1998 Nenin
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Tasting notes
The first vintage under the control of the Delon Family (Leoville Las Cases), the 1998 Chateau Nenin is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. It's fully mature today with a classic nose of ripe currants, truffle, saddle leather, dried flowers, and chocolate. Full-bodied on the palate, it has resolved tannins, a great mid-palate, and outstanding length. This fully mature, complex, seamless Pomerol is best enjoyed over the coming 3-5 years.
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More reviews and scores
You can immediately see the quality of this vintage, and there remains an intensity and a power to the wine even at 24 years old. Warming clove and turmeric spice notes show the sunshine of the year, along with walnut, tobacco, cold ash. The tannins are melted and silky, and still evident. Blackberry fruits, puree, a soufflé of fruit. Worth noting also that you can still buy this wine from the estate, unusual to be able to source older vintages of Pomerol, but Nenin is an exception. 35% new oak.
The 1998 Nenin, 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, was the first vintage produced by Jean-Hubert Delon after acquiring the Pomerol estate just before the harvest 1997. It has some degradation on the rim. The nose is light and tertiary, undergrowth and coniferous forest, vestiges of dusty black fruit coming forth. The palate is medium-bodied with dry tannin, foursquare and lacking a little charm. It feels very old school but not in a good way, a little dowdy in its old age. Drink up. Tasted at the château.
Muted nose – sweet and punchy and positive. Neat but not outstanding. (JR)