Notes from a Bordeaux blind tasting:
2021 Lions de Suduiraut – this dry wine from a Sauternes producer was crisp and clean
2008 Ch, Sigalas Rabaud – another dry wine from Sauternes. It was a bit darker and had a nice sweet clean citrus nose with coconut undertones.
1989 Ch. Soutard – out of my cellar, this was mid garnet colour, a tas dusty at first and sweet, clean and long on palate. Decent showing.
1975 Branaire Ducru – this St. Julien had been bought by me early in my wine voyage – in the 1980s. Hard as nails when young, the 1975s really grew on me as I tasted them over the years. This was darker than the previous wine and showed an excellent nose that continued to improve over half an hour. It had ripe sweet fruit and opened up over a half hour – unapproachable in youth (when many owners no doubt drank it) but now a profoundly interesting mature claret. At 50 years old, I’m glad I held it in my cellar for four decades before popping the cork!
2000 Ch. Cantemerle – fairly dark with a sweet vanilla nose, ripe fruit and significant tannins. Some herbal elements developed with time.
2009 Ch.Haut Bergey – this was dark, with a sweet smoky oak nose and it drank well.
2009 Tronquoy Lalande – very dark, some vanilla and currant in the nose, medium length, drinks well now.
1998 Ch. Haut Brion – dark, with spicy smoky nose and great length, but it seemed a bit tight and tannic. Another decade would make a big difference, but even tasting it a day later might smooth it out (I didn’t have the chance to do that!)
1993 Ch. Les Roques – this Loupiac from my cellar showed a clean smooth presentation, having some colour but no other signs of age. Good acidity, clean finish. Only one bottle shown on CT and this was it! Works well with blue cheeses.