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| 1986 Bordeaux |
November 19 |
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Speaker: Mark Golodetz
A fabulous vintage of legendary, world-class wines introduced by someone whose natural passion for them has brought him knowledge and experience not easily duplicated. 1985 was one of the most tannic vintages to come out of Bordeaux. A growing season plagued by problems: severe winter, late start to flowering, a short flowering season resulting in all the grapes ripening at the same time; summer was hot and dry which made the vines shut down; rain in September to enliven everything but then a deluge of rain not good for the Merlot- based, right bank wines of Pomerol and St.Emilion. With all this late rain, the picking was delayed until October 11th but resulted in record yields! Between the advances in technology and vineyard management and the shift in focus promoted by Robert Parker favoring rounder, fruitier wines, this might well be the last, classic, old- fashioned Bordeaux vintage!
Wines are listed in the order of presentation. No votes were taken for favorite wines. Since the wines are currently unavailable, no prices are listed. Notes are a combination of the speaker and Kim Ginsberg's. Ms. Ginsberg is a wine educator who was a professor of wine education at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
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DE PEZ (St. Estephe)
Northern climate wine with a lot of Cabernet Franc that offered some violet flavors. Big alcohol, big cherry fruit, rather tight, closed and dense.
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BEYCHEVELLE (St.Julien)
Southern part of St. Julien. Corked. But that lovely plummy sweet fruit of St.Julien appellation is apparent. Lighter style, like DuCru, rather than the heavier Gruaud Larose.
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CLERC MILON (Pauillac)
Closed, very backward but lighter than DePez, not as much alcohol. A wine to come back to in a few years.
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LAGRANGE (St. Julien)
Owned by Suntory (like Ridge) who made a commitment to the quality of this estate. They probably use the most Petite Verdot of all the chateaux, which adds fragrance and tannin, and the wine bears this out. Dense, but balanced, more gamey, only marred by its medium finish; one would have expected a longer one.
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GRUAUD LAROSE (St. Julien)
Lovely, full fruit and violets. A fleshier wine. Smokey, dusty nose. True to the dense vintage, but balanced gracefully. More approachable now than the others.
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LASCOMBES (Margaux)
Wonderful wine loaded with ripe dark blue fruits and earth.
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PALMER (Margaux)
A bit corky and alcoholic, but a powerful, dark brooding very tannic wine. Closed. Try again.
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RAUSAN SEGLA (Margaux)
Medium-bodied wine of blue fruits. I found it to be screaming with pretty strawberries.
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COS D'ESTOURNEL (St. Estephe)
In 1986 this chateau was run by Bruno Prats, a Bordeaux master. Big, weedy thick, viscous wine with plenty of stuffing, fruit and tar.
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MONTROSE (St. Estephe)
Also from the North of the appellation. Big, blockbuster, stern, muscular, dense wine with tremendous length, earthiness and balance.
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PICHON LONGUEVILLE BARON (Pauillac)
In 1986, the winery was purchased by Equitable, which reduced yields in a commitment to quality. The wine was made by Jean Michel Cazes of Lynch Bages. Similar in color and nose to Pichon Lalande. Cassis fruit and a definite coffee nose, usually a mark of lots of charred oak. I found it too sugary caramel nose, off-putting, a la California. The speaker enjoyed it.
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PICHON LONGUEVILLE LALANDE (Pauillac)
Probably marred by the diminished merlot. Sharp with alcohol, but the wine comes through. More focused, clean wine. Very nice.
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LEOVILLE LAS CASES (St. Julien)
Delicious, dense, muscular wine loaded with fruit, mineral and iron flavors. Needs another 25 years!
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LATOUR (Pauillac)
Though the finish was surprisingly short, the wine was rich and thick with plenty of sweet, pretty red fruit.
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MARGAUX (Margaux)
Another 10-15 years of age will allow the packed dark fruits to open up in this very dense, thick wine.
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LAFITE ROTHSCHILD (Pauillac)
A great wine. Coffee and earth and cedar and soil and fruit.
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MOUTON ROTHSCHILD (Pauillac)
Overripe, alcoholic and rather simple.
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PETRUS (Pomerol)
I found the wine unpleasantly vegetal (rotten vegetables) and thin. The speaker found it plummy with a pleasant roasted quality.
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