TN: more 1989 Bordeaux
 

A good group got together last night at Bobby Van's Grill for another look at 1989 Bordeaux. I enjoyed a warm spinach salad and shared a porterhouse.

Starter was the 2010 Meyer-Fonne "Kaefferkopf' Riesling Grand Cru
served a bit warm, rich, honied, a bit soft and formless, but that might have been temp, but for me last night B-/C+

We knew the wines, and Ben arranged in flights when he bagged, but we didn't know what was in each flight. These are my scores while blind, I think I was being extra conservative.

Flight 1
Wine A- Sweet, full, a little blocky next to Wine C, but only in comparison- I liked. B+
1989 Ch.Pichon Baron.

Wine B - quite muted at first, opens a bit, quite soft, some cassis but short on finish. B-
1989 Ch.Lynch Bages

Wine C - at first sniff I thought corked, but that completely disappeared, leaving behind a funky/herbal complex nose. Fresh, full, and got my vote for WOTN. A-
1989 Ch.Pichon Lalande

I think everyone was surprised at showing of the Lynch, though I've had variable bottles (though this didn't seem cooked)

Flight 2 I liked one more than 2, thought this was Angelus and Tertre-R . Whoops!

Wine A- Plush, friendly, hint of animal, complex. A-/B+
1989 Ch.Montrose

Wine B - a bit hard, some wood, stern though ripe. B
1989 Ch.Cos d'Estournel

Flight 3
Wine A- a little kirsch, wood, merlot-y, but with long finish B/B+
1989 Ch. Palmer

Wine B - Fleshy, ripe, full, easy.B+
1989 Ch. Leoville Las Cases

Flight4
Wine A - at first I didn't think this was corked, then it developed swimming pool aromas, then real cardboard,. Too bad, seemed nice underneath.
1989 Ch. La Conseillante

Wine B- balanced, full, fresh, black cherry and plum, leather., B+/A-
1989 Ch. L'Evangile

Wine C - leathery, earth, less giving than wine B but I liked. B+
1989 Vieux Chateau Certan

Flight 5
Wine A -corked, damn!
1989 Ch. l'Angelus

Wine B - a bit roasted, jammy/plummy, mature. B/B-
1989 Ch. Tertre Roteboeuf

Tighter voting than usual. We did our usual 3 points for favorite, 2 for second, 1 for third, ended up a very tight race. The wines that got votes
13 pts Montrose and Palmer
12 pts Pichon Lalande and LLC
8 pts Pichon Baron
2 pts L'Evangile

There was also a non-blind finisher
1989 Cauhape "Quintessence du Petit Manseng" Jurancon
Apricot, wool, quince, moderately sweet, nice. B+
Good night, and I caught a comparatively early train

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.