The Wine Club Saturday Tasting: Bordeaux 2006/01/07

Year	Wine	Price	Rating
1982	Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste, Pauillac Currants, very flavorful blackberry jam, prune, silky, tea, still very tight, has a throat coating finish. Somewhat liqueur like... almost throat burning. Not something I like. - so - ws	209.99	****
1989	Chateau Leoville Las Cases, St. Julien Blackcurrants, coca cola, a hint of coffee, very very flavorful, soft tannin, at its peak form. It would be interesting to match this directly against a slightly flattened coca cola. - so - ws	164.99	*****
1989	Chateau Pichon Baron, Pauillac Supposed to be Wine Spectator's Wine Of The Year in 1992. cassis, cherry nose, chocolate, berries, viscous body, tight, I don't like the herbal tea (kind of like Raspberry Tea) finish. The body was remarkable. - so - ws	219.99	****
1990	Chateau Leoville Barton, St. Julien Raspberries, tobacco hint, provencal herbs, silky, silky body, very very long finish. This is better than the 1989 tasted on X'mas. - so - ws	194.99	*****
1996	Chateau Pichon Baron, Pauillac Lots of coffee, earth, raspberry, pepper, tobacco, silky viscous body. The finish leaves a mid-palate hole, therefore not attaining 5-star. - so - ws	53.99	****½
2000	Chateau Montrose, St. Estephe Fragrant cassis, violet, cherry, extremely flavorful yet not dense, musk, truffles, saffron, chalky. At the moment the finish is a bit bitter. But not a flaw. I have not been very pleased with Montrose until now. The second wine La Dame de Montrose 2000 had been interesting. I have two existing notes separated by half a year. The first note was 3-star with a note that say could have given it 2-star but for benefit of doubt maybe it will open up. The second note had it at 5-star. The former was a "New Arrival" tasting. Perhaps that's due to travel shock? - so - ws	129.99	*****
1999	Chateau L'Evangile, Pomerol earth, mocha, vanilla, plum, berries, meat, very complex, very full body, closed. - so - ws	66.99	*****
1998	Chateau Ausone, St. Emilion mineral, earth, heavy, chalky, very concentrated, very full body, plum, chocolate, ink (kind of like Chinese ink ground on inkstone), roasted herbs, astringent. - so - ws	184.99	*****
2002	Chateau Haut Brion, Pessac Leognan very interesting nose of lavender, blueberry, raspberry, cranberry, blackcurrant, dusty, hint of mint tea, not even close to the 2001. - so - ws	99.99	****½
2002	Chateau Margaux, Margaux light color, nose of pine, coffee, licorice, not unlike the scents of Christmas, cherry, sweet, chalky, very flavorful, very complex, more and more aromas and flavors keep popping up, truffles, plum, unintegrated yet but a beauty, viscous body, reduction brown sauce, very intriguing. - so - ws	169.99	*****
2002	Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac Deep, "Lau", purple fruit, vanilla, cassis, mixed herbs, licorice, grill meat, deeply concentrated, astringent, cedar, very pure. - so - ws	139.99	*****
2002	Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac vanilla, blackcurrant, floral, raspberry, pencil lead, constantly evolving, extremely elegant - so - ws	149.99	*****
2002	Chateau Latour, Pauillac very fragrant flowers not unlike narcissus and Chinese peony, rosemary, tight currants, strawberry, dusty, full body, tannic yet not bitter. Latour is often the tightest of the five First Growths. This should evolve into something extraordinary. - so - ws	159.99	*****
2001	Chateau d'Yquem, Sauternes This was poured as a mystery wine. I know from the first drop it's the d'Yquem. That is the 2001 with 100 perfect points from everyone. Didn't jot down notes, not too good at tasting/describing/judging Sauternes. The previous note was like so and it'll suffice: mineral, caramel, saffron, wheat essence. Just to add, it is really very, very good. Overall, not a bad start for 2006! - so - ws	?	*****