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Chateau Pichon Lalande 1983 Pauillac

3/99. Bought in auction, Feb-95 for $55 (imported for $66 net).
It has been almost four years since I last (and first) tasted this wine. Together with Margaux and Palmer, the Pichon Lalande rounds up my experience of 1983 Bordeaux.
Tonight we had this 'super second' with the most unlikely homish Friday night dinner: 'Gefilte Fish', Chicken soup with rice, T-Bone steak in pita... You can laugh as much as you want, but the wine went splendidly with everything.
COLOR: Deep red with noticeable clearing around the rim. Not looking particularly brilliant with some sediment at the bottom. Left large 'legs' on the glass.
NOSE: Rich forward and enticing. Mature sweetish fruit with violets, soft caramel and wood tones. No 'cigar box' 'pencil tip' or 'cedary' aromas. Pure clean and beautiful.
TASTE: Extremely lush and tasty. The mature fruit (dry plums?) dominate the palate with plenty of winyness, good acidity and very weak and receding soft tannins. Perhaps not the most complex of wines but so ready and tasty one can hardly ask for more. This is not your typical high-brow 'intellectual' Bordeaux! Voluptuous and luscious it is much closer to a fine old (B) than it is to (my perception of) a top Bordeaux...
LENGTH: Very long finish where both the sweet and the sour flavors play in harmony.
TEXTURE & BALANCE: Medium bodied wine that exhibits the best qualities of maturity without any signs of age. Still vibrant with positive grip but completely forward and developed. Excellent balance between all its components.
OVERALL: Superb-plus!! For me this wine is at its peak now and should be enjoyed soon.
MARK: 18.5/20.aaaaaaaaBUY MORE? Yes.


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Jacob "Yak" Shaya.