Yeah yeah, I know this is not considered a great vintage, but this is a Cracking Claret! Leaner in style and not a verbose powerhouse, it still delivers an elegant rendition of traditional Pauillac flavors. The cherry was more like kirsch liqueur, the cassis, graphite, leather, gravel, tobacco, the bay leaf... all beautifully delineated and intense. The mid palate was polished to perfection. Tannins are sturdy enough but seamless & integrated. The finish persists and invites another drink. Got these on a great deal from K&L back in the day and glad I did! In a great drinking window right now. — 4 years ago
From a great old looking bottle with a mid shoulder fill. Cork is fully saturated and the crud under the capsule had formed a strong seal. Slow-ox’d for a few hours, then decanted for an hour or two before taken to L’Escargot in Carmel. Amber tawny rims with a reddish tawny core. Crazy nose right from the start. Notes of sweet black cherries, tobacco leaf, plums, black pepper, ash and crusty wood, pencil shavings, some just unwrapped cigar and some menthol. Silky in the mouth with firm structure and soft but present acidity. Long and memorable finish. Outstanding performance over several hours. — 5 years ago
Nice rocky minerality. Nice acidity. Slight copper on the hue and rust all around. Fairly astringent tannins but the acidity balances nicely. Latour's third wine. Green vine. Wet slate and steel. Just not sure this is earns the $115 price point. I love Bordeaux, but Dir that price I want more fruit - this is all vine and gravel. For same price I'd go with Realm's Bard! — 8 years ago
I heard about this wine from a lot of old school buyers. It's living up to expectation and more. — 9 years ago
VA, dark licorice, allspice, brown sugar, banana, cedar, smoke, veal, dried bay leaf, candied red and black currants. Balanced between medium+ acidity, medium smooth tannins, and fruit concentration. Finished long.... Tasting while watching the excellent documentary Wine and War in which Serge was just chilling... in the warfare — 4 years ago
Dark purple tawny and opaque x2. Has an old world bouquet in the nose. Notes of black fruit, tobacco leaf, moist forest floor and leather saddle. Rich and luscious in the mouth. Tannins resolved, leaving a velvet fruit coating in the finish. Really good tonight. — 5 years ago
Part 1 of the final and main event for the Fall WNH. The most spectacular lineup of wines I’ve ever seen, and an overall wonderful ending to an amazing trip with fantastic people.
A baby, but already strutting its power. This is no doubt a modern take on Bordeaux with more rich/sweet black and blue fruit than others, but it reigns in before it gets too Nap-esque as the fruit is more underripe. Mid palate and finish show dark chocolate, bay leaf and a touch of leather. Because of the style, not too adverse to opening now with a 2-3hr decant, but this will improve for many years. Bravo, @Mike R . — 6 years ago
Nano hazelnut chocolate on coffee rye, blackened sponge cake, well done steak, black sesame, lavender and baked blackberry. Well knit.
Graphite glimmers on dark chocolate and cedar-oak slivers, smoky tobacco leaf, and tea. Immersive.
#cosdestournel #grandcruclassé #bordeaux #stestephe #appellationsaintestephecontrolée #misenbouteilleauchateau #saintestèphe — 3 years ago
Happy belated birthday wine to me.
Nose is all earth and truffles and cigar tobacco; wet forest leaf and barbecue sauce. Some cheese rind and dirty sock. Definitely past it’s aromatic peak, but at 37, who isn’t?
Palate is bright though with red acids and tastes young!
Better on day two... cheese is toned down and some fruit is peeking out. — 4 years ago
After an epic lunch from @joe leatherwood , a few of us got together for a socially-distanced evening hosted by @Keith Fisher to keep the party going.
After the 2012 Harlan at lunch, Keith decided to continue with the theme with an ‘06. Unbelievably smooth and balanced while still retaining power. Aromatically it is very black fruit dominant...blackberries, cassis, sweet tar/pipe tobacco, graphite and channeling just a touch of bay leaf. Waves of flavor on the palate of smoked meat, creme de cassis, currant, mocha, baking spices and a supremely balanced finish. At this point in its evolution, it’s reminiscent of a high end bordeaux from a warm/ripe vintage. A total treat. — 5 years ago
Outstanding. Winner of the weekend. — 8 years ago
Nice! Juicy with notes of oak and vanilla. 😀🍷 — 9 years ago
Ron Siegel
This had the classic LB nose showing mostly black fruits with currant, cedar, leather, menthol, spice box, cigar ash & tobacco leaf. — a year ago