Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.

We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.

While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.

Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.

I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.

He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.

So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.

Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.

As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.

The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.

Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 6 years ago

Rob Moose

9.3

I was worried about this but after about an hour it came into its own. More blue cheese, less tobacco than the Pichon Lalande, with nice lingering acidity. — 11 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.6

This was the groups WOTN against some pretty stiff competition. 59 Leroy GE, 82 LMHB, 82 Pichon Lalande & 80 La Mouline.
This is a very underrated vintage for LaTache as it is still showing tight and firm when 1st opened but really starts opening up after 30 min of air. Very aromatic and complex with red fruits, Asian spice, dried rose petal, game bird displaying power with elegance and finesse. Always a treat to drink a fully mature LaTache that is just reaching its peak drinking window. — 11 years ago

Victor Hwang

9.3

What a contrast to the pichon Lalande 95. This is bright red sweet fruit, much lighter in body, well integrated soft tannins and acidity with a pretty finish. Very very enjoyable and almost Merlot like to me. — 12 years ago

with David

Wojciech Bońkowski

Bloger bonkowshi.me

9.2

St-Julien 2003, 3rd wine of Pichon Lalande, surprisingly NOT mature! — 12 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.3

Total sleeper of a producer. 8ha producer sandwiched between Lynch Bages, Pichon Lalande, and Latour. Perfectly mature with a charming rusticity all too rare in 90s Pauillac. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have to say this is my favorite Chateau to stand in front of and gaze. On the nose, spice, wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, mint, tobacco leaf and dark fresh & dry flowers. It's drinking nicely with silty medium-medium + tannins & full bodied. Ruby, ripe wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, crushed dry minerals, mint, tobacco leaf and violets, dark fresh & dry flowers. The acidity is round and mouthwatering. The long finish has great elegance, beauty, length, tension & balance. It's just starting to hit it's stride and has plenty of life ahead of it. Another 15-20 years. Who said 04 was a difficult vintage? This will continue to improve and will stun with another 10 years in bottle. Photos of the the exterior Chateau front & side, tasting room and Christian Seely Managing Director. Chateau Pichon Baron and Chateau Pichon Lalande were originally part of the same estate. Pichon Baron got it's name when Therese, daughter of the founder, received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville the first President of the Bordeaux Parliament. Chateau Pichon Baron changed because of the Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville. He took over managing Pichon Baron when he was only 19 years old! When the Baron passed away at 90 in 1850, he divided his Pauillac estate. The sons were awarded what became Chateau Pichon Baron and the daughters were given what later became Chateau Pichon Lalande. Pichon Baron went through three rough decades in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Part of the issues were, lack of investment and they machine harvested. The first really great vintages for them were 89 & 90 after Jean Rene Matignon, Jean-Michel Cazes join them and AXA Insurance Company purchased them adding capital. The 73 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Baron are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. However, the Cabernet Franc and the Petit Verdot are reserved exclusively for the second wine. The terroir is mostly deep gravel, sand clay soils. Pichon Baron uses 80% new French oak and rests in barrel 18 months. @ FogoDeChao

— 9 years ago

Cody Short

9.1

Really good for such a weak vintage. Had this not been up against an '82 Pichon Lalande I might have rated it even better. — 10 years ago

with Holli

Richard Steinberg

9.6

1995. Wowsa. So well balanced. Young black and red fruit. Gorgeous. Great recovery from a corked 1995 Pichon Lalande. — 11 years ago

Rick Galiardo

9.1

Bordeaux wine dinner; 6/18/15: Pichon Lalande 1990 - Lighter color than others, I think passing its prime. A little dry on the finish but perfectly nice still. Gruaud Larose 1989 - Very classic nose and palate of cedar and pine notes. Most silky palate of the bunch. Two at the table thought it was wine of the night. Not as much to my taste but very much classy Gruaud. Cos 1986 - Funky barnyard nose. Deep palate with still strong tannin, but plenty of fruit coming through. Liked it but there was some brett there that to me, hurt. Lynch Bages 1985 - For me, the wine of the night, largely due to the truly stunning nose. A tad dry on the palate but still long finish of dark fruit. — 11 years ago

Winston Biltz

9.0

Bolder than it's 2008 sibling. — 12 years ago

with Adam and Bob

Victor Hwang

9.8

Amazing nose. Tobacco, herbal leaf, great bouquet. Elegant mouthful. Plenty of acidity to frame the fruit. Tannins so soft. Can age another 10 years easily. Compared to the Pichon Lalande this has more perfume, and a much more seamless, softer, longer finish. So elegant and pretty. — 12 years ago

Mark Flesher

8.9

Bought a little under 3 years ago, this one was opened at a good time today for a great crowd. Initially opened and filtered into a decanter. The wine poured without significant bricking. The nose was green pepper, grassy, and earthy. It honestly had quite the same nose as a 1980's Pichon Lalande that was consumed a few months ago. This wine had a bit of funk for about an hour. But then after that, NOT BAD. Neither it nor the 99 Spottswoode were the best wines on the table, but this shows you the way it was done in old Napa. Picked at just under 23 Brix (per the label), this wine still had great structure. Even 2 hours later, the structure was still there although the wine had blossomed into more of a floral rich finish with a darker, ashy middle and herbaceous front with dried red fruits. According to CellarTracker there are 25 bottles in cellars. IMO it's time to start consuming these wines, although admittedly I feel this wine will probably stay right where it is, if cellared correctly, for another 5 years or so. — 9 years ago

with Benjamin

Ron Siegel

9.3

This was from a pristine btl from the restaurants cellar. So fresh and drinking much younger than its 47 yrs. Red berry fruits, exotic spice with leather, tobacco and mocha notes. Very pure and transparent in a feminine style. Reminded me of a 78 - 85 vintage of Pichon Lalande. Surprisingly good! — 9 years ago

Keith Browning

9.4

Very nice, 66 Pichon Lalande overshadowed it though - suppose that's what happens with a 50 yr old and a 34 yr old — 10 years ago

Alix de T'Serclaes

9.3

JE's Birthday date... Color divine, nose faded but still a good palate. Should have been exceptional but too late.. 69 years later With a "biche terrine aux airelles" handmade. Lovely — 10 years ago

B

10

3L 1982 Cheval Blanc. Drank as second red at Art/Film. Interesting contrast to the 1982 Pichon Lalande. This was vegetal at the first pour, but got noticeably smoother through the night. Most at the table preferred this wine, and after an hour or so, this was spectacular. K thought this wine was perhaps more nuanced, tho not necessarily "better" than the other. Amazing treat. — 11 years ago

Rick Galiardo

9.4

Bordeaux wine dinner; 6/18/15: Pichon Lalande 1990 - Lighter color than others, I think passing its prime. A little dry on the finish but perfectly nice still. Gruaud Larose 1989 - Very classic nose and palate of cedar and pine notes. Most silky palate of the bunch. Two at the table thought it was wine of the night. Not as much to my taste but very much classy Gruaud. Cos 1986 - Funky barnyard nose. Deep palate with still strong tannin, but plenty of fruit coming through. Liked it but there was some brett there that to me, hurt. Lynch Bages 1985 - For me, the wine of the night, largely due to the truly stunning nose. A tad dry on the palate but still long finish of dark fruit. — 11 years ago

Doug Powers

10

1983 Chateau Palmer -- simply glorious, lighter color than 1982 Pichon-Lalande, but great balance and acidity, super long finish, great stuff!! — 12 years ago

Dave Smigielski

10

Holy Fricking wow. Starts out with barnyard. And opens up to belt leather. Classic Cos nose once it settled down. This was clearly WOTN. It's #2 woty behind 96 pichon lalande — 12 years ago

Michael Hildbold

9.9

1995 Bordeaux tasting- La Mission, Cht Margaux, Pichon Lalande, Lafleur, Mouton, La Lagune. Not pictured- Leoville-Las-Cases, Latour, Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion, and Yquem. — 12 years ago