I have acquired a foundness of the wines from Chateau de la Rivière, having over the last year tasted the 1990, 1986 and 1985.
I recently bought some more vintages and eagerly opened two of them.
I recently bought some more vintages and eagerly opened two of them.
1989 Château de La Rivière
Aaaaah, a classic, old fashioned, mature Bordeaux nose with notes of cigarr box, dried red and black currants, dried up shoe polish, autumn leaves and some stable aromas. A fine dried up sweetness. In a lovely stage of maturity, the only way for this beauty is down, even though it will keep on this level for a couple of years still. It should, since I have more bottles! :-)
The taste is medium bodied, warm and dry with fine black currant fruit and notes of lead pencil shavings, old leather and undergrowth. A little like licking a stable floor. A very fine mouthfeel. Created harmony with some meat and potatoes. A lovely mature Bordeaux.
92p (tasted 2016/04)
1995 Château de La Rivière
The 6 year younger version starts out a bit slow with a dense, dark nose with notes of ripe black currants, sweet tobacco, earth and coffee. With air it lightens up and some red notes appear, dried strawberries for example. A nice, medium deep nose. However, it seems to be caught in between adolescence and maturity. Needs time.
The taste is tight and compact with notes of assorted black fruits, leather, warm gravel and fir. The tannins push through in the finish. A fine warmth. A hint of bitterness in the end. This is good but I guess that 5+ years in the cellar could do, if not wonders, at least good things to this wine. I just have to wait and see.
85p (tasted 2016/04)
Aaaaah, a classic, old fashioned, mature Bordeaux nose with notes of cigarr box, dried red and black currants, dried up shoe polish, autumn leaves and some stable aromas. A fine dried up sweetness. In a lovely stage of maturity, the only way for this beauty is down, even though it will keep on this level for a couple of years still. It should, since I have more bottles! :-)
The taste is medium bodied, warm and dry with fine black currant fruit and notes of lead pencil shavings, old leather and undergrowth. A little like licking a stable floor. A very fine mouthfeel. Created harmony with some meat and potatoes. A lovely mature Bordeaux.
92p (tasted 2016/04)
1995 Château de La Rivière
The 6 year younger version starts out a bit slow with a dense, dark nose with notes of ripe black currants, sweet tobacco, earth and coffee. With air it lightens up and some red notes appear, dried strawberries for example. A nice, medium deep nose. However, it seems to be caught in between adolescence and maturity. Needs time.
The taste is tight and compact with notes of assorted black fruits, leather, warm gravel and fir. The tannins push through in the finish. A fine warmth. A hint of bitterness in the end. This is good but I guess that 5+ years in the cellar could do, if not wonders, at least good things to this wine. I just have to wait and see.
85p (tasted 2016/04)
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