1995 Margaux, 1995 Ausone, 2006 Dominus, 1989 Clinet, 1989 Angélus & 2000 Pavie

It was back to Bordeaux and Bordeaux-blends for the usual suspects at Imperial Treasure Great World on 08 April 2024. While the wines were not as old as some of the best examples of mature claret that we’ve had in the past, the line-up that evening was drinking superbly across the different vintages. Nevertheless, evident from the pair of 1989s, they are at their best after more than three decades of careful cellaring. All wines were blinded. Many thanks!

2008 Champagne Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, courtesy of LF. Lovely luminosity, exuding airy white tones to match the crisp acidity and intensity of clear citrus on the exuberant palate, structured with a dash of austere minerals throughout its glowing length, proffering crystalline clarity through the sheen of soft bubbles.

2005 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc. Dull golden hue, proffering a restrained chamfered chalkiness. Rather lean initially, very lightly oaked, displaying sleek refinement with excellent clarity and sublime acidity. Fleshed out over time with further undertones of caramel and roasted walnuts, developing sharper definition along with glowing white tones underscored by subtle minerally elements. Highly elegant and still rather youthful, showing only just a hint of secondary development after three hours in the glass.

2006 Dominus. Deep garnet. Restrained darkish hues permeate on the nose and medium-full palate. Generously endowed with warm ripe fruit laced with a dash of tell-tale sweetness that betrayed its New World origin. Nevertheless, its seamless integration, velvety tannins and a distinct note of soy got people into thinking Pomerol which isn’t really wrong, considering this was made by Christian Mouiex.

2000 Château Pavie, courtesy of Sir Bob. Very dark crimson. Expectedly full, generously endowed with ripe raspberries, mulberries and currants underscored by a deeper vein of intense black fruit. Morphed together very well with crisp acidity and elegant tannins but distinctly modern with a restrained exuberance, its vanillin oak still evident but subdued along with a hint of pochai pills. Still far from peak maturity.

1995 Château Margaux, courtesy of Kieron. Deep crimson. The fruit here is rather recessed, resulting in a fair degree of restraint on the nose, just faint whiffs of mature red fruits and dark berries. The medium palate displays good clarity with a lean relaxed presence, fleshing out a little better after some time though it lacks the refined opulence of the best vintages, finishing with a trace of sweetness.

1995 Château Ausone, courtesy of LF. Deep garnet core, proffering a subtle fragrance of dark currants and black berries. Fully mature. Highly supple and integral, generously endowed with seamless layers of fruit structured with detailed tannins. Still wonderfully fresh and youthful, carrying plenty of verve amid overtones of tertiary characters. This is tasting even better than before. At its best.

1989 Château Clinet, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deep crimson, proffering a delicious bouquet of currants and dark berries with a dash of crème de la crème. The fleshy palate is beautifully endowed with subtle shades of glorious fruit and tertiary characters tinged with tobacco leaf, exuding lovely definition and elegant vigour amid sublime acidity. Impeccably balanced and proportioned, and still amazingly youthful. Almost feminine. Truly a complete wine.

1989 Château Angélus, courtesy of Vic. Deep crimson at the core, proffering a distinct feminine fragrance from the superb complex of tertiary characters that exude the pure distilled essence of mature black fruits where every layer of detail may be traced with superb linearity throughout its length, yet utterly integral and seamless, underscored by elegant intensity and exquisite sweetness. Absolutely bewitching and complete. Very, very lovely, perfectly caught at peak maturity and will hold for many more decades. Truly a seminal vintage in more ways than one, for this was the year when Angélus dropped its article L’.