2003 Château Potensac Médoc
43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 23% Cabernet Franc. Decanted about 2 hours, which did little to tame the unforgiving tannins. The wine softened a bit over the next hour and a half, although the rough edges never came close to going away.
Cherry/dark berry/floral/lightly spiced nose. Full-bodied, moderately round, concentrated, with flavors of cherries, kirsch, crème de cassis, asphalt, and charred oak. Didn’t care for the overly hard, somewhat disjointed, pomegranate and espresso finish. Even on the second day, there is too much unresolved tannin and oak.
Anyway, I have not had Potensac before, and am hopeful that this was just a less that ideal vintage at this property.
2000 Château de Fieuzal Pessac-Léognan Blanc
50% Sauvignon Blanc/50% Semillon. For whatever reason, I have not seen this property’s wines much, and this is the first Fieuzal I have ever had, white or red. Honeyed floral and vanilla nose. Full-bodied, bone dry, elegant, moderately rich, and well balanced, with good underlying acidity. Has the oaky, honeyed, citrus flavors the you would expect here, with a hint of minerality. A little short on length to be an excellent wine, but still very good. Seems to be at peak now.
2000 Château Ferrand Lartigue Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
80% Merlot/20% Cabernet Franc. Full-bodied, rich, smooth, round, well balanced, with good finesse. Full of cherries, dark fruit, and red currants, with some chocolate, spices, and tobacco. Excellent.
1998 Château Fourcas-Dupré Listrac-Médoc
44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. Delicately spicy/gamy nose, with some juniper aromas. Medium-bodied, well balanced, with good underlying acidity, and fully integrated tannins. Rather meaty, with notes of cherries, mixed berries, clayey minerals, and leather. A very good example of a mature Cru Bourgeois.