Description
Parker: 97/100
When to drink: 2016 to 2040
Gabriel
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| Still very dark. The nose is somewhere between "difficult and fascinating". Iodine, traces of brackish water, a hint of oxidation and then showing fresh herbs again. Still boyish on the palate with a murderous astringency due to its thrashing, baroque tannins. The potential is huge, the pleasure restrained. Polarising wine. 18/20 ??? 16: Magnum. Extremely dark, still showing a lot of purple reflections in the centre. The bouquet is somehow schizophrenic. There are balancing tones reminiscent of an Amarone, then there are nuances of an old wine nuance reminiscent of Malaga. Then a stewed four-fruit jam enters the nasal scene and everything is topped up with an almost buttery, lactic tone. In the second approach; minerality in the form of iodine-peaty contours. The palate is like a large unfinished concrete building without walls. The tannins are unfinished, brutal and the wine has not developed at all over the years. So after 30 years, the question arises as to whether there is still a future for this scrutinising Margaux? I've been critical of this wine for a long time and have experienced half bottles and normal bottles that had just as much undigested tannins but were already on the oxidation path. The potential is 20/20 and the enjoyment is kept within very low limits. Has it already gone? Or will it never come? 17/20? drink? 17: Rich, dark garnet colour, still with a purple shimmer at the rim. The nose appears fresh, showing lots of just chopped berries, wax notes, pine nuances and wild rosemary, deep and concentrated, but somehow also restrained. In the second approach, malt notes, coconut, an incredible herbal round dance, truffles in the background and dark precious woods. After 10 minutes, menthol shimmer and camphor. Like many of the great 1986s, it seems incredibly much younger than the 30 years it has under its belt. Extremely fleshy on the palate, a bundled Médoc package that still feels hard, the tannins are brutally gripping and fight masochistically on the tongue. There are far more tannins than there are finesse. To be fair, I also have to admit that it used to be a tannic bolt that was also clearly oxidative, and that is not the case today - at least not in this bottle. The potential is for the day after tomorrow. Even a seasoned wine prognosticator can't make any sense of it. Even after three decades, it is still impossible to judge. Do I give points for potential now? Then I'm at 20/20. For the rest, I find it very difficult. My criticism is that it tends to dry out. Will it choke on its own tannins? (18/20). | |||||
