WTN: Potensac: a Bordeaux punching its QPR weight.

A lot of people claim that Bordeaux does not offer good QPR competition compared with other regions in the €15-20 price bracket. Well here's one which does, IMHO.

Château Potensac Médoc cru Bougeois 1995 – Delon – Alc.13% - (c.€17-20 for current vintages). Colour was still robust with little sign of bricking and the nose was nicely expressive showing plum like fruit, earthy mineral, Médocain “green” edge and hints of graphite. The palate was medium/full, vigorous, still fruity in a quite primary way and aromatically expressive with firm tannins of the finish but without any angular dryness which I have found on the tannins of many 95s. Not especially elegant or long but just the sort of sturdy cru bourgeois which I like and an encouraging sign that the 95s may be entering a good drinking window; 16/20.

(Many of the TNs on Cellar Tracker are good laugh; several suggest that their bottles are over the top – bad storage? – Napa conditioned palates? – a bit of both?)

[David M. Bueker]

Over the top? I've seen several comments on more Cali-centric boards that the 2000 Potensac is peaked or even over the hill.

I do not get it.

[Jenise]

(Many of the TNs on Cellar Tracker are good laugh; several suggest that their bottles are over the top – bad storage? – Napa conditioned palates? – a bit of both?)

I'm sure you meant over the hill. But you're so right, to a palate conditioned by mostly young new world fruit the subtleties of older Bordeauxs are often misinterpreted.

(Many of the TNs on Cellar Tracker are good laugh; several suggest that their bottles are over the top – bad storage? – Napa conditioned palates? – a bit of both?)

I'm sure you meant over the hill. But you're so right, to a palate conditioned by mostly young new world fruit, the subtleties of older Bordeauxs are often misinterpreted.

Based on what I've seen, I think the subtleties of all mature wine are misinterpreted by CT users. I've seen a huge number of notes there that conclude a wine is past it the moment it starts to loose its primary fruit.

Glad to hear the 1995 Potensac is showing well. Most of my 1996 Potensac have been corked or really musty.

I tried a 2000 of this in October of this year:
"Another bottle, another good showing. This has more concentration than many 2000 Cru Bourgeois, featuring a robust, chewy mid-palate. This comes at the expense of refinement, as it seems a bit clumsy and blocky, but still it's a zesty, brawny wine with obvious tannin and extract. Drink now or hold another 5 years. 88-89 pts"

So, at age 11, I think this is just starting to show well now, but then I'm a Bordeaux enthusiast.

Glad to hear the 1995 Potensac is showing well. Most of my 1996 Potensac have been corked or really musty.

I tried a 2000 of this in October of this year:
"Another bottle, another good showing. This has more concentration than many 2000 Cru Bourgeois, featuring a robust, chewy mid-palate. This comes at the expense of refinement, as it seems a bit clumsy and blocky, but still it's a zesty, brawny wine with obvious tannin and extract. Drink now or hold another 5 years. 88-89 pts"

So, at age 11, I think this is just starting to show well now, but then I'm a Bordeaux enthusiast.

I have some 2000 which I have not yet touched. It sounds as if there's no need to hurry .