The 1995 Vintage in France

TASTING REPORT

Enclosed please find the report from our tasting of Monday, April 20, 2015, on the theme of the 1995 vintage in France.... A very lovely evening, thank you all!

1) Château Prieuré Lichine 1995 Bordeaux white: 

A golden, old-gold color, without orange hues, appearing slightly younger than the second wine. The nose, for its part, is a little more evolved with notes of almond and dried fruit on a honeyed touch and a hint of oxidation. On the palate, the wine seems younger, the acidity is present, but it clearly lacks complexity.

2) Château de Fieuzal 1995 white: 

The color is quite similar to that of its predecessor, in golden, old-gold tones. The nose is honeyed and floral, with notes of candied citrus, butter and cream. The palate is very elegant with a great deal of finesse. One finds citrus and white fruits. There is a lovely length that finishes on honey and butteriness. An elegant wine with a fine acidic backbone.

3) Olivier Leflaive Meursault 1^er cru Charmes 1995:

A very intense, almost orange-tinged color, with an oxidative nose. An attack on the palate of praline and caramel notes. The palate is less overwhelming than the nose, even if a distinct bitterness emerges on the finish.

4) « Intruder Wines » - Italian Wine Ca' del Bosco Terre du Franciacorta 1995:

The color is of medium intensity, rather matte with tawny and orange hues. The nose reveals earthy and peppery notes that are also found on the palate, with very prominent tannins and high acidity.

5) Alain Burget Gevrey Chambertin En Reniard 1995: 

A very evolved color, slightly cloudy and low in intensity with tawny hues. The nose is smoky, meaty and lardaceous. Very animal on the 1^er nose, it also reveals floral, mentholated and blood orange notes. The palate, however, is far more fruity with a very lovely length. A pleasant surprise!

6) La Croix Saint Georges Pomerol 1995:

The color, rather tawny, is less intense than that of the following wine. A nose of cooked fruit, with notes of prune, smoke and earthiness, along with hints of menthol. On the palate, the tannins are round, and one finds aromas of blackberry and cooked fruit. A wine that still lacks a little complexity but remains very harmonious nonetheless. More concentrated and less complex than the Gevrey Chambertin, it can age further to allow more aromas to express themselves.

7) Château Haut Marbuzet 1995: 

The color of this wine is more intense and luminous than that of the previous one, revealing lesser evolution. The nose is slightly vanilla-tinged and still a little closed; it opens up more on the palate, where one finds floral notes and crushed fruit.

8) Domaine de Saint Benoit Châteauneuf du Pape 1995 – cuvée Grande garde:

The color, slightly cloudy, is intense and evolved. The nose is complex: jammy, smoky and lardaceous, but with some notes of "old cellar." Slightly floral, the aromas remain delicate, notably with saline notes. The palate, though pleasant with notes of bitter orange and cooked fruit on melted tannins, confirms that the wine is not perfectly clean. To be tasted again on another bottle.

9) Gérin Côte Rôtie Les Grandes Places 1995: 

The color of this wine is slightly more intense and a little less evolved than that of its predecessor, but remains quite similar nonetheless. On the nose, one discovers superb notes of cooked fruit, leather, soft spices, rubber and black olive. On the palate, the acidity is more present, as are the tannins, but with a harmonious balance. One finds aromas of black fruit, menthol and tobacco. A wine with a fine balance and not too much alcohol.

10) Château de Chantegrive Cérons 1995: 

A very golden color without tawny hues. One finds rhubarb, ginger, exotic fruits as well as vegetal notes. The palate lacks sugar and richness, and finishes on bitterness.

11) Château Rabaud Promis 1995: 

The color is evolved and the first nose leads more toward alcohol than botrytis. However, it is more acidic than the previous wine. Longer and richer, one finds notes of bitter orange, caramel and pineapple. A wine with a fine balance on a marked acidity, but which lacks a little lightness.

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