The 2000 vintage in Bordeaux arrived with a lot of hype because of the double zero Millennium year celebrations. Late flowering with early mildew issues followed by dry hot long summer temperatures resulted in pretty consistent wines. There was enough ripe balanced fruit with structure plus a lovely approachability as well. Your scribe has enjoyed drinking many 2000 Bordeaux from different properties over the years and have found them surprisingly delicious even beyond the classified growths. Good value Lanessan, Cambon La Pelouse, Faizeau Vieille Vignes, Fontenil, Chasse Spleen, Clos du Marquis, and low yielding Reignac all provided pleasure early on and this year maturing D’Armailhac, Lagrange and Pichon Baron are showing tertiary bouquet development with smooth mellow complex textures.
On April 5, 2025 at the Vancouver Club our active Commanderie de Bordeaux held a Gala dinner bringing in 5 new members with four Champagnes to compare at the reception followed by nine wines from the 2000 Bordeaux vintage. A few comments:
NV CHARTOGNE-TAILLET CUVEE SAINTE ANNE EXTRA BRUT
Excellent grower Champagne in Merfy just 7 km north-west of Reims on the slopes of Massif de St. Thierry. Mostly 2021 harvest of vineyards using horse ploughing with natural yeast, tank fermented, and barrel aging. Disgorged February 2024 with only 2.5 g/l dosage. Lovely fresh stylish refined drier bubbles but showing less lees character. Well done.
NV HUGUES GODME ROSE GRAND CRU VERZENAY
This house has been organic and biodynamic since 2006 and this blend of 65% Pinot Noir & 35 Chardonnay adds 12% Coteaux Champenois Rouge. Disgorged January 2022 with 6 g/l dosage after about 4 years on the lees. Nicely done good value Rose.
NV PHILIPPONNAT ROYALE RESERVE ROSE BRUT
Famous house uses only 100% Premiere Presse quality from 69% Pinot Noir, 29 Chardonnay & 2 Pinot Meunier. Mostly 2019 vintage with 27% added wood barrel reserves disgorged April 2023 after 3+ years lees aging. Use 8% still Pinot Noir from Mareuil-sur-Ay & Riceys and higher 9g/l dosage. Dependable easy drinking Rose.
2016 PHILIPPONNAT BLANC DE NOIRS EXTRA-BRUT
Only Vintage Champagne in this group from the softer accessible 2016 vintage. All 100% Pinot Noir using only Premiers & Grands Crus vineyards that show top quality fruit. Production of 40039 bottles with higher 4.5 g/l dosage for an Extra-Brut.
Disgorged July 2022 nearing 6 years on the lees for classy better complexity. Delicious.
2000 SARGET DE GRUAUD-LAROSE SAINT-JULIEN
Good colour but drier nose and lesser oak in a rustic style. Blend is 64% Cab Sauv, 31 Merlot, 3 Cab Franc, and 2 Petit Verdot with 14 months in French oak but only 10% is new. Drinking well especially with the exquisite Raviolo. Excellent simpler second wine on its own but is in very tough company here.
2000 CALON-SEGUR SAINT-ESTEPHE
Slightly paler edge but best open aromatics of the first flight. Excellent sous-bois fruit but seems less defined St. Estephe commune with that stylish 50% new oak and integrated tannins. On a lovely plateau already but no rush.
2000 CLERC-MILON PAUILLAC
Deepest darkest colour of First Flight displaying medium bodied cassis black tea tobacco notes. Signs in as Pauillac but drier blend of 2/3 Cab Sauv & 1/3 Merlot in a drier leathery old style using 30% new oak. A bit coarser but OK.
2000 D’ARMAILHAC PAUILLAC DOUBLE MAGNUM
Served blind as a mystery wine with good depth and medicinal nose to start like an older Leoville Barton often shows but cleared with airing from this big format to clean rich youthful complex fruit. Guessed 2000 St Julien or Pauillac but surprised it was my fav d’Armailhac that I drink fairly often as more supple tertiary development now in regular 750 ml bottles. Wonderful underrated 2000 wine. Shows so young with that special character of the vintage very well indeed.
2000 GRAND-PUY-LACOSTE PAUILLAC
Lighter edge of maturing colour with a beautiful open classic cedar cigar box Pauillac definition. Medium bodied savoury smooth round creamy with outstanding balance. Long elegant with classic flavours. Always such good value showing textbook Pauillac. Plateau but no rush. My second fav.
2000 LASCOMBES MARGAUX
Dark and good selection of the best ripe grapes shows. Less defined Margaux but does have intensity in the softer entry and is forwardly drinking on an improving quality track by new owners. Pairs nicely with the Beef Wellington course.
2000 LYNCH BAGES PAUILLAC
Dark and concentrated with an outstanding bouquet of defined cigar box cedar and black currants with a touch of graphite & mint. So full of black ideal dense fruits of 71% Cab Sauv, 16 Merlot 11 Cab Franc & 2 Petit Verdot with 70% new oak at only 13.3 abv. Even better than the 2000 Pichon Baron tried last week. One of the very top 2000 Bordeaux. Clearly Wine of the Night for your scribe and Fred Withers. Already great and will even develop more complexity!. Wow.
2000 LEOVILLE POYFERRE SAINT JULIEN
Similar dark look. Less open and less dramatic on the nose but 80% new oak. Easy St. Julien style and more accessible than the other two more backward Leovilles. Like very much the smoother opulent textures with mellow tannins and long finish. My tie for second with GPL but this WOTN for both Nick Wright and Cellarmaster Alvin Nirenberg.
2000 CLIMENS BARSAC
Jumped out of the glass with a strange pine pitch bitter citrus nose on first pour. Another bottle shows way purer fruit and maturing beauty. Drier Barsac styling suited the cheeses even better than a sweeter Sauternes. Always a nice finish.
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