"Odedi"

9.2

It's time for #MerlotThursday. Here's a great one from Columbia Valley.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, black currants, cherries, cooked plums, wood, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, smoke, dark coffee, mocha, earth, leather, coke and black pepper. What a great nose.

Full bodied with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, spices, espresso, chocolates, peppercorn, earth sweet vinaigrette, dark coffee and light mocha.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and cherries.

This 4 year old Merlot from Washington State surprised me.
Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Showing great complexity and mouthfeel.

Soft, spicy and smooth. Peaking now, and better now than a year or two ago.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up (1 hour).

I paired it with a filet mignon and grilled asparagus.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$20. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Pichon Lalande is my favorite 2nd growth with a steak. Yup...it's #SteakandClaret night to quote my buddy Gary Westby. Further, it's certainly one of my favorite producers period. I've waited for this wine to be in the bottle for 10 years before finding out definitely how good it was or wasn't. You see, the 05 Bordeaux vintage was exceptional. It's drinking right now better than 00. 00 may turn out to be better, but not for some time. The real issue was the division of scores between RP & NM. Parker had this as low as an 86 and now has it at 89. Neil Martin has been consistently at 95-96. I found it simply inexplicable that Pichon Lalande could have bombed in such a great vintage. Tonight, I know they didn't. This wine is beautiful. Although, I don't believe it will cellar as long as their some of their very best vintages and many others I've enjoyed. On the nose, bramble, ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries, graphite, baking spices, cedar, lightly perfumed violets and dark, fresh & dry red flowers. The body is medium-medium plus, tannins nicely resolved with 10 years to be completely resolved. Fruits of; ripe blackberries, dark cherries, notes of blueberries, poached strawberries and pomegranate with a whiff of spice. There's notes of dry bramble, soft leather, fresh violets, graphite, cedar, dry stones, dark rich earth, limestone, tobacco, spice-box, vanilla, very light cinnamon & nutmeg. The finish is very long, elegant, ripe, round, smooth, good acidity and beautifully elegant...50-50 earth & fruit. I bought more bottles of this at $85 after it's was first released in futures and I do not regret it. $85 is proving to be a steal for this wine when it normally sells for between $100-$150 a bottle and higher. Might heavy up further after tonight if I find more around the same price. Oh yes...I'm with NM on the scoring. Photos of the Chateau, estate vines, newer tasting room & the Virginie de Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande. Forgive my long post, but my passion and love for this producer is profound. Producer history and notes...as I wrote in an earlier post for Pichon Baron, Pichon Baron and Lalande started as one entity. The first mention of what is now called Chateau Pichon Lalande was the creation of Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan. Pierre de Mazure de Rauzan is responsible for forming many of the top Bordeaux estates today. Pichon Lalande was given its name when Therse, the daughter of the founder received the estate as a dowry when she married Jacques de Pichon Longueville. Pichon Lalande was essentially managed by three women, Therese de Rauzan, Germaine de Lajus and Marie Branda de Terrefort. On the eve of his death in 1850, Baron Joseph de Pichon Longueville divided the property between his five children. His three daughters received Pichon Lalande and his sons Pichon Baron. What happened next was Virginie, the wife of the Count of Lalande took over the management of the estate under the name of Comtesse de Lalande. In 1850 she commissioned the popular, architect Duphot to build a residence inspired by the Hotel de Lalande, located in Bordeaux. Without heirs, Pichon Lalande passed down from aunts to nieces. Following World War I, the Miailhe brothers, bought Pichon Lalande in 1925. They were the ones who planted even more Merlot. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing, the daughter of Edouard Miailhe became the new owner and general manager of Chateau Pichon Lalande in 1978. She expand the size of Chateau Pichon Lalande from 40 hectares to it's current 89 hectares. Chateau Pichon Lalande remained in the same family for more than 250 years! In fact, over three centuries, only two families have owned Pichon Lalande. May-Eliane de Lencquesaing sold Pichon Lalande to the owners of Roederer Champagnein in January 2007. This family-run company is managed by Frederic Rouzaud who owned several other wine estates in Bordeaux; Chateau Bernadotte, Chateau de Pez, Haut Beausejour and Chateau Reaut la Graviere. He sold Chateau Bernadotte in December 2012. In February, 2011, Sylvie Cazes was named the director of Chateau Pichon Lalande. She replaced Gildas d’Ollone. Sylvie Cazes was replaced in 2012 by current Director Nicolas Glumineau, who was previously at Chateau Montrose. In 2012, Pichon Lalande renovated the estate with a budget estimated at over 15 Million Euros. The new facilities included; building of a new underground barrel aging cellar and several new buildings...one that houses their new tasting room as shown. This renovation provided numerous improvements in their wine making. Most importantly, in the vinification. They created a new, triple tiered, cellar where everything moves by gravity. They also added numerous new, stainless steel, temperature controlled, double skinned vats. These new vats allow Pichon Lalande to vinify on a parcel by parcel basis as well as get much softer & gentle extractions. The 89 hectare vineyard of Chateau Pichon Lalande is located adjacent to Chateau Latour and and across the road from Pichon Baron. The terroir of Chateau Pichon Lalande is deep gravel with clay and limestone soil and is planted to; 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. — 8 years ago

Ian Brennan

9.3

2001 vintage lovely dense plumbs, currants, violets and spice on the nose. Rich and warm, headily inviting, with the perfume jumping out of the glass capturing and demanding attention. Tightly packed mouthful as well, surprisingly medium bodied, good fruit and tannin, but closed and needing time. Good aftertaste, probably needs 3 to 5 years before opening up to its best. — 10 years ago

Jim Wallick

9.3

Coaxing it out of the glass. Needs time to blow off typical barnyard nose, leads way to dark red fruit and really long finish — 11 years ago

with Charles

Chris McClellan

9.3

Loved this...DEF needed more time to air out. Tart red fruit, smoky campfire, slight grilled meats, whole cluster stinkiness, med plus acid....long finish. Great stuff, mote time in decanter and this is a super star! La La! — 7 years ago

with Justin, Chad and 1 other

Delectable Wine

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9.2

By now I have run out of superlatives for Vajra, from whom you will find some of the finest, artisan wines being made in Piedmont today. At a time when prices for so many wines are skyrocketing out of control, Vajra’s prices are a breath of fresh air. The Barolos are made in contemporary traditional style, with longish fermentations and aging in cask. Vajra’s 2013 Barolo Albe is beautifully perfumed, sensual, and expressive in this vintage. The style of the Albe has always favored a more succulent expression of Nebbiolo yet there is an element of restraint in the 2013 that is hugely appealing. The Albe may be the single best value in Barolo today. As for the 2013, don't miss it! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Feb 2017)

— 8 years ago

Doctor No

9.0

This will be a very nice wine but needs time to integrate. Toasted oak spice and vanilla out of the gate, a mix of red and black fruit with blackcurrant liqueur and an almost unctuous palate. 14.9% and feels sweet and heavy to me because of it, but that is my bias. I think this wine achieves everything it wants to be. — 9 years ago

Aaron Ehrlich

9.2

First Coche ever. Technically perfect in every way though no particular wow factor. Similar experience over three hours. While not reductive in any fashion and oak didn't stick out, perhaps it needs more time to blossom into its legend... Stellar pricing btw and fantastic meal at Lameloise. — 9 years ago

Dan Hess

9.8

Okay here we go -- my Christmas wine. Had it with medium rare filet mignon and grilled lobster tail.

Had the same bottle a few years back and it was missing something. Maybe it wasn't decanted long enough? (Although I had the resto at the time decant as soon as I entered) either way, I decanted this bad boy for over an hour and boy did it open up --

It starts off nice and round but shows off its depth with layers of flavors and structure with each second it lingers in your mouth. Dark fruits but not overbearing or jammy. Luscious tannins that balance out with a nice bit of minerality.

Okay enough is enough - this wine was the fucking bomb. Turns out #OpusOne knows what it's doing. :-)

(Holidays 2015 - wine #4) — 10 years ago

Manj Gunawardane

9.4

Out of mag - Needed some air and time but showed its stuff. Lovely aromatics - red fruit, cedar, dusty bookshelf. Youthful on the palate with excellent ripe cherry and plum, pleasant tannins and lovely silkiness. — 10 years ago

Mike Lee

Beverage Manager/Sommelier Catch Miami

9.0

Nice red, black fruit and cola notes. Savory herbs and organic earth mid-palate and on the finish. High alcohol takes it out of balance a bit. Needs time. — 11 years ago

Brittney King

9.5

Fresh out of the bottle - funky spice aromas. On the palate - bone dry and incredibly tight. Decanted for three hours. I can't tell you how much it opened up in that time. This wine is phenomenal. Incredibly smooth, smokey, surprisingly juicy. Just gorgeous. Must try! — 11 years ago

Jack Badavas

10

Mom and Dad in town. Busting out my favorite wine. Bulletproof every time! — 8 years ago

with Alex

Amy Rodriguez

9.1

Super light body, smooth, blackberry/blueberry, tart but not abrasive at all. Almost citric like a white. Oak comes out as it warms, vanilla. Decant. — 8 years ago

Martin G Rivard

10

What a beautiful person inside and out! I'm blessed beyond measure to be able to call him "Dad". Words can't adequately express how much I Love him. We opened a few bottles last night that I will hold near and dear to my heart forever. We are celebrating his completion of 6 rounds of chemo therapy in his battle against Prostate cancer. This is his 3rd time in the ring against this opponent and it appears that he's won with a unanimous decision by knockout at this time!!!!!! Love you dad!!!!! So proud of your strength through this process. My Father was born in 1940. A difficult year to say the least:
Germans entered Bordeaux in June of 1940. As dictated by Hitler himself, it was the sworn duty of each and every commander to search and seize whatever could be used for the advancement of the German cause. Bedlam broke out. Chateaux' were ransacked, wine cellars were looted if not used for target practice. The Chateauxs were forced to continue producing wines. It's poetic justice that Mother Nature provided the Germans with the worst growing season from 1940 to 1944!!!! The Germans left Bordeaux in 1944 to the cheers of the residents "Au Revoir Les Allemands"!!!! The 1940 bottle that we enjoyed this evening survived World War II. It Survived the ransacking, pillaging & plunder of countless German soldiers. It's outer capsule showed evident signs of its struggle but it's inner beauty was unblemished and glorious. I've had many, many vintages of Latour from 1928 and on but none have ever tasted as perfect as the one we enjoyed tonight. This 1940 was perfect. It was a fighter, it never gave up, it never relinquished in the face of adversity. That's my Father, that my role model. He's a beautiful person inside & out. I think 1940 is the best vintage that I have ever had the privilege to enjoy. Special thanks to my good friends Michael Troise whom provided me with much of the insights in regards to the incredibly difficult vintage and David Page whom gifted this bottle to me for our celebration this evening. I will never forget your generosity. It was a glorious evening to say the least!!! Wine has a way of bringing people together and encapsulating an evening and event. I couldn't think of a better way to rejoice in his victory than to open a Father & Son birth year wine. — 8 years ago

with Ryan, Christine and 1 other

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.3

With time this has turned out to be a fabulous wine. Soft tannins, layers and layers of fruit — 10 years ago

r b

9.4

My mom said she found out about this app on the today show. Thanks mom, why can't you remember that time I won a karate competition by decapitation? — 10 years ago

John Lin

9.0

Had the 2010 Roll Ranch with Christmas dinner of prime rib, baby artichokes, asparagus, roasted potatoes. Had this after a 1999 Dalla Valle Cabernet. A little thin on first sip and not a as full as the regular cuvée. Losing fruit? Energized and vibrant for an older vintage. After some time in the glass, the wine filled out and is improving. Maybe decant? — 10 years ago

Stephen Jackshaw

9.0

Needs some time but should turn out very nice — 11 years ago

Jeff Sidwell

Owner Bon! Gourmet

9.1

Dead sexy oaky says JD. Refined and balanced. Good right out of the bottle after opening can only improve with some time — 11 years ago