Life is too short to drink bad wine

First wine at a BBR tasting London in September. St.Estephe is the area furthest to the north in Medoc with shallow gravel and more clay. The wines are thus perhaps more robust than the rest of Medoc. Les Ormes de Pez (21£) has medium dark "red-blue" colour and a taste with firm tannins and well balanced acidity. The wine need time and food!

This wine is a 2 Grand cru classe and cost 103£. A 1995 vintage with a brick red colour. The bouquet is just lovely with aromas of ripe red berries, dried fruit, old cellar, cedar and leather. Stunning! The aftertaste is long but lacks a bit of liveliness and this wine should perhaps be drunk asap as it could be on decline. But what a great wine! 

The year 2000 is a great year in Bordeaux and St.Julien is a great appelation with many Grand cru classe wines. The 4th grow St.Pierre from 2000 has a medium dark red colour and a discrete bouquet of predominantly pencil case. The taste is firm with ripe tannins and an overall "pushy" taste for being 12 years old. The 2000 vintage needs more time to open up. The price is 45£ and perhaps worth a shot if you have time to wait.

Another St.Julien for comparison; a 1996 Gruaud Larose! I must admit I had mixed feelings about this wine as the aroma was very stringent and sharp. It reminded me of newly laid linoleum or something like that and just never could get around that very dominant smell. The taste was well balanced with still lots of firm tannins. Overall for me the wine lacks fruit and it is not worth the 100£ you would have to pay to to be an owner of one bottle.

Then after the confusing styles of St.Julien it was tiem for three wines from Margaux. First out the second wine of Palmer called Alter Ego with a price tag of 40£. Marguax is furthest to the south and more gravel leading to lighter wines. This one had sensual and elegant aromas of red berries and  flowers. A brilliant light body taste with a wonderful balance. Great stuff!

This a 5eme cru classe of good quality and a reasonable price. The 2002 is regarded as a bad year in Bordeaux but Tertre has managed very well. For 32£ you will get a wine with a lovely perfumed smell of pencil case and red berries. The taste is surprisingly light bodied and elegant. A very good 2002 and absolutely worth buying.

If you have 132£ to spare then this 2001 vintage from Palmer could be an idea to try. With 40% Merlot this wine from Margaux has a Burgundy floral perfume mixed with pencil case and rose water. Stunning! The taste is very long and big with firm but delicate tannins and a lovely balanced aftertaste. A truly great wine!