1986 Pichon Lalande
Furiously tannic and closed at first, the bottom third of this was left in the decanter for about five hours, at which time it had opened up beautifully to reveal a wonderful broad and deep palate of a typical top-flight Pauillac. But ideally, this needs another decade.
Drink: 2015-2030...........................93pts
1994 Smith Haute Lafite
This vintage is turning out to have been very much under-rated initially, and this wine is a great example of how maturity has allowed even the most pedestrian of wines from this year to shine. Smooth as silk, long full-bodied and complex, this was an absolute steal in the late nineties.
Unbelievable QPR
Drink: 2006-2020............................91pts
1982 Chateau Latour
Well, why not!! My third of the case, and yet again good but not great. I love the minerality of this wine, which is full bodied and has unbelievable length. But for me, not the 100-pointer everyone raves about. Maybe just too young at this stage?? I'll leave the rest for at least a decade.... and then sell if they fetch $2500+
Drink: 2020-2050.............................95pts
1995 Chateau La Conseillante
Some of the noted Bordeaux critics in France, Michel Bettane included, believe this to be one of the wines of the vintage, despite the Great One only rating this 89 points. Thanks for the bottle, Geoff, and one of the finest Bordeaux I have seen in a long while. This wine is about sublety, intensity, structure and balance. It is not a blockbuster, but displays Pomerol at its absolute finest. Supreme quality fruit framed by beautiful use of oak has resulted in a masterpiece: by far and away the wine of the night, it left us all silent and contemplating the virtues of fine Bordeaux. It just goes on and on and on, I can still taste it now. Gotta get some of this!!
Drink: Now-2015...............................99+pts
2001 Chateau Gazin
Wow!! A great little wine from again a very much underrated vintage, this has ripe tannins and wonderful up-front fruit that make it very pleasant drinking at such a young age- went perfectly with the hard cheeses. All anise and flowers, great length and sure to get better, but it is pretty hard to resist at the moment.
Drink: 2008-2020...............................92pts