Brothers In Arms
Banfi
Summus Toscana Sangiovese Blend 2014
Banfi was founded in 1978 by the Italian-American brothers, John and Harry Mariani. A blend of Sangiovese, Cab Sauv & Syrah. Aromas of fruit herb and spice. On the palate chewy red fruits, leaning towards jammy currant like, tangy spice and lively acidity. Tight tannins took a while to open, medium finish ending with fruit and spice. Good now but a few years in the cellar with reward. — 7 years ago
Brown Brothers
Patricia Shiraz 2012
Stunning 2012 Patricia Shiraz. Best of the best fruit used in this one. Balance of deep dark concentrated blue fruits, savoury spice, meaty spice, hint of cocoa and a plushness of length — 7 years ago
Eight Arms
The Argonaut Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Revisiting. It actually did well with a smidge of age. Less saline more really ripe kumquat. I want this wine to be my best friend. Like we are both gonna change and mature but will always provide quality us-time to each other. Dang I’m worried Eight Cellars isn’t making wine anymore? Because I was able to buy 2014 Sauvignon Blanc in 2018... — 7 years ago
Giesen
The Brothers Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009
2 May 2018
An older bottle of NZ Sauvignon Blanc opened by our host Alex Giesen in his Puligny chateau.
Photos of our new friends Lisa Giesen, my wife Debbie, the Palm tree shirted author of this post, Alex Giesen, my wine travel companions for this trip, Sandra & James.
Bottled under stelvin, this bottle had lost a minor amount of acidity, but you'd never guess it was 9 years old. A nice pull from Alex's private cellar. — 8 years ago
Dashe Cellars
Todd Brothers Ranch Petite Sirah 2010
Deep purple in color. Intense. Complex. Aromatic. Blackberry. Chocolate. Lavender. Roasted herbs. — 8 years ago
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Pichon Lalande is my favorite 2nd growth with a steak. Yup...it's #SteakandClaret night to quote my buddy Gary Westby. Further, it's certainly one of my favorite producers period. I've waited for this wine to be in the bottle for 10 years before finding out definitely how good it was or wasn't. You see, the 05 Bordeaux vintage was exceptional. It's drinking right now better than 00. 00 may turn out to be better, but not for some time. The real issue was the division of scores between RP & NM. Parker had this as low as an 86 and now has it at 89. Neil Martin has been consistently at 95-96. I found it simply inexplicable that Pichon Lalande could have bombed in such a great vintage. Tonight, I know they didn't. This wine is beautiful. Although, I don't believe it will cellar as long as their some of their very best vintages and many others I've enjoyed. On the nose, bramble, ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries, graphite, baking spices, cedar, lightly perfumed violets and dark, fresh & dry red flowers. The body is medium-medium plus, tannins nicely resolved with 10 years to be completely resolved. Fruits of; ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries and pomegranate with a whiff of spice. There's notes of dry bramble, soft leather, fresh violets, graphite, cedar, dry stones, dark rich earth, limestone, tobacco, spice-box, vanilla, very light cinnamon & nutmeg. The finish is very long, elegant, ripe, round, smooth, good acidity and beautifully elegant...50-50 earth & fruit. I bought more bottles of this at $85 after it's was first released in futures and I do not regret it. $85 is proving to be a steal for this wine when it normally sells for between $100-$150 a bottle and higher. Might heavy up further after tonight if I find more around the same price. Oh yes...I'm with NM on the scoring. Photos of the Chateau, estate vines, newer tasting room & the Virginie de Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande. Forgive my long post, but my passion and love for this producer is profound. Producer history and notes...as I wrote in an earlier post for Pichon Baron, Pichon Baron and Lalande started as one entity. The first mention of what is now called Chateau Pichon Lalande was the creation of Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan. Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan is responsible for forming many of the top Bordeaux estates today. Pichon Lalande was given its name when Therse, the daughter of the founder received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville. Pichon Lalande was essentially managed by three women, Therese de Rauzan, Germaine de Lajus and Marie Branda de Terrefort. On the eve of his death in 1850, Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville divided the property between his five children. His three daughters received Pichon Lalande and his sons Pichon Baron. What happened next was Virginie, the wife of the Count of Lalande took over the management of the estate under the name of Comtesse de Lalande. In 1850 she commissioned the popular, architect Duphot to build a residence inspired by the Hotel de Lalande, located in Bordeaux. Without heirs, Pichon Lalande passed down from aunts to nieces. Following World War I, the Miailhe brothers, bought Pichon Lalande in 1925. They were the ones who planted even more Merlot. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the daughter of Edouard Miailhe became the new owner and general manager of Chateau Pichon Lalande in 1978. She expand the size of Chateau Pichon Lalande from 40 hectares to it's current 89 hectares. Chateau Pichon Lalande remained in the same family for more than 250 years! In fact, over three centuries, only two families have owned Pichon Lalande. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing sold Pichon Lalande to the owners of Roederer Champagnein in January 2007. This family-run company is managed by Frederic Rouzaud who owned several other wine estates in Bordeaux; Chateau Bernadotte, Chateau de Pez, Haut Beausejour and Chateau Reaut la Graviere. He sold Chateau Bernadotte in December 2012. In February, 2011, Sylvie Cazes was named the director of Chateau Pichon Lalande. She replaced Gildas d’Ollone. Sylvie Cazes was replaced in 2012 by current Director Nicolas Glumineau, who was previously at Chateau Montrose. In 2012, Pichon Lalande renovated the estate with a budget estimated at over 15 Million Euros. The new facilities included; building of a new underground barrel aging cellar and several new buildings...one that houses their new tasting room as shown. This renovation provided numerous improvements in their wine making. Most importantly, in the vinification. They created a new, triple tiered, cellar where everything moves by gravity. They also added numerous new, stainless steel, temperature controlled, double skinned vats. These new vats allow Pichon Lalande to vinify on a parcel by parcel basis as well as get much softer & gentle extractions. The 89 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Lalande is located adjacent to Chateau Latour and and across the road from Pichon Baron. The terroir of Chateau Pichon Lalande is deep gravel with clay and limestone soil and is planted to; 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. — 8 years ago
Château Langoa Barton
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2000
Allen Bothers meats; Tomahawk, Filet Milon, New York Strip & Ribeye served family style. Allen Brothers buy only the top 1% of meat quality available on the market.
St. Julien elegance and steak cooked on the Egg Grill. Heaven together.
Second wine from 2nd Growth Leoville Barton in grand vintage. 😋
20 years later, amazing QPR and still improving for a least 10 years. — 6 years ago
Luca Wines
Laborde Double Select Uco Valley Syrah 2015
Had another bottle, Wow! Laura Catena, 4th gen winemaker, grew up in Argentine-Italian winemaking family in Mendoza. Wines, named after her children - Luca, Dante & Nicola - background of the label is the McDermott coat of arms of her American husband, Daniel McDermott. Single-vineyard wine from land belonging to the Laborde family. Deep red with big ripe fruits & smoky oak. Palate plum & jammy blackberry, spice with nice earthy character. Tannins are a bit rustic, lingering ending with toasty oak & spice. — 7 years ago
Krupp Brothers
Veraison Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
B. Leighton
Olsen Brothers Vineyard Petit Verdot 2013
Very nice wine. Red fruit, slice in the finish. — 8 years ago
Bret Brothers
La Soufrandiere Pouilly-Vinzelles Chardonnay
Really lovely stuff and a great wine to celebrate bringing in the last grapes for our harvest. Bright balanced and crisp. Nice little bit of reduction on the nose but still floral and expressive. — 8 years ago
Krupp Brothers
Black Bart Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah 2013
This will most likely be better in 5 years. Super big, spice box, black fruit. One hour in decanter but needed more time. — 9 years ago
Krupp Brothers
Black Bart's Bride Napa Valley White Blend 2013
The first time I've ever complimented a bride with "you're so fat and round." It's the texture. A full-on veneer. 70/30 Marsanne/Viognier from two blocks of the Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa. Honeysuckle for days, with stone fruit and honeydew melon. The secondary bitterness is matched and balanced with the sweetness of orchard fruit juice. — 9 years ago
Mandes
Brothers' Blend Ed Snider Red Blend 2013
I'm so happy to see that Ted's proprietary blend officially made it on delectable!!!!!! Congrats my friend!!!! Absolutely Killer proprietary blend. Everything I love: Lush fruit, big, bold and gorgeous on the palate. The nose explodes after a 2 hour decant. This is a Rockstar blend!!! I can't wait to see you what he does with his next venture. Ted and Ed Snider killed it with this one. I heard Ted may next be blending with a winery in Bordeaux or Rhone next????!!!!
Is that True Ted?????!!!!! Be sure to include me on that limited allocation!! @Ted Mandes @Cindy Mandes @Ed snider — 9 years ago
Snowden
Brothers Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
fully opaque ruby violet; cassis, tobacco, lavender, graphite; fruit is a bit restrained, good acidity, nice tannic backbone; blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petite Verdot, aged 19 months in French oak, only 45% new, winemaker Diana Snowden is wife of Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac in Burgundy — 6 years ago
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000
Masterclass in San Francisco with Saskia De Rothschild, Chairwoman DBR Lafite.
Saskia told me they are buying an existing property or starting one in China.
The nose reveals; ripe and slight stewed fruits. Blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, dark plum skin, dry cranberries & poached strawberries. Dark, dry soils, limestone minerals, touch of bandaid=VA, saddle-wood, steeped black tea, dry river stone, dark rich & dry soils, crushed rocks, dry underbrush, cherry cola with dry and fresh dark and red flowers.
The body is full and thick. This wine is just coming out of its infant stage and just starting to stretch it arms & legs. The tannins are firm, rounded and powdery. The structure, tension, length and balance show the beauty of the vintage but, the drinking window on their 2000 is somewhere between 2035-2080. Blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, dark plum skin, dry cranberries & poached strawberries. Dark, dry soils, limestone minerals, touch of bandaid, saddle-wood, steeped black tea, dry river stone, dark rich & dry soils, lots of graphite, crushed rocks, limestone, dry crushed rocks, gritty volcanic minerals, dry herbs, dry underbrush, cherry cola with dry and fresh dark and red flowers. The acidity is round and beautiful. The finish is very good now but, if you don’t cellar it 35 years from birth, you are cheating yourself out of something truly special. Its well balanced, rich, ripe and persists for days. 95 now with more to come in 16-25 plus years.
All wines arrived weeks ago directly from the Chateau.
Photos of; the Crown Room on the 23rd floor of the Fairmont where the Masterclass was held, tasting set up, Saskia De Rothschild, Chairwoman DBR Lafite presenting and another view of the city of San Francisco/Bay and the Golden Gate Bride in the background.
— 7 years ago
Krupp Brothers
Synchrony Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend
What a wonderful Napa Cab should be.Had in the mountains with friends paired wonderfully with a New York Strip.Made even better by a perfect crisp fall weekend with fall colors at their peak. — 7 years ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2000
The 2000 is delicious but, it is evolving at a glacial pace. Out of magnum.
On the nose, touch of barnyard, glycerin, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, dark,,turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals.
The body is full, round & sexy. Dry softened, sweet tannins. ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, plum, strawberries & cherries. Vanilla, dry clay, limestone, river stones, just a touch of pyrazines & bandaid, fresh tobacco leaf, saddle-wood, dry underbrush, dark, turned, moist earth, dry grass and dry & fresh dark florals. The acidity is magnificent. The structure, tension, length and balance are sensational. The finish is drop dead gorgeous. I’d still hold mine another 5 years as long as you have 3-4 bottles for more 5 year increments.
Photos of, their Estate vines, Clyde Beffa-Owner of K&L Wine Merchants, Owner of Chateau Lynch Bages - Jean-Michel Cazes, guests of the dinner and a sunset view from their Estate.
Producer notes and history...Lynch Bages takes its name from the local area where the Chateau is located in Bages. The vineyard of what was to become Lynch Bages was established and then expanded by the Dejean family who sold it in 1728 to Pierre Drouillard.
In 1749, Drouillard bequeathed the estate to his daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Lynch. This is how the estate came to belong to the Lynch family, where it remained for seventy-five years and received the name Lynch Bages. However, it was not always known under that name.
For a while the wines were sold under the name of Jurine Bages. In fact, when the estate was Classified in the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, the wines were selling under the name of Chateau Jurine Bages. That is because the property was owned at the time by a Swiss wine merchant, Sebastien Jurine.
In 1862, the property was sold to the Cayrou brothers who restored the estate’s name to Chateau Lynch family.
Around 1870, Lou Janou Cazes and his wife Angelique were living in Pauillac, close to Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron. It was here that Jean-Charles Cazes, the couple’s second son, was born in 1877.
In the 1930’s, Jean-Charles Cazes, who was already in charge of Les-Ormes-de-Pez in St. Estephe agreed to lease the vines of Lynch Bages. By that time, the Cazes family had history in Bordeaux dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century.
This agreement to take over Lynch Bages was good for both the owner and Jean Charles Cazes. Because, the vineyards had become dilapidated and were in need of expensive replanting, which was too expensive for the owner. However, for Cazes, this represented an opportunity, as he had the time, and the ability to manage Lynch Bages, but he lacked the funds to buy the vineyard.
Jean-Charles Cazes eventually purchased both properties on the eve of the Second World War. Lynch Bages and Les-Ormes-de-Pez have been run by the Cazes family ever since. In 1988, the Cazes family added to their holdings in Bordeaux when they purchased an estate in the Graves region, Chateau Villa Bel Air.
Around 1970, they increased their vineyards with the purchase of Haut-Bages Averous and Saussus. By the late 1990’s their holdings had expanded to nearly 100 hectares! Jean-Michel Cazes who had been employed as an engineer in Paris, joined the wine trade in 1973. In a short time, Jean Michel Cazes modernized everything at Lynch Bages.
He installed a new vat room, insulated the buildings, developing new technologies and equipment, built storage cellars, restored the loading areas and wine storehouses over the next fifteen years. During that time period, Jean Michel Cazes was the unofficial ambassador of not just the Left Bank, but all of Bordeaux. Jean Michel Cazes was one of the first Chateau owners to begin promoting their wine in China back in 1986.
Bages became the first wine sent into space, when a French astronaut carried a bottle of 1975 Lynch Bages with him on the joint American/French space flight!
Beginning in 1987, Jean-Michel Cazes joined the team at the insurance company AXA, who wanted to build an investment portfolio of quality vineyards in the Medoc, Pomerol, Sauternes, Portugal and Hungary.
Jean-Michel Cazes was named the director of the wine division and all the estates including of course, the neighboring, Second Growth, Chateau Pichon Baron.
June 1989 marked the inauguration of the new wine making facilities at Lynch Bages, which was on of their best vintages. 1989 also marked the debut of the Cordeillan- hotel and restaurant where Sofia and I had one of our best dinners ever. A few years after that, the Village de Bages with its shops was born.
The following year, in 1990, the estate began making white wine, Blanc de Lynch Bages. In 2001, the Cazes family company bought vineyards in the Rhone Valley in the Languedoc appellation, as well as in Australia and Portugal. They added to their holdings a few years later when they purchased a vineyard in Chateauneuf du Pape.
In 2006, Jean-Charles Cazes took over as the managing director of Chateau Lynch Bages. Jean-Michel Cazes continues to lead the wine and tourism division of the family’s activities. Due to their constant promotion in the Asian market, Chateau Lynch Bages remains one of the strongest brands in the Asian market, especially in China.
In 2017, Chateau Lynch Bages began a massive renovation and modernization, focusing on their wine making, and technical facilities. The project, headed by the noted architects Chien Chung Pei and Li Chung Pei, the sons of the famous architect that designed the glass pyramid for the Louvre in Paris as well as several other important buildings.
The project will be completed in 2019. This includes a new grape, reception center, gravity flow wine cellar and the vat rooms, which will house at least, 80 stainless steel vats in various sizes allowing for parcel by parcel vinification.
The new cellars will feature a glass roof, terraces with 360 degree views and completely modernized reception areas and offices. They are not seeing visitors until it’s completion.
In March, 2017, they purchased Chateau Haut Batailley from Françoise Des Brest Borie giving the Cazes family over 120 hectares of vines in Pauillac!
The 100 hectare vineyard of Lynch Bages is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. The vineyard has a terroir of gravel, chalk and sand soils.
The vineyard can be divided into two main sections, with a large portion of the vines being planted close to the Chateau on the Bages plateau. At their peak, the vineyard reaches an elevation of 20 meters. The other section of the vineyard lies further north, with its key terroir placed on the Monferan plateau.
They also own vines in the far southwest of the appellation, next Chateau Pichon Lalande, on the St. Julien border, which can be used in the Grand Vin. The vineyard can be split into four main blocks, which can be further subdivided into 140 separate parcels.
The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
The vineyards are planted to a vine density of 9,000 vines per hectare. The average age of the vines is about 30 years old. But they have old vines, some of which are close to 90 years old.
Lynch Bages also six hectares of vine are reserved for the production of the white Bordeaux wine of Chateau Lynch Bages. Those vines are located to the west of the estate. They are planted to 53% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Semillon and 15% Muscadelle. On average, those vines are about 20 years of age. Lynch Bages Blanc made its debut in 1990.
To produce the wine of Chateau Lynch Bages, vinification takes place 35 stainless steel vats that vary in size. Malolactic fermentation takes place in a combination of 30% French, oak barrels with the remainder taking place in tank.
The wine of Chateau Lynch Bages is aged in an average of 70% new, French oak barrels for between 12 and 15 months. Due to the appellation laws of Pauillac, the wine is sold as a generic AOC Bordeaux Blanc, because Pauillac does not allow for the plantings of white wine grapes.
For the vinification of their white, Bordeaux wine, Blanc de Lynch-Bages is vinified in a combination of 50% new, French oak barrels, 20% in one year old barrels and the remaining 30% is vinified in vats. The wine is aged on its lees for at least six months. The white wine is sold an AOC Bordeaux wine.
The annual production at Lynch Bages is close to 35,000 cases depending on the vintage.
The also make a 2nd wine, which was previously known as Chateau Chateau Haut Bages Averous. However, the estate changed its name to Echo de Lynch Bages beginning with the 2007 vintage. The estate recently added a third wine, Pauillac de Lynch-Bages.
— 8 years ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
We had the 2000 with the Allen Brothers Ribcap’s. Might have been the most tender cut of meat we had. Even more tender than their Bone-in Fillets. Allen Brothers is currently selling to consumers during Covid-19 as most restaurants are shut or barely open. Order online before the go back to restaurant only sales. You’ll be glad you did. You can see on their site what revered steakhouses they sell their beef etc. Cooked them in the Green Egg. 👌
Perhaps the first 2000 that I’ve opened that was truly ready. Yet, it will improve for another 5-7 years and hold for another 5-10 years properly stored.
The tannins were round and supple...like velvet. Good balance fruit & earth. The structure, tension, length and balance just hit a good stride. Dark, rich, but, muted fruits, dark chocolate, mocha powder, touch of caramel, nicely layer baking spices, dark rich earth, clay, stone, fresh, soft tobacco notes, saddle-wood, soft graphite notes with fresh & withering dark flowers. The acidity nice & round...definitely shows the strength of the vintage. The finish, well balanced-knitted, plush, velvety, flat out elegant & smooth.
Photos of, Chateau Belle-Vue, living area shot of inside the Chateau, perfect fruit ready for harvest and their barrel room. — 6 years ago