Haut-Médoc
473. Château Cantenac-Brown, Margaux Grand Cru Classé, 1991
Brought for comedy value (awful vintage; moderate quality producer; random provenance), and drunk after the 1982, but surprisingly not too bad at all (though …
366. Château Sociando-Mallet, Haut-Médoc, 1995
So, austere, uncooperative, takes years to become accessible… and that was just the label… Bordeaux… surely not! Anyway, I saw this in Boston and …
359. Château Léoville Las Cases, Grand Vin de Léoville du Marquis de Las Cases, 1997
Wine of the night at my birthday, and although drinking well now, it’s still fairly youthful (for an “early drinking” vintage like 1997!). Picked …
344. Château Rauzan-Gassies, 2ème Cru Classé Margaux, 1998
The ‘lesser’ Rauzan (poor cousin of Rauzan-Ségla), and in a fairly good year at best. Picked up in the poor-standard wine shop at the …
308. Château Gruaud-Larose, Sarget de Gruaud-Larose Saint-Julien, 1997
A number of people had recommended this as ready for good Christmas drinking, and a bargain on a Majestic deal. But, having drunk the …
226. Château Lamothe-Cissac, Haut-Médoc, 2001
Medium-depth garnet body with narrow bricking rim. Smoked-meat nose reminiscent of the jamón Serrano I was eating with it, which developed into cigar and …
202. Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Louis Eschenauer), Pauillac, 1952
Great decanting practice (much fine sediment), and a good lesson in how wines age (to medium tawny-brown, with yellowing rim), but that was about …
198. Château d’Armailhac, Grand Cru Classé Pauillac, 1997
Nice and dependable example of Cru Bordeaux. Well crafted, even if it wouldn’t set the world on fire. Deep garnet core, fading to a …
193. Château Cos d’Estournel, Les Pagodes de Cos Saint-Estèphe, 1998
€40 in a restaurant is a good price for this. Actually drank in Ryan’s on Parkgate St, Dublin. This is a food-wine, I think, …
185. Château Montrose, Saint-Estèphe, 1997
Again, drank over Christmas, so written too long after drinking. Good fit with roast venison. Matured. Garnet-to-brick colouring Well knitted fruit and secondary aromas, …