Lamb & Two Bottles Of 1983 Bordeuax

No Easter holiday could be complete without a lamb dish and some Bordeaux poured. I opted for two bottles of mature Bordeaux, in a, obviously, classic style.

Said about Château Soutard:
"The aim is to make long-keeping, classic wines, and the result is rather uncompromising and needs patience from the consumer."         
(David Peppercorn: Bordeaux (1991))

"this is one of the most traditionally made and longest-lived wines in St Emilion"
(Robert Parker: Bordeaux (1998))

1983 Château Soutard
Even though it is 32 years old it needs some time to come around. When it opens up, it offers fine scents of red currants, cool plums, dry tobacco, autumn leaves and road dust. A old fashioned style with lots of backbone and a resolute character. Very, very good.
The taste is perfectly mature with a taut structure and a rugged, old style fruit with additional notes of tobacco ashes, old leather, warm tiles and dry earth. A long finish with still some tannins present. With the lamb this created harmony. Perfect now. I really like Soutard - as this tasting with 8 vintages almost three yeras ago shows.
91p   (tasted 2015/04)

Said about Château Rouget:
"As a result of its position and the methods employed, this is a really powerful, tannic, old-fashioned Pomerol, that demands keeping for its true merits to be appreciated."
(David Peppercorn: Bordeaux (1991))

"there is no question that Rouget can be a rich and interesting wine"
(Robert Parker: Bordeaux (1998))

1983 Château Rouget
The 83 Rouget is more open right from the bottle, with fine notes of dark plums, sugared coffee, moist undergrowth and pipe tobacco. This has a lovely warmth, but it is a tad more shallow than the Soutard. Very good though. Again, a nose from a distant era, when you could identify a Bordeaux from a mile away, even though the question of the Left or Right bank sometimes could cause some pondering...
The taste is tighter and drier with notes of dried black cherries, plums, pipe tobacco and cold coffee. A medium long finish with a fine warmth. A deep, sweet, mature black fruit. This wears its heart on its sleeve. Maybe a tad overmature, but I love drinking it! Bought a couple of months ago for the outrageous sum of 11 Euro...:-)
87p   (tasted 2015/04)