Ron Siegel

9.4

Hard to resist opening as this is in a perfect spot with its red & black fruits, sweet tobacco, licorice, spice box, menthol, leather & floral notes — a day ago

Jeff Miller

9.2

Classic entry level Bordeaux. Everything you hope it would be. — a month ago

John Van Trijp

9.9

Weekend with Friends and average wines…😎 — 2 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.5

Classic La Mission nose showing mostly black fruits, with notes of smoke, cedar, licorice, leather, mocha, underbrush & cigar ash. Just entering its prime with many years ahead — 3 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I need to start w/ a little preamble.

For me, Pessac-Leognan was a late comer Bordeaux region. The last one I gravitated to in my 26 yr Bordeaux experience.

Nearly all the previous 2000 Bordeaux’s I’ve had up to this point needed a lot more cellaring. Mostly 1st & 2nd Growths, some 3rd. This 2000 started lean…lacking depth & a bigger tannin profile. But that is not entirely uncharacteristic for older Pessac’s. It seemed slightly more late in its drinking window. It picked up weight in the decanter at 2 1/2 hours and then showed more weight & depth w/ my Ribcap.

This started elegant w/ soft Bordeaux characteristics. Beauty & elegance as I understand it in Bordeaux’s from this region and this kind of age. But lacked 2000 earthiness & depth. For me, this is a 3rd tier Pessac producer, my terminology. Not up there with Haut Bailly or Pape Clement and of course Haut Brion.

2000’s up to this point have shown great depth & deep characteristics. Most needing longer than anticipated aging.

This was beautiful, elegant but lean based on previous definitions. Early on it seemly felt like it was a drink up in the next 3 yrs w/o the steak. With a longish decant & steak, more 7-10 yrs.

The nose shows muddled to slightly stewy; dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, both plums to pudding, poached strawberries, black raspberries and haunting blueberries, red cola, dark chocolate, dry herbs, dry leather-tobacco, softened graphite, moist clay, hints of pepper, some mushroom notes, rich, darkish soils with dry leaves, steeped tea, limestone/sandstone, dry twig, dry pebbles-top soils with dark, red, withering flowers.

The palate shows beautiful elegance with nothing that bites back. Perfectly resolved velvety tannins. Ripe, juicy, somewhat ruby fruits. Yet, have slightly stewy characteristics. Dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, both plums to pudding, poached strawberries, black raspberries and haunting blueberries, red cola, dark chocolate, softly layered & even baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mid, dark, Asian spices, dry herbs, dry leather-tobacco, softened, nearly sweet graphite, moist clay, hints of pepper, rich, darkish soils with dry leaves, charcoal, volcanic ash, steeped tea, limestone/sandstone, dry twig, dry pebbles, dry top soils with dark, red, withering flowers, near perfect acidity, well balanced w/ softened structure/tension, great length and an elegant finish that goes on and on and long sets on spice & clay.

Almost new cork and little to no sediment.

92-93 with a long decant & a rich, fatty steak-Ribcap. First taste after pouring into the decanter, 90.

Photos of; Haut-Bergey, Paul Garcin-Managing Director and Francois Prouteau-Cellar Master. — 2 days ago

John Van Trijp

10

Weekend with Friends and average wines…😎 — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.

There are always exceptions to the rule! Usually known as a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend, but this vintage is Merlot based.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Strong nose of black currants, blackberries, plums, light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, black pepper and tobacco leaf.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with blueberries, blackberries, black currants, cherries, light oak, spices, chocolates, herbs, coffee, licorice, tobacco leaf, peppercorn, earth and black tea.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a delicious Merlot based blend from Bordeaux. Elegant and nicely balanced. Complex and engaging. Rich and powerful, but not extracted.

This 8 year old First Growth Bordeaux is starting to drink nicely, but feels very young and closed. Needs 5 years in the bottle to mature properly, but already very complex and delicious by itself. Will continue to age nicely in the 25 years.

Showing good structure and quality, fruit-forward, elegant, and soft. Evolved beautifully in the glass, and gained depth and complexity as it opened up.

I had its brother/cousin, château Mission Haut-Brion, recently and it is not as earthy as the Mission was.

Tasting these kind of wines at this early stage, is always hard, but someone's got to do it.

A great sipping wine, that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (70% new) French oak barrels for 18 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$550. — 3 months ago

Meredith Moody

9.1

Loved my first sip of this. Have in my notes that I liked it less as I kept drinking, but then liked it again at the end. It’s pretty dry and you can taste the yeast. Definitely apple-y , I also get some grapefruit and pineapple. It has a bit of oak and minerality. Feels polished. Nice wine. — 17 days ago

Jamie Amann

9.0

It had a greenish yellow color, smelled like citrus and tasted like lemon, lime, and pineapple. — 17 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

1961 vintage. Ahoy there! Lower neck fill. Durand employed. Opened (not decanted) with plenty of cork splintering/crumbles despite the Durand and meticulous/slow movements. Cork stayed intact but just barely and about 80% saturated. Extensive (3-4 minutes) cleaning of the bottle lip and inch-deep, upper neck to remove fused cork residue. Tasted 45 mins, 2 hours, 4 hours and 6 hours after opening. Heavier body than expected given the producer. A bit of a slap in the face as it rolled in as medium/medium-heavy body which is hilarious. Nose initially a mysterious, century+ sitting room with plenty of decay, dust and past. Things shifted to soy/teriyaki sauce fairly shortly after with a little 5-10 minute fried chicken nose that vanished. Various (dark/semi-sweet) chocolates and cherry reduction sauce eventually emerged. A paced, harmonious narrative stayed constant throughout. Gorgeous experience. Didn't exactly diminish my impressions of H-B being the best first growth in BDX. It's generally the lightest and least-flashy. 1.23.26. — 2 months ago