I faced a wine lover's dream dilemma: which of two good vintages of a favorite wine would be better?  This question is often moot, because for most wines only one vintage is normally available at any point.  In the case of the wine I chose to review, Château Lagrezette Cahors, a re-release of the 2001 vintage put that wine side-by-side on the shelf against the 2002.  Which would I prefer?

Cahors is an historic red wine region in southwestern France that is the sole European stronghold for the Malbec grape variety.  A few hundred years ago, Cahors wine was every bit as famous as Bordeaux.  Today, Cahors is regaining some of its former glory, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Alain Dominique Perrin, proprietor of Domaine de Lagrezette. 

Of the various wines that Perrin makes, Chateau Lagrezette is the flagship.  It's not his most celebrated wine--the single vineyard Le Pigeonnier and his Cuvée Dame Honneur are more expensive and critically more acclaimed--but it is the easiest to find and doesn't break the bank. 

Forced to choose between the 2001 and the 2002 vintages of this wine, I would take the 2001--but I would hate to leave the 2002 behind.  Except for their similar dark ruby, purple-rimmed appearance, and the presence of blackberry aromas and flavors in both wines, the two wines are very different, and each has its virtues.  The 2001 is soft, in a velvety-tannin European way; you could call it plump, or fleshy.  It is of-a-piece-a complete wine, balanced, totally harmonious.  Because it is somewhat dense, it has a darkness of expression that recalls to me the old descriptor for the wines of Cahors, "black wines."  When I first tasted it, I thought it simple, and imagined that I would tire of drinking it.  Actually it impresses more and more as you drink it.

The 2002 wine is fresher, brighter, leaner, racier--all those attributes that slightly higher acidity can bring.  Like the 2001, it sits at the richest end of medium-bodied, but its energy in the mouth is completely different.  It enlivens and refreshes.  It has very good concentration of fruit character, as well as a slight mineral nuance that 2001 lacks.  I used the word "distinctive" in my tasting note for the 2002 because it doesn't taste quite like anything else.  I am convinced that the 2002 has a good life ahead of it.  I believe it will improve over five years, and remain delicious for several years beyond that.  The 2001 is splendid now, and will stay that way for several years, but I have less faith in its longevity.  I hope that it surprises me.  

I admire the 2001 Château Lagrezette, an exceptionally smooth and refined wine for what is considered a rustic terroir.  And the 2002 excites me.  Fortunately, I don't actually have to choose between them.

2001--Outstanding, 91 points
2002--Outstanding, 90 points