Château d’Armailhac Pauillac 1855 5ième Cru Mouton Baronne Philippe 1986

Rustic but totally charming, a moreish salinity evident on the finish, salt-streaked caramel almost stilton notes, along with creamy raspberry fruit and higher acidity redcurrant and gooseberry. Dusky, truffled, saffron, cassis, wax. Even though this is in its tertiary stage, you can feel the Pauillac tannins, now melted and fully integrated but still holding the fruit in place. 13% new oak barrels for ageing, really a different time, with 84% of production in the 1st wine. Harvest October 2 to 15. Raoul Blondin cellar master (along with his brother Pierre Blondin, who is less well known but was also key). Patrick Leon had arrived as director the year before, in 1985.