Chapelle St. Theodoric

Chapelle d'Ausone

St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Somm David T
9.4

70% Merlot & 30% Cabernet Franc. Decanted 2 hours and enjoyed over the next 2 plus hours. Cork near new.

I have waited patiently nearly 20 yrs to enjoy this 2005. While it is delicious tonight, it still has not hit its precipice. Might be another 8-10 yrs for that.

This is the second wine of Chateau Ausone. If you are not familiar with this producer, if they redid the 1855 Classification, their first wine would most certainly be a first growth and at the very least a second growth.

I remember reading the first/original review of the 2005 Ausone from Robert Parker. It read, “if you are over the age of 55, you have to decide whether or not to buy this wine.” It went on to a glorious 💯 point review. However, that original review was taken down some months into it. Was it taken down at the behest of Chateau Ausone? The review was reworded to take out the over 55 age & anticipated drinking window of 2040-2080. Most of Chateau Ausone buyers are older, higher income. Would that drinking window prevent them from purchasing it as Chateau Ausone is not an inexpensive bottle price? Not for the younger incomes. Question for the ages but it inspired me to buy three bottles of their 05 Chapelle d’ Ausone.

About a yr ago, I had their 02 Chapelle d’ Ausone. Strangely, that night it showed better than this 05 tonight. The 02 vintage was not a lauded vintage. Yet on that night, the perfect time to open it. This 05 needs more cellaring time and will ultimately be a better wine in another 7-10 yrs.

The nose shows; beautiful, ripe, somewhat floral fruits that are; dark cherries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, sweet blueberries and raspberry notes. Mid berry cola. steeped fruit tea, gently baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & beautiful vanillin, soft pepper, mix of dry & fresh herbs, tobacco, leather, graphite, volcanic ash, moist clays, limestone, amazing dark & red florals set is violets.

Medium plus resolved, powdery tannins. The palate glides with freshness and ripe, floral, juicy fruits that are; dark cherries, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, sweet blueberries and raspberry notes. There is no bite or a stringency, Mid berry cola, steeped fruit tea, gentle baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & beautiful vanillin, soft pepper, mix of dry & fresh herbs, excellent mid, dark spices w/ some palate heat, anise, dark chocolate baking bar, coco powder, tobacco, leather, graphite,, limestone/sandstone, dry crushed rocks, grey volcanic ash, rich, sweet forest floor w/ dry leaves, moist clays, limestone, soft cedar to sandalwood, amazing dark & red florals set is liquid violets, amazing rainfall acidity, still has firm structure/tension, well balanced, great length and a finish that is w/o end and long sets on dark, dry tannins, heated, dark spice florals, earth and tarriness.

Add two points in 7-10 yrs. I look forward to my next bottle then.

Photos of; Chateau Ausone and owner-Alain Vauthier. That short rootstock featured center is around 25+ yrs old.
— 4 months ago

Andrew, Scott@Mister and 12 others liked this
Norman

Norman Premium Badge

I remember that review. Didn’t know it got pulled. Clearly was not worried about me ;)

Château Meyney

La Chapelle de Meyney St. Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2014

Delicious 2014. Needed 1 hour to sing to us — 6 years ago

Chateau Condat La Chapelle

Saint-Émilion Red Bourdeaux Blend 2016

Sarah Stierch
9.0

Loved the simplicity of this wine. Would love to see how it ages. Enjoyed during our chef’s table experience at Napa Rose. — 6 years ago

Lauren Parkhill
with Lauren
Matt liked this

Château Béard La Chapelle

Saint-Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2009

Dark dry fruit. Strong hints of wet forest floor. — 8 years ago

Tammy de Weerd
with Tammy
Skip liked this

Château Ausone

La Chapelle d'Ausone Red Bordeaux Blend 2002

Somm David T
9.6

Many critics would say the 2002 vintage fell short, not here. In every difficult vintage, some producers still made a good wine. The 2nd wine of Chateau Ausone is amazing with the Ribcap.

21 years in bottle says, magic. I have had better Bordeaux but, not in some time.

The fruits on the nose & palate are gloriously Bordeaux ruby.

The palate entry glides. Heavenly; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked plum pudding, creamy raspberries, poached strawberries and a touch of pomegranate seeds. Dry & moist tobacco, sweet graphite, charcoal, dark, rich earth with leaves, dry herbs, very soft baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin, the best dark spices I can remember, limestone, moist clay, crushed, dry rocks, hints of menthol/eucalyptus, dry twig, dry pebbles, withering to dry, dark, red flowers, liquid violets with a touch of red roses, near perfect acidity, balance, tension, elegance for days and a finish that last 90 seconds and falls on beautiful earth tones.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!
— 10 months ago

Ira, Julia and 16 others liked this

Château Chapelle La Rose

Prestige Lussac-St. Émilion 2007

Mushrooms, wet forest soil, coffee black and red currant. You can smell the age but it's lovely. Nice acid framework, silky touch, nice currant all along, fulky integrated tannins, nice coffee, and red forest fruits in the end for a nice amount of time. Good stuff — 6 years ago

Alex, Peter and 13 others liked this

Paul Jaboulet Aîné

La Chapelle Hermitage Syrah 1976

Classic Hermitage and the Best Buy I have had since I bought 1993 Rousseau Gevrey Clos St Jacques at 39.99 on release . A serious ready to drink Syrah at a perfect spot . A perfectly stored bottle besides the trashed label . — 7 years ago

Rob, Steve and 12 others liked this

Château Calon-Ségur

Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Somm David T
9.3

On the nose, a touch of barnyard. Sweet & sour dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, baked strawberries and hues of blue fruits. Dry crushed rocks, dry stones, rich black turned, soft leather, cedar, underbrush, tobacco, light vanilla & clove, medium spice, limestone, fresh & withering dark red floral bouquet.

The body is just full. The tannins are soft, rounded, chewy & sticky and still have some teeth. The wine elegantly guides smooth over the palate...very little that pushes back. It’s still youthful but not as youthful as my expectation. Sweet & sour dark cherries, blackberries, black raspberries, baked strawberries and hues of blue fruits. Dry crushed rocks, dry stones, rich black turned, soft leather, cedar, underbrush, tobacco, some dry herbal notes, sweet tarry notes, light vanilla & clove, medium spice, powdery limestone, loamy clay & top soil, graphite, dark spice with lifting heat, fresh & withering dark red floral bouquet and haunting violets. The acidity is near perfect. The structure, tension, length are in a very place but, will still improve for another 15+ years. The long, finish is ripe, round, balanced and lasts minutes.

Photos of, the Chateau, Technical Director Vincent Millet, beautiful stainless steel tank room and their new barrel room.

Producer notes & history...historic records show that Calon Segur was in existence as far back as 1147, when it was owned by Monseigneur de Calon. He was an important Bishop in the community. This makes Chateau Calon Segur one of the very oldest properties in Saint Estephe. Eventually, the property came to be owned by Nicolas Alexandre de Segur. Hence where part of the name of the Chateau comes.

After passing through generations, the estate became the property of the famous Marquis de Segur. de Segur is an important figure in Bordeaux history, not only for his ownership of numerous top Bordeaux estates in that day but, he also owned Lafite and Latour. de Segur is credited with uttering the words that spawned the idea behind the heart shaped logo of Calon Segur. The story is that de Segur is quoted as saying: “I make my wine at Lafite and Latour, but my heart is in Calon.” This famous saying lives on the label of Chateau Calon Segur, where the drawing of a heart is prominently featured on the bottle.

Chateau Calon Segur was one of the original three Bordeaux vineyards in Saint Estephe. In 1825 Chateau Montrose was a forest without a single vine belonging to the massive Calon Segur estate. In fact, Chateau Phelan Segur was also once part of the vast Segur estate. The holdings of the Segur family were so large, they included what would later became Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour and Chateau Mouton Rothschild!

The more modern era by European standards began in 1894 when its Left Bank vineyards were purchased by Georges Gasqueton and Charles Hanappier. Hanappier was a large negociant at the time. The Gasqueton family managed the estate until 2012. Madame Gasqueton ran the estate until she passed away at the age of 87 in late September, 2011.

In July of 2012, Chateau Calon Segur was sold for 170 million Euros or 215 million US dollars. The buyer was a French Insurance Company, Suravenir Insurance. Jean-Pierre Moueix, the owner of Petrus and the massive negociant company Duclot also took a minority stake in Chateau Calon Segur.

Since taking over Calon Segur, they started renovating the property with the focus on the wine making facilities. They followed a trend to vinify on a parcel by parcel basis. The estate replaced their older vats with new stainless steel tanks that vary in size and number to match the size of the various vineyard parcels.

The new tanks accompany a completely new vat room as well with everything moving completely by gravity. The new tasting room was remodeled as well. The renovations were completed in 2016.

Their cellars also needed work. Immediately after closing, the new owners began an extensive replanting of the Calon Segur vineyard. There were a number of reasons they chose to do this. They needed to increase the level of vine density and add more Cabernet Sauvignon.

The extensive renovation of Chateau Calon Segur cost somewhere north of 20 Million Euros. Other changes, the new owners took full control and brought in Vincent Millet as the Technical Director.

The 55 hectares of Calon Segur are located just north of the small town of St. Estephe and are planted to 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

Chateau Calon Segur is one of the few walled in vineyards in the Left Bank. Calon Segur is also known as being the northern most Classified Growth in Medoc.

The terroir of Calon Segur is a blend of gravel, rocks, clay, sand and limestone soils on the surface with gravel that can be as deep as 5 meters. Underneath, you find marl, clay and limestone.

On average, the vines are 25 years of age. However, they have older vines that range in age from 45-60 years of age.

The vineyard of Chateau Calon Segur remains almost exactly the same as it did at the time of the 1855 Classification.

Since the remodel was completed, fermentation takes place in 70 conical shaped, stainless steel tanks that range in size from 25 hectoliters to 120 hectoliters. Vintages are now aged in 90% to 100% new, French oak barrels for up to 20 months.

Production of Chateau Calon Segur is around 20,000 cases per year. They also make a second wine, which was originally named Marquis de Calon. Now, the second wine is sold under the name of Le Marquis de Calon Segur.

There is also a third wine, which is sold under two names, La Chapelle de Calon, and St. Estephe de Calon Segur, which is produced from vines that mostly come from a specific plot with more limestone.
— 8 years ago

Shay, Eric and 29 others liked this
Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

Oh my 👍🏻 😩I🚑💉🆘
Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

No offense @Sofia Jalilie , you know I like to mess with David 😁
Sofia Jalilie

Sofia Jalilie

Hi Paul, no offense taken- I enjoy your banter, makes for fun reading😊👍🏽

Château la chapelle-lescours

Saint Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2015

Leather, truffle, cinnamon, and plum. Dark, earthy and smooth. — 2 years ago

Château Chapelle Ségur

Montagne-St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 1996

Found one of these bottles lying around from 1996 — 2 years ago

Chapelle St. Theodoric

Les Sablons Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Syrah 2015

A very nice smooth wine with rich red fruit flavours and a long finish. Paired perfectly with the grilled tenderloins and risotto — 5 years ago

Debra and Farzina liked this
Thomas McKee

Thomas McKee

A very nice smooth wine with rich red fruit flavours and a long finish. Paired perfectly with the grilled tenderloins and risotto
Thomas McKee

Thomas McKee

A very nice smooth wine with rich red fruit flavours and a long finish. Paired perfectly with the grilled tenderloins and risotto

Château Armens

Saint-Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

2012 vintage. Alexandre de Malet Roquefort (owner of Premier Grand Cru Classé La Gaffelière, Chapelle d'Aliénor Bordeaux Supérieur and co-owner of the tiny Pomerol estate La Connivence) bought this estate in 1999. In my experience his wines are very reliable and classic, elegant and never overextracted. This medium-bodied Saint-Emilion (90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon) is a solid effort for the vintage (that generally fared much better for Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon). Strawberry fruit and very subtle oak, freshness and balance. Drinking well now, but I feel there is more room for improvement. A nice wine nearing maturity. The only "problem" is that for the price (21,9 euro) you can buy the delicious 2015 second wine of La Gaffelière. — 6 years ago

Romain, Mike and 1 other liked this

Chapelle-St-Arnoux

Cuvée Crus des Côtes du Rhône Crozes-Hermitage Syrah

Fruity and drinkable, not sweet. Pairs well with beef. — 7 years ago

Chapelle-St-Arnoux

Vieilles Vignes Côtes du Rhône Red Rhône Blend 2016

Great balance of Old World and New World winemaking — 8 years ago

Château La Chapelle Canterane

Saint-Emilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2005

Very acceptable with a lamb gigot façon auvergnate (4 heures de cuisson à l'étouffée) — 9 years ago