Andrew Lohse

9.2

Iron, blood, red cherry lozenge, black cherry, balsamic, slight savory / intense & direct freshness / Serious Sangiovese—goes toe to toe with many brunellos, in my opinion, and totally shines / on the skin for 30 days, site-specific. . . Not just the leftovers, but a true version of the real thing. and totally vivid at 5 years! — 5 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

8.9

Vintage 2010 / It can be uncompromising harsh, Cabernet Franc. When young. It can be delightful elegant and charming. When aged. I love the grape with its successes in the region Loire. This one is even now dusty stubborn direct out of the bottle. But gains charm with every minute. Fine spicyness. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Whenever I have a really older bottle of wine, I think, what was I doing in this case 1989?

About this time of year, I was walking into Candlestick Park for the Bay Bridge World Series while this wine was fermenting. I was walking through the parking lot when the 89 earthquake hit. It was like Godzilla was a Gopher tunneling under my feet. The stadium erupted with a resounding cheer. Earthquake during the World Series...yeah! It wasn’t until an hour later that hard reality set in.

This Chateau Lynch-Moussas is a recent direct purchase from the Negotiant. 89 was a pretty good Bordeaux year. So, why not see how a 5th Growth producer wine evolved over 30 years. It’s a treat to enjoy wine with this much age.

While Lynch-Mousses has improved vastly in more recent vintages, back in the day, they made some nice wines but, not great. This wine shows beauty & elegance but, it lacks fundamental elements of high quality. However, its fruit and structure have held up nicely over the years.

The nose reveals a fair amount of; barnyard, mushrooms, ripe; blackberries dark currants, dark cherries, black raspberries & strawberries on the edges of the glass. Black plum skin, dark chocolate, raspberry cola, mocha, caramel, clove, nutmeg, burnt cinnamon, tarriness, graphite, leather, old tobacco, dark spice, dry herbs, dark, rich, black earth, stones, dry brush, steeped tea with withering red & dark florals.

The body is still full and round. The fruits are still ripe & slightly candied. The wine is still holding an interesting drinking window, it’s on the decline. While that sounds not good, I find them in this phase infinitely more interesting. Ripe; blackberries dark currants, dark cherries, black raspberries & some strawberries. Black plum with skin, dark chocolate, raspberry cola, mocha, caramel, clove, nutmeg, burnt cinnamon, vanillin, tarriness, graphite, leather, old tobacco, dark spice, dry herbs, dark, rich, forest floor, mushrooms, stones, touch of limestone minerals & crush rocks, dry brush, steeped tea with withering red & dark florals with violets. The acidity is round & excellent. The long finish is; rich, ripe, well balanced & intergraded with long drier but, very floral persistence.

Excellent with our steaks. Still has another 5-7 years of good drinking ahead with excellent storage. I also miss the 12-13% ABV of the 80’s Bordeaux’s.

Photos of; the entrance view of Chateau Lynch-Moussas, Count Jean-Baptiste Lynch of Ireland and Chateau founded in the 1800’s, the owner/operator since 1961 - Emile Casteja and their barrel room.
— 6 years ago

D Manos

8.9

Simple, forthright and direct. Great quality price ratio. — 7 years ago

Fredybeans

9.1

Jaune claire
Frais et gourmand
Fruit jaunes épices
Attaque pleine mais fraîche
Milieu de bouche frais et gourmand
Finale fraîche saline sèche
Aucun bois
Direct et frais — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

We had this last weekend at @plate&bottle dinner. We paired it with Morel Mushroom Gnocchi and then with lamb. Both of those paired well. However, I saved a bottle for this weekend for my Brother-in-law. Tonight we hung in the backyard at Dave's steakhouse. We all ordered the Ribeye. I knew last weekend that the Ribeye would be the ultimate pair and it didn't disappoint. The nose has light barnyard. Leather, tobacco, underbrush, lean ripe fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum and decayed florals. The body is medium with well resolved tannins. It's showing some cooked green pepper. Ruby; blackberries, dark cherries, baked black plum, strawberries. There's a little VA (bandaid), soft leather, underbrush, crushed dry rock, stones, dark rich earth, tobacco with ash, decayed dark florals, round, soft acidity and long, lush beautiful finish with dark spice on the end of the finish. Photos of; Chateau Lillian Ladouys, their old gnarly Cabernet vines and barrel room. A 9.4 with every bite of Ribeye! A recent direct Chateau purchase. — 8 years ago

Ron R

9.1

Just opened the case, which came direct from the winery, en primeur.
I let this breathe for 3 hrs, reason being, I could smell sh%* in my glass. It took a while to evaporate, but in the end, the Bdx notes shone through. This needs food, as the acid structure overpower the tannins. Good light mouthfeel with a tart cherry finish. Drink this with rich meats or full-fat, soft cheeses. Still fresh and youthful, and has the stuffing to last for another 15 years, at least.
At 12.5 abv, the alcohol was nowhere to be seen. — 8 years ago

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

Jordan Wardlaw

9.0

This is Rosé. Direct press, lean, high-acid, weightless on the palate with delicate fruit and taut with minerality. Can handle any item in one of my backyard BBQ nights. “Like drinking clouds.” — 7 years ago

Shannon Zgrzemski

9.2

Merlot (not Cab) Smooth & the right amount of sweet. Low tannins. Also held up well throughout the week in the fridge, a glass each night for 4 nights. Got at Grocery Outlet for $7.99 — 7 years ago

David McNally

9.6

Killer. Reconditioned bottle direct from Ygay cellar. Sour cherries, cranberries... basically a sour fruit bomb even after all these years. Still has ten or twenty left — 8 years ago

James Green

10

Ld loves - fresh direct — 8 years ago

Steve Bozich

9.0

The first winery I bought direct from, and still doing so. They go low on the ABV, 13.2 here. Low tannin, lightly dry, dried cherries and a hint of smoke. Doesn't overwhelm you, but makes you smile. — 8 years ago

Evan Bienstock

9.7

On this very troubling night in NYC, let’s drink 85 Burgundy. And this was stunning. Direct from Claudine. I hope you are all safe and healthy in these crazy times. These are the times to dig deep in your cellar. Why else lay bottles down other than for times like this...? — 5 years ago

James Webb

9.6

DOYARD - purchased direct from the winery - 1995 vintage disgorged 2007 - 12 years in bottle. Good pop of the bottle. Golden, amber hue. Nose is super complex, butterscotch, herbs (dill, anise), and and huge salinity, with some mandarin orange. Absolutely smacking. Palette is huge. Truly expansive body - acid so balanced. These Carmel and tangerine notes happen. The finish is long and tannic. This is a unicorn bottle. Excellent. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Direct from the winery. Popped and poured; consumed over several hours. The bouquet was tart red fruits and tobacco...plus, there was a rather fascinating aroma of braised beef...like an awesome stew with veggies and the whole bit. It was all very nice actually! On the palate, a combination of dark and red fruits; think slightly under-ripened blackberries and red currants. As time went on, it became more red fruited in profile. A little thin and a touch green which is indicative of the vintage. The tannins, which are still very much present, are fairly well integrated at this point. I’m a big fan of Seavey and their Caravina is deserving of being considered one of, if not the best, second wine in Napa. Drink now and enjoy! — 6 years ago

Guillaume Duchesne-Lessard

9.3

En direct de Chez Toqué — 6 years ago

Paul T HB

9.3

Out of a Mag winery direct.
Prefer Heitz for 1990’s.
Takes awhile for the funk to blow off, good color no brick or brown edges, just not my favorite Old Napa — 6 years ago

Chip Hughes

9.3

Pure, high-toned. Fraises, sous-bois and minerals; direct and satisfying like a top St Aubin. Excellent value. #ojaivineyard #santabarbarapinot — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

A glass of wine to finish up the night...good age, nice evolution and an extremely good value at $25. Recent direct Chateau purchase. While the 1998 Bordeaux vintage was panned by the critics as a whole on the Left Bank, Pessac-Leognan shined better than most on the Left Bank. It was Right Bank Saint Emilion that had the great year. This 98 Haut-Bergey is not quite the wine the 98 Haut-Bailly is. However, it is delicious for $25. Nose of; blackberries, dark cherries, cherries, strawberries leather, cedar, tobacco leaf, dry stones, vanilla, dark moist soils and fresh red florals. The body is medium to lean. Tannins are completely resolved. Ripe, lean, shining; blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries & cherries. Black moist earth, touch of funk, soft chewy leather, stones, crushed dry rock powder, cedar, tobacco leaf, steeped fruit tea, cola, dry underbrush, fresh & dry red florals, liquid violets with raining acidity. The finish has lean, bright mid red fruits, earth and dark spices. Nice wine for the $. While this will hold another 3-5 years, it's not going to continue to improve. So, drink em. Photos of; the Chateau, barrel room, view inside the Chateau and their shiny stainless steel fermentation tanks. — 8 years ago