1995 Chateau De Camensac Haut Medoc 750 ml

- January 8, 2001

Of the three professional reviews I've seen for the 95 Camensac -- Parker, Spectator and the BTI above -- not one seems to have come particularly close to my experience nor do any of them seem to be describing the same wine. Is it evidence of bottle variation or simply an everyday example of the subjectivity of wine reviews? In any event, the bottle I opened on Friday night poured dark ruby, nearly opaque in the glass with just a hint of fading at the rim. The aromas struck me as typically Bordelaise and still in their primary phase, even though the dominant scents were of the secondary variety: whole leaf tobacco, new leather and ink. The tobacco carried through on the medium to full bodied palate. The fruit was a bit lacking, with just hints of blackberry and black cherry struggling to find balance with the more earthy elements. The considerable amount of sediment already being thrown combined with the rather weak fruit presence makes this a candiate for near-term consumption. All in all though, a quite enjoyable pour, a fairly classical representation of Haut-Medoc terroir and, for a classified growth anyway, at a relatively affordable price.