Tasting Note                         

88 1998 Geantet-Pansiot Gevrey-Cham. Les Jeunes Rois 2/4/06 ($31)

13% alc
Color: Medium raspberry. Still a little young, but not overly deep. Nonetheless, nice and healthy. (3.0) Bouquet: Some sulfur combined with balsamic vinegar, smoky beef broth. And dried cherry fruit. Aromatic and full, but has a slightly oxidized edge to it. Dried fruit is a bit over ripe. (2.5) Body: Coats the mouth with dried fruit and substantial tannin. A solid middleweight that has good fruit that is still a little overwhelmed by tannin and smoky oak. (2.5) Flavor: Parallels bouquet, but the sulfur manages to blow off here. The fruit is also a little sweeter. (3.0) Finish: Beautiful long, somewhat sweet finish, but also tannic and oaky with a touch of sharp acidity. Has its rough edges, but distinctive and impressive at the same time with concentrated dried fruit coming on. (3.0)
Overall: A very good B from a slightly off vintage. It tastes young and forceful, but old and slightly oxidized at the same time. This may be due to grapes of varying quality being put together into one wine. Interesting stuff, nonetheless. Hard to say whether to drink it now or wait. The former is definitely safer. To drink now, decant it an hour before drinking (scored more like an 85 when first opened). (14.0)

Note: Drank again 10/28/07. The oxidized flavors are no longer present. The fruit is dried, but sweeter and the wine is more balanced overall with tannin subsiding. Overall it deserves 90 points. Rich, balanced and tasty, but it could be more complex. It's probably at its best or may improve a little in the next year or so. A nice showing, particularly for a village wine from a less than stellar vintage.