Jeff Leve
03-13-2011, 11:43 AM
One of the best things about starting to date someone new is sharing wines with them for the first time and discovering the types of wines and styles they enjoy most. And of course turning them into a hopeless Bordeaux wine lover! With that in mind, we opened two Bordeaux wines from 1989, one from each bank to compare.
And for those of you thinking I should have added a Pessac Leognan to mix and made it a trio, the only Graves I have from 1989 is Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion.;)
1989 La Conseillante - Sting might have sang about a message in a bottle, but this wine was all about sex in a bottle. Filled with elegant, liquid silk and polished velvet textures, coupled with beguiling aromas of violets, chocolate, truffle, black cherry, tobacco, molasses and brown sugar, this decadent charmer hits all the right notes. The wine finishes with chocolate covered blackberries and spicy plums. This is close to full maturity. There is no reason to hold it any longer. While it might gain in aromatics, the sensuous textures could subside. 97 Pts
1989 Pichon Lalande - It's always a nice surprise when a bottle performs better than you expected. Tobacco, cassis, truffle, earth, spice, cedar, green olive tapenade and roses make up the complex perfume. On the palate, this Bordeaux wine feels like pure silk and velvet. The long, ripe dark berry finish lasts at least 40 seconds. Note to self, drink more Pichon Lalande. 95 Pts
And for those of you thinking I should have added a Pessac Leognan to mix and made it a trio, the only Graves I have from 1989 is Haut Brion and La Mission Haut Brion.;)
1989 La Conseillante - Sting might have sang about a message in a bottle, but this wine was all about sex in a bottle. Filled with elegant, liquid silk and polished velvet textures, coupled with beguiling aromas of violets, chocolate, truffle, black cherry, tobacco, molasses and brown sugar, this decadent charmer hits all the right notes. The wine finishes with chocolate covered blackberries and spicy plums. This is close to full maturity. There is no reason to hold it any longer. While it might gain in aromatics, the sensuous textures could subside. 97 Pts
1989 Pichon Lalande - It's always a nice surprise when a bottle performs better than you expected. Tobacco, cassis, truffle, earth, spice, cedar, green olive tapenade and roses make up the complex perfume. On the palate, this Bordeaux wine feels like pure silk and velvet. The long, ripe dark berry finish lasts at least 40 seconds. Note to self, drink more Pichon Lalande. 95 Pts