Pauillac, Médoc
Château Clerc Milon
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
This is well beyond critical reviews young.
Sofia & I became friends with Jean D’Anjoy (photo to right). Winemaker who now runs all the Rothschild properties. He was the Assistant Winemaker at Opus One for 10 yrs. He had many offers to be a Napa Winemaker but refused. Had he, he would have been demeeded a Napa Winemaker when he wanted to always go back to Bordeaux as a Winemaker. Opus was fine as it is 1/2 French owed. He later became the the Clerc Milon Winemaker in 09. What a first vintage. He simultaneously built the new facilities at Clerc Milon. He is also perhaps the best & kindest human being I’ve ever met.
He arranged for Sofia & I to pick the Mouton Merlot and work all phases of the 2012 Clark Milon vintage. So, you might wanna not buy the 2012 vintage of Mouton & Clerc. 😂 He also arranged for us to sit at the Baroness’s table for the harvest luncheon where they poured the last of the filtered bottom of the barrels of 82 Mouton. I asked Sofia to pinch me. The Baroness sadly died two years later.
The nose is sweet and a touch sour; blackberries & black raspberries. Floral & slightly candied; dark and light cherries, juicy strawberries, raspberries and some circling baked rhubarb. Understated new oak barrel powder, beautiful baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, dry leaves and twig, baking powder, fresh and dry herbs, lead pencil shavings, limestone, dark soils, dry pebbles, red, and dark florals set in liquid violets.
The palate shows medium plus well rounded, softened, resolved tannins. The fruit is ripe and juicy. Blackberries & black raspberries. Floral & slightly candied; dark and light cherries, juicy strawberries, raspberries and some circling baked rhubarb. Understated new oak barrel powder, beautiful baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla, dry leaves and twig, baking powder, mid, dark spices with a shade of heat, fresh and dry herbs, lead pencil shavings, moist to dry tobacco, used leather, limestone, dark soils, dry pebbles, red, and dark florals set in liquid violets, perfect acidity and a grand elegant, well balanced, integrated finish that lasts 90 seconds and lands on spice & earth.
An elegant beauty if I ever had one. Has another 5-7 yr ahead depending on storage.
Photos of; the new facilities at Clerc Milon, Jean D’Anjoy and their vineyards, barrel room and tasting/entertaining lounge.
Delectable & IOS 27 isn’t a good fit today. — a month ago
Château Meyney
Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2019
Initially, this was a bit closed with fruit notes dominating, but after an hour long decant it opened up nicely. The nose has mostly cassis and herbal flavors, and on the palate, cassis, tobacco, bay leaf, dried sage, dark chocolate, and graphite notes come through nicely. Has good acidity, and tannins are well integrated. Super tasty and paired well with rosemary and thyme roasted rack of lamb with potatoes and eggplant. — 14 days ago
Château Léoville Poyferré
Saint Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2009
This was full bodied, drinking well showing dark fruits, spice, earth, graphite & tobacco — 14 days ago
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
My last of three.
The 05 vintage is basically perfect fruit etc…
This started a bit slow from an hour decant. It really pick up steam w/ the Waygu Ribcap.
The Bordeaux elegance & earth profound. The fruits are floral-laden. Dry blackberries, raspberries, both plum, with skin, dark cherries, dry strawberries, baked rhubarb, hints of raspberry, dark chocolate bar, light caramel, dark spice with a little heat, dry limestone. topsoil, dry riverstone, cigar box with ash, old used leather, dark forest floor with leaves, clove, touch of cinnamon, vanilla and a pinch of nutmeg sweet graphite, used charcoal, black tea, mid berry cola dark wuthering flowers, hence of lavender and old violets, perfect around acidity with a well-balanced structured, evenly tensioned finish that last minutes and lands on dry earth and spice with florals — 15 days ago
Château Lafite Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1975
Really cool experience at Acker Autumn Harvest auction
This did not taste 50 years old. It was excellent — 21 days ago
Château Calon-Ségur
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2009
This needed some air showing black fruits, plum, graphite, cedar, spices, floral & tobacco — 7 days ago
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1955
Slightly drying fruit. Good mid palate. Great fruit still — 3 hours ago
Château Cantemerle
Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2020
Delectable seems to be having troubles again. This wine is so young, I let it breathe for an hour while I prepped dinner, and it was still pretty tight. After dinner it began to open up with bright red fruit and a hint of florals on the nose. Also some faint brett.
Flavors include tart strawberries, blueberries, cedar and pipe tobacco. Nice, long ending. Not very complex, but well structured and delicious. And a great value!
Listening to early Elvis. — 20 days ago
Château Branaire (Duluc-Ducru)
St. Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2016
Expressive nose of blackcurrant and dark cherry with hints of dried fruit nuances, along with cedar, graphite, and dried herbs. The palate is dense and layered, and becomes quite seamless after about 2 hours - nice balance of acidity, fruit concentration and tannic grip.
In the early stage of maturity. Long ascent awaits. — 8 days ago
Château Montrose
Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015
Deep and dark, a cool minerality. Bright fruit. Packed, is dense. Beautifully held. Great texture and structure. A stunner! — 6 days ago
Tom Garland
1/2 hour decant(decent sediment). A gorgeous still dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: seductive perfumed notes of dark fruit, smoked meat, funky earth, cigar box, pencil lead, vanilla oak. Taste: savory wine with dried dark fruit, graphite and gravel, iron, and a kinda astringent smokey tobacco finish. Not my cup of tea...maybe bottle flaw. — 7 days ago