酒: Vinum 2000 Bordeaux Tasting @ Caveau in Singapore
Text and photos by Kenneth Lee. Input by Daniel Lim.

Vintage Guide: Across the board the wines boast ripe succulent fruit and fine, firm, tannins, with many displaying the structure, depth and length that mark out truly great claret.

In Medoc and Graves, the classic regions have fared best, with a consistently high level of quality in Margaux, St Julien, and Pauillac. More northerly regions such as St Estèphe were marginally less successful, as are Moulis and Listrac. There are a few disappointments from the Graves, although the top wines are excellent. Known Best Producers: La Mission Haut-Brion is a star in the Graves, as are Margaux, Latour, and Léoville-Barton in the Médoc. But bear in mind that many less well known properties, including crus bourgeois, enjoyed the same excellent conditions at harvest and made superb wines.

In St. Emilion and Pomerol, Merlots fared best when picked in early September. The St-Emilions have depth, an attractive fruit character and the best (generally from clay-limestone soils) a powerful but fine tannic structure that will permit long ageing. They rank with the great years. The Pomerols are rich and full but perhaps missing the density and éclat of the excellent 1998s. Known Best Producers: St-Emilion: Angélus, Ausone, Belair, Beau-Séjour Bécot, Cheval Blanc, Clos Fourtet, La Mondotte, Pavie, Pavie-Macquin, Rol Valentin, Le Tertre Roteboeuf. For Pomerol: Clos l’Eglise, l’Eglise-Clinet, l’Evangile, Lafleur, Pétrus, Trotanoy, Vieux Château Certan.

Overall: All wines were not decanted and each wine was tried only once therefore the assessment of the wine may not reflect the best performance of a particular wine. However, wines are generally well balanced and structured. Surprisingly, the tannin has been resolved quite well and most of the second wines are already in their drinking period. On the other hand, most of the Grand Vin are still in its early stage of development and should be left sleeping for at least a few more years.

Wines Tasted and Reviewed:
2000 Château Bahans Haut-Brion
2000 Château Haut-Brion
2000 Les Forts de Latour
2000 Château Pontet-Canet
2000 Réserve de la Comtesse
2000 Château Sociando-Mallet
2000 Clos du Marquis
2000 Château Léoville Poyferré
2000 Château Barde-Haut
2000 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière
2000 Château Cheval Blanc
2000 Château Corbin
2000 Clos Fourtet
2000 Chapelle d’Ausone
2000 Château Quinault L’Enclos
2000 Château La Conseillante
2000 Château La Fleur de Boüard

.

Bordeaux Left Bank

2000 Château Bahans Haut-Brion
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

S12042008. Nose of liquified pure red cherry, spice, salt with a style which was more seductive and much more expressive than the Grand Vin, Haut Brion. Medium-bodied, it was elegant, with noticeable tannins and a good juicy finish. Drink between 2007 and 2016.

2000 Château Haut-Brion
France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

S12042008. Distinct pencil lead, slight grass notes with a tight nose of some black fruit. Medium-bodied, waves of fruit attack with sizable acidity towards the end of the palate, and lots of fine yet ripe textured tannin. Long fruit-driven finish. Drink between 2012 and 2042.

2000 Les Forts de Latour
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

S12042008. A slightly floral scent with underlying smoke, chocolate and raisin. Good palate with resembles elegance, smoothness, a trait in Les Forts tradition. A medium finishing considered sweet balanced by minerals. Lovely.

2000 Château Pontet-Canet
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

S12042008. A classic and expressive bouquet suggesting toffee and coffee. Medium to full, coffee, toffee, very attractive juicy fruit, lively acidity, sweet tannins and medium length. Amongst its peers, it’s evolving faster and steadily and tastes very good now. Drink between 2010 and 2029.

2000 Réserve de la Comtesse
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

S12042008. Decanted beforehand with aromatic fresh brew coffee and a tint of sweetness. Medium-bodied, dense fruit, with a mineral rich finish. Enjoyable and good drinking now. Drink between 2005 and 2014.

2000 Château Sociando-Mallet
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

S12042008. A seductive nose of smoke, mineral with honied sweet tones. Medium-bodied, with rich flavors, lively acidity but a short finish. Drink between 2008 and 2025.

2000 Clos du Marquis
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

S12042008. Alcoholic scent, with candied cherry, smoke, earth and a tint of herbs. Medium-bodied, it was smooth and friendly for early drinking. Medium-length, a simplified claret. Drink between 2007 and 2018.

2000 Château Léoville Poyferré
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien

S12042008. Coffee, with honey like sweetness with lots of black currants. Medium-bodied, straightforward with juicy flavors, minerals which carries forth into a medium finish. Good drink. Drink between 2009 and 2026.

.

Bordeaux Right Bank

2000 Château Barde-Haut
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

S12042008. Subtle red fruits, alcoholic nose. Medium-bodied with high acidity, sweet, juicy with slight chocolate and a short finish. Drink between 2006 and 2014.

2000 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

S12042008. A floral feminine nose with subtle coffee tint. Medium-bodied, sweet, juicy, rich, very fruit forward, with low acidity and a short to medium finish. Drink between 2008 and 2020.

2000 Château Cheval Blanc
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

S12042008. Perfumed with traces of oak; coconut, caramel and smoke. A beautiful palate of nice sweetness, rich, lush mid palate and a long finish laced with some mineral and creamy chocolate. Drink between 2010 and 2033.

2000 Château Corbin
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

S12042008. Red cherry and alcoholic. A simple wine with sweet fruit palate from front to end. Sweet finish. Drink soon.

2000 Clos Fourtet
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

S12042008. Coffee, toffee candy, expressive. On the palate, very sweet, dense, low acidity, almost new world like, short-medium finish, still tannic. A bit too sweet. Drink between 2011 and 2020.

2000 Chapelle d’Ausone
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

S12042008. Expressive floral & spice, slight smoky, soya. Slight sweet attack, smooth & pure, very seductive, medium length, slight mineral aftertaste. Drink between 2008 to 2020.

2000 Château Quinault L’Enclos
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

S12042008. Slight alcoholic, coffee, toasty, not very expressive. Medium-bodied, nice sweet attack, forward but quite structured, short-medium length, very fine tannin. Drink between 2006 to 2019.

2000 Château La Conseillante
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

S12042008. Earth, coffee, slightly floral & sweet. Quite expressive but not very Burgundian styled as it’s supposed to be. Medium to full-bodied with dense mid-palate, refreshing end, juicy, and a long complex chocolate hint finish. Drink between 2008 to 2025.

2000 Château La Fleur de Boüard
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion

S12042008. Expressive coffee, caramel, candy, seductive. Medium-bodied with a slight sweet mid palate, spicy end, short-medium length, sweet aftertaste. good QPR. Drink between 2005 to 2015.

.

Photographs and text by Kenneth Lee. Hit us with your best shots; we’ll try our best to listen. Send your inquiries or comments here or via email to jiuwine@gmail.com.