Bordeaux 2004 Tasting

Sampling nine Bordeaux 2004 red wines and one Sauternes 2003 does not provide a complete picture of 2004 vintage quality. Trying to generalize from what I've tasted, there are some excellent wines from this vintage, the wines are very closed and (probably due to low ripeness) will need time in the cellar to come around. The wines were all tasted blind.

Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac Leognan
Deep color, earth, blueberries and green pepper. Very tannic wine with slight bitterness on the finish. Medium to light bodied, not very well integrated, this is not an extremely good wine. 87

Lascombes, Margaux
Ripe fruit - blackberries and red cherries, cinnamon and muscat and slight must that went away with some air time. Very well structured and tannic. Interesting finish which revealed extra layers. This will get better with time. 90

Lafleur Gazin, Pomerol
Mute on the nose, which some strange (almost rotten) fruit and a bit chocolate. Full bodied but nothing more than a simple wine. 83

Latour A Pomerol
Medium red/brownish color, raspberries, smoke and pretty harmonic wine. However it feels a bit diluted and there is a musty finish. At the end, its another simple wine. 85

Troplong Mondot, St. Emillion
Very deep color, cherries, blackberries, green herbs. Has a feeling of unripe fruit, some smoky element. Very tannic with a long good finish. Well structured. Good aging potential. 89

Leoville Poyferre, St. Julien
Deep color, almost non penetratable. Blueberries, chocolate, blackberries and a bit muscat and green herbs. Very well structured and harmonic. This wine sings! 93

Calon Segur, St. Estephe
Very closed, a bit rotten fruit (probably an off/corked bottle).After some time in the glass it gets better with raspberries and green herbs. Disappointment after revealing the wine. 87

Lynch Bages, Pauillac
Deep dark red color. Blackberries, kirsch liqueur, coffee and chocolate. Harmonic, very elegant and well structured. Medium to full bodied, but a slight disappointing finish. 90

Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
Very dark red color, Black fruit, green herbs, already some leather and a very complex and elegant wine. very good finish. 92

Rieussec 2003
Honey, melon, oranges and some honeysuckle. harmonic and wonderful overall feeling in the moth. Very Enjoyable now, but will definitely hold for many years. 95

In Haim's blog you will find reviews of some of the wines tasted here plus additional wines.