WTN: Bordeaux and Rioja

Our friends, Boy and Paula Feria, are in town and we joined them for some after-dinner bottles and lots of pleasant catching-up at their home-away-from-home apartment, which is just 2 short blocks from ours. With some tasty marinated antipasti, we had:

1986 Ch. Prieure-Lichine, Margaux
The bottle was in excellent condition. Whiff of earth, leather, and tobacco. Resolved tannin and ripe black fruit, lean fruit. Some harshness. Just as the bottle that I had about 4 months ago, I think that the wine’s at or near the tail end of its prime drinking window. This was a pleasant, albeit less-profound, sipping wine that went well with our conversations and catching-up. B+

1994 La Rioja Alta 890 Gran Reserva, Rioja
I’ve always been impressed with La Rioja Alta’s GRs for having some of the most appealing and expressive bouquet in the region. This was pretty much in line, with its confection, wood, ripe fruit and floral nose. Even then, this wine was tannic, young, and highly acidic. Cinnamon notes and layers of red and blue fruit emerged towards my last pour. The finish was not as lengthy as I had expected, as based on other vintages of LRA that I’ve had. This bottle’s still young and I’m optimistic that my rating can improve with additional cellar time. B

It was a time, short as it may be, that was well spent with the Ferias and since it flew by very quickly into the wee hours, I begged off on uncorking a 2005 Ch. Talbot that Boy had pulled out.

Ramon

Thanks for the notes, Cabrera. I can almost taste your Prieure-Lichine. I had a similar experience on Friday, opening a 1995 Chateau Siran, concerned that it might be getting a little long in the tooth. I'll bet it was similar, just a little thin, but elegant. I very much enjoy these mature Margaux.

A 1986 that is nearing the end of its window? Amazing. Sounds very good. Thanks Ramon!

A 1986 that is nearing the end of its window? Amazing. Sounds very good. Thanks Ramon!

The bottles I had were drinking nicely now, Matt. However, rather than saying that it is nearing the end of it's drinking window, I should have said that given the lively fruit that I experienced with this wine lately, I'd drink up sooner rather than later as that constant harshness that seem to linger may be the only dominant trait that remain over time.

Thanks for the notes, Cabrera. I can almost taste your Prieure-Lichine. I had a similar experience on Friday, opening a 1995 Chateau Siran, concerned that it might be getting a little long in the tooth. I'll bet it was similar, just a little thin, but elegant. I very much enjoy these mature Margaux.

You're welcome with the notes Covert. One thing about the '86 Prieure-Lichine was that it was not at all thin. As I replied to Matt above, I could be remiss in saying that the Prieure-Lichine is nearing the end of it's drinking window, and given the pedigree that the '86s are known for, I get excited when lively fruit emerges from a wine from this vintage and think that it's time to drink sooner rather than later.

Nice notes, Ramon.

Speaking of Prieure Lichine, the 2000 I had last November was young, but quite a lovely bottle.

You're welcome with the notes Covert. One thing about the '86 Prieure-Lichine was that it was not at all thin. As I replied to Matt above, I could be remiss in saying that the Prieure-Lichine is nearing the end of it's drinking window, and given the pedigree that the '86s are known for, I get excited when lively fruit emerges from a wine from this vintage and think that it's time to drink sooner rather than later.

thanks, Ramon; what do you mean by "lean" fruit, then? Lean girls are thin, but I know I draw too many of these types of comparisons and lean wine likely means something totally different.

thanks, Ramon; what do you mean by "lean" fruit, then? Lean girls are thin, but I know I draw too many of these types of comparisons and lean wine likely means something totally different.

"Lean" to me means it's not over-the-top in terms of extraction and ripeness. The way to imagine it is, "lean" to me is a muscular person who is leaner and more slender than,say, a big muscular weight-lifter or competion body-bodybuilder. I hope this helps.