The Auswine Forum

Bordeaux
May 12th 6:30 pm
Fourth Third Thursday Tasting for 2005 at Vintage Wines in San Diego.

The wines had been poured for about two hours before we got to them. Served in a single blind format. IÂ’ve listed the wines in the order they were tasted with the identity as revealed at the end of the tasting.

2000 Chateau Brane-Cantenac, Margaux $56.99USD
Dense cherry red with faint orange tint to the edge. Initially barnyard, tar and caramel aromas followed by chocolate and vanilla. Well structured with big dollops of tannin and acid but marred on the finish by some bitterness suggestive of a little greenness. (2, 2, 3.9. 10.0 = 17.9/20, 90/100 (RP 92)

2000 Chateau Monbousquet, St Emilion ($60-100USD)
Dense cherry red with red edge. Great complexity with notes of cedar and a savory character that became almost fruitcake. Medium to full bodied, with excellent balance, firm tannins and clean acidity. Excellent length to the finish. (2, 2, 4.2, 10.2 = 18.4/20, 92/100, (RP 95)

2000 Chateau Quinault, L'Enclos, St Emilion $52.99USD
Dense cherry red with red edge. Slightly closed with hints of smoke and oak. Well balanced and full bodied with good acidity and drying tannins. (2, 2, 3.8, 10.0 = 17.8/20, 89/100 (RP92)

1995 Chateau Troplong-Mondot, St Emilion $69.99USD
Dense cherry red with a slight orange tinge to the edge. Obviously the oldest wine in the group. An unusual bouquet of tar, caramel and alcohol overlaying anise and possibly vanilla. Softer entry than the other wines but still supported by good acidity and firm tannins still holding the finish. (2, 2, 3.9, 9.9 = 17.8/20, 89/100 (RP 92)

2000 Chateau Lanessan, Haut Medoc $20.99USD
Dense cherry red with red edge. Intriguing floral complexity with violets predominant. Full bodied, wonderful balance with bright acidity and an excellent finish. (2, 2, 4.2, 9.9 = 18.1/20, 91/100 (RP 89)

2001 Chateau Pape-Clement, Pessac-Leognan ($83-110USD)
Very dense cherry red with red edge. Very open with blackberry and toasted oak developing an attractive barnyard character. Full bodied and well balanced with flavors carrying well on retronasal. (2, 2, 4.3, 10.1 = 18.4/20, 92/100 (RP 95)

2000 Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac $79.99USD
Cherry red with a pinkish/red edge. A little closed with notes of cedar and barnyard. Flavors carry well on the palate with good acidity to the finish. (2, 2, 3.9. 9.9 = 17.8/20, 89/100 (RP 91)

2002 Chateau Pontet-Canet, Pauillac $29.99USD
Dense cherry red with red edge. Cedar, toasted oak and New World jamminess. Well balanced with drying tannins and good acidity. (2, 2, 4.0, 10.1 = 18.1/20, 91/100 (WS92)


The first point of interest about this tasting was that it was sold out and people had to be turned away. There were about 30 seats filled, usually its down to about 12-15 at these monthly tastings. Second is that this is sort of my annual venture into Bordeaux. Its not that I donÂ’t like the wines its just that the good stuff is so bloody expensive. Also, and this applies more to white than red, I find that I usually rate New World ahead of most things French particularly when the wines are young. So call me biased! But this tasting did have Brane-Cantenac in it and I wanted to see how this 2nd Growth was doing. Brane-Cantenac is the first Bordeaux wine that I tasted that had some age on it way back in the distant past and it had made a favorable impression; and that was when Brane-Cantenac was making so-so wines. I wasnÂ’t overly impressed this time.

The little Lanessan was impressive especially for the price. Others must have thought so as well because by the time I got out into the wine shop all the bottles had been bought; I have to learn not to sit next to people who have the same occupation as me and who are headed off to Bordeaux.

My top wines were the Monbousquet and the Pape-Clement and I vacillated over which to put as my WOTN up until it was decision time. In the end I opted for the Pape-Clement with the Lanessan in third. The group also went for the Pape-Clement as the top wine with the Quinault in second (my 6th) and the Les Forts de Latour in third (my 7th). Which is interesting only because I thought both the Quinault and the Les Forts de Latour the most closed wines of the group. Does that mean that my suspicion that Francophiles prefer wines that lack flavorful aromas is correct? Hmmm, I wonder!!!

Mike

Not that I drink many nowadaze but I rarely find a frog that makes me take notice. I generally find them lacking in fruit and often with off putting barnyard characters.

There's been a couple of interesting Burgundy/Pinot tasting here recently that put some quite pricey and good vintage Burgundy back in their place. I've always felt that in no other Frog region is there so much dross made and so few gems as Burgundy.

Steve, do you feel superior using "frog" slur?

KMP wrote:Bordeaux
Does that mean that my suspicion that Francophiles prefer wines that lack flavorful aromas is correct? Hmmm, I wonder!!!

Mike

I am not a Francophile, I can't speak on the behalf of the group but...
I say that "Francophile" enjoy BALANCE, and when the wine is fully balanced, nothing is realy sticking out....except barnyard smell I personally like so much

Serge wrote:Steve, do you feel superior using "frog" slur?

Serge,

"Frog" is not a slur in Oz, just our local slang. As a nation we have a very irrevrent sense of humour that many people from other parts of the world do not understand.

TORB wrote:

Serge wrote:Steve, do you feel superior using "frog" slur?

Serge,

"Frog" is not a slur in Oz, just our local slang. As a nation we have a very irrevrent sense of humour that many people from other parts of the world do not understand.

ahhh...OK. Learning all the time. Do you have special word for yanks? Brits? Chinese? Japanese? I've been doing business with Aussies since 1996, and they never been amused by mentioning how OZ was originally started by Brits and what was the purpose the Island was used for

For some strange reason, I thought, that Oenophiles are WAY ABOVE the national slurs, been exposed by choice to other countries cultures...especially in liquid form

Serge wrote:

TORB wrote:

Serge wrote:Steve, do you feel superior using "frog" slur?

Serge,

"Frog" is not a slur in Oz, just our local slang. As a nation we have a very irrevrent sense of humour that many people from other parts of the world do not understand.

ahhh...OK. Learning all the time. Do you have special word for yanks? Brits? Chinese? Japanese? I've been doing business with Aussies since 1996, and they never been amused by mentioning how OZ was originally started by Brits and what was the purpose the Island was used for

For some strange reason, I thought, that Oenophiles are WAY ABOVE the national slurs, been exposed by choice to other countries cultures...especially in liquid form

Uhmm Serge, what do you think yank is?

Mike

Yank is a short word from the song "I'm a yankee doodle dandy..."

Wanna sing together?

Serge wrote:Yank is a short word from the song "I'm a yankee doodle dandy..."

Wanna sing together?

Yank is slang for American in Australia, England and probably a host of other countries. In Cockney rhyming slang its converted to seppo or septic tank to hide the true meaning to those who would not be familiar with the slang being used. Of course today slang terms have much more widespread usage but its still slang - just like frog.

Mike

KMP wrote:

Serge wrote:Yank is a short word from the song "I'm a yankee doodle dandy..."

Wanna sing together?

Yank is slang for American in Australia, England and probably a host of other countries. In Cockney rhyming slang its converted to seppo or septic tank to hide the true meaning to those who would not be familiar with the slang being used. Of course today slang terms have much more widespread usage but its still slang - just like frog.

Mike

NoSirrie, Bob!

There are slangs and there are slurs...
Yank is slang, Greengo, Chechako are slurs
Greaseball is a slur, pollak is a slur,
Kiwi is a slur or slang? I don't know
OZ is a slang, "penal colony" is a slur,
Kike is a slur, frog is a slur, wetback is a slur...

should I continue with few more examples and differences between slurs and slangs?

Serge,

You are entitled to think what you like. I am not going to get into an arguement with you over what you think about our slang expressions. We have differeing levels of political correctness and outlooks to life in our two countries. That does not make one right or one wrong, they are just different.

TORB wrote:Serge,

You are entitled to think what you like. I am not going to get into an arguement with you over what you think about our slang expressions. We have differeing levels of political correctness and outlooks to life in our two countries. That does not make one right or one wrong, they are just different.

TORB, I am not seeking arguments here. Your explanation suits me fine, KPM's not.

During the first year of American participation in the war few Americans got to France, and those who did found an enormous army of Britishers already in the field. These Britishers, in their three years of service, had developed a vast vocabulary of slang, and it stood ready for use. Naturally enough, some of it was borrowed forthwith, though not much. When the main American army followed in 1918 there was little need to make extensive additions to it. Frog, for Frenchman, was entirely satisfactory; why substitute anything else? So was cootie. So was bus. So was Holy Joe, for chaplain. So were blimp, Jack Johnson, whizz-bang, to strafe and pill-box. Whatever was needed further was adapted from the everyday slang of the United States. From here by some guy called H L Mencken. (Bolding my emphasis.)

Political correctness has come a long and so I guess these French folks need to be told what FROG really means as well. Or do they? In all likelihood they realize that unless it is meant as a slur it isnÂ’t.

Mike

ok, ain't worth persuing....
Good Notes, BTW, I enjoyed reading them.

P.S. you know that something is wrong with the World when Russian gives English lessons on the Australian wine board

Serge wrote:Good Notes, BTW, I enjoyed reading them.

Thank you. I have notes on some Spanish reds that I'll post later.

Mike

KMP wrote:

Serge wrote:Good Notes, BTW, I enjoyed reading them.

Thank you. I have notes on some Spanish reds that I'll post later.

Mike

PLEASE do! For someone who just got back from Spain and having Spanish wines as #3 in the celler,
they are of the outmost interest!

Serge wrote: P.S. you know that something is wrong with the World when Russian gives English lessons on the Australian wine board

In your dreams, comrade.

Don Coyote wrote:

Serge wrote: P.S. you know that something is wrong with the World when Russian gives English lessons on the Australian wine board

In your dreams, comrade.

keep stalking me, I enjoy your attention....few more years of it and I'll grant you privilege to provide me with sexual favors.

Serge wrote:

Don Coyote wrote:

Serge wrote: P.S. you know that something is wrong with the World when Russian gives English lessons on the Australian wine board

In your dreams, comrade.

Serge wrote:keep stalking me, I enjoy your attention....

Sometimes inane comments demand incisive replies.

Serge wrote:few more years of it and I'll grant you privilege to provide me with sexual favors.

Thanks for proving my point.

Don Coyote wrote:
Thanks for proving my point.

your point is useful as tits on the bull....go sit on a bottle, bottle has a point