Bordeaux 1985: 30 Years On with West London Wine School

Join us as we taste a stellar vintage of Bordeaux – 1985 – after 30 years of steady maturation. An extremely successful year in Bordeaux which produced some of the most immediately seductive and appealing clarets in living memory. The summer was hot, with peaks of intense heat in August and September. Ideally there were occasional thundery showers which had the effect of watering the vineyards, but no more. The result was a vintage of glorious, happy, buxom wines, deep in colour, dense but fruit driven and buttressed by abundant soft tannins. They have aged marvellously, yet still retain the joyous style of their youth. In bouquet, in flavour and in their intrinsic harmony they remain handsome, opulent clarets.

Wines on Tasting (7):

Palmer, Margaux, 2nd Growth (£160)Leoville Poyferre, Saint-Julien, 2nd Growth (£85)Rauzan-Segla, Margaux, 2nd Growth (£150)Gruaud Larose, Saint-Julien, 2nd Growth (£120)Montrose, Saint-Estephe, 2nd Growth (£110)Calon-Segur, Saint-Estephe, 3rd Growth (£100)Pape-Clement, Cru Classe (Graves £100)

Prices are current retail to give you an idea of the exclusivity of these wines!

Jancis Robinson on Palmer 1985 17.5/20 "Deep brick-rimmed garnet. Bright and healthy. Plenty of leather and old furniture and undergrowth but still has a fine floral note – a violet fragrance – as well as the headiness of dark fruit in alcohol. An attractive note of dusty stones. Light lavender. Very perfumed. Touch of mint and cigar box and liquorice. Complex and fresh. On the palate, mouthwatering freshness, completely dissolved tannins and scented on the mid palate. Fine and long and really mouthwatering, Opens up to more capsicum on the nose and tobacco. Lots more liquorice on the finish. Going back at the end of the evening: meaty and gamey with aromas of truffles but in no way falling apart. Silky and fresh and lots of liquorice."