La Commanderie de Bordeaux Vancouver held a dinner on October 26th at Five Sails Restaurant comparing top Left Bank wines from the 1995 & 1996 vintage. Chef Alex Kim had just won the Great Kitchen Party as BC rep for the upcoming Canadian Culinary Championship in Ottawa January 31 & February 1, 2025 with his three ingredient seafood terrine that included a superb scallop mousseline. Accordingly, there was an extra buzz in the dining room and excited anticipation to try his seared Hokkaido Scallop dish with two mature white Bordeaux plus the Duck & Venison courses to follow.

Initially 1995 was touted as a Merlot year (and especially favouring the Right Bank) while 1996 was a top Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) year (excellent in the upper Left Bank).

Now approaching 30 years of age these two vintages can’t be summarized quite that simply and vary considerably by Chateau. Remember that 1995 came after four disappointing years (1991-1994) with early September rains so tended to be overrated early on – sort of like 1975 (after lesser 1972-74). 1995 Merlots and Right Bank can be very good though watch out for some diluted earlier picked examples and choose those with more Cabernet Franc. Many of the Left Bank CS were harvested after the September rains resulting in riper but austere quite tannic wines that require patience.

On the other hand, the 1996 vintage can be outstanding particularly in the northern Left Bank where way less Fall rain occurred and sometimes are compared with the slow developing 1986s.

Both have good structure and are now showing encouraging development for wonderful enjoyment on the plateau of long lives in bottle.

The aperitif of DELAMOTTE BRUT CHAMPAGNE was solidly brisk and enhanced by two lovely canapes of Kisu oysters delightful with yuzu and the best arancini possible of sweet tasty Dungeness crab. The Scallops exceeded the anticipation by being so delicious with the two Pessac-Leognan whites. Two different styles of the richer, more body but simpler 2015 CARBONNIEUX (a late substitution for the 2014 La Louviere) and the leaner yet more acid balanced complex textured 2014 SMITH HAUT LAFITTE both paired well with the seafood.

A few impressions on the two flights of red Bordeaux comparing 1995 to 1996:

1995 CHÂTEAU BARON DE PICHON-LONGUEVILLE PAUILLAC There was bottle variation but best made a lush softer delicious statement for easy current drinking with 35% Merlot much more than their recent vintages. Perfect match with the flavourful duck dish.

1995 CHATEAU PONTET-CANET PAUILLAC Darker younger look. Better structure and power complexity. This successful 1995 is pure lovely silk now but no rush. Clearly best of first flight of 1995 but perhaps presently not as multi dimensional as elegant Lynch Bages & exciting Leoville Las Cases. Underrated.

1995 CHÂTEAU GRUAUD LAROSE SAINT-JULIEN During the transition period when purchased in 1997 by Jacques Merlaut (Chasse Spleen). One bottle was badly corked resulting in a smaller pour. Much lighter fruit and simpler. Enjoyable.

1996 CHÂTEAU RAUZAN-SEGLA MARGAUX More Margaux styling. Lighter rim showing age. Less body but the fragrant flowers are most attractive. A surprise glass of 1995 CHÂTEAU PALMER from a guest showed way younger with also lots of Merlot in the blend but with that signature floral complex bouquet.

1996 CHÂTEAU GRAND-PUY-LACOSTE PAUILLAC Darkest deepest colour. Textbook classic cedar Pauillac nose is very impressive! Most CS in the blend is noticeable and with excellent structure. Will age well. Wine of the night for your scribe.

1996 CHÂTEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE SAINT-JULIEN Also very dark. Less bouquet but a big mouthful of amazing supple round flavours with depth and a contribution from Petit Verdot. More forwardly drinking. Well done for sure. A lot of group support for this wine too.

Venison is a chef fav as low in fat makes it a challenge to prepare a point but not overcook. Usually not a fav of your scribe but this one was sensationally done. I was so inspired I did get up at the event and tell the chef just that. Kudos to his whole culinary team for a great meal. Also a deep bow of respect to Global Wine Director Sarah McCauley who carefully orchestrated the outstanding wine service all at perfect temperatures. Very well done indeed. Much appreciated.

2020 CHÂTEAU COUTET BARSAC For a change served a current Sauternes vintage to assist members not only in wine education but purchasing availability. Lots of sweeter youthful passion fruit, pineapple, apricots, mango, and tangerine peel to already enjoy so fresh without changing with bottle age.

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Lots of experience monitoring and posting on this Blog about those warmer twin Bordeaux wine vintages of 1989 & 1990. Just reviewed 1989 again this October 1st linked here, variable at 25 years old on February 24, 2014 here, and compared with 1990 on February 22, 2016 here. In the latter report some 8+ years ago the 1990 Leoville Barton had “that iodine noted deep fruit”, 1990 Montrose was “coming around with big fruit but more charm than I expected”, and 1990 Lafite “superb but still closed needing another 5-10 years to blossom out”. Another more recent review by your scribe of top 1990 Bordeaux was on June 22, 2020 linked here. The Vancouver Group of Eight at meeting #125 over dinner at Blue Water Cafe enjoyed and studied 9 Left Bank Bordeaux wines from 1990 in two flights including a revisit of Pichon Lalande, Leoville Barton, Montrose, Margaux, & Lafite. Some brief impressions:

The evening started with a rather unknown but most exciting Champagne of 2013 SUENEN “LE COCLUETTE” a Lieu-Dit in the village of Oiry BLANCS DE BLANC CRAMANT GRAND CRU EXTRA BRUT. Old low yield 94 year vines planted in 1925 north facing (80%) vinification & elevage for 9 months in foudre, concrete eggs & demi-muids followed by nearly 6 years in bottle before disgorged 12/06/2019 with only 2g/l dosage. Pinpoint consistent mousse with impressive youthful precision and lemon oil minerality finesse. What vibrancy and potential that uniquely emphasises the unique terroir of this site. The detailed map on the label also appropriately focuses on the specific place. Congrats.

1990 CHÂTEAU LA LOUVIÈRE PESSAC-LÉOGNAN André Lurton value property well situated between Haut Bailly & Carbonnieux is fresh herbaceous simpler ready now showing the Graves style. Drink up.

1990 CHÂTEAU DE FIEUZAL PESSAC-LÉOGNAN The lightest colour with palest rim of all but showing sweeter bright lift yet mature fruit with more interesting flavours and rounded tannins but for current enjoyment.

1990 CHÂTEAU LEOVILLE BARTON SAINT-JULIEN Darkest and deepest of first flight and a really perfect bottle. Often shows medicinal notes (plus Brett & TCA in 2020 tasting) but pure clean intense cassis with depth and firm balance. So structured and stylish with an impressive spicy long very St. Julien cabernet sauvignon (70%) statement and 50% new barrels. Coming around as smoother but still no rush. Like the 12.5 abv level. Excellent bottle.

1990 CHÂTEAU LEOVILLE POYFERRE SAINT-JULIEN Good dark red look but tad less depth and much more development. Very attractive black currants but softer seduction with less mid body than Barton. Drinking exquisitely now on a lovely plateau. Delicious tonight with ris de veau & wild mushrooms course. Enjoy.

1990 CHÂTEAU LYNCH BAGES PAUILLAC Starts off a brilliant second flight of the night. Wonderful Pauillac bouquet definition here. Been somewhat in the shadow of the deservedly acclaimed fuller structured 1989 but this 1990 bottle is close with a great showing tonight. Round silky cedar flavours impressive. Surprise of the night.

1990 CHÂTEAU PICHON LONGUEVILLE COMTESSE DE LALANDE Even talented May de Lencquesaing was self-critical of her 1990 vintage for 3 reasons as husband General died, winemaker changed, and no press wine was added. Always underappreciated because of the lighter fruit and more Merlot in the blend. However, with bottle age it has continued to improve, showing very well the terroir in a more delicate and elegant way. Nick Wright felt “they didn’t capture the vintage” but Ian Mottershead commented “sophisticated”. Less can sometimes be more – especially with the lighter moist local pheasant dish.

1990 CHÂTEAU MONTROSE SAINT-ESTÈPHE Another wine that sometimes shows bottle variation. This one is clean and pristine but still a rather big concentration with harder tannins. Lots of fruit 64%CS 32M and 4CF remains. Old style compared to easy fruit accessibility style from another iconic vintage 2009 Montrose just tasted and written up this October 14th here. Still an outstanding future ahead yet to be fully realized.

1990 CHÂTEAU MARGAUX, MARGAUX Darkest of the nine wines. Exquisite nose with so many complex components including violets. Taste has balanced structured textures with smooth opulence and subtle class. Wine of the night for me but the group vote was evenly split with Lafite. The Margaux website captures their 1990 well as “charm and great finesse”. In 2018 they commented “Today, all aromas and flavours already mingle sweetly together into this wine, whose perfect HARMONY conceals a power comparable with 1989”. Outstanding already but with a long future as well.

1990 CHÂTEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD, PAUILLAC Good colour but not that deep. Best wine for an open complex bouquet of coffee, chocolate, mocha, cedar, lead pencil, tobacco leaf and black currant/cassis. So velvety and elegant with 64CS & 36M blend. Too much Merlot? Perhaps the cool elegant Lafite style is not ideally best suited for the very hot years like 1989 & 1990. What about global warming? Did sensationally in 1959. Much better than 90 Mouton. Fresh and lovely top claret but not a heavyweight. To each their own.

1963 DOW’S VINTAGE PORT (Charles Kinloch English bottling) Carefully slowly decanted at 5 pm for dinner to follow resulting in an amazing clear shiny brilliant perfect glow. Not a grain of the heavy sediment appeared in the double decanted bottle. Beautifully served. Isn’t dark but has an enticing look. Dow is known for their lighter, more acidity character vintage ports – the opposite end of a Graham jammy style. Clean, fresh, and delightful so full of charming flavours – seeming less high alcoholic than 20 abv. Stilton, great with bigger younger vintage ports, is almost too strong for this rare old beauty. Simple roasted walnuts or pistachios probably would have matched even better. Lots of subtle complex pleasure is a real joy here at 60+ years!

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