> 1986 is probably
>the most tannic vintage since '75

Yup - it can be a pretty hard little bugger, though I've seen some lately that
were quite approachable.

Here's my last note on it, from a Cos vertical (the Montrose vertical we did
easily surpassed it):

1986 - an excellent wine! Best nose of the evening, cigar-box, anise and plum,
huge in the mouth, puckering the sides with massive tannins, great depth and
length - this wine cries out "I am St. Estephe!" There was some discussion as
to whether it has sufficient fruit to outlast the tannins, and some people were
in doubt. I am not - I vote firmly in favour of this being a classic, but then
I am also a big fan of the 1975 vintage so that opinion should be considered in
that light. This wine was my choice for wine of the evening, but my opinion was
shared by only a couple of others.