Delectable Wine

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9.9

The sample of 2019 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande sent to me last year was an absolute show-stopper. The bouquet needs a few minutes to open up, delivering intense black fruit, crushed stone and incense with time in the glass. Yes, the nose does remind me of Latour! The medium-bodied palate is endowed with unerring symmetry and poise. This is a powerful, multi-dimensional Pichon-Lalande, extremely precise, very deep and long. The 60% new oak is seamlessly integrated and feels just right. It reminds me of the 1996 in some ways, but with more finesse on the finish. Stunning. 14.12% alcohol (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago

Justin

9.5

60% cab 40% merlot. Medium bodied. Deep, dark hue. Not much on the nose. Nice long finish. Solid super Tuscan. 2018 half bottle at Carmine’s Market for $40. — 4 years ago

Willem Booij

9.2

60%Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay. Dégorgement 07/2019. Great and authentic nose, at this time the Pinot is at the first row. — 4 years ago

Simone Pizzi

9.5

Beautiful bubbles, classy sparkling. Natural wine, classic pleasure. — 6 years ago

Conrad Green

9.6

From mag. This is quite unbelievable given this is 100 years old. A garnet core with some bricking, but looks like a wine from the 60’s or 70’s. Very pure and translucent. Pretty blue fruit with lovely balance and still delicate fruit. Just wow. — 6 years ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Al Shikoh

9.5

light golden yellow, very fine persistent mousse; nutty, floral, autolytic nose; rich and creamy on the palate, 12% ABV, 8 g/L dosage; blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay aged 16% in oak, ripe vintage, Roederer released the 2009 before the 2008, $250 — 7 years ago

Matt

8.9

Great as always, carrying more spice and starchy components, still weighty, nice power. 60 PN 40 CH; 12/2016 Disgorgement; 2.6g/L dosage. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have to say this is my favorite Chateau to stand in front of and gaze. On the nose, spice, wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, mint, tobacco leaf and dark fresh & dry flowers. It's drinking nicely with silty medium-medium + tannins & full bodied. Ruby, ripe wild blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, black plum, plum, leather, cedar, dark moist soil, wet stones, crushed dry minerals, mint, tobacco leaf and violets, dark fresh & dry flowers. The acidity is round and mouthwatering. The long finish has great elegance, beauty, length, tension & balance. It's just starting to hit it's stride and has plenty of life ahead of it. Another 15-20 years. Who said 04 was a difficult vintage? This will continue to improve and will stun with another 10 years in bottle. Photos of the the exterior Chateau front & side, tasting room and Christian Seely Managing Director. Chateau Pichon Baron and Chateau Pichon Lalande were originally part of the same estate. Pichon Baron got it's name when Therese, daughter of the founder, received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville the first President of the Bordeaux Parliament. Chateau Pichon Baron changed because of the Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville. He took over managing Pichon Baron when he was only 19 years old! When the Baron passed away at 90 in 1850, he divided his Pauillac estate. The sons were awarded what became Chateau Pichon Baron and the daughters were given what later became Chateau Pichon Lalande. Pichon Baron went through three rough decades in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Part of the issues were, lack of investment and they machine harvested. The first really great vintages for them were 89 & 90 after Jean Rene Matignon, Jean-Michel Cazes join them and AXA Insurance Company purchased them adding capital. The 73 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Baron are planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. However, the Cabernet Franc and the Petit Verdot are reserved exclusively for the second wine. The terroir is mostly deep gravel, sand clay soils. Pichon Baron uses 80% new French oak and rests in barrel 18 months. @ FogoDeChao

— 8 years ago

Matthew Marcino

9.1

Interestingly, a little hot. Let decant for 60 minutes. Great flavor. Nice spice, nice cassis, good fruit finish. Not too big, but just enough. Not a long finish. Solid vintage, solid wine, overall a very good bottle. — 10 years ago

Pascaline Lepeltier, MS

Master Sommelier, Wine Director Rouge Tomate New York

9.0

Very good Brut, 60% PN 40% C all from Bouzy Grand Cru - a lot of energy for 2009 — 11 years ago

Kalamota

8.9

An excellent Zin blend when considering the price point. Not all jammy/fruity; nor is it full blown spicy. A great value. — 11 years ago

Nuria Ayuso

9.8

Pendiente de probar — 12 years ago

Paul T HB

9.5

Not the team’s I wanted to see, so I’ll just stick to the basics. Went well with some A5 coffee crusted New York Strip, the steak 🥩 is so rich you don’t want to waste it on a fruity wine

The 2010 is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. The vineyard is situated on deep gravel deposits in the Macau and Ludon villages of the appellation and has 9,600 vines per hectare.

Vinious 93 The 2010 Cantemerle is vigorous and open on the nose, a mixture of red and black fruit with cedar and humidor scents. I admire the focus and detail. The palate is rounded in texture on the entry. This is a plumper, richer, more fruit-driven 2010 with a lush finish on the context of the growing season. You could broach this now, although I would prefer to leave it another three or four years. This is another excellent wine and candidate for most over-performing cru this vintage. Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal. — 3 years ago

Tracy Hall

9.3

Always enjoyed. White blossom, honeycomb and white nectarine with superfine bubbles and a lemony finish. 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay. 60% 2013 & 10% reserve. Disgorged 11/2019. Dosage 6.5G/L. TBL — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Located on the outskirts of the medieval town of Saint-Emilion, at the southern foot of the slope. A blend of 55% Merlot, 35% Cab Franc &10% Cab Sauv, aged in 60% new oak, deep Ruby with aromas of dark fruit accompanied by cedar & spice. The palate shows fresh ripe dark berry fruits, cacao, tobacco and espresso notes. Well balanced, perfect tannins, a joy to drink but cellar until 2022 for a better experience. Tasting Sample! — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.4

A very enjoyable, and very complex, 21 year old red blend from Pessac Léognan, Bordeaux.

Showing red and black fruits with earth, chocolates, tobacco, dark peppercorn, dark coffee, forest floor, green vegetables, graphites, vinaigrette and spices.

Needs 3 hours to open up properly and show the complexity.

Peaking now, and will be good in the next few years. What a treat. This is so delicious.

Wine Advocate 93 points.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

13% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$200. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Began 1916, when Juan Gil Giménez, great-grandfather of the present generation, built a winery in heart of Jumilla. Blue label spent 18 months in new oak barrels (wine formally known as 18 mos representing time in bottle, now “Blue Label.” Monastrell, Cab Sauv & Syrah blend (60/30/10), low yield, aromas of red berry and toasty oak. Palate shows flavors of dark berry fruits, espresso, cacao and hints of sweet spice. Big dusty tannins, well integrated with oak, lingering, ending with balanced oaky character. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Is there anything better than Ribeye & Claret? From my perspective, no. This is the second wine from one of more prestigious Chateaus in St. Estephe. Bordeaux rule number 2, buy the hell out of good producers second wines in very good vintages, like 2005. You’ll get great wines at more affordable prices. Providing, you exercise patience; which is rule number 1. Decanted for 3 plus hours. On the nose, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, black plum & cherries pull up the rear. Incense, herbaceous character, anise, scorched dark earth, burnt ambers, anise, baking spices dominated by vanilla, black tea, black cherry cola, loamy dry soils, dry & fresh red florals with violets for days. It’s in a great phase with many years ahead. The body is full and round. The texture has you wanting more. It’s velvety and ripe. Tannins soft and powdery, around 65-70 resolved. The fruits are ripe & ruby...showing the excellence of the 05 vintage. Blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, black plum & cherries pull up the rear. Incense, herbaceous character, anise, scorched dark earth, dry stones, leather, cigar with ash, burnt ambers, anise, baking spices dominated by vanilla, black tea, black cherry cola, loamy dry soils, dry & fresh red florals with violets for days. The acidity is dead on. The length, structure, length & balance is harmonizing like America on the album, “ Horse with No Name.” The long finish is; ruby, rich, elegant, round, beautiful and lasts a minute plus. Beautiful wine. 9.4 with the steak. 9.2 on its own. Photos of; Chateau Cos d’ Estournel, hosting/tasting area, private wine stock and barrel cellar. Producer notes and history...Chateau Cos d’Estournel has a long history in the appellation of St. Estephe. Louis Gaspard d’Estournel, gave his name to the estate after founding it in 1811. It only took a few years before Chateau Cos d’Estournel became famous with wine lovers and royalty all over the world. In the early days, the wines of Cos d’Estournel were not sold through the Negociant system. The owner preferred selling his wine directly to his customers. In fact, Chateau Cos d’Estournel was exported to numerous countries across the globe, with a large portion of the production being sold to India. It was that connection to India that inspired much of the unique, east Indian design we see at Cos d’Estournel today. Chateau Cos d’Estournel was one of the first Chateaus to bottle, label and sell their own wine. This practice continued until the death of Louis Gaspard d’Estournel in 1852. After his death, the estate was purchased by an owner that sold their wines on the Place de Bordeaux, using the negociant system. If the Chateau had not been selling their wines through the negociant system, it would never have been included in the 1855 Classification! Chateau Cos d’Estournel was sold to the Charmolue family, the owners of the neighboring Chateau Montrose. They continued to own the estate until 1917, when it was bought by Fernand Ginestet. The purchase was the next major step in the development of Cos d’Estournel. The next era in the development of Chateau Cos d’Estournel took place in 2000, when Chateau Cos d’Estournel was bought by Michel Reybier, who made his fortune in the food industry. Michel Reybier hired the son of Bruno Prats, Jean-Guillaume Prats to manage Cos d’Estournel. Things improved with the efforts of Jean-Guillaume Prats who helped design the most modern wine making facilities in the entire Bordeaux wine making appellation at the time. A complete renovation of Cos d’Estournel took place in the winemaking facilities and cellars. The wine making facilities are completely modern, using 100% gravity. On October 15, 2012, Jean Guillaume Prats announced he was leaving Chateau Cos d’Estournel to join LVMH. Jean Guillaume Prats was replaced by Aymeric de Gironde. Following the departure of Aymeric de Gironde in 2017, the owner, Michel Reybier took over managing the estate. In 2018, the estate released COS100, produced from their oldest Merlot vines that were 100 years of age. It was limited in production to a 100 Jeroboams, (3 litres) and 10 Balthazars (12 litres) and a few other sizes were produced from only 2 barrels of wine. The proceeds from COS100 go to the charity, Elephant Family, that is devoted to protecting and nurturing Asian elephants in their own, natural habitat. Cos d’Estournel’s new cellar is a joint reflection by the technical team, the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Jean Guillaume Prats. It’s a marvel blend of simplicity and modern technology. Cos d’Estournel is unique to Bordeaux and the rest of world. What makes this special is that the cellars of Cos d’Estournel are entirely operated by gravity. There are no pumps of any kind to force the wine. The purpose is to allow a gentleness to the wine and improve its purity allowing for expression of their special terroir. It set a new benchmark for cellars not only in the Left Bank, but in all of Bordeaux. The new cellars at Chateau Cos d’Estournel include 72 isothermal cone shaped stainless steel vats. The vats are specifically designed for thermal inertia. The 72 vats have a wide range of capacities to correspond with the needs of each parcel of vines. The vats range in size from as small as 19 hectoliters all the way up to 115 hectolitres. 12 of the smaller vats that are designed to handle between 19 and 60 hectoliters that have two levels in each vat. In other words, this offers the technical equivalent of 24 separate vats. Each of the vats are double lined, which allows for more exact and temperature control. None of the vats use interior heat coils. Perhaps the most inventive part of the cellars is the four 100 hectoliter lift tanks or wine elevators that replace the pumps used in the traditional pumping over and racking off processes, which introduce air and often destabilize the marc. From the moment the grapes arrive, everything travels by the flow of gravity. Jean Guillaume Prats called this process a pumpless, pump over. What takes place is, the wine is released from the main vat where the skins remain. By gravity, the juice is then moved into smaller vats which are on wheels. These small vats are sent to the glass elevators where they are moved up one floor and returned back into the vat by gravity to cover the skins. At this point, the process is still unique to Chateau Cos d’Estournel. The wine production of Cos d’Estournel is labor intensive starting the moment the grapes enter their new facility. The berries travel through a tunnel that instantly lowers the temperature of the fruit to 3-5 degrees Celsius. This sudden chilling stops the loss of juice while also slowing oxidation. Next, the grapes are cold macerated at 7-9 degrees Celsius for about a week. Pump overs are done by gravity recycling. The juice from the top of the vat moves to the bottom of the vat entirely by gravity. The fermentation takes place at low temperatures to avoid over extraction or harsh tannins. The 91 hectare vineyard of Chateau Cos d’Estournel is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The vineyard is located close to the border of Pauillac and Saint Estephe at the southern tip of the Saint Estephe appellation. The vineyard has cultivated 84 hectares of vines. Even though the vineyard has been expanded over the years, the grape varietals planted here have remained consistent. The vineyard, located on the hill of Cos, has gentle elevations of up to 20 meters. On average, the vines are 35 years of age. However, the estate has very old Merlot vines as well, which date back more than 100 years. Part of the terroir is situated on the hill of Cos, which is at a high elevation for the Medoc at 20 meters. Cos d’Estournel is translated from old Gascon speech; which means the hill of pebbles. It describes the terroir along with clay, gravel, sand and limestone soil. However, there is a unique aspect to the soil at Cos d’Estournel, as you find more gravel and less clay here than you do at other neighboring vineyards. Because the fruit is grown close to the Atlantic ocean in a cool climate, Cos d’Estournel is often among the last of the properties in the Medoc to harvest. The vineyard is managed by teams and each team member is given 45,000 vines to look after. The vineyard, which is almost one large block, can be further divided into 72 separate parcels. — 7 years ago

Willie Carter

9.0

I love these wines that are most definitely not playing to the masses. Medium garnet with a wide brim. The nose is highly attractive fresh out of the gate. A ridiculous amount of fruit here with blackberries, black cherries, and strawberries. Eucalyptus and smoke. Herbs and spice. Beautiful earth and foresty goodness with the suggestion of funk. Terrific aromas.

COS uses clay amphorae for storage and biodynamic viticulture to produce wines as naturally as possible. 60% Nero d’Avola, 40% Frappato di Vittoria. This is all about the terroir, it’s a glorious wine that truly speaks of a place and is driven by that. The acid is nice and vibrant and the tannins round. Plenty more fruit to be found on the palate with red and black fruits. More dusty earth, leather, and stones. A long finish that leaves you wanting more. And my friends, you do want more. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

As perfect as a glass of well made & well aged Napa Cabernet gets. Heavenly palate harmony.

What a Christmas late night wine snuggle under the candle tree with Sofia.

A bottle/glass you wish would never end.

One of the very best Christmas Eve’s in memory.

Merry Christmas!!! 🎄🎁🎅⛄️🌟❄️

Only 60 bottles made. I bought 33% of them. @Shay A ended up with two & @Paul T- Huntington Beach had 2 or 3 of them.

Never had a better Napa Cabernet for $89 or much more.

I misspoke a few weeks ago. This is the best Napa Cabernet I’ve had this year. — 4 years ago

Stephen

9.0

Solid across the board. 60/40 ner mescalese + frappatto — 6 years ago

Luciano Silva

9.3

This wine was a gift from a friend and it is a nice surprise to me from Argentina. Known by the Malbec this Argentinian Cab blend (60% cab, 25% Malbec and 15% cab franc) has great notes of robusta coffee, tobacco and flower (hydrangea). In you chocolate and dark fruits. It’s higher alcohol level 14,5% ensures its long lasting flavour and a surprisingly round finish. — 6 years ago

Andrew Lohse

9.2

Ripe, juicy black cherry / ripe plum / currant, spice, mocha / midweight, smooth [60% cab franc, 30% cab sauv, 10% petit Verdot] — 7 years ago

Conrad Green

9.3

Red fruit with a slightly drying orange peel. Some dark and tangy intense midpalate. All these are astonishing considering they’re 60 years old. Great bottles. — 7 years ago

with Matt and Paul

Sonal Bhatia

9.2

This wine needs decanting. It changes rapidly. Charcoal notes at the start. Brick. Vanilla. It's that 60 year old gray-haired man who has a lifetime of stories and a relaxed manner about him — 9 years ago

Brian Filip

9.1

"Great nose. Could pick up the beautiful bouquet at arm's length. Nicely balanced. Good cherry and blackberry but not overly fruity. Not a lot of secondary flavors. Assume it's just too young. Very much enjoyed but probably would not pay $60 for it." — 9 years ago

Morgan Diamant

9.1

Occhipinti's Uncle is the 'O' on COS - 40-60 Frappato/Nero D'Avola. Little bit of funkiness to it, sour cherries and cranberries on the palate, but it smooths out after being open for a little bit. Really nice rustiness with a little fruitiness to finish. Aged in terra cotta pots partially underground. — 10 years ago

Floyden Mugford

9.4

Nice peppery 60 Malbec 40 bonarda — 10 years ago

Fabien Lainé

Blogger VinDeling.com

9.2

1960 was for kind of forgotten close to the nice 1959 and 1961 vintages - but the wine still handle well, with a light profile, a nice experience from a nice gift, maybe 60 was better for the Beatles !? However it feels kind of younger than 1960 at first sight, an off vintage in good shape but will get soon enough to its peak 😐 — 11 years ago

Paco Suro

9.5

Not too hoppy. A hint of sweet caramel. — 11 years ago