Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have mentally thought about doing this post for quite awhile. Opening this 2003 Verdignan brought on the appropriate moment. I am a believer in paying respects and it’s the basis of this post.

We learn to drink certain wines from the regions we live near or from the people we learn & enjoy wine with as we walk the road to understanding what we really enjoy. I started as an exclusive CA Chardonnay drinker for many years before moving on to nearly every varietal and regions offer. Next was Napa Cabernets which, led me to my true love, red Bordeaux. It was a bit of curve getting there but, once I had them with proper aging, I was hooked for life.

While my curiosity got me to Bordeaux wines, there one person that helped shape my Bordeaux palate and I agreed with more than anyone else’s, including every well known wine critics at that time and even today after spending 10 weeks learning from several Master Sommeliers on my way to passing the Court of Master Sommeliers exam and becoming a Sommelier myself. This person is Clyde Beffa Jr., Owner of K&L Wine Merchants.

Clyde has been traveling to Bordeaux for over 40 years and sometimes multiple times in a year. His palate and experience are second to none. Especially, when it comes to Bordeaux.

I owe him a lot. He taught me the importance of letting good Bordeaux’s age 20 years plus. What were the jewel value producers. Brought in Bordeaux wines direct from the Chateaus that had 10 years of bottle age and older. Bordeaux’s that critics did not like young but, he knew something special had taken place over time as he was tasting them much later in their lives and often. I bought and drank a lot of these wines. They also kept temptation at bay in me reaching for my too young and more expensive wines.

He is very kind and kind enough to allow me to travel with him & key staffers to the 2014 En Premier to taste what was a very difficult 2013 Bordeaux vintage. You can go to En Premier and then there is going with Clyde. You have all the key appointments, Chateau accommodations/dinners and taste somewhere around 1500 plus wines in 6 days. He is loved by the Bordelais and for good reason.

So, I dedicate this post to him. He is the one who told me to buy this little known 2003 Verdignan at the same “Affordable Bordeaux Tasting” I mentioned in my Chateau de Candale post on Friday. As of Friday, that was the wine of the tasting. Well…until I coravined this slowly over the weekend. This 2003 was under $25 and it is one of the very best Bordeaux’s I had in some time. As well, perhaps the best QPR in my over 20 years collecting wine. Clyde knew that day just how good it would become. He said, forget about this for 20 years. So, I am a little early here.

Clyde has recommended more great Bordeaux’s to me that most people don’t hear about, let alone try. He told me to buy the poorly reviewed 91 Pichon Lalande when he brought more into the store seven years ago Chateau direct. It was a very difficult vintage with spring frost, hail storm and a difficult growing season. He described as “Heaven in a Bottle” and It most certainly the case. To this day, Pichon Lalande is my favorite steak wine and the 91 is still my favorite vintage. I purchased a 3L from him recently that he brought in direct from the Chateau for my 60th next year. Can’t wait to open that with our good friends and celebrate.

As for the Verignan, the nose reveals; dark brooding & slightly bake fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark spice, dry tobacco, graphite, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals.

The body is full, rich, lush, satiny with plenty of well rounded, soften tannins. The tension, structure, length and balance are excellent and will continue to improve. This will last another 15 years and beyond with proper storage. This is a very classic Bordeaux well balance in fruit and earth. It is sheer elegance on the palate. It’s why I love Bordeaux more than Napa and I love Napa Valley Cabernet. Dark brooding & slightly bake, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, some poached strawberries & haunting blue fruits. Black tea, dark chocolate bar, touch of mocha powder, light caramel notes, Expresso notes, forest floor with leaves, anise, limestone, moist clay, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, beautiful, mid intensity dark Asian & Indian spices with just right amount of palate heat, dry tobacco, graphite, dry twigs with a little sap, mixed dark berry cola, understated, well layered baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, dry herbs/sage, mint with candied; dark, red, blue and purple florals. The acidity is round and nearly perfect. The long finish is, classic, elegant, well balance fruit and earthy Bordeaux that persists softly on the palate for minutes with just the right amount of spice.
This is a heady wine that you really think about as you slowly sip and it affects your whole body. Can’t wait to have another in five years.

Photos of; Chateau Vergignan in Medoc near St. Estephe, their vineyard that reveals where Bordeaux gets its earthiness, Owner Jean Miaihle who acquired the property in 1972 and a wide shot of their vines. — 5 years ago

Keith Browning

9.4

Very nice, 66 Pichon Lalande overshadowed it though - suppose that's what happens with a 50 yr old and a 34 yr old — 8 years ago

Cody Short

9.1

Really good for such a weak vintage. Had this not been up against an '82 Pichon Lalande I might have rated it even better. — 9 years ago

with Holli

Erik Longabardi

9.1

Syrup wine — 9 years ago

Rafael Landestoy

9.4

I thought this was gorgeous. Everyone thought it was the wine of the night and although I loved it, I preferred the Pichon. Enjoyed it thoroughly. — 10 years ago

with Ilida, Jorge and 1 other

Swii Yii Lim

9.2

Been wanting to try this for a while. Slightly raspy tannins with greener profile than the Pichon Longueville 86 or Latour 94, and drier finish. Light tannic grip and more green peppers on the nose. Good stuff. Can still keep. — 10 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

Brilliant. 2012. — 10 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.3

Total sleeper of a producer. 8ha producer sandwiched between Lynch Bages, Pichon Lalande, and Latour. Perfectly mature with a charming rusticity all too rare in 90s Pauillac. — 5 years ago

Angelo Casagrande

8.9

Slight corkage on the nose, but very slight. Earthy. Still tasted fine. Earthy, some puckering tannins, deep and dark. Blackberry. But as it sits the corkage is effecting the wine. So we better drink it fast. A mission I can complete. I’ll get another because I think this wine.is better than this bottle. And 13.99 makes it a great value. — 6 years ago

Jörgen Lindström Carlvik

Owner, Brix Wine Consultants

9.2

In great vintages, second wines from pedigree Chateauxs are always a safe bet, and this is no exception. Pretty open on the nose, indicating its readiness, while hidden tannins and iron/blood-like flavours on the palate suggests waiting is clever, as it’s still one dimensional and needs time to fully express itself. — 7 years ago

Aaron Means

9.0

Great value Bordeaux made by the Pichon Comtesse team! — 7 years ago

Michael Genn

8.9

Made to drink young. More fruit forward and jammy than typical Bordeaux. Tour guide at Chateau Pichon Baron said her Sommelier brother placed this as a Napa wine in a blind tasting. — 8 years ago

Michael Solway

9.4

A sleeper from a difficult vintage providing much pleasure. The wine is delicately framed, but redolent of baking spices, camphor, tea and red fruits. Very charming and a delicious drink. — 9 years ago

Philippe Dauguet

9.2

Un équilibre avec le boisé très réussi ! — 9 years ago

Greg Collins

8.9

I have always loved Graves. It is my favorite region in Bordeaux. I happened into a case of this wine rebuilding my cellar. There was 1 glass left to taste next to the 2000 Pichon Baron. This wine showed well. It is a solid 2nd wine with tobacco, mushroom, Forrest floor, intermixed with red fruits in moderate quantities. Balance is good, but the intensity is muted. A good value at the $50 per I paid at auction but not worth the going rate of $100. 89pts. — 9 years ago

Rick Galiardo

9.4

Bordeaux wine dinner; 6/18/15: Pichon Lalande 1990 - Lighter color than others, I think passing its prime. A little dry on the finish but perfectly nice still. Gruaud Larose 1989 - Very classic nose and palate of cedar and pine notes. Most silky palate of the bunch. Two at the table thought it was wine of the night. Not as much to my taste but very much classy Gruaud. Cos 1986 - Funky barnyard nose. Deep palate with still strong tannin, but plenty of fruit coming through. Liked it but there was some brett there that to me, hurt. Lynch Bages 1985 - For me, the wine of the night, largely due to the truly stunning nose. A tad dry on the palate but still long finish of dark fruit. — 10 years ago

Diedra West

9.8

Diedra had this 10 years ago

Olivier Grosliere

8.9

A laisser reposer / aérer avant de boire — 11 years ago

Arden Barnett

9.3

Commanderie de Bordeaux. Theme was BBQ and 2010 vintage. Fantastic event. Insane nose — 5 years ago

Peter James

9.0

Excellent pour. Thanks Conor! DBX rosè tasting! — 6 years ago

Adrian Fischer

9.2

Good body, nice nose, not too dry, mellow oak background. Great little local dry farmed wine. — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

Poured from a 375. This wine, even from 375, was really firing on all cylinders and maybe even a bit locked up for the first hour, just shows you that any vintage in the 21st century really should be locked up in the vault, not seeing the light of day for another 10 years from 375. This wine had a classic Pauillac nose. My initial thought was a young Pichon however even Pichon young seems to have more mushroom, more earthy loam and gravel and this one was just so damn smooth in its earthy notes. The wine was robust on the front, lots of earth, mushroom enhancing the youthful blackberry notes. Finished with some peppery notes. Great terroir notes. This wine was awesome, and I think I probably drank half of this while Walter drank the Spoto :) — 7 years ago

with Dan

Ron Siegel

9.3

This was from a pristine btl from the restaurants cellar. So fresh and drinking much younger than its 47 yrs. Red berry fruits, exotic spice with leather, tobacco and mocha notes. Very pure and transparent in a feminine style. Reminded me of a 78 - 85 vintage of Pichon Lalande. Surprisingly good! — 8 years ago

Stephany Duvall

9.3

70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Semillon, crisp, semi-tropical fruits. Wonderful tast! — 9 years ago

Pamela Ridlon

9.9

2009 vintage. Awesome! — 9 years ago

Richard Steinberg

9.6

1995. Wowsa. So well balanced. Young black and red fruit. Gorgeous. Great recovery from a corked 1995 Pichon Lalande. — 10 years ago

Lenard Henson

9.2

Lenard had this 10 years ago

with John

Doug Powers

10

1983 Chateau Palmer -- simply glorious, lighter color than 1982 Pichon-Lalande, but great balance and acidity, super long finish, great stuff!! — 10 years ago

Karla Fonseca

9.6

Nice and light — 11 years ago

Michael Hildbold

9.9

1995 Bordeaux tasting- La Mission, Cht Margaux, Pichon Lalande, Lafleur, Mouton, La Lagune. Not pictured- Leoville-Las-Cases, Latour, Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion, and Yquem. — 11 years ago