WTN(not): 1989 Clos de Gamot Cahors

1989 Clos de Gamot Cahors 12.5%
Because top Cahors are reputed to be too tough in their infancy, I picked this up at Chambers at least six years ago for an old world v. new world malbec face-off that never materialized. Recently gave up on the idea because all my malbecs date from 2002 onwards.

The top of the cork looked pristine but it was uniformly stained from the middle downwards. The smell from the bottleneck was lightly oxidised, but I still hoped for the best. In the glass, there was nothing much except stewed prunes and light oxidation. In the mouth, it was reasonably balanced, drinkable, but completely devoid of pleasure. After a short conference, we decided to chuck it; life's too short to waste on tasteless calories. I only post this note as a data point. Not about the wine, but against corks. Stupid anachronism.

[David M. Bueker]

At least it wasn't reductive or dosed with scandalous levels of copper.

I have been underwhelmed by the offerings of the Jouffreau family (Cayrou and Gamot) in recent years, particularly a very unattractive Gamot 02 drunk in a Cahors restaurant last year. In the 70s and early 80s when the late Jean Jouffreau was active, they made excellent wines; I'm not sure if he was still around by 1989. Incidentally he was one of those wonderfully pithy characters exuding terroir himself, who occasionally light up one's day in unexpected places in France.

Cork performance is the prime source of bottle variability, but I have had some wonderful wines from bottles with leaky corks including a Mas Jullien 1989.

At least it wasn't reductive or dosed with scandalous levels of copper.

True, and that reminds me how I wasn't even grateful for the "romance" of pulling the cork...

Cork performance is the prime source of bottle variability, but I have had some wonderful wines from bottles with leaky corks including a Mas Jullien 1989.

Which is why they only make me say "oh, oh"... Even the nose can be misleading. Despair only sets in upon tasting!

Too bad!
I had a good but not great '89 Cayrou recently. Not sure who was in charge then.

I've had the '89 and '82 Cayrou, both bought at Chambers St., and they were both rather unfortunate messes of coffee, prune, and VA. Don't really get why they stocked those old vintages a few years back, since I've yet to hear of a really good performance by a bottle.