2nd hand blind tasting

The Lagrange 2003 isn't going down easily. We still didn't enjoy it today, so we opened up another wine instead.

Dark, purple. The nose seems more evolved than the colour. It shows a bit of earth and herbs and cassis, cigar and lead amidst the very ripe, raspberry-like, fruit. It isn't spoofulated, but it does show a bit of raisiny character. There is starting to be a little of leafiness to it, but it seems very young (but open).

The fruit is very ripe, the tannins are rather soft, the acidity is surprisingly fine for the year but it cannot mask the slight raisiny quality of the fruit. Nice and savoury aftertaste. It doesn't seem spoofulated, and it doesn't seem too badly marred by the obviously warm year.

What is it?

The Lagrange 2003 isn't going down easily. We still didn't enjoy it today, so we opened up another wine instead.

Dark, purple. The nose seems more evolved than the colour. It shows a bit of earth and herbs and cassis, cigar and lead amidst the very ripe, raspberry-like, fruit. It isn't spoofulated, but it does show a bit of raisiny character. There is starting to be a little of leafiness to it, but it seems very young (but open).

The fruit is very ripe, the tannins are rather soft, the acidity is surprisingly fine for the year but it cannot mask the slight raisiny quality of the fruit. Nice and savoury aftertaste. It doesn't seem spoofulated, and it doesn't seem too badly marred by the obviously warm year.

What is it?

Old World? Has some cab franc in the blend? Hopefully "raisiny" might be a good clue.
Edit time I have beeen thinking since my first post (dangerous). Starting to wonder about something ripasso?.....hopefully some forumites will be crawling out of bed soon refreshed and ready to nail this one straight off!!!!!!

Bob P.

Hmm, so cassis/lead/cigar etc sounds like Bordeaux, even if raspberry doesn't.
The references to year sound like 2003, although other years might work depending on region.
I don't think it would be ripasso,because Otto is presenting the raisininess as a bit of a flaw.
Due to the references to leafiness and raspberry, I think the CF guess is good, let's say 2003 Loire.

[Robin Garr]

What is it?

I'm on track with Dale and Bob here ... Old World (what else could you buy in Finland ) and it sure sounds like a 2003!

I'm torn between the Loire and Bandol, though. CF or Mourvedre from a warm year? If it's a Bordeaux, it's a damned strange one ...

I have always started with Old/New World question in blind tastings and then tryed to nail the grape varietal next. More difficult when one cannot taste however!!!!!
The lead and raisiny character has me scratching me `ead!!! Obviously recent vintage but not too familar with Loire Reds. We just tasted Mourvedre last month, could be? But then, no note about the meatyness!

Good guesses so far! Old world it is.

Hmm, so cassis/lead/cigar etc sounds like Bordeaux, even if raspberry doesn't.
The references to year sound like 2003, although other years might work depending on region.
I don't think it would be ripasso,because Otto is presenting the raisininess as a bit of a flaw.
Due to the references to leafiness and raspberry, I think the CF guess is good, let's say 2003 Loire.

Dale, you are on the right lines here, but no one has mentioned the correct vintage. It does have some CF in it, but I'm not sure how much. Rasberry (though usually I see it called strawberry in this terroir - I often find it's more raspberryish than strawberryish, but this is a just splitting hairs) isn't out of place in the wine, but raisins are.

Just bumping this up, things are pretty slow eh. More clues????
Those Sociando notes elsewhere, Otto, you mention "raisiny" there too.

Just bumping this up, things are pretty slow eh. More clues????
Those Sociando notes elsewhere, Otto, you mention "raisiny" there too.

Yes. Slow. Maybe a hint: we're in Bordeaux. What appellation, year and producer?

-O-

Wow, I never think of strawberry as any Bordeaux terroir- less than raspberry. Hmm. Well, raspberry & strawberry are red fruits, and red to me usually means either Right Bank or Margaux.
Year? You said not 2003, so years that might get raisiny- 2000 and 1990 are probably warmest of vintages other than '03 ('98 Right Banks are ripe, but never encountered one that had any raisins). Raisins and soft tannins sound more like 1990, but everything else sounds younger. I'll guess 2000 satellite appellation, maybe Cotes de Castillon or Lalande de Pomerol. Or maybe a lesser Haut-Medoc near Margaux.

It`s all down to you at this time Dale!!! Hello out there, Bordeaux buffs needed......I am not that familar with this area so would be pure guesswork based on your thoughts!!! Lets nail down the year.

2000.
Haut Medoc.

Good deductions Dale and Bob. Margaux 2000. Which Chateaux?

Doesn't sound like any of the big boys, or anything I've tasted from 2000 Margaux. I'm guessing one of the Labegorces or Cantenacs.

I'm guessing one of the Labegorces or Cantenacs.

Spot on! One of the Cantenacs, but which?

I hate to jump in when Dale and others have done all the work, but a '99 Cantenac Brown I remember had some cassis, tobacco and red fruits, like cranberry. In a riper year I could see raspberries. So Cantenac Brown?

Marc, you could be spot on. The only Cantenac I saw in my visitations downtown today but what do I know!!!!

I have one lined up for the next 2nd hand, stay tuned.

I hate to jump in when Dale and others have done all the work, but a '99 Cantenac Brown I remember had some cassis, tobacco and red fruits, like cranberry. In a riper year I could see raspberries. So Cantenac Brown?

Yup! Congrats. Despite what the others said, I do think that 1996-> Cantenac Brown has been making some pretty nice wines. Maybe not top notch Margaux, but perfectly respectable ones, and ones that I think are starting to show that they are indeed on 3rd growth land.

-O-

The 99 was really enjoyable for me. I am not that familiar with other vintages, but would buy it again based on that experience.