 points) - 2000 Château Soutard - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (22.10.2024)
A blend of Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Franc (30%). Fermented and macerated in stainless steel tanks, moved into barriques for the MLF. Aged in predominantly new (approx. 3/4) oak barriques. 13,5% alcohol.
Luminous, somewhat translucent cherry-red color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels a bit sweet, somewhat evolved and slightly odd with aromas of stewed plums and ripe redcurrants, some cedary notes of wood, a little bit of buttery diacetyl, light notes of pipe tobacco, a hint of juicy cherry and a touch of dried blackcurrants. The wine feels silky, somewhat airy and still a bit extracted on the palate with a moderately full body and slightly sweet-toned flavors of stewed strawberries, some sweet and slightly creamy or buttery notes of diacetyl, a little bit of dried red plum, light rich nuances of raspberry jam, a toasty hint of chocolatey oak and an extracted touch of woody bitterness. The overall feel is quite stern and somewhat chewy with the moderately high acidity and still pretty firm and grippy tannins. The finish is rich, somewhat evolved and quite grippy with a long, sweet-toned aftertaste of wizened strawberries, some ripe blackcurrant and cherry tones, a little bit of phenolic spice and bitterness, light lactic notes of diacetyl, a woody hint of cedar and a touch of herbaceous leafy character.
Two years ago the wine seemed a bit closed but also very stern and tightly-knit, making me wonder how much longer one should age the wine before it started to come together. Well, this time the wine was a bit more expressive, and I guess I could've rated the wine slightly higher due to this evolution - unless if it weren't for the weird, slightly lactic or even somewhat buttery nuances of diacetyl that seemed to accentuate the sweetness of the fruit, making the overall feel come across somewhat weird and even a bit artificial at times. I imagine we just had some bottle variation here, as the wine was so very different from the previous bottle. I guess there's still some mileage in the tank here, but the diacetyl notes made the wine just feel too lactic and weird for me.
(87 points) - 1998 Château d'Angludet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (22.10.2024)
Typically a 1:1 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, occasionally with a little bit of Petit Verdot. Aged for 12-14 months in French oak barriques (approx. 1/3 new). 12,5% alcohol. Tasted from a magnum.
Dark and slightly translucent plummy-red with a somewhat evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels savory and quite classically styled with aromas of wizened blackcurrants, some leafy herbaceous notes, a little bit of ripe red cherry, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of forest floor, a touch of roasted bell pepper and a faint, rich whiff of Chambord liqueur. The wine feels dry, velvety and open-knit on the palate with a rather full body and pretty intense flavors of wizened blackcurrants and ripe plummy fruit, some herbaceous leafy tones, a little bit of roasted bell pepper, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of toasty oak. The overall feel is pretty firm and moderately muscular with the rather high acidity and ample, still quite grippy tannins. The finish is nuanced, savory and quite grippy with a long and rather intense aftertaste of wizened blackcurrants and pipe tobacco, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of roasted bell pepper, light leathery tones, an autumnal hint of leafy forest floor and a faint touch of toasty oak.
A sophisticated, quite classically styled and pleasantly evolved Margaux approaching full maturity. There is still a little bit of room for further development - mainly the oaky nuances could integrate a little bit further and the tannins could resolve a tad more - but otherwise the wine is starting to show nice tertiary complexity with a suave, velvety texture and nice depth of flavor. Pretty much on par with the 2000 vintage that was tasted at the same time - although I feel the 2000 still has potential to develop and improve much more with further aging, whereas any improvement in this vintage is going to be quite limited. Fine stuff all the same, highly recommended.
(93 points) - 1999 Château d'Angludet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (22.10.2024)
Typically a 1:1 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, occasionally with a little bit of Petit Verdot. Aged for 12-14 months in French oak barriques (approx. 1/3 new). 13% alcohol. Tasted from a magnum.
Slightly translucent and moderately evolved plummy-red color with an aged maroon hue. The nose feels rather evolved with aromas of dried dark fruits and meat stew, some wizened blackcurrants, light pruney tones, a little bit of farmhouse funk, a hint of smoky phenolics, a touch of roasted carob and a whiff of leather saddle. The wine feels silky, mellow and evolved with a quite full body and rustic, even surprisingly funky flavors of barnyard and phenolic spice, some leather saddle, a little bit of wizened blackcurrant and sweet plummy fruit, light gravelly mineral notes, a hint of loose tobacco and a touch bitterness. The structure relies noticeably more on the quite assertive and rather grippy tannins than on the modest and quite soft acidity. The finish is somewhat funky and rustic with moderately grippy tannins and a long aftertaste of barnyard and phenolic spice, some wizened blackcurrants, light smoky tones, a little bit of sweet plummy fruit, a hint of roasted carob and a touch of gravelly minerality.
A somewhat pleasant but also atypically funky vintage of Angludet, where the funky tones just don't add to the complexity, but also dominate the flavor profile quite a bit. I wouldn't mind the rather noticeable brett influence otherwise, but the wine is also considerably modest in acidity, which makes the overall feel quite dull, soft and lacking definition. The wine just comes across as quite rustic and somewhat unfocused without much freshness and intensity. Something of a disappointment between the two delightful vintages (1998 and 2000) we tasted at the same time.
(86 points) - 2000 Château d'Angludet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (22.10.2024)
Typically a 1:1 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, occasionally with a little bit of Petit Verdot. Aged for 12-14 months in French oak barriques (approx. 1/3 new). 12,5% alcohol.
Deep, slightly translucent and quite luminous black cherry color with a slightly maroon hue. The nose feels juicy and subtly rustic with aromas of ripe black cherries and wizened dark plums, some licorice tones, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light minty green nuances, slightly bretty hints of leathery funk and phenolic spice, a developed touch of meat stew and a whiff of smoke. The wine feels firm, quite ripe and somewhat spicy with a rather full body and slightly rustic flavors of phenolic spice, smoke and leathery funk, some ripe black cherries, light minty tones, a little bit of developed meaty character, sweeter hints of juicy dark plums and wizened blackcurrants and a woody touch of savory oak spice. The overall feel is pretty muscular and tightly-knit with the quite high acidity and still pretty stern and grippy tannins. The finish is long, dry and quite grippy with a somewhat funky aftertaste of wizened blackcurrants and ripe black cherries, some sous-bois, a little bit of bretty leather and smoky phenolics, light woody nuances, a developed hint of meaty umami and a touch of minty greenness.
This was remarkably similar to the bottle we had about a year ago: a delightfully firm, nuanced and structure-driven Margaux that shows quite a bit of vibrant fruit, some evolved complexity and a subtle yet perceptible dose of bretty funk that adds a nice, rustic dimension to the flavor profile. While drinking mighty well right now, the wine seems to be much younger than its 24 years of age would suggest - something that is in common with many 2000 Bordeaux reds - and most likely the wine will still continue to evolve and improve for another decade, if not several. A fine wine with a good amount of upside. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2002 Château d'Angludet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (22.10.2024)
Typically a 1:1 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, occasionally with a little bit of Petit Verdot. Aged for 12-14 months in French oak barriques (approx. 1/3 new). 13,5% alcohol.
Quite deep and rather opaque blackish-red color with a somewhat evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels surprisingly closed, understated and - at times - slightly musty with reticent aromas of dark fruits and licorice root, some woody tones, a little bit of vanilla, light blueberry notes, a hint of forest floor, a touch of dried blackcurrants and a whiff of something dusty. The wine feels understated, dry and somewhat thin on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and relatively ripe flavors of juicy blackcurrants, some earth, a little bit of phenolic spice, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of stony minerality and a tart touch of crowberry. The overall feel is somewhat tough and hollow with a bit understated flavors, rather high acidity and quite grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is dry, somewhat understated and rather grippy with a medium-long and slightly reticent aftertaste of crunchy dark berries, some earthy tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, light gravelly mineral nuances and a funky hint of phenolic spice.
After three considerably more expressive vintages of Angludet, this 2002 seemed remarkably closed and underwhelming in comparison. We really couldn't agree if the wine was just representative of the somewhat disappointing 2002 vintage and it was already fading away due to age, or if it was very slightly corked. Some people thought the nose felt vaguely musty, but the wine didn't seem to exhibit any obvious TCA aromas over the whole evening, so we didn't come into any conclusion. As we couldn't be sure if the wine was supposed to be like this or not, I'm leaving the wine unrated. - 1999 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (22.10.2024)
The indicative Figeac blend is Cabernet Franc (35%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%) and Merlot (30%). Aged in 100% new oak. 13% alcohol. Bottle #25434.
Dark, slightly translucent maroon color with an evolved dried-blood hue. The nose feels quite rustic, savory and enjoyably classically styled with aromas of wizened blackcurrants and fresh black cherries, some funky notes of leather saddle and phenolic spice, a little bit of tobacco, light leafy green tones, a fragrant hint of dried flowers, a woody touch of pencil shavings and a faint sweet whiff of VA. The wine feels dry, firm and pretty tightly-knit on the palate with a full body and intense flavors of juicy blackcurrants and sweet dark plums, some blueberry tones, light bretty notes of barnyard and leathery funk, a little bit of leafy greenness, a woody hint of pencil shavings and a touch of smoky phenolics. The wine comes across as quite stern and structure-driven with its rather high acidity and still pretty assertive tannins that show very little resolution. The finish quite ripe, somewhat rustic and pretty grippy with a long, intensely-flavored aftertaste of dark plums and ripe blackcurrants, some funky notes of bretty leather and phenolic spice, light leafy green tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, a hint of barnyard and a subtly sweet touch of volatile lift.
An impressively structured, quite classically styled and even surprisingly funky vintage of Figeac - while this Château has typically felt somewhat less polished and more rustic compared to many of its appellation peers, this vintage seemed even less polished and at times downright dirty with its rather pronounced bretty qualities. And I didn't mind one bit! The bretty notes didn't seem to overwhelm even the finer nuances, because the wine was so intensely-flavored and focused as a whole. Considering how 1999 was a year that produced lots of rather middling wines - even among many great Châteaux - this wine is surprisingly impressive, vibrant and intensely-flavored for the vintage. Although the wine wasn't particularly tertiary yet, it feels the wine is slowly inching towards its plateau of maturity and any further improvement is going to be quite limited at this point. Most likely the wine isn't going to fall apart anytime soon, however, so I'd say this can be drunk now or within the next decade or two. A very complete old-school Bordeaux from the somewhat funkier end of the spectrum, highly recommended.
(94 points) - 2000 Domaine de Chevalier - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (22.10.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (63%) and Merlot (37%). Fermented and aged for 16-18 months in oak barriques (1/3 new). 13% alcohol. Bottled in mid-June 2002. Total production 100,000 bottles. 12,5% alcohol.
Dark, slightly translucent blackish-red color with a somewhat evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels surprisingly smoky and robust with aromas of roasted meat, some wild strawberry, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of fresh cherry and sweeter black cherry, a hint of loose tobacco and a touch of ripe red plum. The wine feels dry, firm and somewhat developed - not young nor aged - with a medium body and intense, savory flavors of game and salty-meaty umami, some tart cranberry tones, a little bit of crunchy redcurrant, light smoky nuances, hints of fresh red plums and wild strawberries and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The overall feel is pretty stern and structure-driven with the high acidity and ample, grippy tannins. The finish is dry, long and grippy with an intense aftertaste of crunchy redcurrants and tart cranberries, some gamey tones, a little bit of earthy spice, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of ripe red plum and a touch of loose tobacco.
A stern and still pretty tightly-knit vintage of DdC that - as is typical of so many 2000 Bordeaux - comes across as surprisingly youthful for its age and is still on an upward curve. The wine shows great flavor intensity, but there is relatively little ripeness and the fruit profile is more crunchy, acid-driven and red-toned rather than bold, ripe and dark-toned. In addition, there are lots of savory and meaty non-fruit flavors that give the wine a slightly evolved feel, even though the fruit profile or tannins show very little age. All in all, this is pretty serious and quite tasty stuff for people who like nuanced, less flashy and more structure-driven Bordeaux. A fine wine with lots of upside. Highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2000 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (22.10.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot (40%). 13% alcohol.
Brooding, almost fully opaque black cherry color that doesn't look young nor aged. The nose feels big, dark-toned and sweetly-fruited with somewhat polished aromas of sweet dark plums and crème de cassis, some chocolatey notes of mocha oak, a little bit of ripe blueberry, light lactic nuances, a hint of sweet and toasty smoke, a touch of juicy black cherry and a whiff of baking spices. The wine feels ripe, juicy and somewhat chewy on the palate with a full body and quite dry but also pretty glossy flavors of dark plums and toasty milk chocolate character, some woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, light lactic notes of blueberry milkshake, a hint of gravelly earth and a touch of cassis. The wine shows impressive sense of structure with its high acidity and ample, still quite grippy tannins. The finish is long, ripe and pretty grippy with a rich, intensely-flavored aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and dark plums, some toasty oak spice, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, light lactic notes of diacetyl, a hint of sweet mocha oak and a touch of ripe blueberries.
I've enjoyed many 2000 Bordeaux wines because they still seem so impressively youthful and intensely flavored for their age - they are holding so much better than any of the surrounding vintages - and up until mid-to-late 1990's Cos d'Estournel made fantastic wines that were really up my alley. However, this was my second time tasting this 2000 vintage of Cos, and it continues to be a big disappointment for me. True to the 2000 vintage, the wine is remarkably youthful and vibrant for its age. However, unlike so many other Bordeaux wines we tasted at this tasting, this was a rich, sweet-toned and glossy wine with lots of juicy, dark-toned fruit packed underneath a polished sheen of chocolatey, toasty oak. There's no denying that this is an impressive wine with its remarkable flavor intensity, complexity and firm structure - it's just that the flavor profile is so much not to my liking. If the wine tasted more like a classic Bordeaux than a modern Napa Cab, I'd happily rate this wine many points higher. Now all I can hope is that with enough aging the oak would fully integrate with the lush fruit, and that fruit profile would in turn evolve into something more interesting with tertiary complexity. If you have any bottles of this vintage, let them wait - they still have lots of mileage in their tank.
(91 points) - 2002 Château Palmer - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (22.10.2024)
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Merlot (40%) and Petit Verdot (8%), harvested between the last week of September and the first week of October. Fermented and macerated in tronconic stainless steel vats. Aged for 20 to 22 months in French oak barriques (50-60% new). 13% alcohol.
Deep, slightly translucent black cherry color with a somewhat evolved maroon hue. The nose feels savory, dark-toned and moderately ripe with aromas of juicy blackcurrants, some leafy forest floor, a little bit of old leather, light blueberry and dark plum tones, a hint of dried flowers, a touch of toasty oak spice and a whiff of pipe tobacco. The wine feels quite silky yet still pretty firm and chewy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and slightly evolved flavors of wizened dark plums, ripe blueberries and blackcurrants, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of old leather, light savory notes of meaty umami, hints of earth and forest floor and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The wine feels quite stern and sinewy with its rather high acidity and ample, fine-grained yet very grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, quite silky and very tannic with a long aftertaste of ripe blackcurrants and dried blueberries, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light leathery notes, a hint of leafy greenness and a woody touch of savory oak spice.
A firm, sophisticated and pretty structure-driven effort that has just enough fruit to come across as fine and balanced. As seems typical of the 2002 vintage, the fruit is lacking a bit in vibrancy and intensity, but true to Palmer's stern style, the wine packs quite a bit of punch with its tough, tannic structure. The overall feel is not austere or balanced, but maybe a bit hollow - fortunately not by much. This is still a fine and enjoyable wine, but I can imagine the wine would show more sense of balance and harmony in a better vintage. Compared to the bottle we tasted 1½ years ago, this wine seems a tiny bit more evolved, but I'd say there has been no noticeable improvement in quality - the fruit profile just seems slightly more developed.
(92 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
I am working on my very own hybrid wines, as it happens on the same USDA Zone 6a as parts of Nova Scotia.