Above 96 bottles per lot
Details
MICHAEL BROADBENT'S EIGHT 'FIVE STAR' WINES FROM THE 2000 VINTAGE.
The growing season, as always in Bordeaux, was by no means straightforward. The New Year and spring were more than mild, with above-average temperatures in March, resulting in early bud burst. However, though the warmth continued in April and May, it was wet, flowering starting at the end of the month. The damp conditions continued through a depressingly cloudy and humid June and July. What saved the day (rather like 1978 though the heat and sun arrived a month earlier) was almost unbroken sunshine without rain from August through September, resulting in fine ripening conditions favouring the Merlot and, for those who waited and timed it right, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. Unquestionably, this was a very good year, fairly uniform in quality with some really outstanding wines. No serious cellar should be without some decent 2000s.
Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine
Château Lafite-Rothschild--Vintage 2000(12)
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Cask sample tasted March 2001: opaque, intense purple rim; crisp, fragrant, pronounced Cabernet Sauvignon aroma and flavour; sweet, wounderfully ripe, fleshy, extended, with dry leathery tanninc finish (*****) Great wine with a long life ahead. MB, Vintage Wine
Château Latour--Vintage 2000(12)
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Cask sample tasted March 2001 at the château: very deep, velvety, opaque core, with intese purple rim; dumb at first, rich, spicy, violets, very Cabernet; full, hard, spicy, tannic. Denser tannins and higher acidity than the '99. (*****)Long life. MB, Vintage Wine Château Mouton-Rothschild--Vintage 2000(12)
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Cask sample at the château, March 2001, with Hervé Berland: very deep, velverty; dark bramble colour; scent of bitter violets, taut fruit and iron; dry, full, hard, concentrated. Impressive but not as sensuously exotic as the '89 or '90 at the same stage.Tasted at the Ch Mouton (*****) A long life ahead." MB, Vintage Wine Château Margaux--Vintage 2000(12)
Margaux, 1er cru classé
Fairly deep, black cherry, mauve rim, rich 'legs'; as usual, nothing shy about the scent of the young Margaux, it dense, firm, with lovely fruit - yet even more tannin than the '86, June 2001 (*****) Classic, long haul wine. MB, Vintage Wine
Château Haut-Brion--Vintage 2000(12)
Pessac (Graves), 1er cru classé
...Opaque; rich, great depth; excellent fruit, complete, richly textured, velvety tannins, great length. At the Château, March 2001 (*****) Classic Long life. MB, Vintage Wine
Château Pétrus--Vintage 2000(12)
Pomerol, cru exceptional
Cask sample tasted June 2001 with Christian Moueix at the J P Moueix office in Libourne: very deep, fairly intense; sweet, rich, somehow totally unique; very sweet on the palate, with lovely fruit and flesh. Complete. Potentially great Pétrus (*****) Long life. MB, Vintage Wine
Château Cheval-Blanc--Vintage 2000(12)
Saint-Emilion, 1er grand cru classé (A)
...Opaque, intense, immensely impressive; low-keyed, subdued fruit on the nose but mouthfillingly full, fruity, and fleshy on the palate. A delicious wine. March 2001 (*****) Long life. MB, Vintage Wine. Château Ausone--Vintage 2000(12)
Saint-Emilion, 1er grand cru classé (A)
...Very deep, velvety, intense: glorious fruit and spice; very good indeed, the oak giving the wine a distinct taste of cloves, good length. A superb Ausone (*****) Long Life. MB, Vintage Wine
All in original wooden cases
Above 96 bottles per lot
The growing season, as always in Bordeaux, was by no means straightforward. The New Year and spring were more than mild, with above-average temperatures in March, resulting in early bud burst. However, though the warmth continued in April and May, it was wet, flowering starting at the end of the month. The damp conditions continued through a depressingly cloudy and humid June and July. What saved the day (rather like 1978 though the heat and sun arrived a month earlier) was almost unbroken sunshine without rain from August through September, resulting in fine ripening conditions favouring the Merlot and, for those who waited and timed it right, the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. Unquestionably, this was a very good year, fairly uniform in quality with some really outstanding wines. No serious cellar should be without some decent 2000s.
Michael Broadbent, Vintage Wine
Château Lafite-Rothschild--Vintage 2000(12)
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Cask sample tasted March 2001: opaque, intense purple rim; crisp, fragrant, pronounced Cabernet Sauvignon aroma and flavour; sweet, wounderfully ripe, fleshy, extended, with dry leathery tanninc finish (*****) Great wine with a long life ahead. MB, Vintage Wine
Château Latour--Vintage 2000(12)
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Cask sample tasted March 2001 at the château: very deep, velvety, opaque core, with intese purple rim; dumb at first, rich, spicy, violets, very Cabernet; full, hard, spicy, tannic. Denser tannins and higher acidity than the '99. (*****)Long life. MB, Vintage Wine Château Mouton-Rothschild--Vintage 2000(12)
Pauillac, 1er cru classé
Cask sample at the château, March 2001, with Hervé Berland: very deep, velverty; dark bramble colour; scent of bitter violets, taut fruit and iron; dry, full, hard, concentrated. Impressive but not as sensuously exotic as the '89 or '90 at the same stage.Tasted at the Ch Mouton (*****) A long life ahead." MB, Vintage Wine Château Margaux--Vintage 2000(12)
Margaux, 1er cru classé
Fairly deep, black cherry, mauve rim, rich 'legs'; as usual, nothing shy about the scent of the young Margaux, it dense, firm, with lovely fruit - yet even more tannin than the '86, June 2001 (*****) Classic, long haul wine. MB, Vintage Wine
Château Haut-Brion--Vintage 2000(12)
Pessac (Graves), 1er cru classé
...Opaque; rich, great depth; excellent fruit, complete, richly textured, velvety tannins, great length. At the Château, March 2001 (*****) Classic Long life. MB, Vintage Wine
Château Pétrus--Vintage 2000(12)
Pomerol, cru exceptional
Cask sample tasted June 2001 with Christian Moueix at the J P Moueix office in Libourne: very deep, fairly intense; sweet, rich, somehow totally unique; very sweet on the palate, with lovely fruit and flesh. Complete. Potentially great Pétrus (*****) Long life. MB, Vintage Wine
Château Cheval-Blanc--Vintage 2000(12)
Saint-Emilion, 1er grand cru classé (A)
...Opaque, intense, immensely impressive; low-keyed, subdued fruit on the nose but mouthfillingly full, fruity, and fleshy on the palate. A delicious wine. March 2001 (*****) Long life. MB, Vintage Wine. Château Ausone--Vintage 2000(12)
Saint-Emilion, 1er grand cru classé (A)
...Very deep, velvety, intense: glorious fruit and spice; very good indeed, the oak giving the wine a distinct taste of cloves, good length. A superb Ausone (*****) Long Life. MB, Vintage Wine
All in original wooden cases
Above 96 bottles per lot