Côtes De Bordeaux, Bordeaux
Château Cos d'Estournel
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2010
Deep ruby garnet , thin garnet rim . Just beginning to show some development, with grafite tinged , pipe tobacco, cassis , spicy herbal hints and oyster shell notes. On the palate this still comes across as very young , dark cassis , blackcurrant fruit and a very long , detailed mineral and saline length. Sweet but grippy tannin , and fresh acidity. Tobacco and oyster shell return on the long finish . Needs time but has a great future . Come back in 5 -10 years , will last well a further 25 . Apologies for the silly stock photo , don’t think I took one having been so excited by both the 2016 and 2010. A huge , vast improvement on the rather chunky , forced and flat 2009 had at Vinous Icons Miami in Nov 2024. At Vinous Icons NY , Pier 60 , Feb 2025. — 21 days ago
Château Léoville Barton
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1995
Château d'Yquem
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1965
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Baron de Pichon-Longueville Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2000
Pretty deep garnet ruby , garnet rim . This is pretty open and aromatic, with smoky creme de cassis , grafite , blackberry and cedar , light herbal touches , really quite classic and noble . On the palate this has good balance and density , good freshness also . Ripe , very fine but perceptible tannins . Dark fruits , grafite , tobacco , long and detailed slightly mineral notes on the good length finish . Really elegant , though quite serious and traditional, not easy to pull off. This is drinking perfectly now (Coravin might have helped here , I would certainly decant if I had a full bottle) , though still quite fruit driven with some tertiary complexity coming through . Really harmonious and complex . From now and over the next 15 years, maybe more . At Doppo Restaurant, Soho . — a month ago
Château Angélus
St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2008
This was showing a polished silky mouthfeel with red, mostly black fruits, plum with mocha, graphite, spice box, leather & tobacco — 7 days ago
Château Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
+2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment) A beautiful deep ruby red color. On the nose: Expressive nose captivates with dark red fruit, espresso, chocolate, floral, menthol, sweet tobacco. Taste: rich, round, intense wine with dark cherry/blackberry, minerals, cedar, tobacco, and a peppery-pencil lead-dried herb long dry finish. YUM! A brilliant wine just entering its drinking window with time to go. — a month ago
Château Suduiraut
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2015
Wonderful depth and honeyed richness, with the fresh acidity to balance. Alas, we drank it 20 years too soon! This is one to put away and savor. — 3 days ago
Château Léoville-Las Cases
Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2006
Not sure I’ve had any other 2006 Bordeaux but decided to pull this to give it a go at nearly 20 years of age. Nice wine but perhaps not one that justifies the price point. At first quite tight, but after a 5 hour decant this really comes into its own. Lots of leather and dark blue and black fruit. Oak is really only apparent in structure now. Great acid. 13% which is nicely balanced. — 19 days ago
Château Pavie
Saint-Èmilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2018
Blend of 60% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Franc and 18% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby purple color with aromas of ripe berry fruits, cedar, floral and earthy spice notes. On the palate flavors of blueberry, plums and blackberry with vanilla, licorice, tobacco, espresso and toasty oak notes. Long rich finish on fine ripe tannins, will age very well, can start to drink now, but should wait a decade or more. Very Nice! — 22 days ago
Château Latour
Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
1st Growth Bordeaux comparison. Mind blowing. I mean, from a weak Bordeaux vintage comes this masterpiece which can be enjoyed now or saved for decades to come. Beautiful nose and almost perfumed with roses and black cheery and blueberry, cedar, and pencil shavings. The palate is pure bliss full of complexity, intensity yet balanced and the finish just goes on and on. Cheers. — a month ago
Vieux Château Certan
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2009
Is the Parker 99-point 2009 VCC Worth Its Price?
From a scoring perspective, you might feel slightly disappointed upon opening it, but in terms of price, it likely aligns with expectations.
Having previously tasted a Parker 95-100-point Côte-Rôtie La Landonne, I found its complexity and aromatic depth more impressive than this wine—though the 99-point VCC is the highest score this estate has ever received from Parker.
After 30 minutes of decanting:
The wine showed dark fruit aromas (blackberry), along with primary, secondary, and tertiary notes—cigar box, leather, and truffle-but the tannins were still tight, indicating it wasn’t fully open.
After 2 hours of decanting:
The wine began to unfold, not with explosive aromas but with a refined, lingering profile.Beyond the initial notes, ripe plum, vanilla, and graphite emerged. However, compared to an older vintage of VCC I’ve tried (which had a rich dark chocolate character), this bottle lacked that particular depth.
The tannins turned silky and smooth, making it very approachable, while a savory umami note complemented the medium acidity. The body was beautifully clean and well-structured. — a month ago
David White
Bordeaux aromas and like opening the wine game box 😋
Still fresh colour and some tobacco and pencil shavings on palate.
Good claret that will improve further — 17 days ago