FZN Nour’s birthday — 2 months ago
It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Fruity nose of blueberries, currants, plums, tobacco leaf, cedar, licorice, light vanilla and black pepper.
Medium plus in body and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with black currants, blueberries, plums, cooked cherries, spices, light cedar, licorice, chocolates, dark coffee, herbs and black peppers.
Long finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a delicious Merlot blend from Saint Estephe. Rich, smooth and elegant.
This second wine from the Third Growth Chateau is showing nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.
Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime.
This 10 year old is drinking beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
A great sipping wine. Plush and fruit forward.
A blend of 57% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 17 months in (50% new) French Oak barrels.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$60. — 2 months ago
Beautiful noses that shows a dark core, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum skin and raspberries on the glass edges, dark, dryish earth, sandalwood, river stone, red flowers/roses, framed in bright, brilliant violets.
Beautiful fruit entry with dry, soft tannins. Dryish; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, dark cherries and hints of raspberries. Dark, dry earth, sandalwood, river stone, dark spice, cedar, dry twigs, dry top soil, some dry herbs, dry clay, minimal baking spices, cigar with ash, dark flowers, red flowers/roses, framed in bright, brilliant violets. The acidity is gentle and nice. The finish is 19 elegant & pleasant, mid structured, smartly polished and lasts a full minute.
It has evolved some but still shows as primary. 91+ with some more appropriate cellaring. — 3 months ago
Inky dark ruby, licorice and cherries, full body — 4 months ago
A 2nd respected wine label of Cos D’Estournel (a 2nd Growth of the 1855 Grand Cru Classification) with a blend of Cab Sauv at 44%, Merlot at 46,2%, Cab Franc at 5,8% and Petit Verdot at 4% brings out an opulent, intense, deep, yet refined and properly-balanced red. The V’15 is perfectly poised, seductive, and extremely enjoyable. Eruptive fruity, with powerful aromatics in baked red fruits. The level of ripeness and raisins in notably persistent. Pagodes V’15 seats among my top favorites from Saint-Estèphe sub-appellation that will never disappoints and/or falls short of expectations. Cheers! — 4 months ago
Medium ruby , thin slightly pink ruby rim . Quite dark fruit with cassis , blackberry , grafite . On the palate quite ripe and juicy , but with good balance , slightly gritty but ripe tannins , good cassis tinged , grafite finish . Overall this shows well , with good density and juiciness , sweet but importantly with a very balanced , refreshing personality. Enjoyable now , fruit forward , but no doubt can age well over the next 10 years. Enjoyable and moreish . — 5 months ago
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Soft nose of red and black fruits with light wood, spices, coffee, earth, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf and black pepper.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with blueberries, plums, cooked cherries, dark chocolates, light oak, licorice, spices and light herbs.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This is a very tasty 5 year old second wine from Beychevelle in Saint Julien. Elegant and spicy with lots of chocolate notes.
Showing good structure, and a good quality wine. Balanced, complex and easy drinking.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years. Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years and see how it evolved.
A blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. Aged for 12 months in (30% new) French oak barrels.
13.5% alcohol by volume.
90 points.
$45. — 2 months ago
Slightly medicinal notes. Dark fruit, leather, cedar, plum and bitter cherry. Soft and long. — 2 months ago
Welcome to Pebble Beach Food & Wine 2025.
2012 in Bordeaux is a great memory as Sofia & I had a great 5 year anniversary trip to Italy where we were married, ending in Bordeaux. Picking Mouton Merlot for a day, lunch with the Baroness, having steak and sipping 82 Mouton. Pinch me is what I said to Sofia.
Saint Julien is the elegant region on the Left Bank. While 2012 was an ok to good vintage it will always be packed with great memories.
Branaire-Ducru in grand vintages is still a great value. Always elegant with this kind of bottle age and more.
Hour decant starting notes.
Tonight smooth, ripe, round, juicy; brambly blackberries/black raspberries, dark cherries, cherries, black plum, some strawberries, raspberries with blueberry tones. Dry tobacco with ash, leather, spice box with some heat, lightly grilled meats, volcanics, moist clay, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, light vanillin, mid berry cola, dark chocolate bar, forest floor with leaves, sandalwood, steeped black tea, bay leaf, dry thyme, mocha powder, dry caramel, crush, dry rock/limestone, dry river stone, bright red flowers mixed with dark withering flowers, nice round acidity and a balanced, smartly tensioned, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds & lands on herbs & earth. — 3 months ago
2011 vintage. 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 11% Petit Verdot. This property was bought by the Bouygues brothers in 2006, the same year when they bought Montrose (up to first growth quality these days, and I gave the 2020 a perfect score). They made huge investments to increase the quality, and this 2011 is a very good effort in a much maligned vintage that remains in the shadow of the great 2010 and 2009 vintages. While the tannins have a slightly rough edge to them, it is balanced and satisfying, and a testimony to Bordeaux's ageing capacities, even in lesser vintages. An attractive food wine, and very good value too. Abv. 13%. — 3 months ago
Fan Fuckingtastic — 4 months ago
Blend of 84% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, deep Ruby with rich fruit aromas, aged for 14 months in 15% new French oak. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants, with notes of licorice, tobacco, some floral and cedar spice. Fine tannins, long finish, ending with fruit, vanilla, oak and spice. Nice but needs more bottle age, should last another 10 years. Nice! — 5 months ago
Rich and smooth. Bought at Mitsukoshi for ¥3,300. — 9 years ago
Cigar & burnt toast with a big white & green pepper flavor. Dry — 9 years ago
Amazing fruit. The tannins have disappeared and left an amazing wine — 2 months ago
Good, not great. — 2 months ago
2019 vintage. Much better than expected, this is up to its Cru Classé status. Classic Saint-Estèphe and very good value. Since the owner of Cos d'Estournel bought this neighbouring estate, this will be a Château to follow. — 3 months ago
Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (54%), Merlot (34%) and Petite Verdot (12%). Dark ruby color with purple highlights. Aromas of ripe plums, black olives, dark chocolate and smoky cedar. Black cherry and plum fruit flavors lead the palate with additional hints of cranberry, black pepper, graphite and tobacco. Long, mineral laiden and smoky finish. Mouth coating structure and very firm tannins. Vibrant acidity keeps this wine pretty well balanced here in its youth. Very powerful and concentrated. Will continue to improve with more bottle age. — 4 months ago
Tar & roses — 9 years ago
Good vintage. — 9 years ago
Farrar Langlois
Perfectly drinkable — a month ago