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Santa Rosa Fine Wine

Bordeaux Wine Tasting Notes

1950 Pichon Baron - Opened early in the evening, the fruit was huge on this wine. Figured this wine would be either dry or perhaps oxidized with a top shoulder fill, was completely surprised how beautiful it was, big fruit, good firm tannin and acidity. Furthermore, it continued to hold up well over the span of the evening, never declining. An excellent wine. Sep 2012

1958 Pontet Canet - An amazing old Bordeaux to end the evening. Not oxidized, fuller bodied than the two Cabernet, with an intoxicating mix of exotic spices, earth, game, and dark fruits. Noted light bricking, this well stored bottle was nothing short of delightful. Aug 2013

1970 Montrose - A nice wine with good underlying material, jammy, red fruit, thought it showed well initially. As it sat in the glass however, it slowly declined, never showing a great deal of complexity. After some table discussion, think the wine may have experienced a little heat. Sep 2012

1981 La Mission Haut Brion - Another excellent Bordeaux, refined and elegant, noted eucalyptus, earth, and leather. This was a beautiful wine, layered and subtle, kept giving more the longer it sat in the glass. Highly enjoyable and worth seeking out. Sep 2012

1982 Lynch Bages - Expected a great deal more from the Lynch Bages. Relatively light bodied, with dry saddle leather, mineral, earth, and very firm acidity. The acidity seem to outweight the fruit, and did not come together in the time we drank through the bottle. The wine may have suffered being next to the Rausan Segla, as it was the most toned down wine of the evening. Based on this tasting, suspect the wine should not be opened for many more years to give it time to come together. Jun 2012

1983 Pichon Lalande - Cannot recall ever tasted a better Pichon Lalande than this bottle of 1983, and that includes that 1982 vintage! No green or grassy quality we so often get from the producer, the wine was clean, elegent, balanced, dark fruit, simply beautiful! Sep 2012

1986 Gruaud Larose - Served blind, clear it was a great Bordeaux. The Gruaud Larose had more in common styllistically with the Rausan Segla than the Lynch Bages. After the 1974 Insignia, the second most enjoyable bottle of the night. It was stunning, pencil lead, clean, yet big bold fruit, and forest floor, the wine was balanced, had plenty of depth and the complexity was exceptional. This was a youthful wine that opened up slowly in the glass, could easily age or enjoy in the near term. Jun 2012

1986 Rausan Segla - Another gorgeous wine, showed far more gamey, barnyard and full bodied, with red raspberry fruit and a tomato paste like texture, without being vegital. Distinctly Bordeaux, had a consistent style throughout the bottle. No rush to open this wine, however if done, shows well immediately on opening. Enjoyed this wine slightly more than the Diamond Creek, but not as much as the Insignia. Jun 2012

1989 Cos d' Estournel - The Cos d’Estournel was lovely, but overshadowed by the Lynch Bages. More restrained, underbrush and closed. Suspect with more time in the glass, would put on weight. May 2014

1989 Latour - Found it superior to the 1990 Latour tasted on other occasions. Perfect balance, complexity and structure, zero signs of decline. May 2014

1989 Mouton Rothschild - Opened from an imperial, a glass was dedicated to the wine and essentially bottomless as we got the opportunity to taste through the entire lunch. A gorgeous Mouton, showed textbook earth, dark fruit up front, red on the finish with the most delightful menthol quality intermixed in a seamless great drinking wine. Has all the great attributes of an exceptional wine, truly exceptional balance and complexity. It opened up quickly, and maintained a consistent style through the end of the bottle. May 2014

1989 Leoville Barton - A great start before moving onto flights. Might add, it was a surprise. Was not expecting much prior to opening, but turned out to be big, lots of high end fruit, and showed on the youthful side. That said, would not hesitate to open a bottle and enjoy in the near term. A wine you want to open and enjoy over a long evening. The most full bodied of all wines opened. May 2014

1989 Leoville Las Cases - Another stunning wine, the Leoville Las Cases showed true to the producer style. Medium bodied, gritty, earth and nuanced. While you should continue to cellar age the Latour, the Leoville Las Cases was more approachable. May 2014

1989 Lynch Bages - 1989 Lynch Bages has always been a personal favorite wine of ours having tasted it many times over the years. Consider the 89, 90, and 00 Lynch Bages their best efforts in the past few decades. This bottle was particularly youthful and showed layer after layer of complexity. Subtle leather, tobacco and dark fruits. May 2014

1989 Montrose - Earthy, green and notable brett. Having had this bottle several times, and not perceiving any brett, was surprised to pick it up on this go around. Showed uncharacteristic in style from bottles tasted in the past. Like the Lynch Bages, was served double blind. Dec 2011

1996 Leoville Las Cases - Easily wine of the night, thought this was a beautiful and highly elegant drinking wine. Dry dusty dark fruits, game meats, menthol, it showed everything we enjoy in an exceptional Bordeaux. 1986 has long been our favorite Leoville Las Case, wonder if the 1996 will hit that same level in another 10 years! Dec 2012

1996 Leoville Poyferre - Another dark berry wine, it was in very tough company, overshadowed by all the other wines. Had had this wine before, and it was consistent in style, game meats and earth. A little more lean and higher acidity than expected. Sep 2012

1998 Pavie Macquin - The wine of the flight, enjoyed the Pavie a great deal, it was easily identified as Bordeaux. Started out green and tannic, very similar to what I get with the 1998 Pavie, in time, this wine lost some of the greeness and became more red and black exotic fruits. Thought it was a gorgeous wine, more so than the overall group! May 2012

2000 Lynch Bages - Dusty, Pichon Lalande like, highly age worthy and complex. This was my top wine of the flight and tasting, a complete Bordeaux that had everything in place. Have had this wine at least 5 or 6 times now, and find it highly consistent. Oct 2011