Pichon Longueville Baron 97, Calon Ségur 95, Vega Sicilia Único Reserva Especial NV

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Pichon Longueville Baron 97, Calon Ségur 95, Vega Sicilia Único Reserva Especial NV

A good friend of mine is currently house sitting (of sorts) a particularly well appointed house with a similarly well appointed cellar. As part of this house sitting arrangement he is allowed a somewhat free rein of said wine collection, and has been kind enough to share some of the goodies within on regular occasions.

The following three wines then were pulled out recently from the perfectly controlled confines of this wine treasure trove and all provided interest at the very least, with only the spectre of bottle variation to blight the experience. Note I said interesting, not amazing, for I would have been slightly disappointed had I actually paid for the first two…

Pichon Longueville Baron 1997 (Pauillac, Bordeax, France)
This looked much older than it’s age really, and typically more than a little bretty, with a meaty, animale nose, swathed in meaty richness and plenty of beef stock and leather. Underneath that was a solid, firmish core of cedary, meaty developed Cabernet character. It was certainly drinkable but just not quite pure or long enough given the ($150 odd) price tag. Apparently this was a lesser bottle in this dozen. 16.8/89

Calon Ségur 1995 (St Estephe, Bordeaux, France)
In many ways this was a rather typical maturing Bordeaux – driven by structure, the highlights coming courtesy of the tea leaf tannins. Beyond the tannins however it looks a little stewed, a little cooked even, with a dryness that just wasn’t quite vibrant enough. Fair, but not exciting. 16.5/88

Vega Sicilia Único Reserva Especial NV – 2005 release (Ribera del Duero, Spain)
Now here is an oddity. Produced from a blend of the 1985, 91 and 96 vintages and one of just 15876 bottles (1300 cases) bottled in 2005. As per usual with Vega the story is more about structure than fruit, though in the right sort of fashion. The nose is surprisingly sweet, volatile and loaded with caramel, oak playing a very big part in it all. It smells dusty, cedary, and regal on the nose, with a nose of old couches and libraries. But the tannins. Oh the long tannins. Long, regal and firm. It’s those tannins that bring you back every time. An experience of a wine for sure, though also a pretty unusual beast. I wasn’t quite in love, but the tannins….18/93