@Andrew, that’s a nice lineup of wines! Have only had the '05 Duhart-Milon and felt similarly to you from what I recall, but I have a 2000 Lagrange in the cellar. Sounds like it’ll be a nice one once I pop it.
Three more for the cause, all popped & poured:
1990 Pavie Macquin - At this point, lighter-bodied on the palate, with good acidity. Blackberry fruit on the nose, with a musty note as well. This has been a fascinating wine to track over the years, and generally not in a good way. On release, this was delicious, with in your face fruit - never overly complex, but something that was truly a pleasure to consume. Then, by the late 90’s, the wine almost seemed to come apart at the seams. I can recall posting on the old Parker Board that this certainly seemed to be a prime example of a spoofed Bordeaux. Given that I had purchased two cases of the wine, I was basically stuck with this. And for a period of 10 or so years, sampling a bottle here and there, the wine remained totally undrinkable - something I would pull a cork on, pour a glass and then inevitably pour the bottle down the drain.
I came across a bottle in the cellar about five years ago, and said what the hell, pulled the cork and was surprised that the wine was actually drinkable again. No where near as good as what it was on release, but it had at least settled in to an range of adequacy that would provide interest, if no real excitement.
1988 Domaine de Chevalier - Gorgeous nose here - I love that tobacco scent you get from a mature Graves. Really nice on the palate as well - seamless, fully mature, with the acidity just starting to overtake the remaining fruit. A pleasure to drink at this point.
1988 de Fieuzal - This is a little more attenuated on the palate than the Chevalier, and clearly on the decline, but still drinkable. Better on the nose, with an appealing spice & cedar note.
Jud, thanks for giving me a reason to pull corks on these.
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Checking in on 2015:
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2015 Château Cantemerle - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (12/26/2020)
From 375. Fresh on the nose, more expressive than a year ago. Restrained classic Left bank in the mouth, bright red/black fruit, rose petals piled on a base of cedar pencil shavings and fine grained tannins. While this still needs a few years to fully unwind it is very enjoyable today. (91 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
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Went to Costco to find a bordeaux, they have this Mouton 6-pack. LOL
2018 Clos de Lunes d’Argent
This is Olivier Bernard’s (from Domaine de Chevalier) “pet” project, a dry white blend of Semillon (70%) and Sauvignon Blanc (30%). White peach, lemon, green pear with medium-ish body. Great QPR and ready to drink now. Served with Miso Cod on Christmas Eve.
2016 Chateau Carbonnieux (Pessac-Leognan)
This was our Christmas Dinner wine. The balance is perfect: cassis, red plum, with delicate tannins. Decanted for 2 hours prior to drinking on the 1st night. On the second night, it was even better. This should age wonderfully. Served with filet mignon in mustard mushroom sauce, mashed potatoes and broccolini.
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TN: 1990 Leoville Barton
Decanted a 1990 Leoville Barton I had been holding onto a while. Wife got me a Durand for Christmas so this was a good test run.
Stood it up about a week ago. Popped the cork and decanted off sediment for around 2 hours. Cork was in perfect shape, the Durand was probably unnecessary for this one. Early taste had some funk on the nose and no fruit. An hour later had some cherry/cassis but still the funk. At the two hour mark a switch was flipped. Funk was gone and the nose had an explosion of cocoa, cassis, and tobacco (seemingly out of nowhere). Great balance with the acid, tannins fully relaxed and had a nice long finish that morphed into a very subtle hint of sweetness. Not that I think there was any R.S., it’s probably a trick of the mind and tongue that I find in most of the aged Bordeaux that I like.
Not a life changing wine, but just a solidly well done left bank Bordeaux right in its drinking window. 95 pts (although I won’t begrudge someone saying that’s too high) 
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Some great wines being opened - interesting to see the variety. Please keep it going through Thursday!
Tonight’s note: 2001 Sociando-Mallet: Popped and poured at cellar temp. Still quite dark color throughout with no signs of bricking. Very traditional Bordeaux nose - green pepper, tobacco, feral earth and some black pepper on the nose. Tannins have smoothed out, mix of spicy black fruit and green pepper on the palate with a strong acidic streak on the finish. This is in a good spot, but really cries out for food to go with it.
Update - now open for nearly 2 hours, has really blossomed. Still has all the Bordeaux hallmarks on the nose, but much generous black fruit showing through along with the firm acidity on the finish. Really lovely.
Chateau Giscours 2009
Deep garnet color. Definitely ready to drink. The nose was the typical Bordeaux. Enjoyed with beef ribs and chicken.
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2005 Reignac.
This has really had no positive development with its 15 years of age. Pretty simple medium black fruit with some oak. Considering it was $18 or whatever, I don’t think it’s especially poor value, and it still is reasonably drinkable and compares okay with merlot you might buy for the same price from California or Chile, I suppose.
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2005 Branaire Ducru
Decanted an hour. Inky. Nice aromatics, matching the palate. Cassis, blackberry, wet earth, tobacco. Sweet tannins, very slightly bitter, chewy. Medium+ body. Still mostly big dark fruit, nice acidity for lift. Delicious alone and with food.
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That’s about the same development (or lack thereof) that the 2000 had.
A little in arrears here:
12/24 - 1989 Chateau Margaux - my first-first growth, fully live up to expectations. Bottle and cork in perfect condition, decanted a few hours, everything I love about classic aged Bordeaux
12/25 - 2000 Leoville Barton - 4 hours in the decanter. Racier and edgier than the previous night’s Bordeaux but just as powerful. This is a wonderfully made wine that while having a long life ahead is in a very good enjoyment window.
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Just had this wine last night as well! Not something I’d seek out all the time, but I enjoyed it.
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2017 Château Tour Saint-Christophe - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (12/27/2020)
Densely extracted and ripe, not entirely balanced, but fresh acidity and chalky minerals stop it from being an inky mess. Plush red and black fruit, orange peel, coffee, and woody herbs, all framed by formidable tannins. A bit four-square and overweight but otherwise pretty enjoyable for a modern St Emilion. (88 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
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I opened 2 1996s over the weekend.
1996 Talbot. This had me longing for the Cordier era and that delicious funk. This may have been an off bottle based on Cellartracker notes, but all it showed was strong cedar that overshadowed all else. Not the least bit enjoyable.
1996 Calon Segur. This has shown consistently well over the past few years, and in my opinion, is at maturity. Tannins are fully resolved, still has ripe fruit along with Asian spices and espresso. Really drinking well.
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Still 3 days left folks! Post a note for a great cause!
a 2003 Leoville Barton was gifted to my parents and they were kind enough to open it up on Christmas Day! Tobacco and dark fruits summed it up for me. The finish was incredible, it just didn’t stop.
Note: sorry for the atrocious photo, the eggnog got me pretty good…
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A note a couple weeks ago from Glen Gold reminded me that I had picked up one of these. Had instant pot turkey chili tonight, and figured it’d be a decent match (it was fine).
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2019 Château Haut-Bailly Bordeaux Rosé - France, Bordeaux, Bordeaux Rosé (12/30/2020)
Picked this up as a novelty. Have not had many Bordeaux roses, but this was certainly different from the pale salmon rose from the other side of France. Bigger, bolder, and packs a punch of strawberries and blood orange, with some subtle florals and a bitter skin-tannin component. The 14.5% alc shows on the nose and back palate. Interesting to try something different, but once is probably enough. (87 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
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2000 Cypres de Climens - From 500 ml. Lovely golden orange hue. Not quite the intensity of the first wine, but lovely nose of apricot, hazelnut and caramel. Nice sweet apricot and honey fruit with lovely viscous texture. Just missing a little bit of the acidic counter balance of the regular Climens, but a lovely after dinner drink.
One more day left folks - please empty the wallet for a good cause!
2000 Lynch Bages. This bottle, decanted 1.5 hr before dinner, is certainly in its drinking window. Cedar and cigar box aromas, resolved tannins and lovely balance with dark fruit on tasting. Lingering finish. Very, very good but not comparable to the great 1989.
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1990 Château Gloria - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (30/12/2020)
Another classic left bank Bordeaux. Similar profile to the GPL which was why I guessed Pauillac. Still very fresh, albeit the fruit was not as vibrant as the 1990 GPL, and this leant towards the sweet side rather than savoury. Tannins pretty much softened and resolved, drink these up if you have them. -
1990 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (30/12/2020)
Monumental wine. There’s an immense power to this coupled with some tertiary Bordeaux characteristics of cigar ash and tobacco. Ripe fruit for its time, some savouriness to the wine that I liked. I do love old school Bordeaux that have a certain rusticity and marginal ripeness character. They don’t quite make wines like this anymore.
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