WTN: 24 bottles of 85 on the walls (plus couple others)

John organized a 1985 Bordeaux tasting, and Victor graciously hosted in his lovely Upper East Side apartment. He had a great buffet set up= chacuterie, cheeses, salads, and an amazing tortilla. Really nice group, for me a mix of old friends and new.

Most of the wines were double-decanted in the afternoon. John had printed a tasting list with flights, but after the first 2 flights people started rotating turns of going to grab a flight (not in order) and blinding group. I made not have this in exact order we were served, I was making notes on back of sheet and then transcribing to tasting list, order is from memory.

1985 Ch. Carbonnieux
Lovely showing from the get-go. Smoky, plummy nose, on the palate pretty red and black fruit, good length, a real overachiever. B+

1985 Ch. Gloria
Some disagreement here. I thought it a nice, round-styled wine with softer acids, that was pleasant but a little tired. B-

1985 Ch. d’Issan
Sweet, earthy, leathery, with graphite and cigarbox over fine fruit.A-

1985 Ch. Chasse-Spleen
Wow, could use this bottle in a classroom as a primer in TCA

1985 Ch. Poujeaux
Midbodied, elegant, green tobacco leaf (some thought green pepper, not me). B+

1985 Ch. Sociando Mallet
This was declared corked before it got to me

After this, the single blind wines. I didn’t keep track of guesses, but Victor quickly identfied the Lynch/Cos flight.

1985 Ch. Lynch Bages
Divisive, I liked. Fruity and forward, but with some tannic structure, long, but with a slight bitterness on finish than detracted. B

1985 Cos d’Estournel
A bit foursquare and clunky, with a plodding woody finish. B-

1985 Ch. Leoville-Barton
I was surprised when this was revealed, as it was more elegant than I think of LeoBart being.
Slightly lifted, complex nose. Dark fruits, licorice, well-balanced. A-
1985 Ch. Ducru Beaucaillou
Hurray, a bottle of this without evident TCA. Tight, some apparent acids, redder fruits, cinnamon. B+/B

Victor brought out a mystery wine (because we were clearly short on wine), black currant, leather, good if a bit muted. Someone called corked but I didn’t detect (I’m not real sensitive).1978 Grand Puy Lacoste B/B+

1985 Ch. Latour à Pomerol
Dan quickly called this one. A strange wine, and some thought off. A hint of something chemical - chlorine like but not TCA- but an intriguingly funky nose overall, with animal and mushroom notes. B


1985 Ch. Haut Bailly
Mature, silky, elegant. B+/A-

Another bonus bottle appeared, the 1996 Bollinger Grand Annee. I’m not generally a Bolly fan, but this bottle at this moment really hit the spot. Crisp apples, brioche, with just a hint of hazelnut to hint at the Bolly style. A-

1985 Pavillon Rouge
Somewhat dull, tired, woody, with a bit of brett. C

1985 Ch. Margaux
Wood, dark plums, spice. I liked more than some, but I’m not looking for this! B

1985 Ch. Latour Haut-Brion
Pleasant and easy, not very complex but quite tasty. B+

1985 Ch. La Mission Haut-Brion
Grumpy and tight, with only some mint/menthol showing. Gets better with air, but too many wines to revisit. At its best that I tasted , B/B+

1985 Ch. Figeac
Slightly corked, too bad!

1985 Ch. l’Arrosee
I was thinking this might be the Certan de May. Fleshy, cocoa and truffles, quite tasty. I’m surprised when revealed, best Arrosee I remember tasting. B+/A-

Victor suddenly appeared with another mystery bonus bottle, a structured and full bodied wine, a bit grouchy. There’s a minty note, and Mark for LMHB, and Dan immediately got vintage. Even as it remained furled seemed beautiful. 1981 La Mission Haut Brion A-

1985 Ch. Pichon Baron
Sweet cassis and wood, but a bit closed, slightly clipped,some others liked more. B-

1985 Ch. Pichon Lalande
Corked! Damn

1985 Ch. l’Evangile
Unusual nose of cement and underbrush, tangy, great redder fruits, long. A-

1985 Ch. Certan de May
(I was spitting, but not enough, having trouble with reading notes here).Earthy, mocha, lighter than the L’Evangile. B+

Last 2 weren’t blind, by process of elimination
1985 Ch. Haut Brion
Full, elegant, balanced. A-

1985 Ch. Pape-Clement
Black fruits, balanced acids, tobacco and pencil shavings. Lovely. A-/B+

Really fun night, great group, great lineup that would have been even better without TCA!

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

I love '85 Bordeaux. '85 Leoville Barton and '85 Leoville Poyferre were two wines that really launched me into Bordeaux back in the late '90s. I keep wondering if the 2001s might follow a similar evolutionary path.

Nice notes Dale

Good idea to try 24 bottles and shame about the faulty ones...guess that at age 29 it is mostly about good or not so good bottles.

It is always a vintage that has been held in great esteem and affection over this side of the pond.

I have found Lynch Bages to have turned a bit green in its old age, I much preferred it as an exuberant five year old.

The three other first growths that you didn't try and which were slated in their youth are drinking really well now in my opinion.

Re David's point about the 2001s...yes I can see the similarity too.

I have found Lynch Bages to have turned a bit green in its old age, I much preferred it as an exuberant five year old.

The three other first growths that you didn't try and which were slated in their youth are drinking really well now in my opinion.
.

Thanks Ian.
John Gilman is doing an article, and this was an attempt to flesh out notes (I sent him a list of the 7 or 8 85s I own, he chose Carbonnieux, d'Issan, and CdM over some more pricey bottles). We've done the excellent Lafite and Mouton in earlier dinners ( not sure I've had the Latour).
At a previous 1985 tasting with John the Lynch showed much better imho.
David, hope the 01s follow same path, as I have quite a few.