The glory of white Bordeaux

I'm not sure if I'm talking any sense tonight..... I've had a discussion lately with some people about scores on wines, how to rate accurately, or even be able to rate at all, to give any true reflection of the work, the passion, the believes, the, what to say, the absolute glory of great wine, and to be able in a short note, a tasting note, to be able to give a slight resemblance of the effort, the bewildering maze of flavors and impressions of a glass of wine, the "simple" glass of wine can hold.

This evening, I started out with three whites, all from Pessac, all Grand Cru Classe's, all so wonderful, and all still different. I'll try to give some description, without points, a new view, maybe more true, maybe not as nuanced? Maybe more? You tell me....

2008 Château Couhins, (Blanc) my glass now emptied, so I cannot go back and control, it's the impression it left in my brain, my memory on this day, on this exact time. I recall true elegance, lime and citrus with some floral overtones and some very elegant, still very intense minerals below, very balanced, very integrated, very pure, very beautiful, and such a beautiful finish to it. It will certainly age well, still it steels your heart already, a true beauty.

Then came 2008 Château Malartic Lagraviere. (Blanc) Here, more body, even more structure, maybe, it just feels that way, not much, but still noticeable, a bit more rough in the absolute best sense of the word, and still, very refined, again pure as anything can be, slightly more tropical tones to it, the citrus is more in the back on the flavor profile, but that only makes it a different style, doesn't it? Again a beautiful length and finish, and again a wine that will age gracefully.

The third wine for tonight, 2008 Château Smith Haut Lafitte, (again blanc) here there is more power, and this very well decanted sample is so "Burgundian" in style, like a Batard, with some butter, nuts and more fat on the body and structure, still this citrus and heavier smoky (Pessac) minerals, absolutely fantastic intensity and the most powerful of the three, but talking pure quality, it's not that much longer, still a very different expression and experience. The aftertaste is actually amazingly long come to think of it, so yes, it's definitely longer......minutes..... Only fools will not notice that. What an effort. Still, even if trying to explain some simple words on this wine, and on the above, it will not even be close to the actual feeling, the delight and the actual pleasure of enjoying them, in their different disguises. How can I ever get even close to give them the absolute, the praise they actually deserve......?

And still I try, like a fool, to put them in boxes, give them numbers, make them so much more simple than they are, to make myself feel more important, as some foolish judge with no clue at all, believing I actually know something. It all seems so amazing, our ability, my ability, to confuse, to sacrifice, not to understand, and believing that I know something.......

Tomorrow, another day, some new wines to give numbers, and put in boxes.