Friends and I enjoyed a half bottle of 1989 Broustet, a great growth Barsac belonging to the Fournier family (former owners of Ch. Canon in St. Emilion) with some foie gras. The color was medium gold, but no means leaning towards bronze, and the nose was honied, complex, and understated. On the palate, the wine had just got to the stage where the sweetness is starting to fade. Long aftertaste showing considerable botrytis. A fine medium-bodied Sauternes that shows how fine these wines are either young or old.
With pepper steak, we had a 1999 Saint Pierre, St. Julien 4th growth, which is only just starting to brick on the rim. The nose lacked definition, but opened up a little more by the end of the night to reveal cedar/pencil shaving aromas. If the bouquet was nothing special, the wine blossomed beautifully on the palate to reveal a classic structure and rich, satisfying flavors. Considerable freshness too. I've followed this château over the years and have had many a fine bottle. This 1999 and other recent bottlings of Saint Pierre confirm my belief that this reasonably priced wine is a "sleeper," for people who drink wine rather than labels. It belongs to the owners of Château Gloria... and the Bordeaux football team, Les Girondins!
Best regards,
Alex R.