Pavillon Rouge 1998

Berry and fresh mushroom with a hint of flowers follow through to a medium body, with light fruit and a slightly short finish. A bit hard. -- '88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now.

99: Medium ruby-purple. Clean, straight bouquet with a fine touch of raspberry, delicate smoky note, rather slender on attack. On the palate, light, delicate, ripe fruit, long finish, youthful Margaux pleasure. For Paul Pontallier, one of the very best Pavillon Rouge; for me, an even finer version of the ’96. 05: Spotted in a restaurant in Mürren for 88 francs. Surprisingly deep color. Warm, dark-berried bouquet with a hint of dried fruit. On the palate already mature, although after a while, mainly Cabernet-driven tannins provide backbone; great aromatics to the end. A remarkable quality wine of its time. So Paul Pontallier did not exaggerate when I tasted the wine from barrel. (17/20). 20: Gently maturing red. Open bouquet, hay notes, dried fruits, light used leather and pipe tobacco. The fruit has completely faded. Thus, after around twenty years in bottle, this wine sits fully on the tertiary side. On the palate, on the one hand slightly sweet, on the other quite dry. At first sip it has something Burgundian about it and comes across like a “mini-Chambertin.” Unfortunately, this joy is short-lived and the wine dries out more and more thereafter. The nose is far more appealing than the palate. Unfortunately. It peaked about 10 years ago and is now becoming a shadow of its former self. (16/20).