Bon Pasteur, Château Le
Bordeaux, France
Pomerol
Blend
1998
$64.99
13.0%
Although the core is more black than purple there’s something about it that looks “extracted,” fully opaque all the way to the thin rust red and orange rims. Fresh and layered nose, smells like it was bottled last week, all plum, black cherry fruit as well as roasted coffee, molasses crisp, and cocoa powder, then cedar, dill, and a floral dew, zero tertiary intrigue. Full-bodied, the tannin feels like it’s in the midst of unclenching but still adds dry bite. Sweet cedar, incense to camphor and ginger root. Some leather maybe. The cassis, plum fruit now and then riven by a note of green apple. Thick all the way through the finish and then some. Can’t say that it has not evolved at all but, even with the risk of it drying out, drinking young. May never reach full, balanced maturity at this pace. Still, satisfying now if oak tolerant. 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc.
90 points