The Haut Brion is really good, though I’ve only had it once. I’ve really liked the Pichon Lalande, generally, but then I usually do! Some others, like the Mouton, have been somewhat disappointing (it’s still pretty monolithic).
That’s a great call.
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93 LLC was about $30 long ago. A clear overachiever.
2011 Cedric Bouchard La Boloree
2002 Chapoutier Le Meal Hermitage Blanc
Apparently the grapes were picked before the weather problems so it’s a quite lovely drink but priced well below other vintages (which is why I took a flyer at auction and was quite fortunate)
03 Montrose
I am a big fan of 1988 Bordeaux, especially Pichon Baron and Lynch Bages, got lost with 89 and 90 to follow
The 1980 Pichon Lalande and even more so the 1980 Montelena Estate cab. Birthyear of a wine buddy, so we’ve given 1980 a repeated look and these two wines are outstanding in a universally panned vintage.
It is questionable what is classified as “mediocre” … 1991 Bordeaux is, 2002 Chateauneuf-dP is, too imho …
Northern Rhone/Hermitage 2003 is certainly NOT mediocre … it is an extreme vintage, with overripeness and low acidity, but huge concentration …
someone may hate it, some may love it … but the definition “mediocre” is completely off … and “awful” might be an expression of personal distaste, but is certainly not true for many wines …
Chave Hermitage 2003 is such an extreme wine, Jean-Louis himself is unsure about it, but I assured him that I believe in this wine, and that it will turn out great eventually, when fruit and structure find a certain balance, but rather in 2030-2050 than next year …
There might still be some who hate it … they shouldn´t buy … or sell …
I could name a lot of successes imho - also in the South and in Burgundy, but under these certain aspects …
(e.g. Rostaing Cote blonde & LL, Pegau Da Capo … Liger-Belair all cuvees …)
… + 1991 Pichon-Lalande …
BTW: Rayas 2008 is really a great success (incl. Pignan)
IMO the real mediocre vintages are extremely seldom in Bordeaux and Burgundy. Almost all vintages are interesting
I recognize that in many viticultural areas hail storms etc have ruined the harvest
2000 Massena “The Moonlight Run” [Jaysen Collins & Dan Standish] might have been the very best Australian wine I’ve ever tasted - it would have wiped the floor with just about any Northern Rhone I know.
The following year, 2001, was a Vintage of the Century, and the The Moonlight Run had yuge scores from the critics, but it was a soft blowsy plummy trainwreck of a mess which wasn’t even swallowable.
2000 Giacosa’s. 2002 Monfortino.
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89 Montelena was tannic when young but did come around.
The '79 Pichon Lalande was soooo good for so many years. Haven’t had it in a very long time, though.
Mouton was still underperforming at that stage.
Has the '80 Pichon held up? I remember that it was decent, but I don’t recall it being special when I last had it sometime in the 80s.
I found the 1991 Chateau Latour to be a much better wine than most expected and it was relatively inexpensive en primeur as well.
And the winner is…
2004 La Tache.
I just bought the 2008 Rayas last month, so cool! And I concur on the 91 Lalande. Was a very nice wine in a crappy vintage. My sister got me some for a birthday and I did not say anything about the vintage, and was later very pleasantly surprised when I had it. Same thing with the ‘93 Mouton.