by Bill Spohn » Wed Jan 14, 2009 10:09 am
Bordeaux notes from a blind tasting.
Clos du Ch. de Mosny Montlouis – I figured I’d give them something to think about – no getting away with the usually Champagne guess on this one. Mousse not abundant, died more quickly than you’d like, but the nose showed excellent sweet fruit and it was fairly full bodied and despite the seeming sweetness, fairly dry and well balanced. A pleasant alternative to Champers – works beautifully in the summer, and is well priced.
2003 Ch. Baret (Graves) – oak and citrus in the nose, smooth and quite soft, ending dry and a bit short. OK white but no better.
1966 Belair – DOA but worth a shot as you never know. A miss.
1966 Pichon Baron – here is a wine that anyone reading available reviews would probably shy away from, but I am pleased to advise that reports of its demise were definitely premature in the case of this bottle. It showed medium dark colour, big fruit in the nose, excellent favour intensity and still had a bit of tannin. Good length. A hit!
1975 Boyd Cantenac – the ugly sister of the Cantenac clan, this showed not at all as most 1975s do, in that it has softened enough to have shed obvious clues about its vintage. Somewhat funky nose, good colour, mellow and soft with good acidity, it drank above its pay grade.
1982 La Louviere – this Graves was dark, had a hint of sweet mint in the nose, and a brown sugar thing happening, showed a sweet entry and soft tannin on palate.
1998 Monbousquet – a St. Emilion that showed a cocoa and plum nose, still had fairly firm tannins and was very tasty indeed.
2000 Pavillon Rouge de Margaux – fairly tannic, this wine showed some nice spice and blackcurrant in the nose and decent fruit. Drinks well now.
1999 Leoville Barton – pleasant middle weight nose, slightly low on fruit in the mouth and showing high acidity, this one was fairly closed – no idea where this will go and when.
2003 Coutet – I was very impressed with this Barsac – great nose of grapefruit and botrytis, bright and clean despite high levels of RS. Should have a long life.
2003 Myrat – sweet pear in the nose, but a tad dull on palate, seemingly much sweeter, but that may have just been inferior balance. Nice, but heavier and not as light on its ‘feet’