Gruaud-Larose 1966

1966 Chateau Gruaud-Larose;
A level fill, deep ruby with garnet rim, some sediments. First pure earth, really needed air to open and shed theese aromas. Then suddenly a leafy, even quite dry, kind of green tea moment before leather showing, then prunes and spices, even fresh plums, mineral and slightly vegetal. Beautifull body, fresh acidity, some tannins still, gripping with their bare hands, holding on for their lives, slightly metallic minerality in the aftertaste, great balance, blueberries, blackberries, and a very long length. 88

When you give a wine like this 88, you kind of think, how can I give the young, and much less telling 02 Domaine de Chevalier below 89? And that is an intrinsic question with no simple answer(s). This one is far more exciting, maybe also more complex than the younger Pessac, but the latter has better overall feel to it, better balance on the flavours, and lacks the kind of interruptive metallicness that is robbing the Gruaud of a few points for shure. But this is also why I love wine, so many questions, and sometimes, so few answers....