TNs: Red Bordeaux from Sam's French Night-

Thanks for the notes Grossie, much appreciated. The only one I've had is the Duhart and I agree with your notes, I've actually seen this at Cost Plus for $25, but I already bought all I wanted.
What is the price on the Croix de Casse?

I think CdC was $45.

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Yes, but I came here for an argument.

Oh! Oh! I'm sorry, this is abuse.

Thanks, will keep the sober eye out for that one...

Hate to be the voice of dissention, but I'm not sold on the Croix du Casse.

2000 Bahans Haut Brion, Pessac-Leognan
Very smooth, sweet velvety tannins and rich plum fruit. This can be consumed now ... if you dare. Second time I've had this in 4 months with consistant impressions. 90-91

2000 Ch. Valrose "Cuvee Alienor"
I find this wine rather lackluster with light cranberry fruit and bitter tannins. Others may embrace this wine, but this is the second bottle I have tried that displays a definite uncomfortable bitterness. 84

2000 Duhart Milon, Paulliac
Great nose, but slightly austere finish. Years away from delightfully drinkable. 90

2000 La Croix du Casse, Pomerol
I wasn't nearly as impressed as Grossie was with this wine. While the fruit is pure and there is a sense that this wine will develop good secondary components, I found the intense tannin to be rather flat and don't see this wine every becoming truly balanced. My experiences with Pomerol are limited, but heavily tannic wines from this region are IMO not ideal. Ironically, Parker's note on this wine is similar to mine. He gave it an 88?, I'll give it a 88-90.

[This message was edited by R2-D2 on Jan 28, 2004 at 05:34 PM.]

RD- Was the Valrose you tried the Cuvee Alienor? If so, your score is falling. This last time you had it, your score was slightly higher, 87+.

Grossie- Did you try the Valrose? Since you and I both bought it I would be interested in a second opinion.

VM

Yes, it was the Alienor. I updated my post.

As for the declining score, the excessive bitterness really does give me pause. This is contradictory to tannins in the (nearly 100) other 2000 Bordeauxs I've tried.

A declining score does not surprise me. It is no surprise that these tannic wines might be shutting down for a while. My tasting of 8 2000 Bordeaux last November gave me the same impression.

VM

VM- Unfortunately I surrendered my glass before I got to the alienor. I had to drive home and I couldn't be trusted anymore with the glass.

I'm not going to sweat it on the Alienor. If my $11 bottles turn out to be 87pt wines in 10 years it won't upset me too much. Young bordeaux can be bitter out of sheer volume of tannin in there. All that tells me is not to touch it for at least 10 years.

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Yes, but I came here for an argument.

Oh! Oh! I'm sorry, this is abuse.

Well, I can tell you that this wine isn't moving off shelves for the $25 pricetage even with it's 92 rating for Suckling. Says a lot for what people think of Suckling on Bdx and what people think of this wine. They're both lousy.

I agree with Grossie that the 2000 La Croix de Casse was much better than the two other 2000s at the table, Bahans Haut Brion and Duhart Milon. The La Croix de Casse displayed much more fruit than the other two.

• 2000 Château St. Georges - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Georges-St. Émilion (1/29/2011)
  I was looking for something with a little flair or charm, maybe a lush right bank wine would do? Not this one. This wine is hurting me- the nose gives some richness, mineral, and a little herbal allure but my palate is hurting from trying to get something out of the tangle that is this wine. It's hard, edgy, mineralic, and any fruit there is is hiding behind a wall of tannin and acidity. Either it's completely asleep and the fruit will eventually emerge or it's just a mess and it will never come around. Maybe it would be a better food wine?? I wouldn't open another for several years, and even then with low hopes. The nose is great and gets this wine over 80 points overall. (83 pts.)

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grossie

It sounds like this wine is in dee[ hibernation given how at odds it is with your tasting note of 7 years ago. I think you're being very short-term with your points with this wine and you didn't mention the feel of the wine on the tongue, gums, throat, etc and no mention of finish?

Have I taught you nothing over the years or are you just becoming a GOM?

BirD

Actually, BirdSmarty, I thought my note from 7 years ago was the optimistic version of the recent note, not that much at odds. Both times I thought this was a hard wine. I was expecting a little more from it now, given that many of the lesser 2000s have started to come around (I've tasted through a bunch in the last 18 months). I'm not sure this wine will ever emerge from its slumber, but we'll see.

2000 Château La Croix du Casse - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (7/14/2013)
Sunday Brown Bag Tasting: 2003 Bordeaux (Mike & Judi's): Aromas of dark fruit, blackberry, earth and spice. Medium-bodied, with flavors of red & dark fruit and Asian spices. Nice finish with lingering spice notes. (91 pts.)

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