Quick thumbnail on Bordeaux '01 through '04, please!

Margaux and St. Estephe especially. I am selecting wines for a dinner this month and have read mixed reviews.
(Shades of Jenise's question regarding Napa.)

2001 is a nice vintage, showing quite well, probably my fave of this stretch, though I have a bit of a preference for RB over Left. Fleshy but not flabby, nice balance for most part. no hurry though I don't except for top wines if these will be marathon runners

2002 is structured and lean, better on Left than Right. I like it, but I think most of the classified wines would be more happy with some more time. A bit like '88

2003 is obviously the hot vintage. Lots of wines I find flabby, hot, and/or uncharacteristic. That said, some nice wines, and St Estephe supposedly did better than most appellations.

2004 is a nice midweight, lots of wines seem to have a nice (to me) herbal edge, Margaux has a rep for having done well (I liked issan and Ch Margaux, but haven;t tasted as many)

Obviously, these are gross generalizations (and based on limited experience as I tend to drink Bdx older0

Thanks, Dale. I feel I can count on you for a knowledgeable opinion on a question like this. I have multiple bottles of wines from these years from a handful of chateaux and what I've read has been even more general than what you've indicated.

I agree with Dale, thought while the '01's are close to ready, and the '02's need a bit more time, this just seems to agree with the prescribed "10 year" lay-down for most Bdx. The only exception is clearly the '03's that, with a two-hour decant, are pretty much there now. The '04's seem to be a little more precocious, and you can "push" them with an extended decant. I've had some nice '04's already (Cht Haut-Bailly, Sociando-Mallet, Pavie-MacQuin, Lagrange).

Jon

I asked my friend and St Estephe expert David Copp for his comments on those vintages in St Estephe:

2001 At first in the shadow of the great 2000 vintage but I think there were some lovely wines made. Certainly much more sensible prices.
My pick from St Estephe would be Haut Marbuzet which was one of the best wines made there since 1982 Scored 95 in Decanter tasting Rich, ripe fruit, great balance and avoluptuous wine. Haut Brion was sensational but that from Pessac It was a good vintage in Pomerol and St Emilion Le Bon Pasteur Michel Rolland's own chateau did exceptionally well.

2002 was not a great vintage. There was too much rain and although the sun came out in September but it was too late and many of the wines were made with less than fully ripened grapes and were sometimes thin and ascetic. However as always there were some producers who overcame the difficulties to produce quite lovely wines. 2002 Pichon Lalande Comtesse, Gazin from Pomerol and two excellent St Estephe wines Le Boscq (owned by Dourthe) and Le Crock (owned by the Cuveliers of Leoville Poyferre) did very well- the latter with lovely cassis flavours. Michel Rolland is consultant oenologist at Le Crock ( and also at le Boscq I think) Both sold at very sensible prices

2003 was hot and dry and the bordelais talked the wines as usual. For me some of the wines were unbalanced by the heat. They had plenty of fruit and alcohol but lower acidity than I like to see. could be a bit sharp. Yet again some vintners mastered the conditions and in St Estephe Cos d'Estournel and Calon Segur were very successful.

2004 was almost dismissed because it came after 2003 and because it was sold when the superb 2005s were en primeur. But for me this vintage has produced some very good rather than outstanding wines. Plenty of fruit and body, a good mouth but perhaps less elegant and lacking the finesse of 20001. It was a big vintage and prices were very sensiblle and there was some good value for money to be had. In St Estephe Meyney, Phelan Segur and Ormes de Pez were good. The wines are drinking very well now and seem to me to be full of life.

David & I are in the final edit of his new book on the wineries and personalities in St Estephe
"Bordeaux St Estephe" ISBN 978-1-4478-0580-9

[James Roscoe]

Still awaiting my invitation!

James - please forgive me but the table is full. You’re #1 on the list for next time. To Richard and Peter and Dale, thanks for helping me select wines intelligently.

[James Roscoe]

Jon, I hope you realize I am kidding! Have a great time. I love '01 and '04 Bdx.

Jon, I hope you realize I am kidding! Have a great time. I love '01 and '04 Bdx.

I do James - I should have added a smile face .
Seriously, though, we do need to get together at Dino's or that wonderful Greek spot in B'more.

Let me know if you decide on an offline. I might be willing to make the trek from North Carolina for either Dino's or Greektown in Baltimore.