I fear tomorrow, but tonight was sublime. All wines singing.
The 2011 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne was in a wonderful spot. Crisp and lean from a cool year but showing signs of maturation, a nicely integrated wine. Oyster shells, ripe lemons and some waxy lanoline. Paired effortlessly with appetizers. (93 pts.)
The 1989 Chateau Leoville Las Cases was decanted for 45 minutes, and was starting to open up quite nicely by the time we poured the first glasses. Such a gorgeous old school Bordeaux perfume. Dank earth, cassis, tobacco and hints of brett. A very rich, musky perfume. Big mouth feel, so seamless and layered. Fully integrated and at apogee. A gorgeous wine. Just a smidge behind the 1986 that I had last month. (96 pts.)
We poured the 1986 Chateau Gruard Larose maybe as we were halfway done with the LLC. Loved having these wines side by side. They actually showed quite similarly. Clearly the imprimatur of classic 1980s Bordeaux. We reminisced as to whether we would ever see the style of Bordeaux again, and the consensus was no. The GL showed more funk and intoxicating perfume than the LLC - so typical of the 1980s Cordier era - but overall the LLC was a better wine, more sophisticated and layered. This GL is at peak but I had no indication that this wine will decline any time soon. (95 pts.)
We segued from the restaurant to the tiki bar at our country club for a nightcap, and popped a 1998 Chateau Conseillante. I really enjoyed this wine, but it is not at the level of many other 1998 Pomerols. It is a refreshing, leaner style of this vintage, with a lovely array of both red and dark fruits. Some sweet tart elements, keeping this wine, crisp and fresh, but not necessarily deep. (92 pts.)
What a great lineup! I’ve never had the ‘86 Gruaud but went through a bunch of 1985/89/90. And it’s been a few years since I had the ‘89 LLC. I gotta get some more Bordeaux from this period into my rotation. Luckily I have a bunch of ‘89 Pichon Lalande waiting to be opened!
I was feeling ok about my decision to not pull the tigger on the 89 LLC for my 35th next month but the FOMO is brutal now. The rich and musky descriptor works well here! Sounds like a great night!
Or here, a dumb person’s problem. I leave it all in the hands of my accountant, and for 20 years he waits to the very last day to tell me what to do! I feel nice and numb, and happy, today. Last night with another couple was great. The outdoor weather in Florida was just perfect to close the evening.
As a sidenote, the friend of ours that we got together with last night, the husband, he has a very large Bordeaux collection, with a lot of Bordeaux from the 1980s. He is not a wine nerd at all, like most of us, and I doubt he even knows about this website, but he made the comment that the 1980s was his best decade for Bordeaux and he doesn’t think any recent vintage will approximate it. He opined, maybe 1995 and 1996. Funny that we have that debate often on this forum. And I concur. The perfume of the wines is entirely different from what we have today. Granted, some of that funk could be hints of brett and perhaps the byproduct of less sophisticated agronomy and winemaking of today, but it certainly adds a character that is mostly lacking now in today’s Bordeaux. Not to say that today’s Bordeaux is not great - it is or often can be (leaving aside the silly hot years) - but it is also different.
I was at a vintage car show on Saturday lovingly gazing at these gorgeous American muscle cars and sleek Europeans, like the 1960s XKE and the 911. Perhaps that’s the Bordeaux from the 1980s. They will not drive like the 2024 911 or the EVs of today, which are just smooth and comfortable beauties, but you hear the engines roar and feel the road. Rough steering and stick shift, but it’s an immerse experience. That’s character. I like vintage stuff.
Kinda a bummer about the Conseillante, I’d hoped for more from a great Right Bank vintage. I picked up a few recently based largely on Gilman’s recent awarding of 95 pts on this one, calling it better than the 89 and 90 (!).
Great notes! I used to buy multiple vintages of Cordier-era Talbot and Gruaud Larose for a song. I think that was about 15 years ago. I still have a few, but not many.
