TN: 2000 Bordeaux Tasting - Only the big guns

[Craig(NZ)]

2000 Bordeaux Tasting

A few Sunday lunch time drinkies with Rossi

This is definitely the most elite tasting of wines I have ever attended. Of course 2000 is one of the great Bordeaux vintage and all the big guns were here. It is interesting to try to sum up how great these wines are. Why are they great and how are they great? They don’t have any more flavour than a ‘run of the mill’ top wine. They definitely are not bigger wines. The difference is in their subtlety, their exactness, their definition, complexity and class. Now before you aussies start diving for your dictionaries let me explain. These are wines that really could be lost in a line up, and really may not be appreciated by the average wine drinker. I say this not to put down either the wines or the drinker, but the pinnacle of wines is perhaps not as far above the top kiwi and aussie wines which I drink often as I first thought. Also you must really search for the qualities that set these wines apart as the greatest expressions of cabernet on the planet today. The diminishing returns theory has of course been seen in various comparative tastings in the past, but perhaps it does not register. Steve Smith MW relayed to me two examples of blind comparative tastings where ’98 Coleraine and the top 01 Craggy Range Bordeaux blend were mistaken for first growths among professional wine makers and judges at recent tastings. I was very very tempted to rush downstairs and buy a 2000 Te Mata Coleraine as a benchmark.

The prices of these wines are absolutely exorbitant. How anyone on the planet can justify $1000 a bottle is beyond me, however they are wines that every serious wine drinker should try at least once in their lifetime. All criticism in these notes is basically comparative and nit picking.

Stylistically from the left bank Margaux, Lafite, and Haut Brion are more elegant, exact and sensual wines. Latour, Mouton and Leoville Barton are more intellectual and brawny.

My notes to 3dp for extra accuracy below

1995 Chateau Pape Clement Pessac Leognan. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. A very aromatic wine showing hints of Almond paste, sweet florals. Palate is quite rich rounded, fine and moderately complex. Warm with only light acid backbone. At a mere $270 a bottle this wine was quickly dismissed as we moved on to the guts of the show. A very fine and complex wine but the price tag makes a joke of what otherwise has to be considered a very smart and different wine experience. 17.000/20

2000 Chateau La Conseillante Pomerol. The nose of this wine is quite charry showing raspberry, leather, perfumed violets and a dusty note. Palate has fine but powdery tannins, red fruit spectrum with moderate concentration. Long finish in a serious style. Second look showed some cooked tomato characters. At $470 a bottle once again it is in mad mans territory and really although it is a fantastic wine wines 1/5 its price could compete. 17.000/20

2000 Chateau Cheval Blanc St Emillon Premier Grand Cru Classe A. Just a few dollars over $1800 a bottle gets you a damn good wine. Nose is quite quiet but so rich, restrained and opulent Blueberry, blackcurrant, florals and polished leather. The palate is cascades of fine but rich flavours, dark fruits, hints of sweet spice. Layer upon layer of flavours, exact, smooth, deep and rich with a massive finish. A tight, brooding, classy and complete package. Velvet glove, no iron fist here – who needs it. Fills the mouth and involves every part of the palate in a symphony of flavours. Translation: It’s a damn good wine but who can afford it?? Truly exceptional. 19.750/20

2000 Chateau Leoville Barton St Julian Second Growth. ($280+) Perhaps the most hyped second growth of the vintage. I actually think in style, this wine is closest to a wine such as Coleraine than any of the wines here today. It is very fruit driven and perhaps a little more obvious, and simple than some of the first growths. Dark crimson red. Nose is rich and complex showing cinnamon, black plum, tobacco, dark cocoa and chocolate. On the palate there are some big soft but grippy tannins, primary fruit of red plums. Lots of fruit concentration. Good depth and interest but maybe not quite the style and class of some of the others on show. Nevertheless a astonishing wine. 19.250/20

2000 Château Margaux Margaux First Growth. ($930) This is a spellbindingly good wine. Nose shows exotic rubarb and red fruit, red chilli, white pepper, slight dry leafiness. The palate is soft, sexy, understated and layered. Sweet underlying red fruit lifts through fine tannins. Juicy, pure, exact and defined. Cabernet at it ultimate. Probably the sexiest cabernet ive ever tried. Outstanding 19.750/20

2000 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac Leognan First Growth. ($930) A more debated wine. Nose is very mute at this stage but shows some gorgeous nuances. Marshmallow, icing sugar, fresh coconut fringe a fine black fruit core. Restrained and sexy on the palate, showing a slight metallic note, brazil nut and fine black fruits. Complex and layered, very long and fine texture. Needs some time to open up but astonishing wine. 19.500/20

2000 Chateau Mouton Rothschild Paulliac First Growth ($930) Big nose on this wine, not quite as fine as the others in this department. Fresh Ground Coffee, charry, leap out of the glass. Palate is slightly more open and simple. Silken texture red plum, sweet baked tamarillo, underlying some serious powdery tannins. A wine that is more obvious in its offering. Deepened out with time. Needs some cellar time! 19.500/20

2000 Chateau Lafite Rothshchild Paulliac First Growth ($740) Rich restrained nose of fresh blackberry and plum. Very sexy. Clean fruited with fantastic complexity of graphite. Palate is creamy in texture with fine layers of tannin and sweet fruit rising on the palate. Very fine. Not quite as deep as some of the others but a very precise wine. 19.250/20

2000 Chateau Latour Paulliac First Growth ($930) Nose of restrained spearmint cigar box, black olive and black fruits. Rich, complex and primary. Palate is tight and rich. Tannins are big but so fine, lovely structure and classy integrated oak. Big mouth filling wine. Deep and long tight complex finish. Astonishingly good cabernet. Brooding, tight, rich and exact. A big wine. 19.750/20

1997 Chateau d’Yquem Sauternes Premier Cru Superieur ($650) So smooth, oplent but understated. Peaches, hint of raisins and endless complexity. The texture of this wine is second to no wine I’ve ever tasted. It is utterly unique, silk, satin, creamy and caressing. Perfect wine. Cant fault it. Religious experience. Sensational length, x factor+ Astonishing wine. 20.000/20

[kenzo]

Hi Craig,

An enviable lineup - hope you got enough time to see them evolve in the glass, as many of them do take some time to open.

In the 2000s I've had so far, they have without fail showed a great weight and depth of fruit. It is one of the best vintages from Bordeaux in general that I have ever sampled in my short time of drinking them, but the prices are high (and those prices you listed seem very high, even for NZ dollars!).

I've put away a few of my favourites from the 2000 vintage that I picked up at decent prices (can't go past Leoville Poyferre, Lagrange, Gruaud Larose, etc), but I've also been going back through the 96 vintage for left bank and 98 for right bank. Some of these are drinking very nicely right now, and are often cheaper than their 2000 counterparts.

When one compares prices for earlier, slightly lesser vintages (or especially current 2002 futures prices), it becomes hard to justify the costs unless you are willing to fork out dollars to get the very top of the quality curve (diminishing returns and all that).

Having said all that, what a great tasting that must have been - not much spitting, I'll bet!

[Regan]

No not much spitting going on at this tasting. (Not from me anyway!)
Good notes Craig, your order of wines was almost exactly the same as my own (though I would have scored some a little lower and the Conseillante a couple of points higher) Of course I was converting your 3dp to the 100pt scale which is a tad imperfect.

No doubt a great event, if not a little difficult to assess the wines with such a small amount. I think some times the taste was affected by the fact there was more saliva than wine in my mouth after keeping it in there a while! I would have prefered to pay more for double the amount.

Perhaps a longer decanting time would have also been more appropriate. I believe they did this a couple of hours before we arrived, 24+ hours would have given us a slightly different impression. Although there was no doubt they would all still be quite closed.

My opinion on the theory of 'blind comparative tastings' is that a Coleraine from a top vintage would compete favourably and perhaps better some of these wines (Conseillante and Leoville Barton for example) from a lesser Bordeaux vintage. From a top vintage, no. Craggy Range? Hmmmm...

There was a lot of uncalled for talk from certain participants at the tasting extolling the virtues of Hawkes bay cabernet. I was waiting for someone to put their money where their mouth is and go downstairs and get a bottle to put into the lineup.....

Leaving price out of the equation I guarantee you the difference would have been clear for all to see. It is not a question of size or concentration.

The difference is in their subtlety, their exactness, their definition, complexity and class

But as you said, it is the law of deminishing returns price wise. $35 dollars vs $900 dollars. A good QPR isn't the point though with a lineup like this.

We were also tasting wines that only showed us a fraction of their ultimate potention. Another recent release wine may show well at this stage. How about in 40 years time? I know which ones I won't be tipping down the sink That is when you realise what you were paying for all those years ago.

[Craig(NZ)]

reagan

NZ wine isnt there yet, that is for sure, but i feel at least that the 00 coleraine or 98 coleraine would not be embarrased in this line up. stylistically at least i can see now where coleraine is aiming and they are doing a pretty good job. The coleraine is a bit more 'flabby' and not as fine in structure but everything else is perhaps comparable??

I have no agenda to pursue here and i was just there for an honest evaluation. I try not to think what I want to think, just be brutally honest without being sensationalist.

I would have prefered a bigger pour too (wouldnt we all) but i was very quick to grab seconds on a number of the wines which i downed in one mouthfill to give me another different look at the wines. i got seconds on latour, cheval, margaux, barton, haut brion - greedy aye but theres only the quick and the dead in a situation like that.

As for decanting I think they only got half an hour, unless they opened different bottles to the ones I photographed at 1030am

I am not a person who puts a great deal on longevity. A great wine that will last 10 years has as much appeal to me as one that will last 20+

Anyone who spat any of those wines needs mum to spank them. terrible waste - i didnt spit a drop, or leave anything!!

Fantastic way to spend a wet sunday anyway. Rough drive home though!!

Cheers

C.