Chateau Le Bon Pasteur 2002

So many of the 2002’s that I tasted during my travels in Bordeaux impressed me more than I expected. Indeed, for such an overlooked vintage, these wines are showing remarkably well right now. So are the 2004’s, though most wine people have been coming around on those for about a year now.

But the truth is that there are plenty of excellent bottlings to be had from the 02 vintage, not least of which is the fantastic Chateau Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol.

I found its gently maturing nose reminiscent of the beef cacciatore my mother used to make, with its tomato vine and meat notes. The dense, silky-smooth texture of the palate carried warm-tasting flavors of sweet ripe berry fruit and cream that led to a toasty finish perfumed by leather and hinting in the sweet-savory direction of a chocolate pot de crème. Delicious, fully integrated, and supremely enjoyable right now.