Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend

Another oldie, probably just past its peak. 38 years old - not bad! Barn-sided red with some brick on the edge. Lots of cedar, graphite, black pepper and cigar ash to smell but little fruit. Nice smooth tannins, still a little puckering. Medium acidity. For flavor there are some darker berries and red cherry notes. It’s a nicely balanced wine. Good length on the finish.

Deep and concentrated and with tannins not yet fully resolved. Although having shed lots of its fruit, it was clear to still have a plenty of life left and a lot to offer. Cigar ash, espresso, cedar, scorched earth and black currants. The finish was quite long and generous with grip and very good intensity.

Great bottle. Plush, balanced and expressive. Classic Cedar, graphite, currant and herbal spice.

Rough picture. Expressive wine.

The tannins will outlast the fruit in 1986, but it's still a fine Bordeaux on the wrong side of its prime. Drink em if you've got em.

38 years young. Still bringing it after all these years. near perfect harmony. A real treat from my friend Mark. 

1986 vintage. Tasted through 5 bottles at a 1986 BDX dinner at Mister A's-San Diego. Double decanted and tasted over 5 hours. Tremendous bottle variation in the nose. That expected, light Beychevelle body (similar to L'Evangile in Pomerol) aping Burgundy. Bouquet was all over the place but the five bottles consistently sung. Yes, there was brett here and there. Did it DQ any particular bottle(s)? Not from my perch. Better than anticipated. Can see this going steady in this phase for another 4-5 years before dropping down a notch. 3.14.24.

Garnet with terracotta rim . Quite a lot of sous bois , mostly red fruits , earthy tobacco. Nicely rounded on the palate , touch of cassis , red currant sous bois, herbal touches on the finish . Nice refreshing acidity , slightly drying tannin , but still well balanced. Very enjoyable and in a perfect spot in this format, now and over the next 5 years .

Quite a healthy deep garnet core and wide bricking garnet rim . Quite rustic on the nose, touches of tobacco , cedar , herbal notes, pencil lead , bandaid and forest floor. On the palate there is quite nice body still , more red fruit than black , cranberry , red currant , undergrowth , tobacco again . Quite good refreshing acidity , tannin is pretty rustic and drying , actually leaves a bitterness on the palate . Ok tobacco finish . Not bad I suppose , drink now won’t improve , and may well be at the beginning of its decline . This bottle had a level of VTS and a slightly sunken cork, so there maybe better bottles out there .

Fun bottle. Shed the fruit, turn up the scent and taste of a nice cigar, cedar wood, coffee, and scorched earth. Grippy finish. Still fairly tannic.