Kristi Monroe

9.0

Racine wine walk. Good, light summer wine — 5 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

Lauren Michelle

9.0

Easy drinking, fruity white. — 8 years ago

Osandi Robinson

9.1

You walk in at a place like this and smile because you know they ready to serve you something that's not on the menu (yet).

I too believe in self preservation and sometimes that means being low key, selfish.

Encouraged compliments include smoked trout, sour cream and chives, with a baguette and jamón wrapped dates. — 9 years ago

Mako Sawaguchi

9.0

A nice surprise, your daughter’s 18th birthday, and a walk through a rose garden. We’ll remember this wine. — 5 years ago

with Gordon

Fredybeans

9.0

Robe jaune claire
Nez sur le fruit avec des arômes fermentaires au début puis de fruit jaune
Bouche fraîche et grasse
Gourmande et finale fraîche et plutôt tendue
Beau vin à laisser encore dormir qq temps — 6 years ago

T. Bey

9.2

Very buttery, oaky and light. Loved it! — 6 years ago

Lorni Monkface

9.6

Magical Fern Gully Wine. Smells super juicy nectar peachy bandaid. Gorgeous ombre glass peach / amber / dank rose. Funky floral with nice salinity and acidity. Ethereal and holy. Coast Nectar. No tannins. — 6 years ago

Matt

9.0

Bramble and wild raspberry, sous bois, fern, moss, sage, dried roses, very mineral. Nice mid-palate, pure, shows the 15 immediacy. Rustic, bright, and joyful in the way Savigny can only be. — 7 years ago

Jordan Madden

9.6

Really subtle, delicious — 7 years ago

Kyle Harvey

9.2

Run, don’t walk everytime you see a Faro blend, just a 👶🏽 but soooo good — 7 years ago

jo wino

9.4

apparently can't walk by without having wine — 9 years ago

Eric Hwang

8.9

Crisp Granny Smith apples with pears, a hint of spice and a creamy lingering aftertaste. Paired nicely with our seafood entrées. — 9 years ago

Jim Chen

8.9

Time to drink. A shout out to JZ. Walk by tasting! — 5 years ago

with Jeff

Peggy Biwer

10

One of my favorites! — 5 years ago

James Forsyth

9.3

At the peak of its drinking window the 2010 La Torre BdM is delicious right now. Slightly wild, it has an autumnal quality that evokes brambles, blackberries and perhaps even a touch of dried leaves. Not the most polished but like a brisk walk in a cool breeze, there's something to be cherished here. — 6 years ago

Martin Sher

9.0

Yes, a little hint of blueberry on the finish. — 6 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.3

Savage grace. If you want to take a walk on the wild side, but in the most elegant way possible, this is for you. Violets, animal, plums, cherries, dried herbs. Tannins firm but playing a supporting role. A pleasure to follow the evolution over an hour or two. It’s officially fall weather here in NYC so thoughts are turning to southern France... — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

When it comes to my B-day, there is only one fit, an old Pichon Lalande with my Ribeye. As a lover of Bordeaux, these two are my favorite pairing. It’s a very slow walk to the finishline. A small bite of steak and a sip of 89 Pichon Lalande. Then, repeat until finished. I had some concerns about this bottle. A slightly slippery and crumbling cork. The first sip was not bad, but not what you want or are expecting. After some time in the decanter, it really started to shine. On the nose; ripe, ruby, floral cassis, blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The body is full, round and silky. Tannins are well resolved at around 80%. The texture, length, tension and length are in a sweet spot. The fruits are ripe, ruby & expressively floral. Blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, baked strawberries, blue fruit hues, dry cranberries, baked rhubarb, saddlewood, soft, used leather, bay leaf, touch of sage, hint of spearmint, eucalyptus, vanilla, cinnamon, crushed dry crushed rock powder, black turned earth, dry brown soil with clay, scorched earth, tobacco leaf and perfumed red florals with violets. The acidity is just a little off but still nice. The finish is divided nearly equally in fruit, earth, florals and herbaceous. It’s very enjoyable but falls just a little short in longer, lingering length. This bottle had good storage, not great. Even so, still has another three to five years ahead. A bottle with excellent storage has another five years beyond this one. Photos of; the backside of Pichon Lalande, angled terrace view of their vines right next to Latour, my steak & twice baked potato (so good) and CEO Nicolas Glumineau. — 7 years ago

Tony Bubbles

9.2

Sinetimes you get lucky and walk in on good folks willing to share nice wine 🍾👊🏻 — 9 years ago