Vinous Obscura
Château Cos d'Estournel
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2005
Presented to me, double-blind. The wine pours a deep garnet color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears, and some signs of light sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with a mix of ripe and desiccated, mostly dark fruits: cassis, black cherry, plum, mixed brambles, old leather, pipe tobacco, pencil shavings, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (that is mostly integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long.
Initial conclusions: this could be a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend, Tempranillo (or based blend) or Grenache-based blend from France, Spain or the United States. I feel like this leans more towards its fruit than its structure, even though it is a fairly well balanced wine in both regards. As a result, I am calling this a Cabernet-based Bordeaux blend from the United States, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain from a producer like Dunn, 2006. Shiiiiiit. To be honest, I’m not terribly surprised since this is Cos and from a warm vintage no less. Drinking well now and should through 2050+. — 6 months ago
Château Mouton Rothschild
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1966
From back when Mouton was still a Second Growth. Decanted prior to service; enjoyed over the course of several hours. This bottle of the 1966 pours a garnet color with significant rim variation; medium viscosity with light staining and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated red and black fruits: cassis, blackberries, green pepper, tobacco, leather, old wood, organic earth and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. This was a good showing for the ‘66 and certainly has life left in it however, there’s no need to hold out. Drink now. — a year ago
Vieux Château Certan
Pomerol Red Bordeaux Blend 2004
The 2004 Vieux Château Certan was picked starting September 20. This is a little fuller on the nose compared to the 2002, with more fruit concentration, red plum and raspberry, wilted rose petals and a touch of thyme. This is very endearing and open, yet there is vigor. The palate is well-balanced with finely chiseled tannins. While not the most complex vintages of this decade, it is very well-balanced with a fine bead of acidity, lightly spiced with a dash of cracked black pepper on the finish. I have admired this Pomerol since first tasting it from barrel, and I still do. Drink now or over the next 12 to 15 years. Tasted at the VCC vertical in Etikhove, Belgium. (Neal Martin, Vinous, July 2024)
— 2 years ago
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2016
The 2016 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is consistent with previous bottles. It soars from the glass with those (to use a word I used last time) disarming array of blackberry, iris and fig aromas, but displaying a little more blue fruit than I recall. The palate is very well balanced with a velvety texture, pure with just a hint of black pepper. Interestingly, the 65% whole bunches are barely noticeable, just a guiding hand that shapes the finish. Sapid yet tender, this is an outstanding Pessac-Léognan. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the Icons of Bordeaux dinner at Legacy Records in New York. (Neal Martin, Vinous, May 2024)
— 2 years ago
Cantina Bartolo Mascarello
Barolo Nebbiolo 2019
The 2019 Barolo is a potent, layered wine, within the super-classic style that is the house signature. Dark cherry, plum, spice, leather, licorice and menthol add to an impression of brooding intensity. There's real weight and substance here that needs time to emerge. Dried herbs, sage, mint, tobacco and cedar linger on the vibrant, tense finish. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2024)
— 2 years ago
Olga Raffault
Chinon Cabernet Franc Rosé 2022
The 2022 Rosé is distinctly savory, nearly smoky, with a blend of bouquet garni, crushed peaches and wet stone. A tinge of minerality up front enhances its tart orchard fruits, adding a crisp, almost crunchy sensation as sour citrus punctuates the close. It tapers off with a spicy and wonderfully fresh saline tension, leaving just a subtle trace of licorice to fade. (Eric Guido, Vinous, June 2023) — 3 years ago
Château Latour
Premier Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1981
Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a dull purple/garnet color with a translucent core and significant rim variation, moving towards a rust color. The wine has medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of cassis, dried blackberries, dried red and purple flowers, old leather bound books, tobacco, a touch of menthol, some earth, old wood and a sprinkle of warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Super high quality but a touch thin.
Initial conclusions: Due to the observable characteristics of color, rim variation, sediment, smell and flavor, I think this wine has significant age; 30+ years. However, this is still very alive and showing more than enough markers to give an indication of place. Subsequently, this could be a Cabernet-based blend or a Tempranillo-based blend from the United States, France, or Spain. For me, I’m getting new French oak vibes instead of American so I’m eliminating Spain. I also think this leans more towards its fruit than its structure and since this comes across a little on the thin side, I’m going to say this comes from a tougher vintage. My final conclusion is this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend from the USA, Napa, 1981. Wow! This showed really well.
It never ceases to amaze me how analogous the 1981 vintage was in both Napa and Bordeaux. I find it equally amazing how well that vintage has held up; particularly when considering its poor reputation, mostly based on the prevailing thought at the time. From my perspective, well stored examples are not going to fall off of a cliff but I would drink now through 2031. — 5 months ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1989
Opened and decanted hours prior to dinner; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1989 appears a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of tart, ripe, and dried fruits: cassis, blackberries, black cherry, black plum, tobacco, Poblano pepper, mixed dried flowers, some cocoa, pencil shavings, dried green herbs, a touch of leather, some organic and gravelly earth and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Fabulous stuff with plenty of fuel left in the tank. Drink now through 2039. — a year ago
Château Montrose
Saint-Estèphe Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2004
The 2004 Montrose has a slightly rustic bouquet but is quite charming. It offers mainly red fruit, bacon fat, undergrowth and peaty scents, which are very Saint-Estèphe in style. The palate is medium-bodied with melted tannins. It is savory and a little dry, especially towards the finish, though there is good weight, and it is well balanced. Perfect to drink now. (Neal Martin, Vinous, June 2024)
— 2 years ago
Krug
Vintage Brut Champagne Blend 2006
The 2006 Vintage is a rich, opulent Champagne. Passion fruit, apricot, tangerine peel and spice all show the signs of a warm, radiant year. All the elements are so well balanced. The 2006 is an especially opulent Krug endowed with fabulous balance and tons of class. Warm weather during the summer yielded an extroverted Champagne that is already quite delicious. There was some disease pressure in August, but favorable weather in September helped stave that off. The rich, dense style of the 2006 stands in sharp contrast to the 2004 and 2008 in this tasting. Disgorged: Spring 2019. Krug ID: 219022. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2024)
— 2 years ago
Château Palmer
Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 1970
The 1970 Palmer is a vintage that I have tasted on several occasions, although recently, I have encountered some variation, including a rather rum example in 2015. The most recent example has an attractive tobacco-infused nose, perhaps more akin to a Saint-Julien than a Margaux. The palate is medium-bodied with a firm backbone, a slight dryness around the edges and fine salinity with lightly-spiced cedar and tobacco notes on the finish. This is a solid 1970 Margaux, though I would not keep it long-term. (Neal Martin, Vinous, August 2023)
— 3 years ago
Château Calon-Ségur
Saint-Estèphe Red Bordeaux Blend 2020
The 2020 Calon-Ségur is allowed to open for over 90 minutes, unfurling in the glass with blackberry and bilberry scents, cedar and floral scents (almost identical to how it showed in barrel.) It just oozes pedigree. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins and quite plush red fruit. It is very well balanced without the backbone and depth of say, Montrose or Cos d'Estournel. It has gained a bit of heft on the finish during its élevage. However, it fans out in assured fashion. This should drink beautifully for 25 to 30 years. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2023) — 3 years ago
Dom Pérignon
Brut Rosé Champagne 2006
My contribution for a large, annual BYO champagne dinner. While this was a standout, others were: La Closerie LC20, ‘07 Cristal rosé en mag, ‘19 Westborn BdB
This vintage had 20% addition of red wine.
The notes below about bottle variation is exactly what was experienced this evening. A friend also brought the ‘06 Dom Rosé but there was a clear difference between the two. Whereas my bottle was deep, rich and an interplay of florals, juicy red fruits, fleshy peach and strawberry shortbread cookies, his seemed like a slightly less vibrant (not off putting) and more muted version (maybe low trace TCA?). The significant portion of red wine in this vintage has provided great structure at nearly age 20, and not as evolved as the regular 2006 Dom (more vinous than the creamy ‘07 Cristal rosé).
If I had another, I’d open it in the next year or two for this same profile but wouldn’t be worried about holding another 5+. — 5 months ago
Château Haut-Bailly
Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé Red Bordeaux Blend 2016
Medium ruby garnet , quite thin garnet rim . Quite open and inviting tobacco , red plum , cassis , earthy hints . On the palate this has good balance and a mineral , herbal hints, along with the mix of red and dark fruits . This has good fresh acidity and grippy but polished tannin . Good length and is showing quite well . Better in 5 or so years and will last well a further 10 . At Vinous Icons NY , Pier 60 , Feb 2025 — a year ago
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou
Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 1986
Opened a few hours prior to service and enjoyed over the course of an hour. This bottle of the 1986 was re-corked at the chateau in 2011. The wine pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and some dried dark and red fruits: black currants, brambles, black plum, tobacco, pencil shavings, some dried flowers, green pepper, leather, some earth and a gentle mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This seemed evergreen and this bottle spending most of its life in the cellars of the chateau likely has a lot to do with that. Fabulous stuff. Drink now through 2046. — a year ago
Château Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 1964
Decanted prior to service; enjoyed over the course of several hours. This bottle of the 1964 pours a garnet color with significant rim variation; medium viscosity with light staining and significant signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with mostly tertiary notes at this point: cherry fruit leather, actual leather, decomposing log. On the palate, the wine is dry with tannin fully integrated and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Alive…but this bottle is old and tired. Drink now. — a year ago
Château Léoville-Las Cases
Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2004
The 2004 Léoville Las Cases has a noticeable mintiness on the nose that actually complements the red fruit, though it deviates away from what you might call Saint-Julien typicité. After ten minutes, it coheres with ash and black tea aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with a rounded texture on the entry. The 2004 shows fine acidity and is lightly spiced with cracked black pepper towards the finish. A little conservative, but it acquits itself well considering the vintage. (Neal Martin, Vinous, June 2024)
— 2 years ago
Château Cheval Blanc
St. Émilion Red Bordeaux Blend 2008
The 2008 Cheval Blanc is one of the go-to wines of the vintage. Now at 15 years old, it has retained the energy and focus it displayed from the outset: black fruit, crushed stone, wilted violet petals and touches of forest floor cohere wonderfully in the glass. The Cabernet here is more expressive. The palate has a slight chewiness on the entry, but it "relaxes" in the glass. It shows off its delicate lattice of tannins and perhaps a bit more backbone than I have observed on previous bottles. It's very intense on the finish where, as before, the Cabernet Franc takes charge. Superb. Keep it another three to four years if you can. Tasted at the Lia's Wings/book dinner at Medlar restaurant. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2023)
— 2 years ago
Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé
Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Musigny Grand Cru Pinot Noir 1993
The 1993 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru was a real surprise given that I have meted out criticism for the wines from this era. It has a mesmerizing nose with wild strawberry, raspberry and rose petal scents that feel youthful and exuberant. The palate is fleshy and beautifully balanced, supple and has delightful, seductive rondeur. It crescendos towards the finish that is armed with killer delineation, completing perhaps the best Musigny that de Vogüé oversaw that decade. Tasted blind at the Wallace brothers' Xmas dinner. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2023) — 3 years ago
Jay Kline
Double decanted the night before. The 1998 pours a deep garnet purple with a opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous and imbued with an incredible perfume of ripe black cherry, black plum, purple flowers, pipe tobacco, cocoa, a mix of organic and inorganic earth, and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is a wine in its prime and it’s a beauty. Drink now with some time for it to breathe before service and this should drink well through 2048. — 5 months ago