1982 Château Sociando-Mallet, France, Bordeaux, Haut-Medoc, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1982
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Bordeaux wines from 1982 are often still drinking great.  While one might think a wine such as this might be over the hill, that is not true.  At least for this bottle.  It still has some youthful freshness.  It is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  No real bricking or browning.  On the nose there is cassis, dust, slight cigar box and hints of cherry.  On the palate, this has lively energy.  Cassis and cherries with some underlying dried herbal notes.  Not a big wine.  Some depth and slight layering.  Nice finish. 

1989 Château Haut-Batailley, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1989
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$75.00USD

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cherries, dried cherries, dust and spice.  There is also a bit of raisin.  On the palate, the fruit is more dried cherries but some fresh cherries.  The raisin continues thru slightly.  Not a lot of complexity.  This seems to be on the way down and probably ought to be drunk now.  It will still work fine at the dinner table.  Stews would be a nice match. 

1986 Château Mouton Rothschild, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1986
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$840.00USD

I have been lucky enough to have this on a few occasions.  Never has it been open or showing anything like it's lofty status with the critics would indicate so I approached with trepidation.  No need.  This bottle was amazing.  Everything it was supposed to be including still a bit on the young side.  It is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim.  Bright but mostly opaque.  On the nose, lovely cassis, cigar box, ash and slight pencil lead.  The lead becomes more pronounced with air and there is some chocolate and spi

1988 Château La Dominique, France, Bordeaux, St. Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1988
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$95.00USD

This wine showed quite well considering the vintage and pedigree and age of the wine.  Ruby in color, purple at its core, clear and bright.  The nose has dried cherries, slight dust, a bit of mint.  With air, some fresh cherries.  On the palate, fresh and dried cherries above a baseline of tea leaves.  Medium bodied.  A bit of drying tannins underneath.  Nice finish.  This is very food friendly and easy to drink.  Probably a bit past prime but still enjoyable.  Drink up now.  

1989 Château Angélus, France, Bordeaux, St. Émilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1989
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$525.00USD

Stunning showing for this wine.  Its about 50/50 Cabernet Franc and Merlot.  Still youthful and might indeed improve a bit more.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is complex and enticing with black raspberries, dust, cherries and a slight cocoa note.  With air, a bit of char comes out.  On the palate, this has a "jelly-like" texture which is great.  Lots of black cherry fruit over and char and slight tobacco base.  Tightly layered, the layers unwind nicely in the glass.  It might improve more over the next five years, but should easily be at this level for ten to fifteen years mo

1982 Château Lynch-Bages, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1982
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$320.00USD

A big surprise on the upside drinking this wine.  It was much younger and better than I expected (and I had high expectations).  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is young with cassis, cedar, a bit of graphite and slight roasted herbs.  On the palate, what a lovely lush texture.  Still a lot of primary and secondary flavors.  Cassis, chocolate and then with air an underneath of dry forest floor.  Medium tannins.  Nice balance.  Long finish.  This bottle anyway, still needs around five to seven more years to peak, but again, at age 37, all bottles are different.  It would go great

1982 Château Calon-Ségur, France, Bordeaux, St. Estèphe, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1982
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$225.00USD

This bottle was decanted for an hour and then double decanted back in the bottle.  It might have needed a bit more than that but that was good.  Ruby/purple in color.  Clear and bright.  The nose is a bit of a dusty attic at first.  With air, cherries and cedar come out.  Light tannins on the palate.  Cherries with sandalwood and slight forest floor on the palate.  This has a nice complexity with good layering.  This seems at peak now.  No hurry but it probably should be drunk by 2030.  It will work better at the table at this point, roasted meats, fowl or veggies would be great.  

1982 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, France, Bordeuax, St. Julien, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1982
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$320.00USD

Pop and pour, this probably should have been decanted.  It took some time to open up.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has cassis, pencil lead, cedar and tobacco.  Cherries come out with air.  This has a slight funk at first but cleans up with air.  A wonderful velvety texture.  Complex and deep.    Lot of cassis and cherries on the palate.  Some cherry cough syrup.  Tart acidity which begs for food.  Long finish.  This seems to finally be at peak though no hurry.  At least a decade more at this level.  This will go well with meat or fowl dishes though not too spicy.  

1986 Château Pavie, France, Bordeaux, St. Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1986
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$155.00USD

The first bottle that we opened was corked.  A second bottle proved quite fresh indeed.  This was a surprise as it showed quite well.  Still, in the older style.  The label was actually in very good shape as well.  Purple in color with just a slight bit of bricking at the rime.  Clear and bright.  The nose has cherry fruit, with a slight bit of funk.  With air it becomes a bit more cigar box.  On the palate, this is clean and fresh.  Certainly mature but nice cherry fruit, just a wisp of tannins with underlying barnyard.  The finish is a bit drying.  Older wines can be a gamble, mostly due

1982 Château Pavie, France, Bordeaux, St. Émilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1982
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$168.00USD

This is certainly not today's Pavie.  A very different style of Bordeaux.  Whether that is good or bad is subjective.  Ruby/brown in color though clear if a bit muted.  The nose is all about the earthy funk.  There is some slight mine and slighter cherry fruit.  Tart acidity.  On the palate, this starts out with thin cherries.  As it blows off bottle stink, it adds some weight but tastes old and past prime.  Certainly no sin for a 37 year old wine.  There is a lot of funk on this wine.  One of the people sharing this wine called it "dirty" which might (or might not) be a bit strong.  Still,

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