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Overall impressions: my preferences here were surprising to me, because I usually have several more Saint Emilions among my top favorites, than I had in this tasting. This fourth in a series of 2000 Bordeaux tastings has been illuminating. The first tasting had many lesser cru that were fabulous bargains. I seemed to find far fewer under-$30 stand-outs during the second tasting of the vintage, as well as a surprising number of higher-priced wines that only came across as "above-average." However, at the third tasting, I found some excellent, even impressive, offerings - all across the board. The upper growths here seemed to be all over the map - some great, some almost great, some not so great. Among my favorites, the Saint Pierre, Giscours, and Le Petite Cheval were excellent. This time through, I still managed to find more than a handful of sub-$30 offerings that were fabulous values. Of those, the Malescasse is the real show stopper here - followed closely by the Siran and a few other bargains. |
2000 Chateau Quercy -Saint Emilion. $22.99. Dark ruby color. Slightly herbaceous nose of Kirsch and cheese toast. Off-sweet mouthfeel, smooth and lush on the palate, with smooth long finish. 80% Merlot. Aroma score: A- Taste score: B+ Overall score: B+ 2000
Chateau Clos de Prince - Saint Emilion. $26.99. Very dark ruby
color. Somewhat stemmy nose of black cherry, mint, and eucalyptus.
A bit pinched on the palate, still fleshy, with off-sweet mouthfeel,
and long finish. About 90% Merlot. 2000
Chateau Clos des Jacobins - Saint-Emilion. $35.99. Dark
ruby garnet color. Rich nose of cassis, sage, tarragon, and vanilla.
Beautiful sweet toasty mouthfeel, very long finish. 60% Merlot. 2000
Le Petite Cheval - Saint Emilion. $74.99. Dark ruby color.
Lovely, complex dusty nose of black cherry, toast, and spice notes.
Tasty black cherry fruit, smooth mouthfeel, veryintegrated flavors,
smooth fine-grained tannins, long finish. Mostly Cab Franc. 2000
Chateau Clos de Sarpe - Saint Emilion. $89.99. Very dark ruby
color. Nose of cassis, beef, light stems and cheese toast. Smooth
and tasty mouthfeel, has only a light grip on the palate and the
fruit gets just a bit sour through the long finish. About 85%Merlot. 2000
Chateau Malescasse - Haut Medoc. $15.99. Very dark ruby color.
Seductive nose of roast coffee, espresso, cassis, tar, and Black
Forest cake. Rich and tasty on the palate, with smooth fruit and
tannins throughout,and a long finish. About 70% Cabernet. 2000
Chateau Charmail - Haut Medoc. $28.99. Dark ruby color.
Sweet, macerated fruit nose, with vanilla, toast, and nice touches
of oak. Lightly herbaceous in taste, with a sweet, ripe, and rich
mouthfeel, and smooth long finish. 50% Merlot. 2000
Chateau Smith Haut Lafite - Pessac-Leognan. $59.99. Very dark
ruby color. Nose of espresso, toffee, and cassis. Off-sweet mouthfeel,
smooth, not too expressive, moderate finish. About 70% Cabernet.
2000
Chateau Siran - Margaux. $29.99. Dark ruby color. Gorgeous nose
of cassis, toast, coffee, herbs, and mint. Full and rich mouthfeel,
smooth and tasty, fruit just seems to go on and on through the very
long sweet-sour finish. About 50% Cabernet. 2000
Chateau Rauzan Gassies - Margaux. $34.99. Dark ruby color. Lush
and very fruit-filled nose of black cherry, and toast. Smooth mouthfeel,
slightly "off" flavors that also seem to thin out at latter
palate. 50% Cab Sauv, 25% each Franc and Merlot. 2000
Chateau Cantenac Brown - Margaux. $34.99.
Dark ruby color. Nose of cassis, toffee, and caramel. Very tasty,
nice and chewy mouthfeel, with a very, very long toasty finish.
75% Cab Sauv. 2000
Chateau Giscours - Margaux. $45.99.
Very dark ruby color. Showing
somewhat more oak that the rest of the flight, this wine had a big
but gorgeous coffee-espresso aroma, intermingled with cassis, mint
and a touch of vanilla. 70% Cab Sauv. |
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2000
Chateau Brane Cantenac - Margaux. $64.99. Dark ruby color.
Nose of cassis, coffee, brandy, and meat. Medium mouthfeel, with
sweet-sour fruit, the mid-palate seems to drop out, but the wine
finishes nice and long. 70% Cab Sauv. 2000
Chateau Croix de Beaucaillou - Saint Julien. $27.99. Dark ruby
garnet color. Lovely nose of black cherry, toffee, and toast. Medium
mouthfeel, very tasty fruit, well balanced, and long finish. 65%
Cab Sauv, 25% Merlot. 2000
Chateau Saint Pierre - Saint Julien. $32.99. Very dark ruby
color. Wow! Huge blast of espresso and French Roast coffee - this
baby has some nice oak on it! Nice black cherry and a hint of vanilla.
Full mouthfeel, off-sweet fruit, very nice balance and long finish.
70% Cab Sauv, 20% Merlot. 2000
Chateau Talbot - Saint Julien. $49.99. Dark ruby color. Somewhat
restrained nose of coffee, toffee, cassis, and a touch of leaf.
Off-sweet fruit with lots of macerated fruit on the palate. The
mouthfeel seems a bit underfilled, but the wine has an amazingly
long fruit-filled finish. 70% Cab Sauv, 20% Merlot. 2000
Chateau Langoa Barton - Saint Julien. $49.99. Very dark ruby
color. The cassis fruit seems slightly thin, sweet and grapey in
the nose, but the background aromas of coffee, toast, and herbs
seem to prop it up a bit. Tastes of chunky macerated fruit, chewy
mouthfeel, very good balance, and long finish. 70% Cab Sauv. 2000
Chateau Pibran - Pauillac. $19.99. Very dark ruby color. Meaty
nose of black cherry, pepper, and a touch of stem. Full mouthfeel,
off-sweet nearly bitter fruit, with an unfortunate big dose of raw
oak that dominates from mid-palate through the long finish. 60%
Cab Sauv, 25% Merlot. 2000
Chateau Ormes de Pez - Saint Estephe. $24.99. Very dark ruby
color. Slightly restrained nose, but seems a bit too cotton candied.
Full mouthfeel, off-sweet flavors of black cherry and toast, with
nice balance and long finish. 55% Cab Sauv, 35% Merlot. 2000
Chateau Cos d'Estornel - Saint Estephe. $89.99. Dark ruby color.
Old school nose, with elements of funky barnyard and toasted fruit.
Huge macerated-fruit mouthfeel, with a nice smooth taste, excelent
balance and very long finish. 60% Cab Sauv, 40% Merlot. |
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No original material may be reproduced without written consent Mail & Comments - Eric Anderson |