Hidden gem year: 1996 left bank Bordeaux

Bargain vintage drinking

As an amateur enthusiast and small collector of some vintage bottles of red, I've come across a few years which I think represent very good value given the quality and price on offer.

One of these is 1996 Bordeaux, on the left bank.

I've never had a bad bottle from the year, and there is incredible variation as the wines age.

For example Potensac 1996 is a bit of a gem. It tastes to me like a 2000, smooth, elegant and with a long long way to go.

Meanwhile Cos Labory 1996 is a completely different beast. It's claret that Jancis Robinson and others suggest drinking now. It's on the way out they say. I'd agree, which is what makes it such a bargain at just £30 a bottle with tax and duty.

I found a couple of cases on BBX, the Berry Brothers exchange where you can buy from individuals online within the Berry's system.

Other great 1996 wines worth a look from the left bank are Calon Segur and Sociando Mallet. Both cracking, if a little more costly at around £75 and £50 each.

For value aged claret drinking, there's a lot of mileage left in the vintage.

Chateau De Pez 1959: Yes really, and yes still drinking well

If like me, you sometimes like wines that are past their fruit best, you might like this.

It's Chateau De Pez 1959. You couldn't tell from the label.

It's on 'tap' at the Sampler in London, for about £18 a glass.

Quite pricey, you might say. But when else would you have the chance to taste a 1959 Saint Estephe?

They have a Calon Segur of the same year there, which I am quite tempted by. But it's £180, which is a little steep. One day perhaps.

What was the Chateau De Pez 1959 like?

Well, I had a tiny glass of the 1985 Hermitage La Chapelle 1985 just before it (what a way to prepare the palate) and the Pez had more structure, and at least the same fruit.

But it had the Bordeaux backbone, the structure, the Cabernet Sauvignon spine that Rhone wines at age can't quite compete with, given my limited knowledge.

The expert chap in the shop tells me 1959 was a fabulous year, perhaps that's why it's still very drinkable.

It's the oldest red I've yet had, by about 11 years. Over the hill for some I'm sure, but I thought it was fabulous.

Chateau Gruard Larose 1983: Supreme elegance

Perfect claret

 In a small wine shop hidden away in the UK countryside, I found a few bottles of Chateau Gruard Larose 1983 in their cellar.

For some reason the purchase price was less than £50 a bottle.

Having opened, decanted and drunk a bottle on Saturday with the good lady, I can tell you it's a genuine gem.

I wasn't sure if I should decant it, and found tasting it upon opening left me none the wiser.

In the end I did, using an aerator (overkill I think).

It must have changed four or five times in the glass over a few hours.

Upon first taste, I picked up a little acid, and some cedar notes, perhaps some tobacco, within this wonderfully balanced wine.

It tasted to me like a first or second growth mature aged claret should, with those classic St Julien notes. The finish was about ninety seconds.

After just a few minutes, it turned much much sharper and acid.

At that point I began to feel I had screwed up quite badly, and had ruined the wine.

Luckily, after another fifteen minutes or so it changed again, softening and began opening up with floral aromas, becoming almost quite a light and elegant wine.

Then it changed again, the aged nuances came back and all the best elements combined and the balance came through.

I've not experienced anything quite like all that before. But perhaps I was not paying sufficient attention.

After three hours in the decanter it was in its prime, and didn't then last long.

The nose came back out, the age was present but with plenty of fruit and the finish was shorter but sublime.

I don't normally write this many notes but given the experience, why not.

The wine scores about 92/100 from many critics. More on it and where to get some is here.

I will be treasuring my last two bottles of this, and likely buying more when I can.

2001 Rieussec, Sauternes: "Monumental"

Holding a not very good degree in English Literature, I thought I knew something about flowery, verbose descriptions.

That was until I discovered wine critics, retailers and decent plonk.

Wordsworth at his worst has nothing on the wine industry.

But sometimes that's justified, almost.

So it may prove with Rieussec 2001 from Sauternes. I'm not a huge fan of sweet wines.

Give me a Negroni anytime, or a Marsala, so I used to think. Even a decent port.

Yes I know they are aperativos, (Port excepted) but generally I'd rather drink them than most sweet wines.

Many are just, well, too sweet for me. I tried the Climens 2006 at New Year, and was largely disappointed.

But I've been lucky enough to try a few of the top Sauternes in the last year or so.

Climens 2001, which I attempted to write about here, is one of the greatest wines of all time.

Rieussec 2001, which scores between 95 and 100 points (see here) is also amazing.

Parker's Wine Advocate apparently says "A monumental effort, the 2001 Rieussec boasts a light to medium gold color in addition to a fabulous perfume of honeysuckle, smoky oak, caramelized tropical fruits, creme brulee, and Grand Marnier. The wine is massive and full-bodied yet neither over the top nor heavy because of good acidity. With intense botrytis as well as a 70-75-second finish, this amazing Sauternes will be its apogee between 2010-2035."

It's a truly wonderful drop. On balance I preferred the more subtle Climens. But that is perhaps splitting hairs.

It may also have been that my palate was somewhat affected by the all the Calon Segur we had tasted just before it, reviewed here in a recent vertical tasting. 

Lalande D'Auvion Medoc 2001: Mature claret at a bargain price

Aged claret at under £15, you can't argue...

Working today in deepest Suffolk, UK, I found a wonderful little wine shop, with the help of a friend.

The owner has some absolute gems on his shelves.

His shop is called Wattisfield Wines in a lovely village called Walsham Le Willows. 

One these gems is this Lalande D'Auvion Medoc 2001.

At £13 this is a steal.

Mature, aged claret that opened up beautifully after an hour.

Critics seem to score it in the late 80's. For value and taste, it's fabulous.

The reviews, as always, seem to pick up things that I could never taste. But I can tell you it's delicious. I can't swear that: "This tawny-hued wine is beginning to reveal secondary aromatics of smoky bacon, caramel, leather and earth"  but for under £15, it is superb.

The grapes are harvested mechanically, according to the research I've done. But for the price you can't expect them individually caressed by an experienced picker.

This is what I love about learning about wine. You can find hidden gems in the least expected places, such as Walsham Le Willows. Here's where you can buy it. For value, it's hard to beat.

Calon Segur "vertical tasting" 2000, 1996, 1979, 1970

2000, 1996, 1979, 1970, yum

 For the first time, I had the privilege of what's apparently known as a "vertical" tasting of some great years of a Bordeaux vineyard.

The wine? Calon Segur from Saint-Estephe on the left bank of the Gironde north of Bordeaux. 

We took advantage of the Hawksmoor Restaurant's Monday night £5 corkage in Spitalfields, London. It's a great deal.

We put together some good years: 2000, 1996, 1979, and 1970 over excellent steak, spinach, delicious mushrooms and triple cooked chips.

 Starting with the 2000, it was remarkably closed, even after sitting in a decanter for over an hour. It's going to be a wonderful wine in ten years time, but for now it's best left in the bottle. It's perfectly drinkable of course, but like other Bordeaux 2000's I have had, it needs another five or maybe ten or more years.

The 1996 was the standout wine. One of the most amazing bouquets' I have ever experienced. The nose reminded us of the fuss made about Burgundy wines, huge, floral, woody, a hint of must, simply stunning.

It sat in the decanter for a while and got better and better. I am so pleased I own a case of this wine in storage as it was the first time I had tasted it. Wow.

Cork problems but gorgeous wine

Then we moved onto the 1979. Despite a "high neck" on the bottle the cork was nearly gone. The corkscrew went right through it, pushing the cork into the bottle, and we feared the worst.

Luckily the restaurant had a strainer and we rescued the wine.

It was clearly past what many critics might call it's best. But the intriguing thing about wine that is just over the hill in terms of fruit content is the variation, how it opens up, how fast, and how much fruit is left.

The 1979 is well worth trying if you can get it and you like older wines.

Finally the 1970. Oddly it had more fruit than the 1979 and is a real beauty. It was a real privilege to drink a 43 year old Bordeaux and to sample the others with great friends and excellent food. I would recommend to any readers trying a vertical tasting. The four of us spent a couple of months looking forward to it and it was likely a unique wine experience. I'll no doubt enjoy more vertical tastings like this, but probably not with Calon Segur, after all, there are so many great wines to try.

The wines ranged from £50-80 per bottle. Dinner was around £250 for four. So perhaps £500 all in. £125 per head. Not bad at all for an unforgettable evening.

Here's some links for the wines: 

http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/calon+segur/1970/uk

http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/calon+segur/1979/uk

http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/calon+segur/1996/uk

http://www.wine-searcher.com/find/calon+segur/2000/uk