Haut Charmes
Domaine Joseph Roty
Cuvée de Très Vieilles Vignes Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2016
When you see “Trés Vieilles Vignes” scripted across the top of the bottle, you gotta wonder how old is “very old”. Welp…how about 120+ years. Easily some of the oldest in Burgundy. Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2016 Charmes-Chambertin “Trés Vieilles Vignes” pours a deep ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart; red and black fruits: Marionberries, pomegranate, bruised strawberry, roses, sous bois, mushrooms, and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is the kind of experience you want in Grand Cru burgundy. There’s so much concentration and balance. A brilliant wine. Drink now through 2046+. — 16 days ago
Château Smith Haut Lafitte
Pessac-Léognan Blanc White Bordeaux Blend 2005
Opened prior to dinner and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2005 Blanc pours a deep straw color with medium+ viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe and tart orchard fruit: grapefruit, Meyer lemon, verbena, crème brûlée, honeysuckle, some pyrazines, a touch grassy, and warm wet rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose where the fruit comes across a touch more round (vintage playing role) but the acid is definitely giving more than adequate lift. The finish is long. The texture is viscous. Drink now through 2035. — 15 days ago
Château La Mission Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2017
Getting ready to leave France, so let's go out with a bang! It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.
Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.
Fruity nose of black currants, black plums, black cherries, tobacco, cedar, light vegetables, licorice, chocolates, coffee and light peppercorn.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, cherries, plums, light oak, spices, chocolates, licorice, light vegetables, black pepper, tobacco leaf, earth and black tea.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 8 year old Merlot based blend is still very young. In most vintages, it is a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend, but in the 2017 vintage it was a little different.
Spicy and entertaining. Well balanced and complex, but a little tight and restraint right now. Much earthier than I expected it to be.
Needs 5 years in the bottle to mature properly, and will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years.
A good food wine right now, that will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 56% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (70% New) French oak barrels for 18 months.
14% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$450. — 18 days ago
Château Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2016
From magnum. Slightly deeper ruby , thin ruby rim . Quite a lot more dense and darker fruits , cassis , violet , red plum , blackberry, warm earth . On the palate this is denser and more tannic , more body , dark cassis , summer fruits , violets , hedgerow fruits . Hugely elegant and long , balanced and refined . Mineral and earthy but bright and vivacious . Again shows pretty similar to last year , more dense, intense and bigger boned than La Mission , but still supremely refined and balanced . Come back in 10 -15 years , and will surely show well for another 15-20 — 16 days ago
Louis Martin
Plum and spice, dry, earthy, leathery finish. Classic left bank blend. — 9 days ago