Chronicle 51. An extraordinary evening! Le Pin versus Pétrus in 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, purchased bottles

An extraordinary evening ! Le Pin versus Petrus in 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996 Outsiders : Palmer 2002, La Conseillante 2001, château Margaux 2000, L'Eglise Clinet 1999, Vieux Château Certan 1998, Dubois Grimon 1997 Chronicle n° 51 (December, 4th 2007) It was in the heart of Switzerland. Some came from Zurich and Friburg, others from Paris or Albi. Everyone was made aware of the risks. Today, bottle variation does not surprise me anymore. It hurts me like a missed rendezvous with a loved one. I am not complaining, neither the people surrounding. We are aware. In order to make it more interesting, the person who organized, pertinent and full of malice had decided to include my “coups de Coeur” from each vintage that we tasted. This was a friendly and improvised challenge that I was told of only at the last minute. Yet, definitely a challenge considering this was made live and in public. Ultimately it was pure joy. Dubois Grimon 1997, Palmer 2002, La Conseillante 2001, château Margaux 2000 and Vieux Château Certan 1998 were brilliant! These marvelous outsiders made us forgot the price of the evening. Oh, how much fun we had! The tasting took place in March 2007 and was conducted blind with purchased bottles in the following order First flight: 1997 LAFLEUR 1997 – 15,75 // 88 Evolved color, truffled nose. On the palate, the wine is soft and velvety, also “merloting” on a mellow body. Tasty, fruity, the wine finishes melted on a normal length. To be drunk. Now and before 2012. Pleasure score : 15,5 // 88 LE PIN 1997 – 16 // 88-89 Evolved color, of average intensity. The nose is fine and changes a lot with air contact. A wooden and caramel note evokes Cheval Blanc at first. Then upon swirling, truffle takes over. The palate is very round and juicy, of truffle aromas. The mid-palate is quite full. The finish is a bit vivid. The wine persists on a grilled flavor. This vividness reminds wines that are typically located on limestone terroir (which is not the case of Le Pin) Now and before 2012. Pleasure score : 16 // 88-89 DUBOIS GRIMON 1997 – 16,5 // 90 This wine was my discovery during the future 1997 campaign. I rated it 17 // 92, an exceptional level for a Côtes de Castillon, never reached again by any other wines from that appellation. In many comparative tastings, it frequently finishes in front of classified growth, even some First growths. Out of ten tastings, its average score is 15,75 // 88. It tasted very well that day. Dark color and slightly evolved. Nose less complex than Lafleur and Le Pin, on par with Petrus, very fruity, creamy and seemed closed. On the palate, the wine is tender, round and tasty, particularly fruity in the mid-palate. The wine melts softly and finishes unspitable, of very good length. Now or wait until 2010 and before 2020. Pleasure score : 16 // 89 PETRUS 1997 – 15 // 86 The color is dark, of average intensity and slightly evolved. The nose of animal flavors lacks precision and brightness. The wine is round on the palate, offering a ripe flavor with good body. Yet, the tannins on the finish lack finesse. Average length. As these bottles were tasted blind, everyone in the room was shocked upon releasing the bottles’ names. Unanimously Petrus had been rated the lowest of that flight. Pleasure score: 14,5 // 85 Second Flight: 1998 PETRUS 1998 – 17,5 // 94 Beautiful dark red color, intense and youthful. Complex and creamy nose, slightly oaky, yet seeming close. With a smooth and beautiful entrance on the palate, the wine offers a fine touch, a nice violet flavor and nuances that are both fat and dynamic. Good coating of the mid-palate. Savory tannins. Powerful and aromatic, the finish is a bit marked by a new wood characteristic. Has potential. Not before 2012. Pleasure score : 16,5 // 90 VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN 1998 - 17,75 // 94-95 The color is more evolved than Petrus. Ripe and fruity nose, evoking merlot and clay. Animal nuances. The entrance of the palate is savory. The wine is very precise in texture and melts in the mouth, both delicate and dense at the same time. The tannins are remarkably balanced. Truffle flavors. Very long and powerful finish. Has a lot of taste. At the opposite of Petrus, this is a wine to be enjoyed now and before 2025. Pleasure score: 17,5 // 94 LE PIN 1998 - 17,25 // 93 From the three (Petrus, Vieux-Certan), Le Pin displays the most evolved color. Its truffled nose typically evokes Le Pin. Nice note of ripe raspberries. Beautiful palate, soft, very fruity, creamy, evolving quite powerful towards a finish that I find a bit vivid. This slight “acidity” did limit my enthusiasm. Nice length. Wait until 2010 and before 2030. Pleasure score: 16,5 // 90 Third flight: 2001. LA CONSEILLANTE 2001 – 18,25 // 95-96 Deep, bright and intense color. Superb intense nose; fine, fruity, pure, fresh and ripe. On the palate, it is tasty, displaying a magnificent touch and a very subtle grain of tannins. The wine perfectly fills the mouth and develops itself both complex and fat. To its magnificent body, adds up a fantastic persistence. It finishes very seductive and unspitable. Can begin to be appreciated now and before 2030. Very long ageing potential. Pleasure score: 17 // 92. PETRUS 2001 – 16,25 // 89 The color is the most evolved of all three (La Conseillante and Le Pin). Nose simple and of animal aromas and fruit jam. On the palate, the wine is mellow, a bit oxidative and lacking brightness and general precision, even though the length is rather good. Everything in the behavior of this wine (brown color, discreet nose, oxidized sensation) makes me believe that this bottle is part of the 12% of the wines from the same original wine case that generally tastes not well. Unfortunately, I couldn’t confirm or infirm if this 2001 was better or not than the 2000. For Jean-Claude Berrouet (Petrus’ winemaker), who tastes it more often than myself, 2001, 2000 and 1998 are at the same level. Therefore, this needs to be tasted again. Pleasure score: 15 // 86 LE PIN 2001 - 17 // 92 The wine displays a beautiful dark and bright color. As often, the nose is of truffles. On the palate a sensation of fatness, refined along with suave notes. The general softness evokes merlot. Average body. On the finish, the tannin could be riper. Wait until 2010 and before 2025. Pleasure score: 16,5 // 90. Fourth flight: 2002. This is a very beautiful flight in which the less evolved wine is Palmer. LE PIN 2002 – 16,75 // 91 This vintage displays every components of the estate. A truffled nose, with ripe fruits aromas; a soft palate, caressing and tasty. As usual, the body a bit in the back of the stage but very charming. Wait until 2010 and before 2020. Pleasure score: 16 // 89. PETRUS 2002 – 17,75 // 94-95 I have tasted twice this wine this year with such satisfaction. Why such a success? Hard to say. Yet and to my knowledge, Petrus did introduce a sorting table during harvest from that vintage on. Nice intense and bright color. Fine, fruity, ripe nose with a fig flavor. Very nice entrance on the palate, round and smooth. Of fine texture, the wine becomes more dense in the mid-palate, very aromatic, picks up a chocolate note and finishes with energy, being soft, fine, long and distinguished. A delicious wine that is unspitable. This wine has a very good length with aromas of violet persisting back. I recommend it now and before 2020. Pleasure score: 17 // 90 PALMER 2002 - 19 // 97 Everyone knows that in my opinion, Palmer 2002 is the wine of the vintage. It performed marvelously during this tasting. Dark and intense color. Big nose fine, of coffee smell. Superb bright fruitiness. Big sensation of class from the palate entrance. The wine develops refined, melting, on a very noble touch. From the mid-palate on, sensations accelerate and the wine takes on a second life. Remarkable tannins. Enormous finish full of aromas and of great subtleness. This is great wine. Gourmets will have some now, others will wait until 2010 and before 2025-2030. Pleasure score: 17,5 // 94. Fifth flight: 1999. L’EGLISE CLINET 1999 – 17 // 92 Dark red, of average intensity and slightly evolved color. The nose is also of average aromatics, fruity and slightly metallic. The palate is soft and smooth on the entrance, then gentle in the middle. The wine is of long shape, finishing on a fresh nuance evoking cabernet. Very good length. Now and until 2015. Pleasure score: 16 // 89. LE PIN 1999 – 17 // 92 For now, this vintage does not smell of truffle. Fruity in a jammy type. Energic on the palate entrance, it displays cedar, a chocolate note, fruity and more truffle than the nose. The finish is a bit oaky. Very good aromatic length, tasty and creamy. Can be tasted now and before 2015-2020 Pleasure score : 16,5 // 90. PETRUS 1999 – 16 // 88-89 Dark color, of average intensity and evolved. Truffled and jammy nose. Round palate on the entrance, lacking body in the mid-palate. Finish where the wood flavor takes wins over the fruit. Average length. It lacks density. Drink or resell. Pleasure score: 15,5 // 88. Sixth flight: 2000. Château MARGAUX 2000 – 19 // 97 Side by side to Petrus and Le Pin, Château Margaux has the most youthful color and the most “closed” nose. On the contrary, the palate is sumptuous: softness, taste, melting, lots of fruit, very high tannic distinction. Absolutely delicious, the wine finishes very long on an ultra refined texture. This wine opens up more and more. Yet, it remains urgent waiting for it until 2012 before serving it in the context of a meal. Very long anticipated ageing potential, until 2040-2050 Pleasure score : 17 // 92. PETRUS 2000 – 19,5-20 // 98-100 This was the wine of the night. Dark red color. Complex, pure and intense nose, smelling merlot. Palate immediately tender, then suave, wide, with a profound taste of cedar, truffle and fruit. This mellow maintains itself until the finish while the wine shows itself tight. The tannic texture is noble, sophisticated and above all, very aromatic. This last characteristic reminds Burgundy without any doubts. I wish to compare it one day to La Tache and La Romanée Conti. Wait until 2012. Very long anticipated ageing potential, 2040-2050. Pleasure score: 17 // 92. LE PIN 2000 – 17 // 92 The color is more evolved than its competitors (Margaux and Petrus). The nose is essentially truffled, and almost iodized. Curiously, the palate does not have its usual charm. This wine shows itself a bit firm even though the tannin stays fine. Good length. I note that it is not better than the 2001 while its price is of 2700 Euros excluding VAT against 1570 Euros excluding VAT for the 2001. Wait until 2012 and before 2025. Pleasure score : 15,5 // 88. Seventh flight: 1996. It is incredible realizing how much this vintage looks old and ancient after the purity of the 2000. I just had a tasting of Saint Pierre 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. I came back with the same feeling. LE PIN 1996 – 16 //88-89 The color and nose are evolved. It smells of leather. The palate is tender, fruity and nice yet lacks body. Nice cedar aroma in the finish. Now and before 2012-2015 Pleasure score: 15,5 // 88 VIEUX CHATEAU CERTAN 1996 – 15,25 // 87 Evolved color. Nose of average intensity, creamy and truffled. Unfortunately, the palate lacks fat and ripe tannins, probably a bad bottle. PETRUS 1996 – 16,25 // 89 The color is still dark, youthful and intense. The nose is pure, smelling ripe fruits. Very nice palate entrance. Then the wine develops fruity, tasty, without lacking depth. Flavors of cedar, liquorices, and fruits. The finish is aromatic and of average length. It is good but without particular emotions. Now and before 2015-2020. Pleasure score: 15,5 // 88 PETRUS, LE PIN : WHAT IF YOU HAD TO MAKE A GIFT? PETRUS : Go for the 2002. Its quality/price ratio is the best for this wine. This vintage is going through a huge progress in my scores since it was bottled: 16,5 //90 in 2005; 17,5 // 94 in 2006; 17,75 // 94-95 in 2007. Relatively muted upon opening, it delivers its aromatic splendor after 3 hours in a decanter. Cedar, truffles, cherry, with creamy nuances and a great freshness constitutes its nose. The palate is richer than the average reputation of the vintage may suggest. My database shows that it can be found around 911 Euros excluding VAT per bottle. Take a look at it to find out where. LE PIN 1994 is the best bargain for this wine. Rated 17,75 // 94-95 in 2005 at a private tasting, I did retasted it 17,5 // 94 this summer during a tasting at the estate. The wine is of incredible quality for a 1994 and it’s the wine of the vintage in Bordeaux. The wine has a color of slightly lighter garnet, a nose of truffles, creamy in the purest Pomerol style. The body is caressing, with a silky texture, and both a powerful and aromatic finish. This is a delight Analysing merchants offers in my database indicate a price around 852 Euros excluding VAT in France and about 1309 in the US. Check out who has it for sale. SUMMUM OF TASTE AND PRICE LA CONSEILLANTE 2001 - This wine wins all comparisons. The last one was against Chateau Latour. It gets harder to find. Its price is between 64 and 114 Euros VAT excluded. Some merchants who tasted it do not want to sell it anymore. PALMER 2002 – Priced between 76 and 137 euros VAT excluded. Too bad for those who missed it at 43 euros as future. A summum of this estate and vintage. Check out the database for where and how much you can find it for. Publishing on the 2005. A mistake was made in my previous chronicle. The publication of the update on the 2005 vintage will be released soon in French. For the English version, it will wait a bit more time until the translation is finished. Please accept my apologies. Thank you for your understanding. Next Chronicle on December 17th. Jean-Marc Quarin ______________________________________________________________________________ © Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author: Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, BP 40, 33320 Le Taillan-Médoc. France. Tél. 00 33 (0)5 56 35 83 93. Fax 00 33 (0)5 56 35 86 50. E-mail : jmquarin@wanadoo.fr

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Chronicle 51. An extraordinary evening! Le Pin versus Pétrus in 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, purchased bottles

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