Online virtual vertical: Cambon la Pelouse

I posted about the possibility of having a little tasting online rather than off-line tasting on the other forum for the WT 101 this month. I thought I'd post here also in case there is interest here also. The idea would be to taste some vintage of Cambon la Pelouse on Sunday the 30th of this month and post here and/or on WT101 some TNs and also, if you will, join in the chat to discuss the wines.

C la P is a fairly easily found cheapish Bordeaux of the more modern type. I hope this sounds interesting enough a venture that we'll get a little activity on Sunday I think it would also be interesting for all to see beforehand which vintages are going to be tasted, so please do post them here if you already know! I'll be participating with a 2003.

Cheers,
Otto

Count me in, Otto. My three bottles arrived today. Regards, Bob

Count me in, Otto. My three bottles arrived today. Regards, Bob

Good good! I've also got my bottle but I totally forgot that it was the last day of the month when deciding upon the date.... The eve before the 1st of May is a traditional students' celebration day, so I might not make it to chat to drink the wine. But have no fear: lot's of wine (including the C la P) will be drunk that day, so I will post notes on the 101 forum. I hope anyone else tasting C la P will do so also, so it's not confined to the chat.

Will do, Otto. Ah to be a student again!

But then Janet says I am always trying to learn something new ... so perhaps I still am. :-)

Enjoy your May Pole Eve!

Regards, Bob

[Robin Garr]

Otto, I think I reported on the other forum but not here that I can't get Cambon la Pelouse.

I'll have to go "dry" for tomorrow's chat, I guess, or maybe bring another Bordeaux!

[Jenise]

Oh Bob, I forgot to send you the 00!

WTN: Cambon la Pelouse 2003 18,74 euros, 13% abv

I had tried this before at a tasting where I noted that it was nice and though obviously modern, it didn't have the faults I have noted in many 2003s (i.e. harsh tannins, much too low acidity, over-ripe fruit). But a 5cl tasting glass hurriedly imbibed at a trade fair doesn't really give a proper assessment, so I wanted to try it out when not hurried.

A vibrant, dark red; nb! not purple. The nose is actually quite lovely. It does have quite a bit of oak/vanilla, but there is also a prominent note of a humid cigar box (dry ones never smell the same!!!), chocolatey Merlot and cassis. The palate is juicy, not as badly overoaked as one would presume, with some lovely savoury elements, surprisingly good acid for the year, quite a bit of lovely bitterness reminding me of hops in good English ales, but the tannins aren't at all harsh as they are in so many 2003s. Long aftertaste.

But my overall impression is not a favourable one despite the lovely, savoury nose and some fine elements on the palate. First of all, I find that oak obliterates so much nuance and here the oak was a trifle heavy handed - though not as bad as in some cooler vintages where the quality of fruit simply did not stand the oak. Here it does, but I'm being my oversensitive self on this matter. Secondly, the palate is much too extracted/full on: I want my wine to be liquid; this was almost solid. Thirdly the aftertaste, though long and with some notes of cassis, was just not as fresh as I would like it to be.

Verdict: A truly great modern style Bordeaux! This has so many elements of Bx that I flatter myself by saying that I probably would end up there if given this blind. But still, I do not like the modern style there. So though a fantastic QPR Bordeaux, my personal verdict is that this sucks. The grapes' great potential was spoiled by spoofulation.

Cheers,
Otto

Cambon la Pelouse 2003. $19.00 from Wine Discount in Parsnippany.

First bottle corked.

Second bottle:

Deep red color; deep hue; lovelyaromas of chocolate and fruit with hints of earth and coffee; disappointing taste with restrained fruit, too oaky for real pleasure, and despite swirling for an hour, things didn't get much better; some harsh tannin notes; medium mouth feel; long finish which didn't change over time. I'm never very happy when the aroma of a wine is so promising, and the taste and finish is so unpleasant. (I guess I've known too many people like that, and I tend to be a very harsh critic.) 2*, which means in my world I would drink the wine again, but only if there was nothing else available that I knew to be better -- or that I knew nothing at all about.

Thanks for the invitation to the tasting Otto -- I had fun, and now have that third bottle to allow to rest for a few years and try again.

Regards, Bob

Bob! Thanks for the reference points. By and large, I agree with your note, but there are a few points.

disappointing taste with restrained fruit, too oaky for real pleasure, and despite swirling for an hour, things didn't get much better; some harsh tannin notes

Disappointing: yes; restrained fruit: hell no!!!; oaky: yes; but my bottle was also fully open and didn't have harsh tannins. Odd.

I'm never very happy when the aroma of a wine is so promising, and the taste and finish is so unpleasant.

I also thought the nose better than the palate. But the finish I thought was quite nice - though lacking a touch of freshness.

Thanks for the invitation to the tasting Otto -- I had fun, and now have that third bottle to allow to rest for a few years and try again.

Nice you made it Bob! But why did you buy so many bottles, though I warned about this wine? Hopefully the others will post notes as well!

Interesting variations, Otto.

I bought three bottles because originally we were going to do this virtual tasting on another day, and we had five guests coming. I wanted to be sure we would have two glasses a person for dinner, if we liked it (and the reserve in case of corkiness).

Thanks again. Bob

Ah! I see. BTW, one good thing I can say about this is that it keeps very well open - it was open from the moment the cork was popped and today on its 3rd day open it is still fine. Also, since it is of a style of wine I don't like, I'm not downing the bottle in 1-2 days Which is good, because as I stated elsewhere, I am a drinker with a running problem, and alcohol and running is a bad mix.