| |
Inventory updated: Tue, Dec 03, 2024 04:02 PM cst
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Argentina |
| Susana Balbo |
2010 |
Nosotros Nomade |
$95 |
6 |
|
| |
|
| Terrazas de Los Andes |
2009 |
Los Castanos Single Parcel Altamira Malbec |
$89 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| | Australia |
| Henschke |
2006 |
Hill of Grace Shiraz |
$499 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Moss Wood |
2021 |
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$566.97 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Penfolds |
1998 |
Grange (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns  |
$3,197.97 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 99 (8/2003): The 1998 Grange will be legendary. A blend of 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, it tips the scales at a whopping 14.5% alcohol. The inky/purple color is followed by an extraordinarily intense nose of creme de cassis intermixed with blueberry and floral notes. As the wine sits in the glass, aromas of meat, plums, and cola also emerge. It is a seamless effort with sweet tannin, well-integrated acidity, sensational extract, and layer upon layer of blackberry and cassis fruit that stain the palate and fill the mouth. Its harmony, freshness, and remarkable length (the finish lasts nearly a minute) suggest an all-time classic. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030.
VM 97 (8/2003): Very deep red-ruby. Smoky, deeply concentrated fruit bomb of a nose: blackberry, dark plum, cassis; creamy vanilla and lightly toasty coconutty oak; and ethereal background notes of white pepper, smoked meats, musky spices, tar and licorice. Profoundly concentrated but velvety-smooth and seamless; impressively muscular and thickly coated with oak, and bound by drying, astringent tannins. Without question the most concentrated Grange of all time, utterly steeped in blackberry flavors; a real show pony. It's also the most alcoholic Grange ever made, and at a declared 14.5% does taste warm and spirity - the first Grange to do so. It also ventures to some degree into the realm of currant and prune. No doubt a brilliant wine, but only time will tell if, with its elevated alcohol and its superripe flavors, this 1998 version ranks with the very best Grange vintages.
WS 97 (12/2008): A wine of surprising subtlety for the vintage, playing its ripe cherry, red plum and herb flavors against firm tannins that have a bit of grit to them. But those lively cherry and raspberry flavors burst through, and there's a nice hint of green herbs lingering around the finish, which doesn't subside easily.--Australian reds blind retrospective. 9,000 cases made. |
|
| | Bordeaux Red |
| Ch. Angelus |
2005 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,465.97 |
4 |
|
| |
WA 100 (6/2015): Following the stunning fragrance of acacia flowers, blueberries, espresso and graphite, this prodigious wine hits the palate with amazing blue and black fruits, sweet tannin, a full-bodied mouthfeel, incredible purity, texture and length. Little is left to chance or imagination in this compelling effort. It is a quintessential style of l’Angelus, only more concentrated and dense than usual. The tannins are sweet and well-integrated, so this is a wine that one can drink despite its infancy at age 10, but it will keep for 40-50 years.
JS 97 (5/2012): Beautifully focused notes of figs and ripe fruit on the nose, this is very perfumed. A lot of material in this wine, the center palate is incredible, lasting for minutes. This is full-bodied and super silky with fine tannins. A pinpointed ball of fruit, think lychee, and hints of chocolate on the finish. Leave this for six to eight years, should be about right in 2018.
NM 95 (2/2015): The Château Angelus 2005 has a powerful bouquet with blackberry, bilberry, freshly cut violets and minerals all very well defined and poised. The palate is full-bodied with pure, quite toasty and slightly lactic black fruit. There is great depth here, immense density and yet it keeps control and focus right to the finish. Perhaps it does not quite possess the precision as the Canon ’05, but it is still a deeply impressive wine from Hubert de Bouard.
WS 96 (3/2008): Black purple in color, with coffee, blackberry and currant on the nose. Full-bodied, with supervelvety tannins and a long aftertaste of toasty oak and ripe fruit. Very close to the 2000. Superb. Best after 2018. 7,000 cases made..
VM 96 (6/2008): Good red-ruby. Deep, sweet aromas and flavors of black raspberry, cassis, graphite and licorice. Wonderfully lush, silky and seamless, with a near-perfect balance of fruit and acidity. Very full in the middle palate but with terrific verve leavening the wine's total ripeness. This really coats the palate with flavor and the very long, slow-building finish features utterly sensual tannins. A great performance for this property. |
|
|
2011 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,886.97 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. d' Armailhac |
2013 |
Pauillac (3x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$379.99 |
7 |
|
| |
| WS 88 (7/2016): Has a taut feel, with focused red currant, blood orange and Campari notes streaking along, lined with a pronounced iron edge. Lightly cedary, with good cut through the finish. Best from 2017 through 2022. |
|
| Ch. Ausone |
2009 |
St. Emilion |
$1,099 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 100 (2/2012): Incredible nose of currants and blueberries. Flowers too. Licorice. Such purity on the nose of Cabernet Franc. Full body, incredible structure, with fabulous tannins and a long, long finish. Built out of stone. The perfect Ausone. Try after 2022.
WA 98+ (2/2012): A masterpiece in the making, proprietor Alain Vauthier’s 2009 Ausone boasts a dense purple color along with notes of powdered chalk, crushed rocks and wild blue, red and black fruits. Extravagantly rich with great minerality, precision and freshness as well as a voluptuous texture (unusual for a baby Ausone), this is an extraordinary wine. Sadly, there are fewer than 1,200 cases ... for the world. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2060+.
VM 97 (3/2019): The 2009 Ausone has a sumptuous bouquet with pure blackberry, raspberry, rose petal and orange blossom aromas. The wine is beautifully defined blossoms with aeration. It becomes very liquorice and menthol-like after 10 minutes’ aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin. It is not a powerful 2009 and it feels sleek and quite tensile. Pure red fruit linger in the mouth with a very deft, almost understated finish. So elegant, so Ausone. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin. |
|
| Chapelle d' Ausone |
2015 |
St. Emilion |
$225 |
4 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Batailley |
2016 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$791.98 |
36 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Belair-Monange |
2020 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$765.99 |
10 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Branaire-Ducru |
2009 |
St. Julien |
$105 |
12 |
|
| |
WA 96 (2/2012): Haut couture becomes a wine! This dense purple wine has the tell-tale notes of flowers and pencil shavings, and its broad aromatics are intense and totally captivating. Powerful, rich, and full, but less tannic than the 2005 and more opulent, this is a dazzling Branaire to drink between 2017-2035.
JS 95 (2/2012): Gorgeous aromas of dark berries and wet earth, with hints of graphite. Full body, with juicy, chewy tannins and a long rich, fruity, and succulent finish. Best ever from here. Try in 2019.
VM 93+ (7/2012): Bright, deep ruby. Superripe, brooding aromas of black cherry, bitter chocolate and licorice. Sweet, concentrated and fine-grained, with terrific depth to the plush cassis and coffee liqueur flavors. Serious dusty, fine tannins will not stand in the way of early approachability but this wine has the structure for a 20+-year life in bottle.
WS 93 (3/2012): A ripe, chewy, muscular style, with good cut despite the hefty tar, blackberry, roasted fig and singed apple wood notes. The long, anise-stained finish lets the tarry edge play out, though this shows a touch more finesse than some of its colleagues. Best from 2015 through 2025. 12,000 cases made.
NM 92 (1/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Branaire Ducru ‘09 seems more forward than other wines, a touch of VA informing the sweet red fruits. The palate is medium-bodied with slightly jammy redcurrant and cranberry fruit laced with soy. The finish is missing some of the tension and purity of its peers although it appears to meliorate in the glass. |
|
| Roc des Cambes |
2014 |
Cotes de Bourg (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$478.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 89-92 (4/2015): The 2014 Roc de Cambes is all perfume and silk in the glass. Understated and lifted in style, the 2014 is beautifully layered, with plenty of sweet red cherry, rose petal, mint and spice. All the elements are nuanced and delineated in an open-knit wine that should offer a wide window of fine drinking. The blend is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Ch. Les Carmes Haut Brion |
2016 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$973.99 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 99 (2/2019): Readers looking for the next superstar in Bordeaux need to jump on the bandwagon of Les Carmes Haut-Brion, who have produced one of the wines of the vintage in 2016. The 2016 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion checks in as a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon that hit 13.8% natural alcohol and spent 22 months in 65% new French oak. Its deep purple color is followed by a complex bouquet of high-class smoke tobacco, decaying flowers, charcoal, gravelly minerality and loads of sweet black and blue fruit. Possessing full-bodied richness, flawless integration of its acidity, fruit, and ultra-fine tannins, and a blockbuster finish, this is another 2016 that possess both power and elegance. Do your best to hide bottles for 5-7 years and it will keep for 3-4 decades. Don’t miss it. Tasted twice.
VM 98 (1/2019): The 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is very clearly one of the wines of the vintage. Breathtaking in its beauty, the 2016 soars from the glass with stunning aromatic and flavor intensity. Red cherry jam, wild flowers, mint, blood orange and sage are some of many notes that develop. In the glass, the 2016 is a vivid, statuesque, exotic wine that takes over all the senses as it delivers tons of pure pleasure. Readers should plan on cellaring the 2016 for at least a few years, but that will be virtually impossible. The 2016 is a towering masterpiece from Les Carmes Haut-Brion and Technical Director Guillaume Pouthier. Tasted three times. Antonio Galloni.
WS 96 (3/2019): This offers alluring waves of ganache-tinged plum sauce, blackberry reduction and steeped açaí fruit flavors, while tobacco and singed mesquite notes hang in the background. Shows a lovely bramble echo through the finish, with the fruit easily keeping pace. This has range, distinctive mouthfeel and serious length. There's a new player officially in the Pessac game... Best from 2023 through 2038. 3,333 cases made.
WA 95+ (11/2018): The 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 39% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 65% new and 35% one-year-old oak for 22 months. This vintage represents one of the largest percentages of Cabernet Franc for this wine. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it gives notes of kirsch, black raspberries and black plums with touches of cassis, violets, chocolate box and pencil shavings. The palate is medium-bodied, firm, grainy and lively with loads of layers and a long, well-poised finish. |
|
| Carruades de Lafite |
2009 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,969.99 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Le Petit Cheval |
2011 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$925.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 90 (7/2014): Polished, offering good mouthfeel to the layers of fig sauce, crushed plum and licorice. Judicious toast frames the finish, with a hint of charcoal adding length. A little lighter than when tasted from barrel, but still balanced and refined without trying too hard. Drink now through 2020.
JS 90 (2/2014): A wine with pretty balance of fruit and spices, with berry, hazelnut and cocoa. Full to medium body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. Second wine of Cheval. Better in 2015.
WA 89 (4/2014): The quality of Cheval Blanc’s second wine continues to go from strength to strength. For example, the 2011 Le Petit Cheval reveals savory, high-brow nuances along with black currant, black cherry, spice box and mineral notes. Round, generous and medium-bodied, this sleeper of the vintage is ideal for drinking over the next decade or more.
VM 88 (7/2014): Bright medium red. Strawberry, redcurrant and violet on the nose. Juicy and vinous, with redcurrant and delicate coffee flavors showing good sweetness and plenty of early appeal. Finishes moderately long and a bit simple, with a hint of dusty minerals, repeating floral nuances and smooth tannins. A lovely wine expressing pristine aromas and flavors. Pierre Lurton and technical director Pierre-Olivier Clouet told me that the final blend is 72% merlot and 28% cabernet franc (it was 75% merlot and 25% cabernet franc during the Primeurs). |
|
| Ch. Cheval-Blanc |
2016 |
St. Emilion |
$745 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 100 (11/2018): The 2016 Cheval Blanc is blended of 59.5% Merlot, 37.2% Cabernet Franc and 3.3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose is incredibly youthful yet not so shy as some other 2016s at this stage, giving wonderfully intense scents of red currants, black cherries, wild blueberries and violets with nuances of star anise, cinnamon stick, rose hip tea, cigar box and wood smoke plus a touch of beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has jaw-dropping elegance and depth, offering up layer upon layer of fragrant red and black fruits plus an extraordinary array of mineral sparks, supported by a rock-solid grainy texture, finishing with epic persistence and an edifying perfume. This is a very different style from the rich, opulently hedonic 2015, yet this wonderfully fragrant, beautifully poised and intellectually compelling 2016 is equally extraordinary.
VM 98 (8/2020): The 2016 Cheval Blanc has an exquisite bouquet of pixelated black and red fruit, crushed stone, violets and seamlessly integrated new oak; this is utterly seductive. The medium-bodied palate reveals a hint of marmalade on the entry. Powerful and dense, this is an impressive, almost heady nascent wine with plenty of grip and sinew toward the finish. Maybe it lacks that crystalline detail at the moment, but it is clearly a long-term proposition. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting. Neal Martin.
JD 97 (2/2019): The grand vin 2016 Château Cheval Blanc checks in as 60% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new barrels, and this is the first year a replanted block of Cabernet Sauvignon has made the top cuvee. Compared to the 2001 by Pierre Lurton, it displays stunning aromatic fireworks with notions of blackcurrants, forest floor, iron bar, graphite, and spice all soaring from the glass. It develops more floral nuances with time in the glass and, as always with this cuvee, it’s all about complexity and elegance. More medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannins and perfect balance, it’s a decidedly classic, focused, elegant wine from this estate that will keep for 3-4 decades.
WS 97 (3/2019): This has turned into a very dense wine, with waves of cassis, plum reduction and blackberry paste forming the core. Wrapped tightly in layers of tobacco and loam for now, while singed alder, incense, black tea and bergamot notes peek in here and there. The finish rumbles like thunder for now, with the swath of tannins, and there's just a twinge of drought-induced austerity. But there's acidity and drive too, and this will cruise in the cellar for some time. Best from 2025 through 2045.
JD 99 (1/2019): Wet earth and sliced, fresh mushrooms. Menthol. Dark berries, such as blackberries and blueberries. Full-bodied, dense and whole, but you don’t feel the tannins, even though it is so powerful and structured. Detailed and defined. Cashmere. Wonderful finish. Glorious young Cheval. Try after 2025, but so wonderful already. |
|
| Le Clarence de Haut Brion |
2011 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,475.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Cos d'Estournel |
2004 |
St. Estephe (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,651.97 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (11/2018): The 2004 Cos d'Estournel is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet in color with a touch of brick, the nose is still very youthful, sporting notions of plum preserves, blackcurrant cordial and Black Forest cake with hints of garrigue, wild sage, charcuterie, black olives and unsmoked cigars. The medium to full-bodied palate is generously fruited with bags of earthy and black fruit preserves layers, framed by chewy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long.
WS 94 (3/2007): Loads of currant and blackberry, with hints of Indian spices. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a long, caressing finish. Round and generous for the vintage. Best after 2011. 15,000 cases made.
VM 91 (6/2007): Deep red-ruby. Aromas of cassis, plum, licorice and coconutty oak. Round, suave and ripe, with lovely depth of flavor and a pliant, full texture for the year. This doesn't have quite the thrust of the 2006, but it's lively and fresh, and finishes ripely tannic and long. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
|
2010 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,503.97 |
7 |
|
| |
WA 99 (3/2020): Deep garnet in color, the 2010 Cos d'Estournel unfurls slowly, measuredly, releasing delicate notes of dried mulberries, stewed plums and blackcurrant pastilles before giving way to notions of potpourri, black cherry compote and chocolate box plus touches of dried sage, tobacco and new leather. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a rock-solid foundation of very firm, grainy tannins and very lively acidity supporting the remarkable intensity of tightly wound fruit layers, finishing very long and fragrant. Give it another 4-5 years in bottle and this will be stunning!
JS 98 (10/2016): There’s clarity and beauty to this wine as always with pure dark berry, stones and spices. Some clove too. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long finish. Pure and precise wine with so much class. Try in 2020.
VM 97 (4/2020): The 2010 Cos d’Estournel is initially backward on the nose, yet it eventually unfurls to reveal pixelated black fruit, crushed stone, cedar and pine cones, wonderful precision and focus. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins that frame the multi-layered black fruit laced with cedar and black pepper. Great body, superb length and outstanding precision on the finish - what more would you want? Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. Neal Martin.
WS 97 (12/2015): A great contrast to the '09, this feels even denser, with dark plum, black currant and fig sauce flavors that pump along. The spine is all graphite and chalk, giving this a riveting feel through the finish. The cut is terrific, no easy feat considering how dense the fruit is. A stunning wine.—Non-blind Cos-d'Estournel vertical (December 2015). Best from 2025 through 2045. |
|
|
2018 |
St. Estephe (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$854.97 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 97-100 (4/2019): The 2018 Cos d'Estournel is composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc and has 14.59% alcohol. Aging in 50% new barriques, it has a deep purple-black color and drifts effortlessly, gracefully, seductively out of the glass with slowly unfurling notions of blackcurrant cordial, wild blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries and plum pudding with touches of violets, licorice, wild roses and yeast extract plus a waft of loose tobacco. The full-bodied palate is built like a brick house with a solid frame of super firm, super ripe tannins and seamless freshness to back up the vibrant, crunchy, oh-so-muscular fruit, finishing long with loads of mineral layers. Amazing structure will keep this beauty for at least half a century and probably a full one!
VM 97-100 (5/2019): A regal, soaring Saint-Estèphe, the 2018 Cos d'Estournel is also clearly one of the wines of the vintage. On the palate, the 2018 is dark and sumptuous, with striking aromatic presence and silky tannins that wrap around a rich core of exotic fruit. Black cherry, savory herbs, leather, spice and menthol build in the glass in a wine that is both aromatically intense and richly textured. The 2018 has been nothing short of breathtaking on the two occasions I have tasted it so far. Don't miss it. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97-99+ (5/2019): Deeply colored, the 2018 Cos D'Estournel shows the incredible purity and elegance that this estate delivers these days as well as fabulous crème de cassis, graphite, white flowers, and spicy oak aromas and flavors. Made from 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot, aging in 50% new barrels, it builds with time in the glass and has a full-bodied, decadent yet also seamless mouthfeel, layers of tannins, and a great finish. This is as classy as it gets and certainly a candidate for the King of Saint-Estèphe in 2018. Given its purity and balance as well as depth of fruit, it should offer loads of pleasure in its youth yet also evolve nicely for 3-4 decades. This estate has been on an incredible roll over the past 7-8 years and this is another killer wine. For those interested in the technical data, this wine hit 14.59% alcohol, with a pH of 3.69, total acids of 3.3, and a whopping IPT of 80. 97-99+
JS 98-99 (4/2019): The beautiful integration of ripe fruit and ripe tannins gives the wine a layered and agile mouthfeel. Soft and gorgeous with silky tannins that really kick in at the finish and carry the wine for a long time. |
|
|
2018 |
St. Estephe (3x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$885.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97-100 (4/2019): The 2018 Cos d'Estournel is composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc and has 14.59% alcohol. Aging in 50% new barriques, it has a deep purple-black color and drifts effortlessly, gracefully, seductively out of the glass with slowly unfurling notions of blackcurrant cordial, wild blueberries, chocolate-covered cherries and plum pudding with touches of violets, licorice, wild roses and yeast extract plus a waft of loose tobacco. The full-bodied palate is built like a brick house with a solid frame of super firm, super ripe tannins and seamless freshness to back up the vibrant, crunchy, oh-so-muscular fruit, finishing long with loads of mineral layers. Amazing structure will keep this beauty for at least half a century and probably a full one!
VM 97-100 (5/2019): A regal, soaring Saint-Estèphe, the 2018 Cos d'Estournel is also clearly one of the wines of the vintage. On the palate, the 2018 is dark and sumptuous, with striking aromatic presence and silky tannins that wrap around a rich core of exotic fruit. Black cherry, savory herbs, leather, spice and menthol build in the glass in a wine that is both aromatically intense and richly textured. The 2018 has been nothing short of breathtaking on the two occasions I have tasted it so far. Don't miss it. Antonio Galloni.
JD 97-99+ (5/2019): Deeply colored, the 2018 Cos D'Estournel shows the incredible purity and elegance that this estate delivers these days as well as fabulous crème de cassis, graphite, white flowers, and spicy oak aromas and flavors. Made from 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot, aging in 50% new barrels, it builds with time in the glass and has a full-bodied, decadent yet also seamless mouthfeel, layers of tannins, and a great finish. This is as classy as it gets and certainly a candidate for the King of Saint-Estèphe in 2018. Given its purity and balance as well as depth of fruit, it should offer loads of pleasure in its youth yet also evolve nicely for 3-4 decades. This estate has been on an incredible roll over the past 7-8 years and this is another killer wine. For those interested in the technical data, this wine hit 14.59% alcohol, with a pH of 3.69, total acids of 3.3, and a whopping IPT of 80. 97-99+
JS 98-99 (4/2019): The beautiful integration of ripe fruit and ripe tannins gives the wine a layered and agile mouthfeel. Soft and gorgeous with silky tannins that really kick in at the finish and carry the wine for a long time. |
|
| Ch. Les Cruzelles |
2014 |
Lalande de Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$194.99 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 91 (3/2017): The 2014 Les Cruzelles is a blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc picked between 24-29 September. It has a little more ripeness on the nose compared to the La Chenade, very perfumed with subtle violet and iris aromas, later a hint of orange blossom. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin with ample blackberry and bilberry; grainy in texture with a pleasurable marine/oyster shell element lending personality on the finish. This is very fine. |
|
| Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou |
1990 |
St. Julien (3.0 L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$908.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 82 (8/2000): A pleasant red but slightly papery, with mineral, berry and cardboard aromas. Medium-bodied, with silky tannins and a medium, papery finish.--1990 Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now. 17,000 cases made.
MB [**] (5/1999): First noted in October 1994 at a British Airways tasting for Concorde: opaque; unknit, slightly woody; full but severe- a long haul wine in both senses. Two months later, at the MW tasting, slight woodiness noted again but easier on the palate. At a pre-sale tasting in January 1999, still' 'unknit', good body, tannic. Four months later, still deep and intense, but its cedary nose a bit raw, 'not on top form'. Nevertheless, on the palate quite shapely, 'well-mannered', but something missing. A rather disappointing Ducru.
WA (NR) (11/1996): Many bottles of 1990 Ducru-Beaucaillou have exhibited a damp, musty, cardboard component in the nose that obliterated the wine's fruit. The color was a healthy deep ruby/purple, and the wine possessed moderate weight and length, but, as I have written in the past, too many bottles seem musty, giving the impression of being corked. Interestingly, a bottle served at a friend's house on New Year's Day was unquestionably a 90-point wine, exhibiting no off aromas. Last tasted 11/96. Fortunately, this was the last year for the musty problem in Ducru's wines. |
|
|
2008 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,102.97 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 95+ (5/2011): One of the stars of the vintage, and a remarkable achievement in 2008, with impressive richness, this dense purple colored wine is almost as opaque as the 2010. Spring flowers, crushed rocks, creme de cassis and some subtle oak are followed by a full-bodied, concentrated wine that transcends the vintage character in its power, richness, and aging potential. It also exhibits tremendous precision, purity, and depth of character. It is more forward than the 2010 is likely to be, but probably not as sumptuous as the 2009 will turn out to be. This is a wine to buy. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2035.
JS 94 (12/2010): Wow. This is really impressive for the vintage, with a solid core of raspberry, currants and spices. Full and round, with velvety tannins and a long, long finish. Superb winemaking for the vintage. Try after 2013.
VM 92+ (8/2011): Ruby-red. Pungent, vibrant aromas of cassis, bitter chocolate and graphite. Silky and seamless, but with terrific lift to the tight core of raspberry, mineral and chocolate flavors. Strong but integrated acidity gives superb vinosity to the wine's racy fruit. Finishes brisk, perfumed and long, with suave, dusty tannins. This wine went into a shell with aeration, suggesting that it will need at least several years of bottle aging. I would not be surprised if it merited an even higher score ten years down the road.
WS 92 (4/2011): This is dark and brooding, with a tarry wall holding the black currant, melted licorice and espresso notes at bay for now. Extra roasted sage, cedar and briar push in on the finish, which shows an old-school hint. Rock-solid. Best from 2013 through 2021. |
|
|
2010 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,965.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 100 (11/2013): The nose is phenomenal with perfect aromas of Cabernet Sauvignon with currant bush, blackberries and minerals. A pure expression of Cab. The palate is perfect with a full body, but has perfectly integrated tannins with a texture like the finest cashmere. It's strong but noble with perfect form and beauty. All in harmony. A fabulous wine that everyone who loves Bordeaux should have a bottle or case of. Better in 2020.
WA 98+ (3/2029): Deep garnet colored, the 2010 Ducru-Beaucaillou bursts from the glass with bold, expressive blackcurrant cordial, baked plums and mulberries scents plus wafts of menthol, Marmite toast, black olives and dried lavender. Full-bodied, the palate is built like a brick house, with solid walls of super firm, super ripe tannins and bold freshness supporting the muscular black fruits, finishing with great length.
JD 98+ (11/2017): A monumental wine that’s going to be just about immortal is the 2010 Ducru-Beaucaillou. Coming from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot brought up in new barrels, it sports a saturated purple color to go with dense, yet incredibly pure, classic notes of crème de cassis, lead pencil, crushed rocks and liquid violets. With full-bodied richness, a massive, unctuous texture, and again, incredible purity, it needs to be forgotten for 7-8 years and will keep for just about as long as you’ll like to hang onto bottles.
NM 97 (1/2014): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. The Ducru Beaucaillou 2010 has a very classic bouquet with intense blackberry, briary and tobacco aromas - very expressive Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Pauillac mint developing with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with crisp acidity, very linear but with lovely focus and class. This is a beautifully crafted Saint Julien with style and panache.
WS 97 (3/2013): Not shy at all, with a flamboyant, aromatic profile of roasted apple wood and warm ganache, featuring more than enough stuffing in the form of thickly layered blackberry paste, steeped fig and pastis-soaked plum flavors. The structure is massive but incredibly polished, and the fruit displays terrific purity through the graphite-supported finish. Large-scale and extremely well-rendered. Best from 2020 through 2040. 8,416 cases made.
VM 95+ (7/2013): Medium red-ruby. Sexy, ripe aromas of black- and redcurrant, cedar and minerals, lifted by a subtle minty note; an essence of perfumed Saint-Julien cabernet sauvignon. Then rich, deep and incredibly vibrant, displaying major dimensions for Ducru as well as a dense kernel of complex, delineated blackcurrant, red cherry, milk chocolate, cedar and fresh herb flavor. Finishes wonderfully long and subtle, with suave tannins that eventually dust the front teeth and a quintessentially silky texture. If the 2010 vintage is a modern classic, this wine could be Exhibit A. Stephen Tanzer. |
|
| Ch. Duhart Milon |
2009 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,311.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 97 (2/2012): A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot, it displays an inky/blue/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of creme de cassis, forest floor, licorice, lead pencil, cedar and subtle barrique smells. Viscous and full-bodied, it is the most concentrated and broadest example of this cuvee I have tasted in over three decades. It will be ready to drink in 5-7 years and should last for three decades or more. Consumers looking to maximize value should be checking out Duhart Milon, as this may be the single smartest purchase in this great and historic vintage!
NM 96 (7/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. To the astonishment of our group of experienced palates, the Duhart-Milon '09 took on all-comers under blind conditions and triumphed. I always regarded it as a fantastic Pauillac but this good? I mean ... it received a higher average group score than almost every Grand Vin. It has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, mulberry, quince and a touch of dried flowers picked from down in Margaux. There is a slight meaty tincture suggesting some Cabernet Franc? The palate is medium-bodied but with superb fruit concentration. Again, there is a beguiling sense of precision and harmony that lends the finish weightlessness and poise. This is an effortless wine and a benchmark Duhart. Bravo! Tasted January 2013.
JS 95 (2/2012): This is superb, with so much beautiful subtle fruit and wonderful flowers. Full and very lively, with super fine tannins and a lively finish. Very exciting. Best ever from here. Try in 2018.
WS 92 (3/2012): This takes a fleshy, rather toasty approach, showing roasted plum and black currant fruit, with a smoked mesquite note on the loam-tinged finish. There's more breadth than depth, but this has the latent minerality to last a long time in the cellar. Best from 2015 through 2027. |
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|
2012 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,075.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 92 (2/2015): Lots of currants, dried strawberries, sweet tobacco and cedar on the nose. Full to medium body and a solid structure. Reminds me of some Outstanding Lafites of the 1980s such as 1985. A little tight and closed. Try in 2020.
VM 90 (1/2016): A deep, generous wine, the 2012 Duhart-Milon offers lovely depth and resonance throughout. Black fruit, graphite, smoke and licorice are some of the signatures. The 2012 is a bit rustic and rough around the edges, but it has enough depth to drink well for another decade plus. Antonio Galloni.
WS 90 (3/2015): Red currant, cherry and pomegranate notes form the core and flesh out steadily through the finish, picking up apple wood and anise accents along the way. Features polished grip through the finish, with a light echo of loam lending some contrast. Best from 2017 through 2025. 25,000 cases made.
WA 89 (4/2015): This property has enjoyed the considerable investments from the Rothschild family and the quality of the wines over the last generation has been increasingly impressive. I’ve always written that if you can’t afford Lafite Rothschild, why not try Duhart Milon, which is not far off the quality of its much more famous neighbor. Spicy, deep ruby/purple with notes of cassis, cedar wood and spice box, the wine is soft, round, juicy, medium-bodied and ideal for drinking now and over the next 15 or so years. It is not one of their finest efforts, but it is certainly well-made, supple-textured and seductive. |
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| Ch. L' Eglise Clinet |
2011 |
Pomerol (3.0 L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$504.98 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (4/2014): With a dense ruby/purple color is followed by a pure nose of mulberries, cherry liqueur and spring flowers, but no hint of oak, this full-bodied, opulent, rich beauty exhibits impressive purity, texture, richness and length. Not as structured or tannic as Trotanoy, it moves more in the direction of the opulence and flashy, showy fruit of Hosanna and Petrus. It should drink well for 15-20 years. |
|
| Ch. L' Evangile |
2019 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$966.99 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96-98 (6/2020): The 2019 L'Evangile is composed of 83.5% Merlot, 16% Cabernet Franc and 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, harvested from the 13th of September to the 3rd of October. The alcohol comes in at 14.6%. Deep garnet-purple colored, the nose hits the ground running with opulent scents of ripe black cherries, dried mulberries, baked plums and warm blueberries plus hints of candied violets, licorice, molten chocolate and wild sage with just a drop of hoisin. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is wonderfully concentrated with seductive layers of exotic spice-laced black fruit preserves and a velvety texture, finishing long and with just enough freshness. Tantalizingly moreish!
VM 91-93 (6/2020): The 2019 L'evangile was picked from 13 September, expediting the picking of the young Merlot that was threatened by hydric stress, the Cabernet Franc picked 22-27 September. This is the first vintage to include a "pinch" of Cabernet Sauvignon from the newly planted plot, for now just 0.5% of the blend. Matured in 75% new oak instead of the usual 100%, it has a rich and opulent bouquet with mulberry and blueberry fruit. I am seeking just a little more delineation and nerve vis-à-vis its peers, more clarity and terroir expression. The palate is medium-bodied with soft, rounded tannins that impart a seductive creamy texture, a leitmotif of this Pomerol cru and vintage. I would prefer more Cabernet influence towards the finish that would lend more dimension and personality. It is a sensual Pomerol but the oak still seems superfluous and detrimental to clarity on the finish. Neal Martin
JD 96-98 (6/2020): A rocking bouquet of blue fruits, dark chocolate, damp earth, and violet emerges from the 2019 Château L'Evangile, a slightly fresher yet still deep, concentrated expression of this château. Full-bodied, with beautiful tannins, a great mid-palate, and certainly no shortage of length on the finish, it has the silky, seamless style of the vintage, yet I'd still give bottles a solid 7-8 years in a cold cellar. It's a slightly changed style but still gorgeous.
JS 97-98 (6/2020): Lots of black-olive, crushed-berry and wet-earth aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, yet polished with a very fine, velvety texture from the tannins. It’s long and structured with a blue-fruit and stone undertone to the palate. Some sage, too. More balanced than in the past. Extremely persistent on the palate. 83.5% merlot, 16% cabernet franc and 0.5% cabernet sauvignon. |
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|
2021 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,071.99 |
1 |
|
| |
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| Ch. de Fieuzal |
2010 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$822.97 |
1 |
|
| |
NM 92 (3/2014): Tasted blind at the Southwold Bordeaux 2010 tasting. This is a strong showing from de Fieuzal. It has a pretty bouquet with perfumed floral red berry fruit and nicely integrated oak - natural but not short-changing you in flavour. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, pointed acidity, dusky black fruit with a linear, but quite classy finish. This is a very competent de Fieuzal that should age with style.
WS 92 (3/2013): A sleek, ripe, driven wine, with raspberry, black currant and pastis-soaked plum notes at the core, lined with well-embedded toast, ganache and tobacco hints. The finely beaded acidity stitches this up nicely on the lengthy finish. Best from 2015 through 2030.
VM 91 (8/2013): Good deep ruby-red. Dark berries and spicy, cedary oak dominate the nose. Supple and broad but a bit less creamy in the early going than is normal for this wine. Sexy, soil-driven flavors of plum, tobacco, cigar box and spices show good energy. Firm tannins clamp down on the finish without introducing any dryness. A rather classically styled Fieuzal with good mid-term aging potential.
WA 90 (2/2013): A more tannic, backward style of Pessac-Leognan, this wine has attractive, elegant notes of sweet plum, fig, tobacco leaf and red and black currants. It is medium-bodied, elegant, rich and persistent on the palate. The tannins are still relatively elevated and the wine in need of 4-6 years of cellaring. It should keep for at least two decades or more. |
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| Ch. Figeac |
2009 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,654.97 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 95 (2/2018): The 2009 Château Figeac is the normal blend of close to equal parts Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a beautiful wine that has classic Figeac style, yet is more reserved and backward than most in the vintage. Forest floor, truffle, blackcurrants, cigar ash and green tobacco notes all emerge from this full-bodied, ripe, yet pure, elegant Saint-Emilion that has good acidity and plenty of length. The tannins are ripe, yet firm, it’s nicely balanced, and it blossoms with time in the glass. Nevertheless, it needs another 4-5 years of cellaring to hit prime time, and it should keep for 2-3 decades.
WA 94 (3/2019): The medium garnet colored 2009 Figeac features a very pretty perfume of rose hip tea, lilacs and cinnamon stick over a core of red and black currant preserves plus hints of dried herbs and sweaty saddles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers bags of savory fruit layers with plenty of floral sparks, framed by rounded tannins, finishing on a earthy note.
VM 94 (12/2021): The 2009 Figeac is a gorgeous wine that is really coming into its own. It has quite a precocious bouquet with wild strawberry, blood orange, fig jam, marmalade and gravelly aromas courtesy of the Cabernets. There is real depth on what is quite lush aromatics. The palate is beautifully balanced, very pure with a velvet texture, plenty of ripe red fruit, white pepper, clove, blood orange and kirsch notes, building wonderful towards a powerful yet controlled finish. This is drinking supremely well now, but it will cruise at high altitude for a number of years. Tasted at the château. Neal Martin. |
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| Ch. La Fleur de Gay |
2021 |
Pomerol (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$593.99 |
36 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Pomerol (12x375ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$620.99 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Pomerol (3x1.5L)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$604.99 |
4 |
|
| |
|
|
2021 |
Pomerol (3x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$328.99 |
7 |
|
| |
|
| Les Forts de Latour |
2009 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,519.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 95 (2/2012): Possibly the best second wine ever made at Latour (and I love how the 1982 is drinking at age 30), the 2009 Les Forts de Latour is composed of two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot blended with a tiny dollop of Petit Verdot, and finished at 13.5% alcohol. Juicy notes of creme de cassis, licorice, camphor, smoke and crushed rocks are followed by a rich, unctuously textured, thick, juicy, exceptionally pure, long wine. This beauty will be at its finest in several years and should keep for three decades.
JS 95 (2/2012): The aromas are so floral, with currants and blueberries as well. Succulent. Full and very balanced, with super velvety tannins and a long and lovely finish. Frederic Engerer, president of Latour, uses the word “succulent” to describe it. He’s right. I like the word gorgeous as well. Try in 2018, but hard not to drink.
NM 93 (1/2013): Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Les Forts de Latour has a very fragrant, floral bouquet with lifted blackberry, raspberry cheesecake, vanilla and graphite on the nose. The palate is full-bodied with succulent ripe black fruit on the entry. It is fleshier than its peers, with very good weight and a smooth, rounded, velvety finish that is seeking a little more precision and tension.
WS 93 (3/2012): This has purity and precision, with mouthwatering blackberry, black currant and steeped plum fruit racing along, nicely laced with graphite and studded with enticing ganache and iron notes through the finish. Sleek, but the grip is there. Best from 2014 through 2028. 10,830 cases made.
VM 90+ (7/2012): Ruby-red. Pungently fragrant aromas of blackcurrant and cedar complicated by quinine and bay leaf. Rich, dense and suave, with rather brooding flavors of blackberry, plum liqueur, aromatic herbs and forest floor. This has shut down since the Primeurs and will need patience. Lacks only the generosity of the grand vin but should be Outstanding. And it's a remarkable second wine. |
|
| Ch. Haut-Brion |
2006 |
Pessac Leognan |
$545 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 96 (2/2009): The 2006 Haut-Brion performed even better from bottle than it did from barrel. Sixty-four percent of the production went into this wine, and while it displays the vintage’s powerful tannins and structure, it possesses superb concentration, and the minerality/scorched earth notes of a great Haut-Brion. Medium to full-bodied, with perhaps not quite the fleshiness of the 2005 or 2000, it is built more along the lines of the 1998 and 1996. It is a brilliant effort displaying sensational purity, texture, and length that should be exceptionally long-lived. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2035 .
VM 95 (6/2009): Medium ruby-red. Inviting aromas of plum, warm stones, red licorice and menthol. Suave, gentle and elegantly styled; distinctly sweeter and lusher today than the La Mission, with even more mid-palate depth. Showing more red fruits today as well, with pungent minerality giving the wine lift and juiciness. Finishes with suave but substantial building tannins. Last year this wine was showing its spine while La Mission was more opulent; in bottle it's the other way around.
WS 94 (3/2009): Offers subtle and complex aromas, with violet, cedar and blackberry. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a very long finish. Tight and curled up in a ball. Best after 2015. 11,000 cases made.
NM 93+ (4/2007): Tasted blind at Southwold ’06 Bordeaux tasting. At this stage, the Haut Brion ’06 is a little disjointed on the nose: blackberry, cold black tea, autumn leaves in an October bonfire, a touch of damson and even a slither of marmalade. Good definition but needs time to meld. The palate is rounded and supple on the entry, saturated tannins, black cherries, damson, cassis, lower acidity, very caressing with a smooth cohesive, fleshy finish with beguiling weight and persistency. |
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|
2020 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$5,377.98 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 100 (3/2023): I finished my trip through Bordeaux with the 2020 Château Haut-Brion, and it was certainly a fitting cap to the trip. Revealing a deep ruby/plum hue, the 2020 exhibits extraordinary aromatics of ripe black fruits, scorched earth, cold fireplace, and acacia flowers. An absolute blockbuster on the palate, this structured, full-bodied, massively concentrated Pessac builds incrementally, with ultra-fine tannins, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a great, great finish. Richer and more concentrated than both the 2018 and 2019 (there are some similarities to 2010), this is a legend in the making. The blend is 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc, all of which will spend 15-18 months in 77% new French oak. Hide bottles for a decade, and it should evolve for 50-75 years.
JS 100 (4/2021): This is a superb Haut-Brion with incredible tannins that are wonderfully fine-grained. It’s really powerful. This is very primary with so much grape-generated tannin structure. Very, very long, going on for minutes. Seductive and friendly at the start and then takes you on at the finish with so much structure. Wine of the vintage?
VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Haut-Brion is shaping up to be one of the wines of the year. Substance, depth and textural intensity elevate Haut-Brion into the realm of the sublime in 2020. All the elements are so wonderfully balanced. Inky dark fruit, gravel, lavender, violet and dark spice build as the 2020 gradually opens with some aeration. Wow. Neal Martin.
WA 98-100 (5/2021): The 2020 Haut-Brion is a blend of 42.8% Merlot, 39.7% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17.5% Cabernet Franc, harvested from 7th to 29th September, with an estimated alcohol of 15% and a pH of 3.8. Opaque purple-black colored, it leaps from the glass with a first wave of vibrant black raspberries, ripe blackberries and mulberries scents, followed by a powerful core of warm cassis, dark chocolate and violets, before bursting into an array of crushed rocks, iron ore, tree bark and black truffles notes. The concentrated, densely packed, full-bodied palate is not in the least bit heavy, delivering a refreshing backbone of red berry and dried herbs suggestions, framed by seamless acidity and very finely grained tannins, finishing on an epically long, fragrant earth note. Simply stunning. |
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| L' If |
2016 |
St. Emilion (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$845.99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Ch. Lafite Rothschild |
1975 |
Pauillac Very Top-Shoulder Fill |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (2/1996): Why is it that Lafite-Rothschild is often so distressingly irregular from bottle to bottle? Much of the inconsistency during the sixties and mid-seventies can be explained by the relaxed bottling schedule, which saw the wines blended and bottled over an unusually long period (12+ months, compared to the estate's modern day bottling operation that never takes longer than 2-4 weeks). I have had some great bottles of the 1975 Lafite, most of them in the wine's first 15 years of life. Since then, I have seen wines that appeared cooked and stewed, with a Barolo tar-like aroma, as well as others with the classic Pauillac, lead-pencil, cedar, cassis, and tobacco aromatic dimension. The 1975 is a powerful Lafite, and troublesome bottles tend to reveal more tannin and funkiness than others, which have a roasted character, combined with a gravelly, mineral underpinning. As this wine has aged, it appears to be less of a sure bet. In most cases, it has been an Outstanding wine, as the bottle tasted in December suggested. The aromatics indicate the wine is fully mature, but the tough tannin level clearly underscores the dark side of the 1975 vintage. This wine will undoubtedly last for another 30+ years, but I am not sure the fruit will hold. It is a perplexing wine that may still turn out to be an exceptional Lafite. In contrast, the 1976 has always been much more forward and consistent. However, I would still take the 1975 over the overrated, mediocre 1970, 1966, and 1961.
MB [***] (9/1998): Curiously, p;icking at Lafite began on exactly the same date as in 1959. It certainly started off well, with positive fruit and a lovely spicy flavour when first tasted in cask twelve monoths later. It opened up beautifully, positively swelling in the glass, gaining complexity but its tanning not quite masked by its richness- this was in the late 190s. Showing pretty well at Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' tasting (though rarely did it ever come top). It was a question whether the fruit and extract could keep the tannin at bay. A tNils Sternby's tasting of 1964s (not just Bordeaux) in Malmo (1995), his magnum was very distinctive, very fragrant on nose and palate. Tannin very noticeable. I gave it the same mark (tasted blind) as hte Latour, but fracionally below Mouton. Most recently, a rather disappointing bottle at a rather grand dinner party: mature looking; nose- to me- of 'iron' underpinned by liquorice. I added 'oh dear, not very nice'. I now doubt if it will improve.
WS 71 (11/1991): A pungent-smelling wine, with vegetal flavors and very little appeal. Could be corky. Another bottle was better, but overripe in character.--Lafite Rothschild vertical. |
|
|
1975 |
Pauillac Top-Shoulder Fill |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (2/1996): Why is it that Lafite-Rothschild is often so distressingly irregular from bottle to bottle? Much of the inconsistency during the sixties and mid-seventies can be explained by the relaxed bottling schedule, which saw the wines blended and bottled over an unusually long period (12+ months, compared to the estate's modern day bottling operation that never takes longer than 2-4 weeks). I have had some great bottles of the 1975 Lafite, most of them in the wine's first 15 years of life. Since then, I have seen wines that appeared cooked and stewed, with a Barolo tar-like aroma, as well as others with the classic Pauillac, lead-pencil, cedar, cassis, and tobacco aromatic dimension. The 1975 is a powerful Lafite, and troublesome bottles tend to reveal more tannin and funkiness than others, which have a roasted character, combined with a gravelly, mineral underpinning. As this wine has aged, it appears to be less of a sure bet. In most cases, it has been an Outstanding wine, as the bottle tasted in December suggested. The aromatics indicate the wine is fully mature, but the tough tannin level clearly underscores the dark side of the 1975 vintage. This wine will undoubtedly last for another 30+ years, but I am not sure the fruit will hold. It is a perplexing wine that may still turn out to be an exceptional Lafite. In contrast, the 1976 has always been much more forward and consistent. However, I would still take the 1975 over the overrated, mediocre 1970, 1966, and 1961.
MB [***] (9/1998): Curiously, p;icking at Lafite began on exactly the same date as in 1959. It certainly started off well, with positive fruit and a lovely spicy flavour when first tasted in cask twelve monoths later. It opened up beautifully, positively swelling in the glass, gaining complexity but its tanning not quite masked by its richness- this was in the late 190s. Showing pretty well at Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' tasting (though rarely did it ever come top). It was a question whether the fruit and extract could keep the tannin at bay. A tNils Sternby's tasting of 1964s (not just Bordeaux) in Malmo (1995), his magnum was very distinctive, very fragrant on nose and palate. Tannin very noticeable. I gave it the same mark (tasted blind) as hte Latour, but fracionally below Mouton. Most recently, a rather disappointing bottle at a rather grand dinner party: mature looking; nose- to me- of 'iron' underpinned by liquorice. I added 'oh dear, not very nice'. I now doubt if it will improve.
WS 71 (11/1991): A pungent-smelling wine, with vegetal flavors and very little appeal. Could be corky. Another bottle was better, but overripe in character.--Lafite Rothschild vertical. |
|
|
1975 |
Pauillac Top-Shoulder Fill; Lightly Nicked Label |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (2/1996): Why is it that Lafite-Rothschild is often so distressingly irregular from bottle to bottle? Much of the inconsistency during the sixties and mid-seventies can be explained by the relaxed bottling schedule, which saw the wines blended and bottled over an unusually long period (12+ months, compared to the estate's modern day bottling operation that never takes longer than 2-4 weeks). I have had some great bottles of the 1975 Lafite, most of them in the wine's first 15 years of life. Since then, I have seen wines that appeared cooked and stewed, with a Barolo tar-like aroma, as well as others with the classic Pauillac, lead-pencil, cedar, cassis, and tobacco aromatic dimension. The 1975 is a powerful Lafite, and troublesome bottles tend to reveal more tannin and funkiness than others, which have a roasted character, combined with a gravelly, mineral underpinning. As this wine has aged, it appears to be less of a sure bet. In most cases, it has been an Outstanding wine, as the bottle tasted in December suggested. The aromatics indicate the wine is fully mature, but the tough tannin level clearly underscores the dark side of the 1975 vintage. This wine will undoubtedly last for another 30+ years, but I am not sure the fruit will hold. It is a perplexing wine that may still turn out to be an exceptional Lafite. In contrast, the 1976 has always been much more forward and consistent. However, I would still take the 1975 over the overrated, mediocre 1970, 1966, and 1961.
MB [***] (9/1998): Curiously, p;icking at Lafite began on exactly the same date as in 1959. It certainly started off well, with positive fruit and a lovely spicy flavour when first tasted in cask twelve monoths later. It opened up beautifully, positively swelling in the glass, gaining complexity but its tanning not quite masked by its richness- this was in the late 190s. Showing pretty well at Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' tasting (though rarely did it ever come top). It was a question whether the fruit and extract could keep the tannin at bay. A tNils Sternby's tasting of 1964s (not just Bordeaux) in Malmo (1995), his magnum was very distinctive, very fragrant on nose and palate. Tannin very noticeable. I gave it the same mark (tasted blind) as hte Latour, but fracionally below Mouton. Most recently, a rather disappointing bottle at a rather grand dinner party: mature looking; nose- to me- of 'iron' underpinned by liquorice. I added 'oh dear, not very nice'. I now doubt if it will improve.
WS 71 (11/1991): A pungent-smelling wine, with vegetal flavors and very little appeal. Could be corky. Another bottle was better, but overripe in character.--Lafite Rothschild vertical. |
|
|
1975 |
Pauillac Very Top-Shoulder Fill; Heavily Wine-Stained Label |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (2/1996): Why is it that Lafite-Rothschild is often so distressingly irregular from bottle to bottle? Much of the inconsistency during the sixties and mid-seventies can be explained by the relaxed bottling schedule, which saw the wines blended and bottled over an unusually long period (12+ months, compared to the estate's modern day bottling operation that never takes longer than 2-4 weeks). I have had some great bottles of the 1975 Lafite, most of them in the wine's first 15 years of life. Since then, I have seen wines that appeared cooked and stewed, with a Barolo tar-like aroma, as well as others with the classic Pauillac, lead-pencil, cedar, cassis, and tobacco aromatic dimension. The 1975 is a powerful Lafite, and troublesome bottles tend to reveal more tannin and funkiness than others, which have a roasted character, combined with a gravelly, mineral underpinning. As this wine has aged, it appears to be less of a sure bet. In most cases, it has been an Outstanding wine, as the bottle tasted in December suggested. The aromatics indicate the wine is fully mature, but the tough tannin level clearly underscores the dark side of the 1975 vintage. This wine will undoubtedly last for another 30+ years, but I am not sure the fruit will hold. It is a perplexing wine that may still turn out to be an exceptional Lafite. In contrast, the 1976 has always been much more forward and consistent. However, I would still take the 1975 over the overrated, mediocre 1970, 1966, and 1961.
MB [***] (9/1998): Curiously, p;icking at Lafite began on exactly the same date as in 1959. It certainly started off well, with positive fruit and a lovely spicy flavour when first tasted in cask twelve monoths later. It opened up beautifully, positively swelling in the glass, gaining complexity but its tanning not quite masked by its richness- this was in the late 190s. Showing pretty well at Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' tasting (though rarely did it ever come top). It was a question whether the fruit and extract could keep the tannin at bay. A tNils Sternby's tasting of 1964s (not just Bordeaux) in Malmo (1995), his magnum was very distinctive, very fragrant on nose and palate. Tannin very noticeable. I gave it the same mark (tasted blind) as hte Latour, but fracionally below Mouton. Most recently, a rather disappointing bottle at a rather grand dinner party: mature looking; nose- to me- of 'iron' underpinned by liquorice. I added 'oh dear, not very nice'. I now doubt if it will improve.
WS 71 (11/1991): A pungent-smelling wine, with vegetal flavors and very little appeal. Could be corky. Another bottle was better, but overripe in character.--Lafite Rothschild vertical. |
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1976 |
Pauillac Top-Shoulder Fill |
$500 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 96 (2/2014): This is the wine of the vintage. I love the rosewater, currants and citrus character to this now. It's still full body yet so ethereal. It goes on and on in the finish turning creamy and citrusy. From magnum.
MB [****] (11/2000): Once a charmer, nearly always a charmer though some of the patina wearing thin. It could almost have been a '53 so easy and flavoury from weaning in cask through the 1980s, when most of my notes were made. Overf six in the last decade, ignoring a corked bottle but including bottles drinking perfectly at a Bacchus Society dinner (in 1997): a fragrance that reminded me of orange blossom. Very sweet, enough flesh, delicious. At a pre-sale tasting in New York (1999), my impression was that it was losing its charm. Magnums presented at a Domaines Barons de Rothschild dinner at Brooks's in London: though not, as at past dinners a co-commentator, I was quietly enjoying myself in a corner of the Great Subscription Room, one of the loveliest rooms in London, when Eric de Rothschild called for a comment. I duly obliged. The '76 was deeper than expected; its bouquet, mature and totally harmonious; good fruit, good drink yet with keen-edged tannins. Very drinkable. Went well with the welsh rarebit. But, past its peak.
NM 94 (11/2006): A sublime mature Lafite-Rothschild that alongside the 1978 counts as the best of the decade. A mature brick core. The nose is leafy and herbaceous with a touch of cigar box and smoke: unmistakably Pauillac. The medium-bodied palate is mellow, natural, and harmonious with cedar, tobacco and a touch of leather. Though there is just a residue of fruit, this Lafite is still imbued with remarkable precision and focus. Good length. For those seeking traditional claret from the top-drawer. Must be wine of the vintage?
WA 93 (9/1996): The 1976 Lafite clearly stands far above the crowd in this vintage. A beautiful bouquet of seductive cedarwood, spices, and ripe fruit precedes a very concentrated, darkly colored wine, with great length and texture. Some amber is just beginning to appear at the edge. The 1976 has turned out to be the best Lafite of the '70s. It is gorgeous to drink at present. Anticipated maturity: Now-2005.
WS 88 (11/1991): Very good in quality. It has very herbal, currantlike aromas, with smooth fruit and herb flavors and some smoky accents. Drink now to 2000.--Lafite Rothschild vertical. |
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|
1976 |
Pauillac Very Top-Shoulder Fill; Bin-Soiled Label; Lightly Nicked Label |
$500 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 96 (2/2014): This is the wine of the vintage. I love the rosewater, currants and citrus character to this now. It's still full body yet so ethereal. It goes on and on in the finish turning creamy and citrusy. From magnum.
MB [****] (11/2000): Once a charmer, nearly always a charmer though some of the patina wearing thin. It could almost have been a '53 so easy and flavoury from weaning in cask through the 1980s, when most of my notes were made. Overf six in the last decade, ignoring a corked bottle but including bottles drinking perfectly at a Bacchus Society dinner (in 1997): a fragrance that reminded me of orange blossom. Very sweet, enough flesh, delicious. At a pre-sale tasting in New York (1999), my impression was that it was losing its charm. Magnums presented at a Domaines Barons de Rothschild dinner at Brooks's in London: though not, as at past dinners a co-commentator, I was quietly enjoying myself in a corner of the Great Subscription Room, one of the loveliest rooms in London, when Eric de Rothschild called for a comment. I duly obliged. The '76 was deeper than expected; its bouquet, mature and totally harmonious; good fruit, good drink yet with keen-edged tannins. Very drinkable. Went well with the welsh rarebit. But, past its peak.
NM 94 (11/2006): A sublime mature Lafite-Rothschild that alongside the 1978 counts as the best of the decade. A mature brick core. The nose is leafy and herbaceous with a touch of cigar box and smoke: unmistakably Pauillac. The medium-bodied palate is mellow, natural, and harmonious with cedar, tobacco and a touch of leather. Though there is just a residue of fruit, this Lafite is still imbued with remarkable precision and focus. Good length. For those seeking traditional claret from the top-drawer. Must be wine of the vintage?
WA 93 (9/1996): The 1976 Lafite clearly stands far above the crowd in this vintage. A beautiful bouquet of seductive cedarwood, spices, and ripe fruit precedes a very concentrated, darkly colored wine, with great length and texture. Some amber is just beginning to appear at the edge. The 1976 has turned out to be the best Lafite of the '70s. It is gorgeous to drink at present. Anticipated maturity: Now-2005.
WS 88 (11/1991): Very good in quality. It has very herbal, currantlike aromas, with smooth fruit and herb flavors and some smoky accents. Drink now to 2000.--Lafite Rothschild vertical. |
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|
1978 |
Pauillac Base Neck Fill; Bin-Soiled Label |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 94 (11/1991): Beautiful deep-garnet color, with classic Medoc flavors of plum, spice, earth and mineral. Tannic, well-balanced, mouth-filling, chewy in its intensity but needs time. Drinkable now, but probably better to wait until about 1998.--Lafite Rothschild vertical.
WA 87 (10/1997): This wine is distinctively herbaceous and cedary, with surprisingly high acidity, and aggressive tannin in the finish. Its medium garnet color and smoky, roasted herb-scented nose are followed by a wine with good fruit on the attack, but an angular, sharp finish. The wine appears to be closer to full maturity than its younger sibling, the 1979. Anticipated maturity: Now-2010.
MB [***] (6/1998): Just eight notes. First at an MW tasting of '78s in May 1982. Not bad but unimpressive. By the mid-1980s, loosened up and attractive, even assertive with good length and finish. Trying hard to hold on to its fleeting fragrance. And certainly managing to be flavoury and elegant though lean. Now fully open and mature looks; distinctly 'Lafite', correct but with edgy acidity. Get on with it. |
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|
1978 |
Pauillac Very Top-Shoulder Fill; Bin-Soiled Label |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 94 (11/1991): Beautiful deep-garnet color, with classic Medoc flavors of plum, spice, earth and mineral. Tannic, well-balanced, mouth-filling, chewy in its intensity but needs time. Drinkable now, but probably better to wait until about 1998.--Lafite Rothschild vertical.
WA 87 (10/1997): This wine is distinctively herbaceous and cedary, with surprisingly high acidity, and aggressive tannin in the finish. Its medium garnet color and smoky, roasted herb-scented nose are followed by a wine with good fruit on the attack, but an angular, sharp finish. The wine appears to be closer to full maturity than its younger sibling, the 1979. Anticipated maturity: Now-2010.
MB [***] (6/1998): Just eight notes. First at an MW tasting of '78s in May 1982. Not bad but unimpressive. By the mid-1980s, loosened up and attractive, even assertive with good length and finish. Trying hard to hold on to its fleeting fragrance. And certainly managing to be flavoury and elegant though lean. Now fully open and mature looks; distinctly 'Lafite', correct but with edgy acidity. Get on with it. |
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|
1978 |
Pauillac Top-Shoulder Fill; Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 94 (11/1991): Beautiful deep-garnet color, with classic Medoc flavors of plum, spice, earth and mineral. Tannic, well-balanced, mouth-filling, chewy in its intensity but needs time. Drinkable now, but probably better to wait until about 1998.--Lafite Rothschild vertical.
WA 87 (10/1997): This wine is distinctively herbaceous and cedary, with surprisingly high acidity, and aggressive tannin in the finish. Its medium garnet color and smoky, roasted herb-scented nose are followed by a wine with good fruit on the attack, but an angular, sharp finish. The wine appears to be closer to full maturity than its younger sibling, the 1979. Anticipated maturity: Now-2010.
MB [***] (6/1998): Just eight notes. First at an MW tasting of '78s in May 1982. Not bad but unimpressive. By the mid-1980s, loosened up and attractive, even assertive with good length and finish. Trying hard to hold on to its fleeting fragrance. And certainly managing to be flavoury and elegant though lean. Now fully open and mature looks; distinctly 'Lafite', correct but with edgy acidity. Get on with it. |
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|
1983 |
Pauillac Base Neck Fill; Signs of Old Seepage |
$475 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
1985 |
Pauillac Slightly Raised Cork; Very Top-Shoulder Fill |
$625 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (8/1993): The 1985 Lafite is revealing more class and complexity than I predicted. A moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb and berry-scented bouquet is attractive. The wine is open-knit and ripe, with fine tannins, sweet, medium-bodied, mineral, and cassis-scented flavors, fine depth, and a graceful, harmonious feel. It is beginning to blossom and appears to possess more depth and character than I had thought. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010.
VM 90 (8/2002): Medium red. Rather unforthcoming nose hints at redcurrant and cedar, along with a faint herbaceousness. Strong in extract and high in acidity, but today the wine flesh and fruit are dominated by its structure and grip. A marginally disappointing showing for Lafite, in which herbaceous hints and lack of flesh give the wine a slightly disjointed character. I would like to have found greater mid-palate verve. Drink now through 2012.
WS 90 (9/1996): A graceful wine with cedar, berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a succulent, sweet fruit finish. Delicious to drink now.--Cabernet Challenge. |
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|
1985 |
Pauillac Slightly Raised Cork; Very Top-Shoulder Fill; Corroded Capsule; Wine-Stained Label |
$575 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (8/1993): The 1985 Lafite is revealing more class and complexity than I predicted. A moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb and berry-scented bouquet is attractive. The wine is open-knit and ripe, with fine tannins, sweet, medium-bodied, mineral, and cassis-scented flavors, fine depth, and a graceful, harmonious feel. It is beginning to blossom and appears to possess more depth and character than I had thought. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010.
VM 90 (8/2002): Medium red. Rather unforthcoming nose hints at redcurrant and cedar, along with a faint herbaceousness. Strong in extract and high in acidity, but today the wine flesh and fruit are dominated by its structure and grip. A marginally disappointing showing for Lafite, in which herbaceous hints and lack of flesh give the wine a slightly disjointed character. I would like to have found greater mid-palate verve. Drink now through 2012.
WS 90 (9/1996): A graceful wine with cedar, berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a succulent, sweet fruit finish. Delicious to drink now.--Cabernet Challenge. |
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|
1985 |
Pauillac Slightly Depressed Cork; Signs of Old Seepage; Very Top-Shoulder Fill; Wine-Stained Label |
$575 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (8/1993): The 1985 Lafite is revealing more class and complexity than I predicted. A moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb and berry-scented bouquet is attractive. The wine is open-knit and ripe, with fine tannins, sweet, medium-bodied, mineral, and cassis-scented flavors, fine depth, and a graceful, harmonious feel. It is beginning to blossom and appears to possess more depth and character than I had thought. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010.
VM 90 (8/2002): Medium red. Rather unforthcoming nose hints at redcurrant and cedar, along with a faint herbaceousness. Strong in extract and high in acidity, but today the wine flesh and fruit are dominated by its structure and grip. A marginally disappointing showing for Lafite, in which herbaceous hints and lack of flesh give the wine a slightly disjointed character. I would like to have found greater mid-palate verve. Drink now through 2012.
WS 90 (9/1996): A graceful wine with cedar, berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a succulent, sweet fruit finish. Delicious to drink now.--Cabernet Challenge. |
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|
1985 |
Pauillac Very Top-Shoulder Fill; Wine-Stained Label |
$625 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (8/1993): The 1985 Lafite is revealing more class and complexity than I predicted. A moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb and berry-scented bouquet is attractive. The wine is open-knit and ripe, with fine tannins, sweet, medium-bodied, mineral, and cassis-scented flavors, fine depth, and a graceful, harmonious feel. It is beginning to blossom and appears to possess more depth and character than I had thought. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010.
VM 90 (8/2002): Medium red. Rather unforthcoming nose hints at redcurrant and cedar, along with a faint herbaceousness. Strong in extract and high in acidity, but today the wine flesh and fruit are dominated by its structure and grip. A marginally disappointing showing for Lafite, in which herbaceous hints and lack of flesh give the wine a slightly disjointed character. I would like to have found greater mid-palate verve. Drink now through 2012.
WS 90 (9/1996): A graceful wine with cedar, berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a succulent, sweet fruit finish. Delicious to drink now.--Cabernet Challenge. |
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|
1985 |
Pauillac Very Top-Shoulder Fill |
$625 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 90 (8/1993): The 1985 Lafite is revealing more class and complexity than I predicted. A moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb and berry-scented bouquet is attractive. The wine is open-knit and ripe, with fine tannins, sweet, medium-bodied, mineral, and cassis-scented flavors, fine depth, and a graceful, harmonious feel. It is beginning to blossom and appears to possess more depth and character than I had thought. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010.
VM 90 (8/2002): Medium red. Rather unforthcoming nose hints at redcurrant and cedar, along with a faint herbaceousness. Strong in extract and high in acidity, but today the wine flesh and fruit are dominated by its structure and grip. A marginally disappointing showing for Lafite, in which herbaceous hints and lack of flesh give the wine a slightly disjointed character. I would like to have found greater mid-palate verve. Drink now through 2012.
WS 90 (9/1996): A graceful wine with cedar, berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a succulent, sweet fruit finish. Delicious to drink now.--Cabernet Challenge. |
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|
1985 |
Pauillac Top-Shoulder Fill |
$625 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (8/1993): The 1985 Lafite is revealing more class and complexity than I predicted. A moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb and berry-scented bouquet is attractive. The wine is open-knit and ripe, with fine tannins, sweet, medium-bodied, mineral, and cassis-scented flavors, fine depth, and a graceful, harmonious feel. It is beginning to blossom and appears to possess more depth and character than I had thought. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010.
VM 90 (8/2002): Medium red. Rather unforthcoming nose hints at redcurrant and cedar, along with a faint herbaceousness. Strong in extract and high in acidity, but today the wine flesh and fruit are dominated by its structure and grip. A marginally disappointing showing for Lafite, in which herbaceous hints and lack of flesh give the wine a slightly disjointed character. I would like to have found greater mid-palate verve. Drink now through 2012.
WS 90 (9/1996): A graceful wine with cedar, berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a succulent, sweet fruit finish. Delicious to drink now.--Cabernet Challenge. |
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|
1985 |
Pauillac Very Top-Shoulder Fill; Corroded Capsule; Wine-Stained Label; Tissue-Stained Label |
$625 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 90 (8/1993): The 1985 Lafite is revealing more class and complexity than I predicted. A moderately intense, cedary, woody, herb and berry-scented bouquet is attractive. The wine is open-knit and ripe, with fine tannins, sweet, medium-bodied, mineral, and cassis-scented flavors, fine depth, and a graceful, harmonious feel. It is beginning to blossom and appears to possess more depth and character than I had thought. Anticipated maturity: 1995-2010.
VM 90 (8/2002): Medium red. Rather unforthcoming nose hints at redcurrant and cedar, along with a faint herbaceousness. Strong in extract and high in acidity, but today the wine flesh and fruit are dominated by its structure and grip. A marginally disappointing showing for Lafite, in which herbaceous hints and lack of flesh give the wine a slightly disjointed character. I would like to have found greater mid-palate verve. Drink now through 2012.
WS 90 (9/1996): A graceful wine with cedar, berry and cherry aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a succulent, sweet fruit finish. Delicious to drink now.--Cabernet Challenge. |
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|
1988 |
Pauillac |
$675 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 94 (10/1994): Broodingly backward and in need of considerable bottle age, the 1988 is a classic expression of Lafite. This deeply-colored wine exhibits the tell-tale Lafite bouquet of cedar, subtle herbs, dried pit fruits, minerals, and cassis. Extremely concentrated, with brilliantly focused flavors and huge tannins, this backward, yet impressively endowed Lafite-Rothschild may well turn out to be the wine of the vintage! Anticipated maturity: 2000-2035.
WS 94 (12/2008): Beautiful and subtle on the nose, with mineral, berry, licorice and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with supersilky tannins and a pretty balance of fruit and mint. Long and caressing. Real claret here. Everyone talks about 1989, but this is very close in quality. '88/'98 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2008). Drink now.
MB [**[**]] (6/2000): It is not only unpleasant but self-defeating to taste young wine from the cask in cold glasses in a cold cellar; and with relatively tough wines like the '88s, even more difficult. My more useful notes therefore stem from the mid-1990s, the first detailed note being made at a tasting I organised and conducted in March 1995 at the millionaires' retreat in the Bahamas, Lyford Cay. The Lafite, in magnums, crsip, blackcurrant aroma. On the palate surprisingly agreeable (for a tough vintage), and less severly tannic than expected. Fleshy but unready of course. Next an austere bottle in 1997, then, at Penning-Rowsell's '10-year' tasting of first gorwths, fairly deep; a fragrant, mild tea, well-developed nose; sweet, 'rather strange flavour.' and soft tannins. Most recently, at a Bordeaux Club dinner (decanted at 5.45pm, severed around 8.30pm): very deep, opaque core; attractive, very vanillin nose; surprisingly sweet, lean, with good flavour and masked tannin. At it's best, say, 2010-2025.
NM 88 (2/2012): Tasted at the IMW Lafite seminar in London. It is several years since I last tasted the 1988 and at 23-years of age it has a very classic, autumnal, leafy, dusty bouquet with dried herbs dominating the aromatics. It is well defined with fine lift and offering a subtle note of orange blossom and mint with continued aeration. The palate is well balanced with dusty black fruit; a tertiary Lafite-Rothschild that is fully mature with a dry, rather masculine finish that is persistent but missing some joie-de-vivre. The 1988 appears to be in decline, perhaps with the exception of larger formats. |
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|
1991 |
Pauillac |
$650 |
7 |
|
| |
JS 90 (3/2012): A little maderized with raised volatile acidity, but some tobacco and berry underneath. Turns fruity and even jammy.
WA 86 (2/1994): Lafite's light-bodied 1991 possesses moderate ruby color, a solid innercore of fruit, as well as potentially excessive tannin for its size and constitution. The wine exhibits Lafite's subtle personality with a leafy, tobacco, lead pencil nose intertwined with sweet aromas of cassis. Dry, austere, and lacking length, it should turn out to be a good representation of Lafite-Rothschild in this so-so year.
WS 85 (3/1994): A balanced, supple wine, with lovely blackberry, complex vanilla and ripe sweetness. |
|
|
1994 |
Pauillac |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 93 (1/1997): (WS #37 wine of 1997) A luscious Lafite that is silky and elegant with layers of wonderful violet, berry, cherry and chocolate flavors. It's full-bodied, with racy, refined tannins and good length. Drinkable now, but best from 1999 and through another decade. 18,750 cases made.
WA 90 (2/1997): Because Lafite-Rothschild (1) tends to lack the weight of many wines of the northern Medoc, and (2) is never a flashy, ostentatious style of wine, it is often more difficult to evaluate when young than some of its neighbors. Made from nearly 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine is stubbornly backward, unappealing, and severe and astringent on the palate. There is plenty of weight, and the wine possesses admirable purity, with no suggestion of herbaceousness or underripe fruit, but the wine's personality refuses to be coaxed from the glass. The 1994 Lafite may turn out to be austere and disappointing flavor-wise, but possesses a fabulous set of aromatics (does that sound reminiscent of the 1961, another Lafite that was primarily Cabernet Sauvignon?). I am not giving up on this wine, but purchasers should be willing to wait 15-20 years before pulling a cork. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030. |
|
|
1995 |
Pauillac |
$675 |
2 |
|
| |
JS 98 (6/2016): I pulled this lone bottle out of my cellar at the last minute to remind some Italian vintners of the great quality of the 1995 Bordeaux vintage. They seem to be finally opening up! What a red with incredible depth and finesse. Cedar, cigar box and toabaaco character with currants and fresh tobacco undertones. It's full-bodied yet tight and dense. Precision. So refined and intense. Such freshness and beauty. Drink or hold.
WS 96 (7/2007): Intense aromas of blackberries, black licorice and currants, with mineral undertones. Full-bodied, with a solid core of tannins and a long, silky finish. Still holding back, but is concentrated and powerful. The 1996 is always talked about, but I think this is superior and will be in the future.--'95/'96 Bordeaux retrospective. Best after 2010. 20,000 cases made.
WA 95 (2/1998): The 1995 Lafite-Rothschild (only one-third of the harvest made it into the final blend) is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc. The wine was showing spectacularly well when I tasted it in November, 1997. It exhibits a dark ruby purple color, and a sweet, powdered mineral, smoky, weedy cassis-scented nose. Beautiful sweetness of fruit is present in this medium-bodied, tightly-knit, but gloriously pure, well-delineated Lafite. The 1995 is not as powerful or as massive as the 1996, but it is beautifully made with Outstanding credentials, in addition to remarkable promise. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2028.
VM 93+ (6/1998): Dark ruby-red. Sappy, expressive aromas of cherry, plum, minerals, woodsmoke and game, plus an exotic suggestion of baked apple. Rather subtle on the attack, then quickly expands to fill the mouth. A big, deep, very rich vintage for Lafite, unusually generous at this early stage and extremely long on the aftertaste. But went into a shell with aeration, and showed a hint of tobacco leaf vegetility. Finishing notes of coconut, woodsmoke and tobacco add flavor interest. Stephen Tanzer.
NM 93-95 (1/2000): Tasted several times: still closed when tasted blind in 2001, feminine in 2003 when it was just lacking that degree of complexity for a truly great Lafite. Then at the CECWINE vertical in September 2004. A moderate ruby hue. Very fresh, floral nose. Quite minerally, becoming dominated by cassis with aeration with a touch of mocha. The palate is feminine, elegant with a citrus freshness and good acidity. Medium-bodied. Light-weight for a First Growth and lacking persistency and length on the finish. A featherweight Lafite. Finally at the Lafite vertical in December 2005. A very deep garnet core. The nose is still very masculine: pencil lead, blackberry, black cherry and a touch of smoke. Much more typicity than the 2000. The palate has good structure, excellent acidity. Very minerally, liquorice and burnt toast. Very fine definition and good weight. Superb balance and poise. This is an archetypal Lafite this is just getting into its stride. Fresh, crisp finish with a touch of green pepper from the Cabernet Franc. |
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|
2006 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,958.97 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 97 (2/2009): One of the fabulous surprises, although I had suggested last year that it could jump in quality, of my tastings, the 2006 Lafite Rothschild is a great, great wine made from a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot. When I tasted it from barrel, it reminded me of their successful 1988, but it is dramatically superior to that vintage. Frankly, it may turn out to be as good as the 2005, which in all of Bordeaux is a far greater vintage than 2006. Lafite’s severe selection process (42% made it into the grand vin) resulted in a full-bodied wine boasting an extraordinary perfume of charcoal, truffles, lead pencil shavings, and sensationally sweet, ripe black currant and cedar notes. A wine of extraordinary intensity, texture, and depth with silky tannins as well as awesome concentration, this has turned out to be a remarkable Lafite Rothschild that should be drinkable much earlier than the 2005, but age for three decades. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2035+.
NM 96 (11/2011): Tasted at Hermitage Wines’ seminar in Hong Kong. The 2006 Lafite seems to have changed little from last year. That Cabernet Sauvignon continues to dominate the nose, less Margaux-like than before with lifted graphite and sous-bois aromas. The palate is in recluse at the moment, the fruit very tightly wound, but certainly beautifully balanced with a precise, slightly austere, masculine finish. This represents a very “sober” Lafite-Rothschild for drinking in another 10 to 15-years.
VM 95+ (6/2009): Good full ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of cassis, graphite and cedar chips, lifted by peppery and floral high notes. Densely packed and superconcentrated but light on its feet, with compelling flavors of spicy berries and minerals. The very long, slow-building finish stains the palate with flavor. Very backward but not austere; and unlike some recent vintages of Lafite, which could appear deceptively light in the early going, this showcases its density and ripeness from the outset. I have the impression that most of the less-ripe fruit was declassified into the far lighter Carruades de Lafite (87), which shows a distinctly cool style for the year.
WS 95 (3/2009): Plum, sweet tobacco and blackberry aromas follow through to a full body, offering a tight, chewy palate, yet with polished, refined tannins. Very long and caressing. This turns to a muscular and toned young wine. Gets better and better with age. Best after 2014. 23,330 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Lafleur |
2005 |
Pomerol (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$25,384.98 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 100 (3/2008): Exhibits a complex nose of crushed blackberry, dried flowers and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, with a rich, powerful palate. Tannic and muscular, with great length. Superracy. Builds and goes and goes. So fine and beautiful. Mythic. Best after 2017.
JS 100 (4/2011): The nose on this wine is classic. Floral notes of lilacs and violets, citrus fruits, raspberries, and blackberries. On the palate this is full bodied, with incredible power and density. A very impressive silky texture underneath the intense fruit flavors that gives way to an excitingly long, long finish. It’s hard to believe the classic structure in this. Impeccable balance. Don’t touch this for 10 years. Find the wine.
NM 98 (7/2012): Tasted at John Armit’s Lafleur seminar in London, the 2005 is a legendary wine in the making. It has a boisterous, ebullient, ravishing bouquet of succulent black, truffle infused fruit with hints of crushed stone, the bell pepper element less evident on this occasion. The palate is medium-bodied and tightly wound, perhaps less expressive than other bottles that I have encountered. You could argue that it has an almost understated entry, but then you realize that there is a core of extraordinarily concentrated dark black fruit that is waiting for you. It has wonderful minerality towards the finish and extremely fine focus and persistency. At the moment, a Lafleur of dimension and ambition rather than pleasure, which will come. Drink 2018-2035+.
WA 95+ (4/2008): The 2005 Lafleur is tight and austere at present, but unquestionably enormously endowed. It displays a dense ruby/purple hue as well as a beautiful bouquet that only emerges with coaxing. Aeration is essential in order to release the subtle, restrained scents of licorice, kirsch liqueur, black truffles, and flowers. In the mouth, there is compelling richness, depth, and intensity, but the wine’s power, full body, forbiddingly backward style, and high tannins suggest significant cellaring will be required. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.
VM 95 (6/2008): Saturated, bright ruby-red. Brooding, liqueur-like aromas of blackberry, cassis, smoked meat, licorice and menthol. Compellingly dense, sweet and concentrated, with silky fruit that saturates the entire palate without any excess weight. A very backward, firmly structured wine that offers an uncanny combination of early sweetness and firm but harmonious acidity. The wine's dark fruit and licorice flavors spread out impressively on the back end, which features huge but smooth tannins and terrific length and verve. Wow! This will be long-lived. |
|
| Ch. Latour |
2006 |
Pauillac (3x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,642.99 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 95 (2/2009): The 2006 Latour performed even better from bottle than from barrel. Only 38% of the production (10,000 cases) made it into the grand vin, a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest primarily Merlot and a small amount of Cabernet Franc. From barrel, I thought it was a modern day version of the 1996 or 1986, and certainly the 1996 comparison still holds. I thought it was somewhat austere from barrel, but that is no longer an issue. This is a beautifully rich Chateau Latour boasting a dense ruby/purple color, a sweet, smoky, charcoal, cassis, graphite, and forest floor-scented nose, full body, an attractive freshness, and sweet, noble tannins. This layered Latour is one of the vintage's top dozen or so wines. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2030.
VM 95 (5/2009): Bright full ruby. Slightly stern aromas of cassis, graphite, licorice, incense and flowers. Then dense and penetrating, with terrific energy to the subtle dark fruit, licorice and mineral flavors. There's a coolness to the fruit that makes this wine dramatically different from the Forts de Latour. Finishes with big, building tannins and a powerful sense of structure. A fairly large-scaled Latour but not particularly sweet in the early going. In fact, this went into a shell with 24 hours in the recorked bottle. Stephen Tanzer.
WS 95 (3/2009): Offers a pure nose of currant and blackberry, with crushed fruit. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and very polished, refined tannins. Long and classy. Best after 2016. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Las Cases |
1996 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,922.97 |
3 |
|
| |
WA 98 (10/2016): The 1996 Leoville-Las Cases is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc picked between 25 September and 10 October (for fascinating insight, read Robert Parker's remarks about the blend with Michel Delon in the original tasting note). Now at 20 years, it has evolved into an absolutely stunning Saint Julien, clearly one of the best wines from the estate this decade. The bouquet is beautifully defined with intense black cherries, cedar, mint and a touch of oyster shell that seems to gain intensity in the glass. The palate is seamless from start to finish, extraordinarily pure, the 70% new oak totally assimilated of course, impressive weight and power allied with genuine finesse and tension towards the silky smooth finish. It stands as one of the best wines of the vintage without one iota of doubt and it will last 30-40 years without problem. You might call it "proper Claret." You might call it "delicious."
VM 96+ (7/2002): Saturated bright, dark ruby. Perfumed, vibrant, very youthful aromas of cassis, violet and bitter chocolate. Dense and powerful, with great clarity of flavor thanks to a terrific spine of acidity. Almost painfully structured wine but not at all hard. Finishes very long and gripping, with a note of bitter chocolate. Drink 2012 through 2040. Stephen Tanzer.
NM 95 (2/2011): Tasted at Roberson’s Las-Cases vertical. The 1996 is more masculine on the nose with graphite and tobacco, a touch of sea salt developing with time, an estuarine tincture that is refreshing and speaks of its place. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, a saline touch on the entry, much more closed than the nose, obdurate as usual, quite austere towards the cedar and tobacco and mint dominated finish.
WS 92 (12/2007): Incredible nose of blackberry, mineral, cedar and currant. Full-bodied, with silky and refined tannins and a medium caressing finish. It's a beautiful wine that begs to be drunk now but will age and improve for a long time. Drink now. |
|
|
2001 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,643.98 |
9 |
|
| |
WS 94 (3/2004): This is very floral and perfumed with lots of violets, roses and berries. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a racy finish. Superfresh and long. Focused and clean. Best after 2010.
WA 93 (6/2004): Jean-Hubert Delon thinks the 2001 Leoville Las Cases could turn out to be as good as his 2000. I’m not sure I agree, but it may come close. A blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19.5% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, the 2001 (which represents only 40% of the production) reveals notes of sweet vanillin intermixed with pure cassis, black cherries, and lead pencil shavings. Elegant and medium-bodied, it possesses a saturated purple color, high tannin, and a structured, backward feel in the mouth. This quintessentially elegant Las Cases needs another 5-7 years to hit its plateau of maturity. It will be one of the Medoc’s longest lived wines of the vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2030. |
|
|
2008 |
St. Julien |
$195 |
4 |
|
| |
JS 95 (12/2010): Super racy and balanced. Masses of licorice and currants, intense aromas. Full and very silky with an intensity of fruit. Reminds me of the 1996. Best after 2015.
NM 94 (1/2012): Tasted ex-chateau and single blind in Southwold. We opened both bottles of the Chateau Leoville Las-Cases 2008, the first inexplicably missing a little substance but the second much more deserving. This has a very classic, austere bouquet with blackberry, cedar, sous-bois and tobacco. It has fine definition and comes across quite Graves-like in style. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, slightly dusty black fruit but with fine delineation towards the long, graphite finish.
WS 94 (4/2011): This is loaded for the vintage, with layer upon layer of crushed blackberry, fig paste and mulled black currant offset by smoldering tobacco, charcoal and anise notes. The finish is all iron and roasted earth for now, with the density to be among the longest-lived wines of the vintage. Best from 2013 through 2023. 14,583 cases made.
WA 93+ (5/2011): A classic style of Las Cases that is somewhat masculine for the vintage, tannic and backward, and less formidably concentrated than the 2009 or 2010, the 2008 needs 7-8 years of cellaring. Dense purple, the aromatics are closed, but with coaxing and aggressive swirling, notes of crushed rock, black currants and some forest floor notes emerge. Impressively built, medium to full-bodied, layered and stunningly concentrated, this is a sleeper vintage for Leoville Las Cases that should improve considerably, given how closed it was the day I tasted it. It is another 30+ year wine from proprietor Jean-Hubert Delon.
VM 93+ (8/2011): Full ruby-red. Deep, mineral-driven aromas of cassis, camphor, peat and spicy oak. Large-scaled and deep; at once powerful and seamless, with impressively concentrated, sharply delineated black fruit and mineral flavors. Seriously structured wine but at the same time quite suave. The rising, very long finish stains the palate with black fruits. |
|
|
2012 |
St. Julien |
$149 |
6 |
|
| |
JD 95 (1/2018): Standing out for its sheer purity and class, the 2012 Leoville-Las Cases is about as seamless as they come, with medium to full-bodied richness, fabulous notes of crème de cassis, cedary spice, plums, spice and wood smoke, with its oak component pushed well into the background. While not a blockbuster, it is impeccably balanced, with a full, layered mid-palate, building tannin and a rock-solid finish. Give this straight up classy 2012 4-5 years in the cellar and enjoy bottles over the following two decades or more.
WS 94 (3/2015): This is very tight at this early stage, with a wall of smoldering charcoal holding the core of dark plum, blackberry paste and cassis in reserve. The sleek finish shows admirable length and a mouthwatering echo of iron. This harnesses the austerity of the vintage to its advantage, and should unwind slowly in the cellar. Best from 2018 through 2030. 10,000 cases made.
WA 93+ (4/2015): The bigger sister or brother of Le Petit Lion, depending on your point of view, the 2012 Leoville Las Cases has gorgeous minerality, plenty of blueberry and blackcurrant fruit that is super-pure, an opaque ruby/purple color, medium body and firm structured, slightly austere personality. This wine is built for the long-term. A blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc, it attained 13.5% alcohol, which is substantial for a 2012 Medoc. It has depth and richness, but also a boatload of tannin. Forget it for 8-10 years and drink over the following 15-20.
VM 93 (1/2016): The 2012 Leoville-Las-Cases offers lovely up front voluptuousness, something I am almost shocked to write about one of the Left Bank's most notoriously slow agers. Sweet red cherry, dried flowers and pipe tobacco scents meld into a translucent, mid-weight Las Cases that should drink relatively early by this wine's standard. The silky finish only adds to the wine's considerable early appeal. The blend is 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc. Antonio Galloni.
JS 93 (2/2015): So pure on the nose with aromas of blackcurrants, raspberries and licorice. Hints of stones. Full body, polished yet chewy tannins and a long and racy finish. Layered tannins. Citrusy undertones. Bright acidity. Better in 2019. |
|
| Ch. Leoville Poyferre |
2005 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,757.97 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 96 (2/2021): Very clear and translucent with currants, blueberries and fresh mushrooms. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that are layered and beautiful. Together and polished with plushness and beauty. Drink or hold.
WA 93 (6/2015): Leoville Poyferre’s dense ruby/purple 2005 is soft, round and juicy, with lots of blackcurrant fruit, plum and Asian spice. It is medium to full-bodied and, along with Leoville Las Cases and Saint-Pierre, probably one of the best St.-Juliens I tasted in this retrospective. It is surprisingly supple and accessible. Drink it over the next 15 or so years.
VM 93 (4/2021): The 2005 Leoville-Poyferre really needed a number of hours to come together. An old school, powerful Saint-Julien, the 2005 Leoville-Poyferre packs a serious punch. Inky dark red fruit, iron, smoke, cedar, mint and white pepper lend striking aromatic depth. This virile, tannic Saint-Julien is a bruiser, but it is also pretty impressive. Tasting it feels like taking a step back in time. Antonio Galloni.
WS 92 (3/2008): Dark ruby red in color, with aromas of currant, blackberry, toasty oak and light cappuccino. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a beautiful, caressing aftertaste. Touches every part of the palate. Outstanding, but slightly disappointing after such a great showing from barrel. Best after 2009. 18,915 cases made. |
|
|
2010 |
St. Julien (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$1,681.98 |
10 |
|
| |
JD 99 (2/2018): Another massive, incredible release from this estate is the 2010 Leoville Poyferre. Based on 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and the balance Petit Verdot, its inky purple color is followed by a massive, full-bodied, incredibly concentrated 2010 that has awesome notes of pure crème de cassis, licorice, graphite, and spring flowers. As with the 2009, it has incredible depth of fruit, yet a slightly more focused, classic style, which is very much in the style of the 2010 vintage. With its new oak completely absorbed by its wealth of fruit, perfect balance, and sweet tannin, it’s a sensational, monumental effort to drink over the coming 3-4 decades.
WA 98+ (2/2013): The wine out distances both Leoville Las Cases and Leoville Barton, but all three of them are compelling efforts. Full-bodied, dense purple in color, with floral notes intermixed with blackberries, cassis, graphite and spring flowers, this full-bodied, legendary effort is long and opulent, with wonderfully abundant yet sweet tannin, a skyscraper-like mid-palate and a thrilling, nearly one-minute finish. This spectacular effort from Poyferre that should drink well for 30+ years.
VM 97 (4/2020): The 2010 Leoville-Poyferre has a very intense bouquet with blackberry, briary cedar and light estuarine/seaweed aromas that are very well defined. Pure class. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, layers of pure black fruit laced with pencil lead and a pinch of white pepper. It fans out wonderfully towards the finish, a Saint-Julien demonstrating wonderful density and precision. What an outstanding wine, perhaps less flamboyant than other vintages, one that will last decades. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. Neal Martin.
JS 95 (2/2013): Wow. Very intense and aromatic nose with crushed currants and blueberries with hints of nuts and dried flowers. Full body, with very refined tannins and a lovely undercurrent of fruit. Balanced and juicy. Better in 2018.. Best from 2015 through 2030. 17,833 cases made. |
|
| Ch. Lynch Bages |
1983 |
Pauillac Very Top-Shoulder Fill; Lightly Scuffed Label |
$189 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 90 (10/1994): Impressive finesse for the vintage, with beautiful, fresh tobacco, cedar and coffee aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and very silky with a fine, long finish. Drinkable now.
WA 88 (3/1989): A success for this very good, yet surprisingly inconsistent vintage, the Lynch-Bages 1983 is a full-blown, big, ripe, gutsy Pauillac, with an intense bouquet of ground beef and black currant fruit, and deep, rich, briery flavors. Quite full bodied, alcoholic, and long, this substantial wine has a heady, alcoholic finish with the tannins quickly melting away. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002. |
|
|
1983 |
Pauillac Base Neck Fill |
$189 |
2 |
|
| |
WS 90 (10/1994): Impressive finesse for the vintage, with beautiful, fresh tobacco, cedar and coffee aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and very silky with a fine, long finish. Drinkable now.
WA 88 (3/1989): A success for this very good, yet surprisingly inconsistent vintage, the Lynch-Bages 1983 is a full-blown, big, ripe, gutsy Pauillac, with an intense bouquet of ground beef and black currant fruit, and deep, rich, briery flavors. Quite full bodied, alcoholic, and long, this substantial wine has a heady, alcoholic finish with the tannins quickly melting away. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002. |
|
|
1983 |
Pauillac Very Top-Shoulder Fill |
$189 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 90 (10/1994): Impressive finesse for the vintage, with beautiful, fresh tobacco, cedar and coffee aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and very silky with a fine, long finish. Drinkable now.
WA 88 (3/1989): A success for this very good, yet surprisingly inconsistent vintage, the Lynch-Bages 1983 is a full-blown, big, ripe, gutsy Pauillac, with an intense bouquet of ground beef and black currant fruit, and deep, rich, briery flavors. Quite full bodied, alcoholic, and long, this substantial wine has a heady, alcoholic finish with the tannins quickly melting away. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002. |
|
|
1983 |
Pauillac Top-Shoulder Fill; Signs of Old Seepage; Nicked Capsule |
$169 |
1 |
|
| |
WS 90 (10/1994): Impressive finesse for the vintage, with beautiful, fresh tobacco, cedar and coffee aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and very silky with a fine, long finish. Drinkable now.
WA 88 (3/1989): A success for this very good, yet surprisingly inconsistent vintage, the Lynch-Bages 1983 is a full-blown, big, ripe, gutsy Pauillac, with an intense bouquet of ground beef and black currant fruit, and deep, rich, briery flavors. Quite full bodied, alcoholic, and long, this substantial wine has a heady, alcoholic finish with the tannins quickly melting away. Anticipated maturity: Now-2002. |
|
| Ch. Margaux |
1994 |
Margaux (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$5,758.99 |
1 |
|
| |
NM 93 (7/2012): Tasted at 28-50 restaurant at the 1994 dinner. The Chateau Margaux was easily the best wine of the night of 1994 Left Banks and better than Mouton and even better than the same wine tasted at the property twelve hours earlier. The reason is the life-affirming minerality and precision that acts as its badge confirming its status. The palate is extremely well balanced, showing up its less refined tannins. Along with Latour this is probably the finest Left Bank wine of the vintage. Sheer class. Drink now-2022.
WA 91+ (10/2002): This largely forgotten vintage seems to have turned the corner in the last year or two. Because of strict selections made at the top chateaux, the wines always had density, but the level of tannin was frequently too high, and the type of tannin was more green and astringent. Chateau Margaux’s 1994 has always been one of the candidates for the “wine of the vintage." The wine still has a dense plum/purple color and a big, sweet nose of black fruits intermixed with licorice, camphor, vanilla, and a hint of flowers. The wine is dense and powerful, but the tannins have softened and do not seem as hard and intrusive as they did in the late nineties. This wine will last for decades and hopefully become even more seamless, although it is hard to believe all the tannin will gradually dissipate. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.
WS 91 (9/1997): Something special happens in the seamless blending of subtle spicy, buttery notes with the solid, crisp citrus flavors in this beautifully balanced and vibrant white wine. Much better than previously reviewed. Drink now through 2000. |
|
|
2014 |
Margaux (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$2,822.99 |
1 |
|
| |
JS 97 (1/2017): The purity of cabernet sauvignon fruit is what impresses here. Subtle and energetic plum and currant aromas follow through to a gorgeously harmonized palate of wonderful fruit and an ultra-long finish. Current bush and light earth adds to the complexity. Lasts for minutes. Drink in 2022.
WS 95 (3/2017): This is solidly packed, with layers of warm fig bread, plum compote and black currant preserves, carried by a silky yet substantial structure. As the fruit plays out, the anise, black tea and singed alder notes in the background come into clearer focus, giving this remarkable range. Everything glides beautifully through the suave, gently toasty finish. Best from 2020 through 2035. 10,835 cases made.
JD 95 (11/2017): The grand vin from the Mentzelopoulos family and late manager Paul Pontallier is the 2014 Château Margaux which checks in as a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, as always, raised in 100% new barrels, and represents a scant 36% of the total production from the estate. A regal, classy, and nuanced beauty, its ruby/purple-tinged color is followed by a terrific perfume of cassis, licorice, spicy oak, sandalwood and a hint of vanilla. With a beautiful core of sweet fruit, ripe, polished tannin, no hard edges, and a great finish, this full-bodied 2014 shows the classy, elegant style of the vintage brilliantly. Give bottles 5-7 years and it should deliver plenty of pleasure over the following three decades.
WA 95 (3/2017): The 2014 Château Margaux represents 36% of the year’s total production and is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Affording the glass five to ten minutes to open, the aromatics are very similar to those expressed out of barrel, those dark cherries and violets, tightly wound at first but unfurling beautifully and seemingly with each swirl of the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine tannin and it appears to have fomented a little more finesse during its elevage. There is wonderful mineral tension and dash of spiciness on the persistent finish. There remains some tightness here, the implication that this is a Château Margaux determined to give long-term pleasure. Therefore, do not be afraid to give it a decade in the cellar.
VM 94 (3/2018): The 2014 Château Margaux, has a fragrant bouquet with blackberry, graphite and light violet aromas. This feels very refined, very Margaux as banal as that sounds. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, quite precise tannin. This is an unreservedly understated First Growth, more masculine then I remember from barrel and just after bottling, firming up a little for the long-haul. In some ways, the higher Cabernet Sauvignon renders this a little more Pauillac-like in flavour profile, although it has the finesse that is synonymous with this estate. Excellent. Tasted at the property. Neal Martin. |
|
| Ch. La Mission Haut Brion |
2005 |
Pessac Leognan (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$6,254.98 |
2 |
|
| |
NM 99 (11/2013): Tasted at Farr Vintner's La Mission dinner. The 2005 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion is a stellar wine that is not for my generation but the next (and I ain't that old). It has a very expressive bouquet, the Merlot exceptionally animated and vibrant, manifesting scents of dark plum, blackcurrant, hints of leather and warm gravel lurking just behind. Returning to my glass after a couple of hours the bouquet is even more complex with lovely mint and juniper berries joining the chorus line. The palate is structured, as is typical of the 2005s, with a fine line of acidity, layers of black fruit, mint and tobacco. It fans out wonderfully on the finish. Stunning - but it deserves another decade in the cellar. Drink 2022-2060.
JS 95 (5/2012): This shows a beautiful balance between concentration and ripeness. The wine is full-bodied, showing fine and rich tannins with tons going on. This is long and beautiful. I remember this being more muscular, but nevertheless this has taken on a wonderful finesse and richness. Pull the cork after 2020.
WA 97 (4/2008): There are slightly more than 5,000 cases of the 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion, a blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a touch of Cabernet Franc. While there is little difference between La Mission and Haut-Brion’s terroirs (their vineyards are only separated by a two-lane road), La Mission possesses more fat, texture, and intensity. An enormously endowed wine with huge tannin and structure, the 2005 offers a quintessential Graves bouquet of burning embers, charcoal, blackberries, truffles, black currants, and a meaty character. Reminiscent of the 1989, with more structure as well as a longer window of drinkability, the 2005 may be a modern day, improved version of a vintage such as 1955, which was well-endowed, very tannic, and took a long time to come around. While fabulously full-bodied and unctuous, the 2005 will not provide much charm in its youth. It needs 8-10 years of cellaring, and should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.
WS 97 (3/2008): The Indian spices and blackberry on the nose are so enticing and inspiring, leading to a full-bodied palate, with very polished tannins that caress. Goes on and on as this builds on the palate, with a mineral and berry aftertaste. For long-term aging. Best after 2015. 5,665 cases made.
VM 94+ (6/2008): Deep ruby-red. Black raspberry and licorice on the nose. Dense and sweet but youthfully tight; a serious young wine with terrific verve and the acid/tannin backbone to support a long and glorious evolution in bottle. Very long on the back end, with mouth-saturating fruit and tannins. Like La Chapelle-and in direct contrast to Bahans and Haut-Brion-this is quite backward today, and almost certain to merit a higher rating in the future. |
|
|
2005 |
Pessac Leognan (6x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,215.97 |
1 |
|
| |
NM 99 (11/2013): Tasted at Farr Vintner's La Mission dinner. The 2005 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion is a stellar wine that is not for my generation but the next (and I ain't that old). It has a very expressive bouquet, the Merlot exceptionally animated and vibrant, manifesting scents of dark plum, blackcurrant, hints of leather and warm gravel lurking just behind. Returning to my glass after a couple of hours the bouquet is even more complex with lovely mint and juniper berries joining the chorus line. The palate is structured, as is typical of the 2005s, with a fine line of acidity, layers of black fruit, mint and tobacco. It fans out wonderfully on the finish. Stunning - but it deserves another decade in the cellar. Drink 2022-2060.
JS 95 (5/2012): This shows a beautiful balance between concentration and ripeness. The wine is full-bodied, showing fine and rich tannins with tons going on. This is long and beautiful. I remember this being more muscular, but nevertheless this has taken on a wonderful finesse and richness. Pull the cork after 2020.
WA 97 (4/2008): There are slightly more than 5,000 cases of the 2005 La Mission-Haut-Brion, a blend of 69% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and a touch of Cabernet Franc. While there is little difference between La Mission and Haut-Brion’s terroirs (their vineyards are only separated by a two-lane road), La Mission possesses more fat, texture, and intensity. An enormously endowed wine with huge tannin and structure, the 2005 offers a quintessential Graves bouquet of burning embers, charcoal, blackberries, truffles, black currants, and a meaty character. Reminiscent of the 1989, with more structure as well as a longer window of drinkability, the 2005 may be a modern day, improved version of a vintage such as 1955, which was well-endowed, very tannic, and took a long time to come around. While fabulously full-bodied and unctuous, the 2005 will not provide much charm in its youth. It needs 8-10 years of cellaring, and should age effortlessly for 30-40 years.
WS 97 (3/2008): The Indian spices and blackberry on the nose are so enticing and inspiring, leading to a full-bodied palate, with very polished tannins that caress. Goes on and on as this builds on the palate, with a mineral and berry aftertaste. For long-term aging. Best after 2015. 5,665 cases made.
VM 94+ (6/2008): Deep ruby-red. Black raspberry and licorice on the nose. Dense and sweet but youthfully tight; a serious young wine with terrific verve and the acid/tannin backbone to support a long and glorious evolution in bottle. Very long on the back end, with mouth-saturating fruit and tannins. Like La Chapelle-and in direct contrast to Bahans and Haut-Brion-this is quite backward today, and almost certain to merit a higher rating in the future. |
|
|
2015 |
Pessac Leognan |
$385 |
4 |
|
| |
JS 100 (2/2018): Rose petals, sandalwood and currants with some plums and fruit tea. Full-bodied, tight and focused. Incredibly straight and minerally. Toned muscles here. Tannic. Traditional and unwavering. Try in 2024.
WA 98 (2/2018): The deep garnet-purple colored 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion is a blend of 58% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon. Youthfully mute with bright, youthful red currants, black raspberries, cassis and freshly crushed blackberries notions, it slowly unfurls to reveal an earthy/minerally undercurrent of damp soil, charcoal, iron ore and truffles plus a waft of violets. Medium to full-bodied, decadently fruited and yet wonderfully elegant with very ripe, very silky tannins, freshness that sits well in the background and an almost electric intensity of vibrant red and black fruit flavors, it finishes long and minerally. Just. Beautiful. Consider giving it 6-7 years in bottle before broaching and drink it over the next 30+.
JD 98 (11/2017): More opulent, sexy and concentrated, the 2015 La Mission Haut Brion is a tour de force that has everything you could want from Bordeaux. A huge nose of smoke tobacco, gravelly earth, graphite, cassis, and blackcurrants gives way to a full-bodied, concentrated, perfectly balanced beauty that has incredible depth of flavor and intensity, yet with no weight. While the overall impression is upfront and in your face, it has incredible elegance and length on the finish (as well as ripe tannin), and will keep for three decades.
VM 98 (7/2019): The 2015 La Mission Haut-Brion is blessed with an outstanding bouquet of brilliantly focused and delineated black fruit laced with graphite and cedar - pure class. The medium-bodied, harmonious palate delivers fine-grained tannin and impressive depth. There is a slight savory element (just like the Haut-Brion) that infuses the middle, and brown spices and sage linger on the finish. This is a profound La Mission Haut-Brion that dares surpass Haut-Brion on this showing. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin.
WS 96 (3/2018): Alluring, with steeped plum, blackberry and açaí berry fruit imparting a distinctive edge. Slightly burly tannins roam underneath but the fruit is so fleshy and broad they are easily absorbed, while dark pudding, warm tar, licorice snap and roasted alder notes flow in on the lengthy finish. Reveals a gorgeous Turkish coffee accent at the very end. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2025 through 2040. 6,800 cases made. |
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| Ch. Monbousquet |
2016 |
St. Emilion (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$683.99 |
3 |
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| JS 94-95 (4/2017): This is very layered and firm with beautiful tannins and richness. Full-bodied, tight and spicy with lovely depth. Refined and pretty. |
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| Ch. Montrose |
1970 |
St. Estephe Top-Shoulder Fill; Heavily Bin-Soiled Label |
$250 |
1 |
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NM 91 (6/2011): Tasted at an off-line lunch at La Trompette. For me, the Montrose ’70 was peaking around a decade ago, but it remains a great, mature Saint Estephe. Here, it has a compelling Saint Estephe nose with blackberry, cedar, pinecone and undergrowth that just blossoms from the glass. Leaving the wine in my glass for a while there is a touch of dried meats/Italian deli that the fades. The palate is medium-bodied with firm structure so typical of Montrose. There is a core of decayed red fruit whilst its citric edge lends is life and freshness, whilst there finish is a little more loose-knit and drier than on previous bottles. Anachronistic, but adorable.
MB [**[**]] (6/1998): The sort of vintage to suit Montrose. Rather like La Mission, intensely deep and packed with fruit and tannin. 'Magnificent but too heavy for (a city) lunch' in 1980! Massive, Latour-like, rich, moutfilling but tough. Five recent notes: exciting, rich, glorious flavour but still very tannic. 'Good but not great' a jerboam in 1997. High toned, raw tannic finish.
WA 87 (5/2016): Tasted at the Montrose vertical in Stamford, the 1970 Montrose is a wine that I drank regularly back in the 1990s, when it was one of the standouts of the vintage. As noted by more recent notes by myself and Robert Parker, it seems to have dried out in recent years, although there remains some drinking pleasure. It is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc picked between 23 September and 11 October. Quite deep in color, it has a cedar and leather-scented bouquet and modest amounts of black fruit, higher toned than coeval vintages, probably due to the relatively higher alcohol level. The palate is medium-bodied with fine definition, structured and perhaps a little dry and loose-knit towards the finish. It seems to be on a downward curve, though I wager that large format bottles might be holding up well. I would broach regular-sized bottles over the next 5-6 years.
WS 87 (12/2006): Currant and tobacco aromas with undertones of basil and sweet tobacco. Medium-bodied, with a delicate palate. Starting to dry out a bit, but a nice wine.--Non-blind Château Montrose vertical. Drink now. |
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2009 |
St. Estephe (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$3,439.99 |
1 |
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WA 100 (3/2019): Hallelujah—what a glorious nose! The deep garnet colored 2009 Montrose features beautiful Black Forest cake, licorice, crème de cassis and warm blueberries scents with hints of charcoal, truffles, tapenade and menthol plus a waft of star anise. The palate is full-bodied, rich, super concentrated and yet superbly harmonious with a firm backbone of ripe, grainy tannins and wonderful freshness, finishing long and mineral laced.
JS 100 (2/2012): Blueberries, currants and Indian spices on the nose follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a lovely finish. It's intense and refined. A beauty. It goes on for minutes. Speechless. Better and cleaner than the great 1990. Try in 2022.
VM 98+ (3/2019): The 2009 Montrose has a taut, brilliantly defined bouquet with intense black fruit laced with crushed stone, forest floor, crushed rose petals and a touch of slate. Magnificent. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, good depth and grip, plenty of graphite locked in here with a bravura finish that indicates that this Saint-Estèphe is in for the long-haul. It may well deserve a higher score as it evolves in bottle. Everything you wish for in a Montrose. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners’ 2009 Bordeaux tasting. Neal Martin.
WS 97 (3/2012): A bit of a brute, with a very chewy bittersweet ganache, tobacco and roasted fig core splayed open right now by a dagger of roasted apple wood, allspice and cedar. Long and dense through the finish, with a strong singed iron edge. The stuffing is certainly there, but this will take a while to come together as it's running unbridled right now. Proves you can still get classic old-school Bordeaux. Best from 2020 through 2040. 17,000 cases made. |
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| Ch. Mouton-Rothschild |
1986 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$11,810.98 |
1 |
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JD 100 (12/2016): The 1986 Mouton-Rothschild is a behemoth that almost has a California-like richness and sweetness of fruit. Offering incredible yet classic Cabernet Sauvignon notes of crème de cassis, tobacco leaf, lead pencil shavings, and wood smoke, this beauty starts out reticent and backward (which is mind blowing for a wine that’s 32 years old) yet opens up gorgeously with time in the glass. Full-bodied, deep, rich and unctuous, yet still incredibly pure and lively, it’s a sensational, benchmark Bordeaux that probably has another 2+ decades of longevity.
WA 100 (12/2016): The 1986 Mouton-Rothschild is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot that was picked from 2 October until 16 October. Winemaker Philippe Dhalluin, who was not working at the property back then, told me that the pH was fairly low at 3.54 when it is usually around 3.75, due to the natural tartaric acid in the vines. It has a powerful and intense bouquet as always: exemplary graphite and cedar scents, a touch of black pepper and incense. It seems to unfurl in the glass, like a motor revving its engine. The palate is beautifully balanced with its trademark firm tannic structure, a Mouton-Rothschild with backbone and masculinity. Layers of black fruit intermingling with mint and graphite, a hint of licorice emanating from the Merlot, gently fanning out and my God, it is incredibly long. It is not like the 1985 Mouton-Rothschild that is so fleshy and generous. This is serious, aristocratic Mouton, a true vin de garde and yes, I do think drinkers will have to wait until it reaches its true peak. Sometimes that's just the way it is.
JS 100 (9/2017): This is finally coming around with such fine tannins and beautiful fruit after all these years. Full and balanced. Historical. And so long. Beautiful. Fresh and bright.
VM 99 (5/2016): Philippe Dhalluin served the 1986 Mouton Rothschild to wrap up our vertical. The 1986 remains one of my favorite Moutons. A dark, powerful wine, the 1986 is endowed with a vertical sense of structure that is a marvel to behold. Dark stone fruit, smoke, graphite, mocha, soy and licorice are fused together in a marvelously intense, deep Mouton that promises to drink well for another few decades. Tonight, the 1986 is absolutely stunning. The blend is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Harvest started on October 2nd and wrapped up on the 16th. Antonio Galloni.
WS 99 (6/2001): Ageless, yet balanced. Black color. Mint, mineral, berry and cherry. Full-bodied, chewy and tight. Long, long finish. A great, great wine.--Bordeaux retrospective. Drink now. |
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1994 |
Pauillac (12x750ML)
ETA 120-180 Days; No cancellations or returns |
$5,569.99 |
1 |
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| WA 91 (2/1997): After less than persuasive performances in two potentially great years, 1989 and 1990, Mouton-Rothschild appears to have settled down, producing fine efforts in recent vintages, culminating with the enormously promising, unquestionably profound 1995. The 1994 appears to be the finest Mouton-Rothschild made following the 1986 and before the 1995's conception. The wine exhibits a dense, saturated purple color, followed by a classic Mouton nose of sweet black fruits intermingled with smoke, pain grillee, spice, and cedar. Medium to full-bodied, with Outstanding concentration, a layered feel, plenty of tannin, and rich, concentrated fruit, this wine is similar to the fine 1988. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025. By the way, the Dutch artist, Appel, has created a gorgeous label for the 1994. Alth |
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