96 Cabernets

[Aussie Jonny]

All decanted 12 hours prior, and served blind.

1996 Pontet Canet
Dark, crystal clear colour. Cassis, cedar, minerals, anise and plums. Pauillac. This is brilliant. Needs 10+ years.
Drink 2012-2040.......................96pts

1996 Cullens
A bit four-square and monolithic. Good, but not great. Disappointed when label revealed.
Drink 2010-2015......................88pts

1996 Ducru Beaucaillou
9 out of the 10 present picked this as Bordeaux, and most correctly guessed St. Julien. Wonderful complexity and length, and suprisingly approachable.
Drink 2006-2020.......................93pts

1996 Gazin
An average wine from an average vintage on the right bank, so this suprised us all with a great showing. I wish we could make merlot like this. Drinks beautifully now.
Drink Now-2016.........................91pts

1996 Orlando Jacaranda Ridge
Always been a fav of mine, and I managed to nail it blind. Typical Coonawarra spectrum, although a tad simple up against its cousins from Bordeaux, still, a great value at around $35 at release.
Drink Now-2015........................90pts

1996 Moss Wood
Styled on the luscious Pichon Lalande, this wine could not really be more different than its mentor below. Full-bodied with good length, it just does not have the complexity of a great cabernet-based wine. May improve with time.
Drink 2010-2020.......................88pts

1996 Pichon Lalande
Just plain superb. This wine shone like a beacon. I have had this many times, and this was its best showing yet. Rich, complex and incredibly long, this is great claret. A stunner in 10 years, and may eventually rival the 82.
Drink 2015-2030.......................97pts

1996 Lafite Rothschild
Amazingly, this was a touch over-shadowed by the Pichon, but revealed its usual superb class. So powerful, yet so supple. Needs another decade at least.
Drink 2015-2050.......................94pts

A great tasting, but it does show that we still have a fair way to go to compare with the Frogs at the uppermost level. 1996 Left Bank wines are just getting better and better, and, frankly, I have serious doubts that Margaret River Cabs dramatically improve with age.

[Andy]

AJ

As always, you make us green with envy.

Sounds like a great tasting - thanks for posting your notes.

[Craig(NZ).]

96 was the last vintage i really bought bordeaux, prices a bit steep - though even the 96s were damn expensive. Splashed out on a latour and a few cheaper ones. Ponet Canet has always been a favourite of mine and the 96 showed pretty well in a big cabernet tasting we had years ago which featured top cabernets from california, nz, aussie and super tuscans.

Top bordeaux is hard to beat for poise, balance and exactness of detail. Most aussie and kiwi wines are a bit chunky and clumsy in comparison.

Looks a great tasting

[Guest]

What a pity it could not have been the 95 Moss Wood or 98 Jacaranda. I realise that it was all 96 but these wines both easily outdo their 96 brothers. Of course the French could get better vintages as well.

[Mike Hawkins]

Guest,

I agree the 95 MW is a super wine, but I'd back the 95 Bordeaux to outdo it. A great year for virtually all the 1st and 2nd growths. For my money, better than 96.

Mike

[Serge Birbrair]

I am surprised that you were surprised at Gazin. I've had 1995 few weeks ago and it was "Song of songs".

From my notes:

Chateau Gazin, Pomerol, 1995, sung like a canary

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

after being decanted for 45 mins. Mature, vibrant fruit, integrated tanins, and if I was Solomon,
I'd write "Song of Songs", Part Deux.

We HAD to open it today, just to erudicate the all unpleasantness of Rosenblum Zin....

Thank once again, 'ole boy, for introducing Pomerol to us!

Here is the label to make locating it easier in the store:
http://www.winetalk.com/gallery/files/3/gazin.jpg

[Attila]

Obviously little time for writing Aussie John. I can understand that. A full report on the above mentioned wines would have been an awesome read though.
Thank you for the brief impressions anyway.
Cheers,
Attila

[Guest]

All decanted 12 hours prior, and served blind.

1996 Pontet Canet
Dark, crystal clear colour. Cassis, cedar, minerals, anise and plums. Pauillac. This is brilliant. Needs 10+ years.
Drink 2012-2040.......................96pts

1996 Cullens
A bit four-square and monolithic. Good, but not great. Disappointed when label revealed.
Drink 2010-2015......................88pts

1996 Ducru Beaucaillou
9 out of the 10 present picked this as Bordeaux, and most correctly guessed St. Julien. Wonderful complexity and length, and suprisingly approachable.
Drink 2006-2020.......................93pts

1996 Gazin
An average wine from an average vintage on the right bank, so this suprised us all with a great showing. I wish we could make merlot like this. Drinks beautifully now.
Drink Now-2016.........................91pts

1996 Orlando Jacaranda Ridge
Always been a fav of mine, and I managed to nail it blind. Typical Coonawarra spectrum, although a tad simple up against its cousins from Bordeaux, still, a great value at around $35 at release.
Drink Now-2015........................90pts

1996 Moss Wood
Styled on the luscious Pichon Lalande, this wine could not really be more different than its mentor below. Full-bodied with good length, it just does not have the complexity of a great cabernet-based wine. May improve with time.
Drink 2010-2020.......................88pts

1996 Pichon Lalande
Just plain superb. This wine shone like a beacon. I have had this many times, and this was its best showing yet. Rich, complex and incredibly long, this is great claret. A stunner in 10 years, and may eventually rival the 82.
Drink 2015-2030.......................97pts

1996 Lafite Rothschild
Amazingly, this was a touch over-shadowed by the Pichon, but revealed its usual superb class. So powerful, yet so supple. Needs another decade at least.
Drink 2015-2050.......................94pts

A great tasting, but it does show that we still have a fair way to go to compare with the Frogs at the uppermost level. 1996 Left Bank wines are just getting better and better, and, frankly, I have serious doubts that Margaret River Cabs dramatically improve with age.

The Cullens is too young. Give it another 5 years and have a look.

[Jakob]

The Cullens is too young. Give it another 5 years and have a look.

No excuse! I'd be guessing that the Lafite isn't exactly tired, nor for that matter the other Bordeaux...esuseserienties...uhh, what's the plural of Bordeaux? Bordeaux?

[Serge Birbrair]

1995 was great, but 1996 was a disapointment....either the wine is on it's last leg or wasn't stored properly, I'll never know, we only got one bottle.