2002 tasting notes of disappointing red wines

French best red wines? Unfortunately no. The reputations or the prices of the wines reviewed below had me expect much tasting pleasure, which I did not get. The wines appeared pretentious or boring. In other words, I am more interested in the multitude of characterful wines you can get for half the price. Featured crus include six Bordeaux.
 

The below wines were tasted in France, in 2002 (between April and December).The tasting notes are listed by increasing prices, with the following format:

Appellation - producer - plot or brand - variety
Vintage - approximate price - general impression - on nose - on palate - after swallowing
 

 Coteaux-du-languedoc - Abbaye de Valmagne - Cuvée de Turenne
1996 - 10 € - this wine is basically a solution of oak chips (which is not only unpleasurable but also not allowed for an AOC) - a nose of tar, sawdust, and roastiness - a disgusting taste
 

 Haut-médoc - - Le Moulin de Citran
1999 - 10 € - the nose is dominated by tyre - the palate carries a plant note - the aftertaste is short, with tyre again
 

 Montagne-saint-émilion - Château des Tours
1995 - 11 € - notes of leather and of sulphur - tannins are dry, the wine is rough and light on the palate - something is shining in the aftertaste
 

 Bellet - Domaine de Teasc
2000 - 14 € - the wine is in a complete reducted state - a nose of rotten egg (mercaptan in French) which marks reduction - a foul taste
 

 Saint-julien - Château Gruaud-Larose - Sarget de Gruaud-Larose
1999 - 16 € - a nose with chocolate and a burnt note - the wine is juicier than the Gloria, fleshier too - an oaky finale
 

 Saint-julien - Château Gloria
1999 - 18 € - this is standard modern Bordeaux, technically correct but overbuilt, with the oenologist playing the prominent role (using reverse osmosis notably), very difficult for me to drink - a nose dominated by plank - a plant palate, oaky, hard, less juicy than the Sarget de Gruaud-Larose, with fruit barely showing - a clumsy, creamy aftertaste
 

 Saint-émilion-grand-cru - Château Fonplégade
1998 - 22 € - oaky nose - balanced palate - green/unripe aftertaste
 

 Clos-de-la-roche - Ponsot - Vieilles Vignes
1995 - 103 € - a delicate and meager flower - the nose is dull, with hints of beef and leaf - the palate lacks stuff, it is lean yet juicy and smooth, with a note of raspberry
 

 Pessac-léognan - Château Haut-Brion
1973 - 130 € - difficult on day 1, no pleasure here - an oxydized nose with tyre, toffee, and plum - hollow on the palate - an aftertaste dominated by tyre -
- on day 2: pleasant - a bouquet of chocolate and toffee - onctuous, old wood, a note of plant, lacks acidity and structure - no interest on the finish
 
 

This article is completed by a primer on organizing wine tasting parties.