2000 Château Chasse-Spleen

[djewesbury]

Well, before I even got to taste or smell this I noticed that the label features a quote from Baudelaire's 'Les Fleurs du Mal', from the 'Spleen et Idéal' section; this made me fall in love with it immediately and so biased me entirely.

Since this was drunk at a dinner for two after a couple of weeks apart, I didn't actually write a tasting note, but I thought I should write what I could recall. The nose of this was fine and bony, clean, acidic, with the flaring fruits that I love in good claret against a background of hard iron. I recall that this was really beautifully balanced, that iron being forefront in the entry, currants and berries lingering just long enough in the front of the mouth before the great acids rose to create a wonderful dancing tangy cleanness. At the end, a few seconds into the finish, I detected what I can only describe as a curling, velvety, smoky note, which reminded me of the 'Swan Vesta' taste I tried to describe before and which Owen couldn't understand; perhaps you could call it a tobacco-ish note (though I don't think that's really it, it's more of a low, looming smokiness that is very subtle, and really, really sexy). I thought about it again drinking this and decided that perhaps this is what matures into the 'barnyard' flavours characteristic of older wines. It's something that opens out as the wine ages, gets tangier, slightly harsher, more obvious, as the acids and tannins and this smoky character combine and recombine over the years.

I loved this, maybe you can tell.

[LGTrotter]

*sounds of thunderous applause*

[djewesbury]

I am very much tempted to buy some. Cases of 6 mags at FRW for 370 IB. Any opinions?

[djewesbury]

*sounds of thunderous applause*

oh gosh, thank you!

[DRT]

I am very much tempted to buy some. Cases of 6 mags at FRW for 370 IB. Any opinions?

You are hereby authorised to proceed to checkout.

[LGTrotter]

I am very much tempted to buy some. Cases of 6 mags at FRW for 370 IB. Any opinions?

You are hereby authorised to proceed to checkout.

It has been decided that Daniel is going to sleep on it. Your wicked tempting shall not add to Daniel's credit card. But while you're here do you have any advice for me on Fonseca 1970 for about £1400 all in?

[DRT]

I am very much tempted to buy some. Cases of 6 mags at FRW for 370 IB. Any opinions?

You are hereby authorised to proceed to checkout.

It has been decided that Daniel is going to sleep on it. Your wicked tempting shall not add to Daniel's credit card. But while you're here do you have any advice for me on Fonseca 1970 for about £1400 all in?

I think I paid £1300+ for a case last year, so £1400 is not out of the ballpark if provenance and condition are top notch.

You will never regret buying good examples of F70.

[LGTrotter]

I knew that you would be on the side of pushing the button.

[DRT]

I knew that you would be on the side of pushing the button.

And I knew that you asked the question so that I would persuade you to do so. Teamwork at its best.

[djewesbury]

P**ker talks about 'forest floor' in writing about Bordeaux. Perhaps 'forest floor' is the smokiness I see; I can understand how these would become 'barnyard'. Acridity, (yes, acridity, not acidity) plus acidity, plus vegetal components leading to something that is quite mature and earthy and manure-ish.

[LGTrotter]

P**ker talks about 'forest floor' in writing about Bordeaux. Perhaps 'forest floor' is the smokiness I see; I can understand how these would become 'barnyard'. Acridity, (yes, acridity, not acidity) plus acidity, plus vegetal components leading to something that is quite mature and earthy and manure-ish.

Come again?

[djewesbury]

Sigh.
Robert P**ker describes a taste of 'forest floor'. I've read this before and not really thought about it. But it suggests earth, humus, leaf mould, twigs. It's s dirty but not an unpleasant flavour; low tones, brown flavours, earthiness and acrid notes which can transmute into smokiness, into a velvety black set of flavours (tobacco must be amongst these, and some other not-green plant flavours). My contention is that perhaps this is what is essential in a wine that will develop the 'barnyard' flavour profile later in life, and that it's perhaps related to what I'm trying to describe.
Comprenez?

[djewesbury]

It's really so simple.
Acrid acid -> mature manure

[DRT]

There is a danger that you are over-analysing this.

[djewesbury]

Of course there is. That's because I don't have any.
But there are three bottles listed on eBay.de that are in Berlin so I am trying to remedy this situation!

[LGTrotter]

P**ker talks about 'forest floor' in writing about Bordeaux. Perhaps 'forest floor' is the smokiness I see; I can understand how these would become 'barnyard'. Acridity, (yes, acridity, not acidity) plus acidity, plus vegetal components leading to something that is quite mature and earthy and manure-ish.

How would you differentiate between 'forest floor' and 'sous bios'?

[djewesbury]

P**ker talks about 'forest floor' in writing about Bordeaux. Perhaps 'forest floor' is the smokiness I see; I can understand how these would become 'barnyard'. Acridity, (yes, acridity, not acidity) plus acidity, plus vegetal components leading to something that is quite mature and earthy and manure-ish.

How would you differentiate between 'forest floor' and 'sous bios'?

One's French innit

[PopulusTremula]

P**ker talks about 'forest floor' in writing about Bordeaux. Perhaps 'forest floor' is the smokiness I see; I can understand how these would become 'barnyard'. Acridity, (yes, acridity, not acidity) plus acidity, plus vegetal components leading to something that is quite mature and earthy and manure-ish.

How would you differentiate between 'forest floor' and 'sous bios'?

Sous bios being French for machine code i assume?

[LGTrotter]

Sous bios being French for machine code i assume?

Exactly! And now Daniel will extemporise on the difference between the quality of a French forest floor and an Anglo-American one. I shall go to the woods and report on the quality of English beech mould. If I'm not back by morning get me a good brief.

[djewesbury]

Sous bios being French for machine code i assume?

Exactly! And now Daniel will extemporise on the difference between the quality of a French forest floor and an Anglo-American one. I shall go to the woods and report on the quality of English beech mould. If I'm not back by morning get me a good brief.

I think you should bring your briefs Owen.
Sorry. Magnus started it.

[griff]

Flaring fruits. Not sure what this descriptor means but it certainly is intriguing

[djewesbury]

Flaring fruits. Not sure what this descriptor means but it certainly is intriguing

I'm sure you've come across a flaring fruit in your life Griff.
Well, I mean a nose that uncurls and grows outwards as you smell, and after you finish smelling as well. I'm thinking of something being flared in the sense of a shape, and that shape is projecting upwards and outwards from the glass.
See?