1998 Bordeaux Right Bank Horisontal

25 wines of the splendid 1998 Right Bank vintage to be tried side by side made me take a trip to Denmark. A fine tasting with some splendid food as well, and an unorthodox line up was a great way of doing it. First two flight's of red, then Champagne, white Bordeaux and starters and first course, then back to new flights of red. Brilliant not to start with the Champagne! The tasting notes will follow the pictures of the bottles, not necesarily the right order of tasting, but all are in the right flight. All wines served semi-blind. We knew the wines in each flight.


1998 Château Berliquet;
Ruby, towards pink rim. Fruity black berries and chocolate, vanilla and plums. Good acidity, ripe tannins, soon gone, slightly cooked feel on the palate, some coffee in the OK length and a slight touch of VA. 87



1998 Château Clinet;
Ruby, garnet rim. Sweet and artificial notes, cheese, feels simple, lacks acidity and structure, short. After twenty minutes, oozes anize, lots of barrel notes, then after thirty minutes, oxidizes and dies of. Hopefully a faulty bottle. 85 at best.


1998 Château Troplong Mondot;
Ruby, gorgeous garnet rim, vanilla, pure blueberries, seductive and flirting, elegant and even refined texture, fresh and lively acidity, needs time, feels layered, marsipan finish. 92-93


1998 Clos de L'Oratoire;
Ruby with thin pink rim. Oak and barrel notes over blueberries and chocolate, slightly floral. Good acidity, ripe tannins, slightly edgy and somewhat rustic texture, towards lean finish, quite long. Even so, this is one of the more elegant Clos de L'Oratoire I've tried. 91