1981 Chateau Phélan Ségur vs. 1981 Chasse-Spleen : packaging matters !

After a very nice experience with an outstanding Giscours ‘81 I wanted to know, if there are more of such affordable, classic treasures out of this year. This actual wine has been very promising in the beginning with a filling level almost like fresh bottled and a very healthy color. But after I pulled out the cork (half soaked) it caused already furrowed brows. From the top to the middle the cork has been covered and also partial penetrated by a bad smelling mushroom. Normally that doesn’t necessarily has to mean something but in this case also the wine was affected and showed a very bad, moldy smell of a wet and old cellar. Just its deep garnet red color was a pleasure … never mind ! This fast I didn’t want to giving up and so I gave this fellow an extensive bath in the pool. After more then 24 hours you could recognize a tiny improvement but in the end the wine got killed by its cork. A pity because without this problem we would have been able to enjoy a nice, mature BDX with dark chocolate and tobacco flavors (at least in the aftertaste … ).

What to do if one bottle let you down ? Exactly, open another one ! Chasse-Spleen is one of my favorite producers out of this region and there have been no major disappointments – so far. Let’s see today. Filling level – high-fill ! Color – really healthy ! Cork – 3 mm soaked and not smelly !
Well, we have been very keen if this wine could keep what those indicators promised. And it did ! Already its powerful, healthy garnet red color with this very dark core and just a soft red-brown margin provoked this certain smile on every wine lovers face. The wine needed round about 30 minutes to get rid of its patina and to open the throttle. Full throttle ! Mature, classic left bank par excellence. In the beginning loads of cacao, cold coffee powder, fresh baked bread crust, cedar wood and smoke plumps. With more time the bouquet developed in the direction of … well, imagine a big piece of juicy, fresh beef, pickled in a marinade of mint, cinnamon, bay leaf, graphite (pencil) and wrapped in a piece of old, smooth leader. A very complex, very wicked perfume for addicts … At the palate very lively acidity, fine grained, ripe tannins and a very elegant, ethereal and mineral body. In the long aftertaste again a lot of dark chocolate and coffee powder combine with some minty cherry liqueur and a slight but animating bitterness. A very spicy, very inspiring wine which I think reached its peak now. A real pleasure !