In virtually every appellation in Bordeaux, 2004 was a great vintage that produced many palate pleasing wines that sell for reasonable prices. Sandwiched between the highly celebrated (and freakishly awesome) 2003 and 2005 vintages, 2004 is often over looked by collectors. But 2004 Bordeaux are highly respectable wines, and, though they might not turn out to be as long lived as some other vintages, will provide much drinking pleasure for the short term. Due in part to this point, and also to the reasonable pricing, 2004 is a perfect vintage to collect for everyday drinking. The wines, while slightly austere, are firm and medium bodied, with a palate pleasing crispness.
We recently did a tasting of 3 wines from this vintage, which I'll take this opportunity to review with you. To start, we tried the 2004 Sociando Mallet (90 pts RP), which was slightly less than impressive in this sitting. The wine had nice color, but was hollow, possessed a short finish and was lacking fruit. It was somewhat weedy- I might skip the Sociando for 2004 (however, this property performed very well in 2003 (94RP, $64.95/btl)- do try that fabulous selection, and you won't be disappointed!)
Next we popped the 2004 Montrose (92 RP-N), a famous second growth from St. Estephe, near the beloved Chateau Cos D'Estournel. This wine possessed much better flavor than the Sociando, boasting a fine palate of dark fruit, black cherry and graphite. The nose was very reminiscent of the great wines from this region, but I also found the finish on this wine a little short. Over all though, a solid choice.
Finally for this tasting, we sampled the 2004 Trotanoy (94-96 RP-NM). This selection won everyone's affection! A lovely medium bodied blend that had distinct flavors of menthol, cedar, and brambly, juicy fruit. The nose was wonderful, and the wine really developed in the glass as the day progressed. Very impressive, and broadly pleasing for any palate.
I will take this opportunity also to mention one of my all time favorite value wines in our inventory- a house favorite here at Sokolin, the 2004 Clos du Marquis (91WS, $38.95/btl)- yum yum yum. This is the second wine of the famous Leoville Las Cases property. A juicy palate of red fruits and citrus, with oaky notes and an earthy base, this bottle is a winner everytime. A perfect price to point ratio for any budget, I believe that this bottle drinks better than selections that sell for twice the price. Highly recommended!
I hope my notes will encourage you to delve a little more deeply into an under appreciated vintage, and find some affordable bottles that you'll want to keep in your collection for easy drinking in the years to come.