I bought the Pichon Baron 2004 for Jar because, on release, it was drinking great and offering a lot of fruit and balanced tannins for diners' immediate enjoyment. Ready to rock and roll, as they say. I haven't tasted it since that day a couple of years ago so it seemed a good a time as any to pay a visit to the old girl.
I love Saturday nights! Not because the restaurant is busy or any nonsense like that, but because Saturday is actually my personal Friday - the day that, at the end of work, starts my weekend. Kara and I usually have a formal dinner when we get home to wash away the week. Thankfully, I get to bring my "manager dinner" home from Jar to share and pair with my lovely bride.
After my (and Jar's) "Perfect Manhattan" which features Blanton's Bourbon, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth and Angostura Bitters (stirred, not shaken), we moved on to the quickly decanted Pichon Longueville de Baron 2004. Aromatically, it was very focused on fresh flowers, car leather, tobacco, cigar box and fresh black currants. Showing decent fruit, but definitely not fruit-focused. On the palate, it has more blackberry and gravel (a tinge of charcoal, even) and moderately grippy but not intrusive tannin. It finishes fairly long. This is not a profound Pichon Baron, but it's drinking great. The present acidity and tannin drive the finish and tannins build on the palate without the food. With a Dry-Aged Kansas City Steak, as we had, it was just singing!
I doubt this is one for the long haul and it probably won't develop a whole lot of complexity over time, but it's drinking great and in today's world of outrageously-priced Bordeaux, this is an overlooked value from a solid second-growth Chateau. You could pay twice as much for the 2009 and wait three years to get it, too. Then five or ten more to drink it. Your call... I'll be drinking the oft-forgotten 2004.
No comments:
Post a Comment