Château Picard - owners Mähler-Besse, who among other properties, are part owners of Chateau Palmer, Margaux. So they know how to make a good claret

Many folks rush out to buy a claret for a dinner party, and end up with something that is rather expensive, still quite tannic because it is still very grainy, and the wine is green because it is clearly just not ready at all. After this, some folks then complain that they don't like claret, and will not spend this amount again on one...... because .......lardy dardy da.

Right - Time to put those memories of angst to bed. Go to Majestic pdq, before the '96 is sold out, and pick a couple of these, along with 4 budget wines that you know you like. They have '97 and '98 and are probably clearing some excess cellar stock for Mähler-Besse....possibly to make room for the glorious 2009.

1996 was a very good vintage, and very similar to 2000 in St. Estèphe. This wine is lovely, and still fresh, evolved and black fruity with a little pepper and currant It also has a very nice, predominant blackberry and cedary nose with tobacco notes. The tasting notes on the web are correct, even only 5 years in, so I won't repeat what has already been written. Even folks who don't usually like claret will enjoy this. It is easy, the tannins being very finely grained are particularly smooth, and the oak beautifully integrated, so much so, that you hardly notice it "of itself", other than it's extra dimension. The wine is 85% Cab and 15% merlot, 30% of the cuvee sees new oak. and the wine spends 12 months or so in trad french oak barriques.

This claret is very easy to glug, and at first I thought it was slightly simple and a tad too straight forward; However, I tried the wine at 5:00 pm and could still taste the flavour on my taste buds an hour later, that sort of length is most unusual for £13, and is the mark of a good claret, made by very skilled producers. Beautifully deep colour in the glass as well.

A bargain, beautifully mature and I'd say good till end of 2011 ( others say 2016, but I would not risk too much longer)

Deserving of Presents nicely on your table, immaculate labels given the age of the wine, which has obviously been stored very well.

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Duncan

Good griiiieeef, I'm almost tempted. Would luv to enjoy a nice red again.

Good note D.

yeah, does sounds nice. Very tempted.

1997 advertised online. Nothing on Cellar Tracker in terms of reviews for any of the 90's vintages
Scores reasonabley well in the 21st century vintages (2003 massively skewed by 1 guy rating far too highly)

Thanks GK.

Shez, it must be the 1996 , the 97 was faint and weak all over the left bank for CB and petite chateau. My opinion, don't take risks, cos only classed growths and the best grand CB exceptionals would be predicted to be as fresh and as bright as this for the 1997.

Go for the 1996, and if out of that, then Go for the '98.

use googe translate

There are tasting notes back to 95 somewhere Shez, but cant locate at the moment - sorry

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Duncan

Château Picard 1998 St. Estèphe Cru Bourgeois £8.99

None of this is going to keep beyond 2011, unless you have special cellaring.


Vintage 1998:

Property group Mahler- Besse who bought it in 1997 Roederer Champagne , the castle is located within 100 meters of the neoclassical parish church of Saint -Estephe (beautiful interior decoration) . It assembles 98 to 15 % Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon born on a gravel rump . The wood tannins and the wine still need to merge, but both are good, as the complex bouquet with notes of fruit , roasted coffee and licorice . Its structure ensures this wine a good aging potential, that confirms the long toasty .
LE GUIDE HACHETTE DES VINS 2002

Some of you got the '98 for £8.99 for a week or so, and a snipp at that at Majestic. Then the price went to £13 for the '98 and the '97 remained at the offer price as it should have done.

The 1998 is not holding in my store, Ahhhh..... that very hot spell in the Summer, may be to blame. My store is usually quite cool, but it did get above 15C in there for quite a few days.
A wine gum note has turned up, which in a mature claret is a bit of a pain. Drink up, if you dont have underground storage or a large wine cooler. Nevertheless, still a satisfying claret for £9 quid a bottle, but no longer correct

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Duncan