Santiago > wrote:

>> Caution: I was talking about that specific cask tasting week in
>> April 2002. I had bought some LTC en primeur (at 16.09 euros,
>> VAT and delivery included), but haven't tasted it yet.

> I can purchase it at 22 euros VAT included, and I pick the wine
> at the shop ;-)

Yeah, but I have my wine in my cellar right from the start. I
really love to know the provenance ;-)

> I do not have a great experience with Leoville Barton but I
> think I read somewhere that their wines are usually very tight
> while in cask and in their youth. However, I found the 2001
> truly an excellent wine.

It probably is. I remember having tasted L-B much better from cask
the other years. Since I taste blind (where possible), there is
seldom a chance to have another bottle (in case there is a bottle
problem). If the cask samples themselves are sub-par (which
happens from time to time), then it's really difficult to give an
appropriate judgment.

>> In my experience, even if clarets taste "international",
>> "parkerized", "Michel Rolland vinified" (which happens to be
>> the case with post-2000 LTC) in their youth, these oak
>> influenced aromas tend to disappear with due bottle age.
>>
>> All this supports my theory that after 20 years in bottle it's
>> more or less irrelevant whether the wine had been vinified in
>> new oak, old oak, stainless steel or concrete vats. While being
>> very important in its youth, the differences totally edge out
>> with time, imho.

> That is interesting. I tend to drink wines too young, specially
> wines that are new for me. When do you think I should drink my
> remaining bottles of LTC 2001?

Ask me something different, please!

No, seriously, this is one of the most difficult questions which
almost entirely depends on how you like your wines, rhather young
or rather mature.

From our yearly Bordeaux tastings "10 years after" I'd suggest to
have wines like LTC somewhere in the 10 to 15 years range,
provided you have good (cool) storage. But, once again, it's all
up to your personal taste.

M.