Chronicle 157: how the Bordeaux 1985’s are evolving, purchased bottles

Jean-Marc Quarin’s Outsiders Expo on 23rd November in Paris How the Bordeaux 1985’s are evolving: Brane Cantenac, Certan de May de Certan, Cheval Blanc, Clos l’Eglise, Cos d’Estournel, Ducru Beaucaillou, Figeac, Gazin, Gruaud Larose, Haut-Brion, La Louvière, Lafite Rothschild, Lagrange, Latour, Léoville Las Cases, Lynch Bages, Margaux, Montrose, Mouton Rothschild, Palmer, Pichon Comtesse, Prieure Lichine, Sociando Mallet, Vieux Château Certan Chronicle 157 (25 October 2013) Jean-Marc Quarin’s Outsiders Expo on 23 November in Paris After the Guide, here is the first exhibition of Bordeaux wines, which are superior in taste to what their labels lead to believe. Check out the programme on the Outsider’s Expo website: www.lesalondesoutsiders.com How the Bordeaux 1985’s are evolving The first impression you get when tasting the 1985’s after twenty-six years in bottle is like travelling in time. In those days, Bordeaux was not being influenced in the way it made and aged wines. Body was not considered then to be essential for quality; it couldn’t be with soaring production volumes per hectare, closer to 70 or 80 hectolitres per hectare than 50. This idea came later with the ’89 and ’90 vintages. Most of the wines of ’85 are silky, quite soft and not very extracted. But something isn’t quite right with regards to their flavour. Many of the wines displayed more vegetal than fruit features. On the nose, some have distinct green pepper aromas (Lagrange, Lynch Bages), while many reveal a hint of tea or tobacco, which indicates a general lack of ripeness at harvest time. Typical of the period. On the palate though these wines are a different kettle of fish compared to today’s products. Nothing can be said about their tannin, because there is so little. Many of them display a slight acid tendency and especially a concoction of green vegetal flavours with fruity tastes that doesn’t make them very pleasant. Overall, all these wines are past their best and should have been drunk already (except Palmer). This conclusion puts certain preconceived ideas to the test. The first concerns the longevity of Bordeaux wines. In this debate, I would recommend it is important to make a difference between a wine’s state of biological conservation when opened and its expression. Even having passed their best-before date, the Bordeaux 1985’s will keep for a long time yet thanks to their underlying acidity. However, they have passed the best of what they can express and are on the wane, unless you taste them from large bottles. The second idea concerns the complexity of wine. After 26 years in bottle, I cannot say that these wines have enhanced bouquets or greater complexity on the palate. However, the defining characteristic of a great wine or vintage is supposed to be that they improve over time. Yes, but the question is how much time? For the Bordeaux 1985’s, the definition is purely theoretical. After ten years in bottle, I found Margaux and Cheval Blanc better than today. The third idea is that the taste of wine changes as do consumer’s tastes. In Bordeaux, this change has happened every ten years since 1980. In fact, a great estate stays at the top through continuous adaptation. Unannounced by any apparent change in name, top estates do not stick to the same type of wine. Consumers’ preferences therefore evolve, unbeknown to them depending on what’s popular at the time, fashions and the diversity of wines on offer. In other words, finding wines that can consistently appeal to consumers through the ages is a real challenge. Bordeaux wines can probably only achieve this with ripe vintages made with precise attention paid to yields and above all top quality clones, mass selection, rootstocks and discerning craftsmanship. We were far from this in ‘85 and even in ‘82, which was judged to be declining during a previous tasting. When theory is no longer inspired by the practical and becomes invalid, it sounds much like nonsense. So don’t believe all that is said about wine. The tasting took place blind and in public on 14 October in Switzerland. The wines came from the cellar of a great Bordeaux connoisseur. They were not decanted, because it was feared this could harm them. Results of the tasting Top for softness and ripeness of the fruit in view of the vintage Palmer 94 – Château Margaux 92 – Cheval Blanc 92 – Latour 92 Certain presence on the palate, but vegetal tastes mingling with the fruit Léoville Las Cases 91 – Cos d’Estournel 91 – Gruaud Larose 89 – Ducru Beaucaillou 89 – Gazin 89 – Certan de May de Certan 89. Lighter, but no greenness Mouton 89. Slightly alcoholic or containing 4-ethylphenol or with some greenness, but with fruit nevertheless Haut-Brion 87 – Pichon Comtesse 87 – Sociando Mallet 87 – Brane Cantenac 87 – Clos l’Eglise 86. Distinctively green Lafite Rothschild 86 – Vieux Château Certan 86 (different from one bottle to another) – Prieure Lichine 85 – La Louvière 85 – Lagrange 85 – Lynch Bages 77. Corky bottles Montrose and Figeac. Happy reading! Jean-Marc Quarin _________________________________________________________________________ © Copyright 2010. This publication is the original work of Jean-Marc Quarin Sarl, 10 allée de Ginouilhac, Le Taillan-Médoc. France. - E-mail : jmquarin@quarin.com The news media and subscribing wine distributors, importers and retailers may use portions of this material (such as tasting notes, ratings or quotes) provided that it is not distorted, the proper wine and vintage are stated, www.quarin.com is given credit for the material utilized, and Jean-Marc Quarin (JMQ) is shown as the Copyright holder.

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Chronicle 157: how the Bordeaux 1985’s are evolving, purchased bottles

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