I am huge fan of 1998 Pomerols, as many of you know. The wines are classically structured with ripe yet subtle fruit and firm yet polished tannins. I heard some old-timers from Bordeaux compare 1998 to the legendary 1950 vintage. That year was great for Right Bank wines but less successful for Left Bank. Another point is that 1998 Pomerols and St. Emilions are less expensive and often better than 2000 and 2005. I am not sure if 1998 is better than 2009 or 2010 for the Right Bank, but we will see.
I drank a bottle of 1998 L’Eglise Clinet Pomerol yesterday in Beverly Hills at the Italian restaurant Via Alloro with Hong Kong wine merchant Paulo Pong, who also blogs for my web site. The L’Eglise was still very young and in reserve. We decanted it before drinking, but it still was a little tight. I think it needs more bottle time. Nonetheless, it was soft and silky yet firm and gorgeous. It was full-bodied with a gorgeous core of raspberry and spices on the palate, with chocolate and mahogany notes. 97 points. Find the wine.
