2000 Grand Puy Lacoste

I am slowly tasting my way into the 2000 Bordeaux, but this was my first GPL from that vintage. Decanted for nearly 2 hours, this gave me some additional confidence that the overall vintage will come through as advertised. On the nose, this is still reserved, but the very deep cassis and dusty leather and smoke aromas make themselves known nontheless, to the point where I had a hard time pulling my nose out of the glass at all. Some times these brooding, dark and deep aromas are more beguiling than those in a fully mature (20 year) Bordeaux, and this seemed to be a case in point. In the mouth, this is positively succulent, with excellent volume and density, and an almost creamy mouthfeel that comes across as perfectly balanced in all respects--the complete palate experience.