2) The '06 Bx was too young and cost too much.
- 1999 Chateau Musar - Lebanon, Bekaa Valley (8/12/2009)
c.20€ at the clearance price at our Monopoly! I had thought the '99 had sold out ages ago so I was pleasantly surprised to find a lone bottle at the clearance. The '99 has always been one of my favourite years of this favourite wine and this might just have been my best bottle of it yet! This was rustic, slightly animal, with lifted/slightly volatile red fruit - it seems a return to the classic Musar style after a couple slightly more polished bottles. Full bodied, sweet red fruit, but light on its feet thanks to high acidity. Very lively and refreshing. Very young, and obviously will only get better, but I still find it irresistible now! - 2006 Château Haut-Batailley - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (8/13/2009)
13% abv; an absurd 40€ in our monopoly, Alko. A deep red, no purplosity here. The scent is rich and loamy with dark fruit. It is delightfully savoury. Oak is noticeable but it isn't obfuscating so I guess it will sort itself out with age. With air, the scent even becomes slightly vegetal - and I found this an absolutely delightful addition to the ripe, but restrained dark fruit. Deliciously palate-cleansing with its elegant but ripe fruit, strong but ripe tannins, moderate acidity and relatively light body. Lively and crisp, it leaves a clean and refreshing taste in my mouth rather than coating it with oak and fruit as too many Bordeaux do: it seems like a classically styled Pauillac (though, to be honest, I'm not sure any such really exist any more...). I enjoyed this despite its youth. A pity our monopoly has such an absurd price for this as I wouldn't mind a couple in my cellar.