WTN: At last a Bouscassé (Madiran) with some charm

Château Bouscassé AOC Madiran Vieilles-Vignes 1997

It is the charm of the occasional smile of an austere, rugged and upright country gentleman. But I have never seen him smile before in other vintages.

C: Very dense. N: Well developed with strong notes of wet leather and a background of ripe acidic plum and some raspberry. P: Fully open with good body and “gras”, lots of dark fruit like damsons (but even some hints of "sweetness"), quite ripe tannic structure with a broadening and crescendo to the rear of palate and long diminuendo thereafter. Aromas are as on the nose with a touch meat and acidity is marked but appealing with a touch of minerality. A fine wine, 17,5/20, which went beautifully with rare steak and a rich périgordine sauce.

This is the first time I have glimpsed some hedonism in a Madiran and I am tempted to put it down to that ubiquitously “easy” vintage, 1997. And at barely 10 years old it is young for a Bouscassé VV to be showing expressively. Of course, really macho Madiran enthusiasts may mark it down for these reasons.

Château Bouscassé AOC Madiran Vieilles-Vignes 1997

It is the charm of the occasional smile of an austere, rugged and upright country gentleman. But I have never seen him smile before in other vintages.

A very yummy wine for sure! They do begin to gain charm with (usually) more age, but I haven't yet had an example that would have lost tannins. The 1991s of Brumont are also charming now. Of course I do like a rugged and austere wine so I guess I can find the charm more readily in these wines. Madiran rocks!

FWIW, my note:

• 1997 Château Bouscassé Madiran Vieilles Vignes - France, Southwest France, Madiran (8/25/2007)
  Bloody meat, violets and vegetation; nice juicy tannins and very refreshing and a bit wild in character. A very, very lovable wine for me. Though it was very enjoyable now in a primary way, I do think it needs more age to really shine as this is a brawny, structured and rugged wine at the moment.

Otto,

I had some 91s, I think the basic Montus and Bouscasse VV, and found the latter less charming than this though austerely fine and very enjoyable with confit de canard; the Montus was more forward and "international". I cannot remember when I finished them but I think that it was at a greater age than that of this 97. I have a couple of Montus Prestige 89 and one Bouscasse VV 88 awaiting my attention; a previous bottle of 88 was austere indeed.