7／17亞瑟頓天母店舉行了1996 St. Estephe區的品酒會，喝的是該區
四隻Grand Cru Class酒莊，名單如下:
Calon Segur 1996
Cos d'Estournel 1996
Lafon Rochet 1996
Montrose 1996
當天品酒會開始時採blind testing，中段公布答案之後再進行討論。
由於這四隻酒個人之前從未喝過，同時怕被酒評文字牽著走而刻意不
看Paul提供的資料，因此儘能靠著對於這些酒莊的一些刻板印象作答
。此外，當天離開時將testing note忘在天母店，以下僅能就印象所
及對各酒款作些簡單的描述。
A酒有著甜美的果醬香氣，偶爾出現一絲木桶風味，酒體中等，單寧細
緻度不錯，餘韻帶有一些苦味。
B酒香氣較為沉悶，以木桶系的香氣為主，果香反而不甚明顯，酒體薄
且口感十分清淡。
C酒帶有相當明顯的成熟果香及類似巧克力的香氣，酒體較飽滿，口感
圓潤而柔軟，單寧十分細緻，餘韻的感覺相當好。
D酒的香氣也是屬於沉悶型的，同樣以木捅系的風味為主，單寧明顯且
口感紮實，餘韻帶有一些燒烤味。
由於B酒喝起來最清淡，因此當時覺得應是Lafon Rochet；A、C的香氣
較為接近，同以果香系為主，但C的酒體較A來得飽滿圓潤；同時，C、
D兩者相較酒體厚度差不多，但C的香氣較D來得外放，加上C有著較多的
果香以及柔軟度，因此當時猜C應是混了高比例Merlot的Cos d'Estournel
，而D應是印象中強壯沉穩的Montrose，至於剩下的A就是Calon Segur了。
在答案公布之後，A、C個人都猜對了，不過令人相當意外的是喝起來最
清淡的B酒竟然是理應最雄壯威武的Montrose，而當初認為最像Montrose
風格的D酒是理當最虛的Lafon Rochet! 謎底揭曉後除了某丁姓大戶明察
秋毫全部答對之外，其餘眾人皆墨，冠軍獎品則是多拉A夢便當盒(?)一只。
事後分析的結果，除了Lafon Rochet的表現超出預期之外，品評時間過短
(約一小時)亦是主要原因。果不其然，開瓶過了約一個半小時之後，各酒
才開始現出原型:Lafon Rochet的結構逐漸開始鬆散，尖銳的酸度明顯不少
，此後一路下坡；Montrose則是黑梅、甘草、橡木桶的氣味混合交替出現
，酒體較之前紮實，單寧細緻且餘韻相當不錯。Cos則是出現一些皮革味，
飽滿而複雜的果香依舊，酒體的圓潤度較之前提升；Calon Segur的表現並
沒有太大的變化，仍是香甜的果醬香，整體結構不錯但仍不如Cos與Montrose。
過了約兩個小時，大多數的參加者已經離開，這樣的速度對於St. Estephe
的Grand Cru而言似乎太快了些；此時恰好看到旁邊堆的Chateau Montelena
Cabernet Savignon Napa Valley Calistoga Cuvee價錢還不錯，一時興起
就開了請大家同樂。當時並沒想到這隻酒會發揮拋磚引玉的功效，帶出之
後有點不可思議的會後會......
待續
===================================================
WA的酒評:
Chateau Calon Segur 1996
Score:92
The 1996 may not be as profound as I had predicted from cask, but it
is an exceptional wine. Dark ruby-colored, with a complex nose of dried
herbs, Asian spices, and black cherry jam intermixed with cassis, it
possesses outstanding purity, and considerable tannin in the finish.
This classic, medium to full-bodied, traditionally made wine improves
dramatically with airing, suggesting it will have a very long life.
Anticipated maturity: 2009-2028.
===================================================
WA的酒評:
Chateau Cos d'Estournel 1996
Score:93
Made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, this is a huge, backward
wine. The 1996 possesses an opaque purple color, as well as pure aromatics
consisting of cassis, grilled herbs, coffee, and toasty new oak. Massive
in the mouth, and one of the most structured and concentrated young Cos
d'Estournels I have ever tasted, this thick, structured, tannic wine has
closed down significantly since bottling. It requires 7-8 years of cellaring,
and should last for 30-35 years. It is a fabulous Cos, but patience is
required. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030.
===================================================
WA的酒評:
Chateau Lafon Rochet 1996
Score:90
One of the sleepers of the 1996 vintage, Lafon-Rochet has turned out an
atypically powerful, rich, and concentrated wine bursting with black currant
fruit. The opaque purple color gives way to a medium to full-bodied, tannic,
backward wine with terrific purity, a sweet, concentrated mid-palate, and a
long, blockbuster finish. This wine remains one of the finest values from the
luxury-priced 1996 vintage, and is well-worth purchasing by readers who are
willing to invest 5-6 years of patience; it should keep for two decades.
Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020.
===================================================
WA的酒評:
Chateau Montrose 1996
Score:91
The 1996 Montrose reveals outstanding potential. It boasts a saturated dark
ruby/purple color, and aromas of new oak, jammy black currants, smoke,
minerals, and new saddle leather. This multi-layered wine is rich and medium
to full-bodied, with sweet tannin, a nicely-textured, concentrated mid-palate,
and an impressively long finish. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2025.
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