Avis professionnels
James Suckling (92)
There can be no doubt that 1994 is generally a vintage to be forgotten for Bordeaux, particularly for the Left Bank. Incessant rain from mid-September caused huge problems in the vineyards and ultimately dilution in the wine. Though appellations such as Pomerol were spared the worst, I was surprised to find a wine from the Médoc so appealing from this year. It showed red spices such as cloves and dried mushrooms on the nose, leading to a medium body, firm tannins and a long finish. It was still pretty and fine, and you might describe it as real claret. I stumbled across it in London just before coming to Bordeaux, and later this afternoon I will be barrel tasting the 2014 release from Montrose.
Rene Gabriel (18)
On the one hand, the color is still quite youthful and completely intact, but on the other, it has lightened considerably towards the rim in recent years. A cold Cabernet bouquet, herbal but also somewhat herbaceous, with freshly sliced eggplant, licorice, dark mushrooms, demi-glace sauce, rosewood, and a cold chimney. A second nose reveals a subtle sweetness and red plum and black chocolate notes. Rather lean but quite intense. The palate is medium-sized, but displays interesting concentration on the tongue. The flow is still a bit rough, and the wine shows that it's more suited to decanting and then drinking. I had high expectations of it in the past, and it has fulfilled some of those expectations. Still, at least! The rule of thumb: the longer it's exposed to air, the better.
