Performing better from bottle than at any time in cask (which of course is the objective of great winemaking, isn’t it?), this wine reveals a dense ruby/purple color in a style somewhat reminiscent of the 1988 but with more power, concentration, and volume. It has a beautifully elegant nose of black fruits intermixed with truffle, flower, and oak. The wine is medium to full-bodied, dense, with wonderful precision, freshness, and a long, full-bodied finish with impressive levels of concentration. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030.
Tasted blind at Farr's 2002 Bordeaux tasting. Very refined on the nose...definitely First Growth quality with a beautiful floral scent. Margaux? Black cherries, a touch of cassis, violets and wild hedgerow. Superb clarity. Ripe succulent entry, very pure and very harmonious with filigree tannins and a natural, graceful finish that belies its power. Tasted October 2009.
Drink 2010-17 Sweet and easy and round and digestible. Racy, with a very neat finish.
Weight-wise, the 2002 is reminiscent of the 1999 Margaux. However, the 2002, a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, reveals some of the stylistic characteristics of the 1996, but without the power, density, and perfection of that great wine. The color is a healthy deep ruby/purple, and the aromas reveal notes of black currants, licorice, dried herbs, vanilla, and loamy soil. While it is medium-bodied, with noteworthy purity, elegance, and stature, it does not possess the extraordinary flavor dimensions, persistence, or surreal quality level found in the 2000, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1986, 1985, 1983, and 1982. Nevertheless, it is a lustrous effort from this noble estate so meticulously run by the Mentzelopoulos family and their brilliant administrator, Paul Pontallier. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2026
