|
Saint Estephe |
|
Andron Blanquet |
An encouragingly correct St. Estephe in an
albeit less than stellar vintage for the appellation. May indicate an
upswing for an estate which has traditionally failed to live up to its soil
and location. |
|
Calon Segur |
An impressive, uncompromising, burly wine, of
muscular silkiness. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, the balance Merlot with a touch
of Cabernet Franc and a seasoning of press wine. Crafted. Pronounced Cabernet
Sauvignon character. Profound, dark purple.
Strong, harmonious, enduring tannins. Classic, "gritty". Cassis, graphite and the makings of
old bones. Owner, Mme. Gasqueton: " The sunshine of September rescued the
vintage." |
|
La Dame de Montrose |
Oaky aromas. Sleek and powerful for a second
wine. Smoky, dark fruit. 64% Cabernet sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 3% Cabernet
Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Extracted fruits and emphatic tannins. |
|
Cos d'Estournel |
Classic Cos nose, with smoke, oak and black
fruit. Alcoholic ( 13.6º ), though not obviously so. 74%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc. Pain grillé, smoke
and
a lot of oak on the nose ( 60% new ), but integrated on the palate.
Sweet fruit, some minerality. Takes on mid-palate richness. Very concentrated,
complex and well balanced. |
|
Cos Labory |
In a vintage whose measure lies in the
quality of the tannins, Cos Labory has continued a recent trend of
straightforward, potentially long-lived, broad-shouldered and old-fashioned
St.Estephe. 62.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37.5% Merlot. Restrained
extraction, flavors finish on an up-note. |
|
Haut Marbuzet |
In the top bracket of the elite Crus Bourgeois,
but not up to the level of the property's best efforts. Some tropical fruit
and coconut nuance. Characteristic smoky
black fruit cannot mask decided green stemminess to the tannins. |
|
Lafon Rochet |
Deep garnet. Lots of tannins, acidity and bold fruits,
just short in the finesse department to crash top of the
appellation's hierarchy. 45% Merlot, 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet
Franc. |
|
Marbuzet |
59% Merlot, 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot. Somewhat hard. Simple, with some late-on cassis flavor. Overt new
wood. |
|
Meyney |
Disappointing. Quite simply not up to standard.
Hard fruits and tannins. Many chateaux complained that atmospheric
conditions during
the early April barrel tastings caused diametric mood swings in their samples. If
there is a scientific basis to this contention, then Meyney may have been a
victim here. |
|
Montrose |
Not the thrilling majesty of 2003, but more
characteristic of one of Bordeaux's benchmarks. More austere
and withdrawn, but classic Montrose, harmonious, powerful and elegant. Fine
tannins for slow evolution. Similar to 1996. The Chateau's largest
crop on record: 57 hl/ha, as opposed to 2003's 33 hl/ha, despite stringent green
harvests throughout the growing season. 73% went into the grand vin.
Pronounced
fruit component. This demands time to evolve. |
|
Les Ormes de Pez |
Very lively with a pleasant leafy character
woven into the ripe fruit aromas. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10%
Cabernet Franc. 30% new oak. Best of the St. Estephe Bourgeois this time.
Emphatic tannins. |
|
Pagodes de Cos |
High-tone aromas. Straightforward fruits and
tannin. 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 54% Merlot. |
|
Pauillac |
|
d'Armailhac |
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 14% Cabernet
Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. Rich. Opens with great breadth, generosity,
concentration and forward fruit. Spicy, cedary. Tasted twice, and a
prolonged finish noted on each occasion. Should drink relatively
early. |
|
Batailley |
A flattering opening with blackberry and floral
aromas and initially soft dark fruits with a little spice gives way to a flood
of astringent tannins. The question is, which of two diametric tendencies in
this wine will prevail, or will they reconcile? |
|
Carruades de Lafite |
2nd of Lafite. Highly polished. Classic
Pauillac nose. Moderate
tannins. Mid-scale, some restrained cedar qualities. Nice berry, clove
aromas. Lovely purity of fruit upfront. Elegant, moderate controlled
tannins. 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit
Verdot. For early consumption. |
|
Clerc Milon |
Reticent aromatically. 51% Cabernet Sauvignon,
5% Cabernet Franc, 42%
Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere. 50% new oak. Very fresh and
lively. Prominent, vivid fruit. Noticeably New World in style. Gentle,
expressive tannins. With mineral interplay. |
|
Croizet Bages |
Once again Croizet outdoes itself in rank,
astringent, underachievement, somehow combining notes of chives and
unfortunate funk with raw tannins. |
|
Cuvee Pauillac de Latour |
Chateau Latour's 3rd wine after Les Forts. Fine
graphite, cedar, cassis in classic appellation mold. Light oak treatment. Opens sweetly. 26%
press wine is a very high proportion in a blend delivering 13.4º of
alcohol. Finely delineated and exceptionally long. |
|
Duhart Milon Rothschild |
Sweet, forward fruit. Beautifully crafted,
offering tobacco notes, sumptuous sleekness. More tannic than the Carruades,
developing complex flavors of chocolate, coffee, raspberry and herbs. Length
and persistence. |
|
Fonbadet |
Located between Lynch-Bages and Pichon Baron, this
Pauillac cru bourgeois has produced a structured wine with red berry
and dark plum flavors, some smoke on the nose, and a surprisingly long
finish. |
|
Les Forts de Latour |
Perhaps the best of an elite group of second
wines that star in their own right. Super-rich in all departments. Opaque
deep purple. Cassis-laden, dense and polished. Plum, sherry syrup and cola. Great definition at the
finish. 41% of the estate's material, comprising 74% Cabernet Sauvignon
and 26% Merlot and a 10% press-wine component. |
|
Grand Puy Ducasse |
60% Cabernet to 40% Merlot. 30% new oak, 30% 1
year, 40% 2nd year oak. A recent tendency of
solid improvement continues. Nice black fruit with a little smoke, anisette
and spice. Refreshing. Powerful but sustainable tannins. |
|
Grand Puy Lacoste |
A little chestnut on an otherwise reticent nose.
Pure, clean fruit, raspberry and blackcurrant. Good length, soft,
persistent tannins. High in alcohol, but well integrated. Generous yield of
51 hectoliters per hectare. The 1978 grafting onto riparia rootstock is now
coming into its own. |
|
Haut Bages Liberal |
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. 40% new
wood. Good flavors, controlled tannins. Classic
Pauillac profile and good ripeness and length. Abundant fruit around a
taught framework. Powerful structure. Cassis, cedar, graphite. |
|
Haut Batailley |
An intense, expressive Cabernet-dominated nose.
Plenty of grip and bold fruit. Mineral, black fruit, smokey. Vat-fermented. 70%-30% Cabernet Sauvignon to
Merlot. |
|
Lafite Rothschild |
90.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, .5% Petit Verdot. Concentrated aromas. Deep black, opaque. Immense, latent power, purity and
refinement. Beautifully toned, jittering with nerve. Identifiably Lafite with cassis,
cedar, graphite and spice notes, all coalescing into stupendous length. |
|
Latour |
Most tasters' favorite for Wine of the Vintage.
Certainly among the top handful. Citrus peel, Grand Marnier on the
nose. 56 hl/ha tests the limits of the legally
permitted yield. 89% Cabernet Sauvignon ( a historic high), 10% Merlot, 1% Petit
Verdot.
100% new wood. Profound, deep, aromas. Fleshy, interwoven with acidity. Generous fruits,
licorice. Outstanding richness and an exceptionally long finish. |
|
Lynch Bages |
84% Cabernet Sauvignon, seasoned with 9% Merlot,
5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Very concentrated aromatically, but
somewhat backward and lacking expression on the palate. Muscular, powerfully
extracted, impressive length. with hints of earthiness. Black currant and a
little minty. On the edge of harshness. |
|
Lynch Moussas |
66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet
Franc. Good currant and mocha. Burly. On recent form, moving up a notch or
two. Should provide good value. With a longer finish this would have
bordered on the spectacular. |
|
Mouton Rothschild |
Surprisingly straightforward and friendly for a
First Growth in this vintage. Rich, blackcurrant fruit, but not the
signature expresso. Concentration and chewiness, deep purple in color. It may take
the new winemaking team here some time to adjust itself and the wine. 69%
Cabernet sauvignon,15% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. 92% new
wood. 57% of yield went into the grand vin. Just a
little on the scaled-down side. |
|
Pichon Lalande |
51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 4% Cabernet Franc. Sweet, rich, uncharacteristically powerfully
structured. A very, very good Pichon Lalande, with smoky, bold, dark
currant, mocha, tarry licorice and kirsch flavors with a solid mineral base.
Tannins well integrated and proportioned. Right
up there amongst the top handful of '04's. |
|
Pichon Longueville Baron |
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet
Franc. 80% new oak. Streamlined and powerful. Tarry violet nose. Deeply
colored. Complex black cherry, spice, coffee. A powerful statement. |
|
Pontet Canet |
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Cabernet
Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. 60% new oak. A vin de garde. This time it
veers more to the Latour style than the Lafite. Sweet and ample fruit
presence. Big and edgy, with muted cedar notes. Controlled with a great,
steely backbone. |
|
Reserve de La Comtesse |
Second wine of Pichon Lalande. Voluptuous soft
fruit with a tannic undercarriage. Should knit well with time. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 6%
Cabernet Franc. |
|
Saint Julien |
|
Beychevelle |
Very sweet upfront fruit, though with perhaps a little stemminess in the
mid-palate. Only 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3%
Petit Verdot. 50% new oak. |
|
Branaire |
Toasted brioche aroma. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot,
2% Cabernet Franc. 50% new oak. A little more power than customary. Mulberry,
blueberry, redcurrant. Tannins silky and sweet. Good length. |
|
Clos du Marquis |
Leoville Las Case's "second" wine, but
mainly from its own vineyard plots, is once again at the quality level of a
goodThird Growth. 56.7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2.3%
Cabernet Franc. Dominant cedary cassis aromas, powerful red and black
currant and bramble character. Tannins refined and lengthy. |
|
La Croix de Beaucaillou |
50-50 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot. Cedary with
spice notes. Delicacy and elegance, if a trifle dilute. |
|
Ducru Beaucaillou |
77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot with a 77 index
of tannin ( 10% up on 2003). Lovely fresh brioche nose and a rich floral
character, hints of violet. Great sweet currant flavors, silky, rich and elegant.
Markedly fresh. Tannins
well integrated. Up there among the best of the vintage, where,
interestingly, this, together with Latour, Pichon Lalande and Las Cases,
among others, make
up a block of contiguous high achievers on the Pauillac - St. Julien border. |
|
Les Fiefs de Lagrange |
A closed sample of Lagrange's second wine,
tasted at the chateau was neither expressive nor, almost certainly,
representative. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. |
|
Gruaud Larose |
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Cabernet
Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 1% Malbec. 40-45% new oak. A wine unto itself, with
breed and signature. Expressive. Dark nervy plum fruit, wet
stoniness, a touch of iron, almost prickly. Great purity as well as muscle. Very good. |
|
Lagrange |
In a relatively high-acid vintage, director Marcel Ducasse's assertion that "higher acidity lends to
freshness" is clearly born out. Some lovely sweet, black fruit
flavors, mild smokiness and notably long finish. A high proportion
of Petit Verdot a perennial signature here, providing vividness,
depth and definition as well as aromatic and structural qualities. On this
occasion, 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 10% PV. Very good,
well-styled with a persistent finish. Just 38% went into the grand vin. |
|
Lalande Borie |
Tasted at same ownership's Ducru Beaucaillou. Cold-vatted fermentation, then 30% new oak. Rich classic cedar/cassis,
low-extract, harmonious tannins. Includes material from La Croix de
Beaucaillou. 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc. |
|
Langoa Barton |
Aromatically powerful and profound, with black
cherries and raspberry. 70% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Excellent classic,
"clean" tannins, sweet currant fruits. Well integrated. Less
aggressive than is often the case. Impressive.
|
|
Leoville Barton |
Perhaps as consistently classical a style of
claret as any in Bordeaux over the past several vintages. A wine of great
poise and polish. Assertive structure of ultra-pure tannins. Same cepage
as Langoa. Dark and glycerol. Muted kirsch. Ferrous notes. Everything
balanced and in check. Exceptional length. |
|
Leoville Las Cases |
76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 11% Cabernet
Franc, with a 5.96% seasoning of press wine. With a 50.7hl/ha yield, despite
draconian crop-thinning, at almost 2 1/2 times the 2003 rendiment, Las
Cases has again come up with one of the top wines of the vintage. Bold and
black. Refreshing acidity. Fabulous
currant, smoke, anise and minerality. Huge tannins beautifully
integrated. A wine for large format and laying down. |
|
Leoville Poyferre |
Powerful toasted oak aromas.
Uncharacteristically tannic, but with large doses of compensating dark rich,
ripe fruit and licorice. 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot.
Cabernet Franc declassified to Moulin Riche. |
|
Moulin Riche |
Poyferre's second. Crunchy fruit and tannins. Not up to the quality level of
a second wine from a major estate. |
|
Talbot |
Rather dense and one-dimensional. Lack of focus
and concentration. Perhaps a case of an unrepresentative, premature sample
in a late vintage which left less time than usual for the assemblage to
meld. 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. |
|
Terrey-Gros-Caillou |
A gratifying overachievement here. Vigorous,
bold fruit. Plenty of St. Julien character from the middle of the
appellation. Nicely smoky with berry character and straightforward tannins. |
|
Margaux |
|
Alter Ego de Ch. Palmer |
The selection of grapes for Palmer's second wine
is made at the time of picking, and undergoes a shorter, colder maceration
than the grand vin to emphasize fruitiness. 30% new oak, the rest divided equally between
1-year and 2-year barrels. Floral aromas, bright, forward fruit and lively
tannins. Very attractive with all the signs of early approachability. |
|
d'Angludet |
Deep red color, dense yet controlled tannic
structure. Refreshing acidity in the red raspberry palate. More impressive
than often of late. |
|
Blason d'Issan |
d'Issan's second wine accounts for 40% of the
chateau's production. Berry aromas and forceful fruit. Good depth here. Same
varietal proportions as the grand vin. 35% new barrels, including an
experimental 5% American oak. Easy style, black raspberry fruit. |
|
Brane Cantenac |
Opens softly. Elegant and faithful to
appellation. Floral, a little tea. 60% new oak. 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28%
Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Restrained, but some good dark plum and light
mocha in the middle. Moderate finish. Malolactic fermentation carried out in
barrel. |
|
Cantenac Brown |
A good solid Margaux. Mid-weight, nicely
perfumed with sweet fruit and well- knit tannins. Dark fruit, licorice,
kirsch. Moderate tannins, almost sweet. |
|
Clos Margalaine |
Marojallia's second wine. Lovely upfront fruit.
Some mulberry and plum. Easy charm, though quite bold tannins. This should
drink nicely from the outset. |
|
Dauzac |
58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot. 50% new oak.
Quite compact, classy, notably tannic, but with plenty of substance in the form of good
if not spectacular fruit. |
|
Durfort Vivens |
Dark fruits with a suggestion of roasted
herbs. Some fleshiness. A big improvement, which was certainly needed. The
65% Cabernet Sauvignon is relatively high, and may account for a
characteristic dryness at this property. Mineral. 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet
Franc. |
|
Ferriere |
A highly assertive, lively wine. Compelling
notes of fig, spices, mocha purple, black plums and a thread of acidity, largely due
to a generous 10% lacing of press-wine. Here a high ( 70% ) Cabernet
Sauvignon ration is used to advantage. |
|
Giscours |
Notably dark, rich and lush. 60-40 Cabernet
Sauvignon - Merlot. Appealing licorice here, with cedar, cassis - almost
Northern Medoc character, but some Margaux finesse. Good length. |
|
d'Issan |
Fresh, ripe blackberry and flowering black
currant aromas. A thread of refreshing acidity. Emmanuel Cruse's elegant wine
typifies its appellation in its rich, expressiveness. 50% new oak,
60-40 Cabernet Sauvignon to Merlot. 54 hl/ha. |
|
Kirwan |
Sweet fruit, quite rich. Bigger and greater
viscosity than many Margaux wines. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, equal
Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. A little lacking in definition, though this
could be due to the sample. Michel Rolland consulting oenologist. |
|
Labegorce |
48% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet
Franc. Spicy red/black fruits. Tannic structure under control. |
|
Lascombes |
57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3 % Petit Verdot, the balance Cabernet Franc and
Malbec. 100% new oak. Since the 2001 change of
administration here, the rap against Lascombes has been a lack of appellation
typicity, but this concentrated, streamlined and focused product of low-yield, late picked
(the Cabernet Sauvignon was finished on October 25th), slow, cold
maceration and new oak is a vast improvement. Chocolate, spices and powerful black fruits. Power,
purity and length. |
|
Malescot St. Exupery |
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. Very dark, exuberant, good concentration. Sweet and ripe. Cherry
liqueur and kirsch notes. Quite earthy.
Good length. Forward with the promise of early approachability in the
context of this vintage. |
|
Margaux |
Technical director Paul Pontailler declares
himself " Truly touched by this wine because it is very close to my
sensibility." The wine describes an intriguing glycerol crescent
pattern on the glass and lingers an age before slowly disintegrating into
tears. Balanced freshness, cerebral. A wine of extraordinary softness, grace and
length. In every respect,
this has the quintessential Margaux elegance. The purity and suppleness of
tannins stand alone in the vintage. Two wines of quite opposite tendencies -
this and Latour - contend for top Medoc honors this year. |
|
Marojallia |
Sixth vintage of the Medoc's first micro-cuvee,
overseen by Murielle Thunevin for owner Catherine Laurent of Le Pavillon de
Margaux restaurant. Between du Tertre and Monbrison. 500 cases made.
Mouth-coating. Good, measured extraction. Very dark, blue/black. 100% new
oak. Expresso and violet notes. Not
overdone. Power allied to the appellation's classically graceful profile.
More " Margaux" than many of the classified. The 45 hl/ha yield is
relatively low for this abundant vintage. |
|
Marquis d'Alesme Becker |
Rustic and tannic. A truly dull wine. Old world
in the worst sense. |
|
Marquis de Terme |
One of a significant number of wines compromised
by ongoing malolactic fermentation in the sample. Unpleasant, pungent aromas and
dire, ugly tannins. |
|
Monbrison |
How this property came to be excluded from the
Crus Bourgeois Exceptional category in the 2003 classification is a mystery.
Monbrison consistently outdoes a good half of the Margaux Classified Growths
and '04 is no exception. 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 7% Cabernet
Franc, 6% Petit Verdot. 6% press wine included. Some mocha/cocoa on
the nose. Woodsmoke and violet. Sweet fruit and powerful tannins. |
|
Palmer |
Profound aromatically, with woodsmoke, plum,
vanilla and mocha scents and a top note of violets. Black cherry, plum,
boysenberry, blueberry and
red currant flavors. In a year where crop reduction was key, they went to
extraordinary lengths here, deploying a team of 50 pickers to green-harvest
over four weeks. 55% new oak. 47% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7%
Petit Verdot. Balance, elegance, style and concentration. |
|
Pavillon Rouge |
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, accounting for more than half the estate's production.
Exceptionally fresh and pure in aroma and deep amethyst appearance. Stylish,
dynamic.
Margaux technical director Paul Pontailler projects a 25 year future for
this wine, but should drink beautifully from an early age. |
|
Prieure Lichine |
55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. 60% new oak. A modern wine in the positive sense. Anise and
licorice. Good extraction. For a while, both
Michel Rolland and Stephan Derenoncourt consulted here. Now Rolland has
stepped aside. Elegant with torque. Plenty of substance. |
|
Rauzan Gassies |
The upswing continues here. Frontloaded with
nice sweet, dark fruits, with moderate but persistent tannins. 65%
Cabernet Sauvignon. 25% Merlot. 7% Cabernet Franc. 3% Petit Verdot. |
|
Rauzan Segla |
52.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, 4% Petit
Verdot and 1.5 % Cabernet Franc. 50% new oak. 13% press wine is incorporated into the
blend. Great style, structure and refinement. 50% of production for the grand vin.
Likely to provide some of the vintage's best value among the top Second
Growths. Floral and spicy. Deeply vivid color. Blackcurrant, smoke.
Fine,
long finish. |
|
du Tertre |
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet
Franc. Exceptional fragrance. Fresh mouth-feel, excellent balance. Nicely
nervy. Dark plums, and impressive balance. A frequent over-achiever, close
to the top flight. |
|
La Tour de Mons |
Ripe, balanced. Will need time, but nicely
proportioned. |
|
Siran |
50% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Verdot. 40% new oak. Quite floral with pure fruit, black cherry and kirsch.
A refreshing delicacy. |
|
Medoc, Haut-Medoc |
|
d'Agassac |
Very elegant, lengthy and refined. Berries and
minerals. Outstanding at this level. Should offer superlative value. |
|
Beaumont |
60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, balance of
Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot. Nice upfront cocoa and raspberry. Good lively
freshness. Should drink well young. |
|
Belgrave |
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot. Sweet fruit, but strangely perfumey. Vanilla and new wood. Lowish tannins. |
|
Bernadotte |
From Pichon Lalande's ownership. Bright,
abundant fruit, plenty of gripping tannins. Dark raspberry. Not for the short term. |
|
Cambon La Pelousse |
Complex with high-toned, polished fruit and
nicely harnessed oak. |
|
Camensac |
A good showing for a forgotten classified
growth. Black cherry, elastic, supple. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot. |
|
Cantemerle |
Very Medoc. High Cabernet Sauvignon component.
Cedar and cassis. A little menthol. |
|
La Chapelle de Potensac |
New second wine for Potensac. 55% Merlot, 24%
and 21% Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc respectively. Slatey and cedary, with
good fruit to offset the sternness. |
|
Cissac |
Some real quality here. Robust with solid fruit
and definition. Should offer good value. Divergence of opinion on this wine:
The dissenting opinion cites overly dried-out. |
|
Citran |
Well made large production, large-scale 50-50 Cabernet
Sauvignon - Merlot, with vibrant fresh fruit and forceful tannins. Some
licorice highlights. |
|
Coufran |
85% Merlot. Round and soft. Simple, but good
fruit. Should come around early. |
|
La Goulée |
Cos' Jean-Guillaume Prats' project to
produce a Northern Medoc garage wine from two specific vineyards ( soon to
encompass a third), to sell in the $30 range. Vinified at Ch. Marbuzet. 80%
Cabernet Sauvignon, low yield, 50% new oak. Raqspberry and cassis, new-world
in style. Well weighted, rich fruit and
forceful tannins. To look out for. |
|
Les Grands Chenes |
From the expanding Bernard Magrez stable.
Despite the 50% Merlot, this showed up a little stern and ungiving.
Structured, but with, perhaps, a streak of greenness. |
|
Haut Condissas |
Of the "garage" persuasion. Very rich,
with smoky Malbec, raspberry tones and excellent length with marked tannins. |
|
La Lagune |
Seems to be on the way back. 50% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot. 50 % new oak. Focused. Pure red fruits predominate with a
little kirsch. Tannins are reticent but present. Substantial middle and
moderate length. |
|
de Lamarque |
Good robust berry fruits. Turns a bit tannic. |
|
Lanessan |
A difference of opinion: On the one hand,
"Perplexing. This could have been an extremely
closed sample. It really gave nothing away whatsoever. " On the
other, "Stylish, interesting example of the appellation. A good value
prospect." |
|
La Tour-Carnet |
A serious wine in the "classic" mould.
Well proportioned, living up
to 4th growth classification under Magrez ownership. Upfront sweetness of
cassis and ripeness. Not overly tannic. |
|
Potensac |
52.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40.7% Merlot, 6.8%
Cabernet Franc. Taking structure to the edge of austerity, but this wine,
containing 7.4% vin de presse, counterbalances with assertive red and
black fruits, fine tannins and a long finish. |
|
Malescasse |
Good color. Sweet and fragrant nose.
Solid, well made. Licorice, anise and red plums. Simple and attractive. |
|
Moulin a Vent |
Balanced and integrated. Unspectacular but
solid and reliable. Consistently good value. |
|
La Tour de By |
A mouthful. Strong, assertive tannins. Hefty
fruits. Well balanced, integrated. Equal Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. |
|
Sociando Mallet |
A wine of exceptional power and refinement, once
again showing up a great many classified chateaux. Bright red fruits, deep
raspberry components and
ripe blackcurrants. Intriguing mineral length and structure. |
|
Moulis/Listrac |
|
Chasse Spleen |
An aristocrat amongst the crus Bourgeois. 50%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot. A tight, aromatically
closed sample. Red berry fruit, tightly wound tannins, but well balanced. |
|
Clarke |
70-30 Merlot to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Uncompromising dose of tannins. |
|
Ducluzeaux |
From the Listrac residence of Ducru
Beaucaillou's Bruno Borie. 98% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Lightly
vinified for early consumption. Very pretty red plum fragrance. |
|
Fourcas Dupree |
Fragrant, aromatic. Good interplay of fruit and
tannic structure. |
|
Maucaillou |
Strong, forceful tannins. Chunky, muscular
fruit. Good length. 35% Merlot, 58% Cabernet sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot |
|
Poujeaux |
Brawny, long-lived 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet
Sauvignon and equal doses of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Will require
patience. |
|
Pessac-Leognan |
|
Bahans Haut-Brion |
22% Merlot, 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet
Franc. Cocoa, thyme, tobacco. Very bright appearance as well as palate. Well
delineated, firm tannins. Black currant. |
|
Branon |
Micro-Graves. Well-extracted and harmonious. Via
Michel Rolland for the Garcin-Cathiard family, also of Haut-Bergey, Barde-Haut and the Pomerol Clos
L'Eglise. Powerful tannins, but the fruit is ripe
here and will more than hold its own. For the long haul. |
|
Clos Marsalette |
Lovely mocha, red fruits and mild licorice to
this from Count Stephan von Neipperg, overseen by consultant Stephan
Derenoncourt. 50-50 low-yield (36 hl/ha) Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, from
Martillac. 50% new oak. |
|
Haut Bergey |
A nice smoky, earthy, well-fruited Graves. Some
raspberry and moderate tannins. Hint of tea on the finish. |
|
Haut-Brion |
The imposing, classic face of Haut-Brion.
Arresting, expressive aromas, largely attributable to the high Cabernet
Franc proportion. An orchestral
interplay of 61% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc with the Cabernet Sauvignon
balance providing the lower register. Noteworthy length. Smoke, earthiness
and powerful dark fruits. 74% new oak. 55% went into the grand vin. |
|
Leonie |
Tasted on two occasions. Bright, forward, lively
wine from the deep south of the Graves. Notable freshness with orange peel
notes. One third new oak, the remainder from the owner's brother's Eric
Prissette's Rol Valentin. |
|
La Chapelle de La Mission |
A whopping 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, laced with 6%
Cabernet Franc went into La Mission's Second this time. Stylish. An intriguing hint
of bacon on the nose. Round, dark plumminess. A thread of astringency
wrapped in the emerging dark fruit, leading to a slightly herbal finish. |
|
La Mission Haut-Brion |
55% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet
Franc. 76% new oak. Complex,
elusive perfumes. Somewhat reticent notes of currants, lightly toasted
brioche and a little violet. A hint of baked orange peel. Sweet fruits
upfront. Dark red, cranberry, currant and cassis. Lush and complex with forceful
tannins. |
|
Pape Clement |
54% to 46% Merlot is a relatively high Cabernet
Sauvignon proportion for this estate. Black in fruit and color and very
soft, in large part due to 100% manual de-stemming policy in force since
2001. 38 hl/ha yield is strikingly low for the vintage and reflects
crop-thinning throughout the growing season. Cedar, dark, smoky, tobacco.
Some bacon and earth hints. |
|
Poumey |
A tannic wine, nicely delineated. 60-40 Merlot
to Cabernet Sauvignon. Agreeable menthol notes, and red fruits dominate. 75%
new oak and low yield, stringent de-stemming. Should reward patience if the
price is right. |
|
La Tour Haut-Brion |
An exciting, compelling wine from La Tour. 60%
Merlot, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc. Smoked bacon and crushed
currant leaf nose. Streamlined but with luxurious softness at the same time.
Great length and complexity here. Red, black fruits backed by fine, assertive
tannins. A profound, well-proportioned wine. |
|
Saint Emilion |
|
Angelus |
Black and viscous. Super-rich and vivid. 60-40
Merlot to Cabernet Franc. 100% new oak. A tour de force. Optimum ripeness, texture
and length, and still room for finesse. Multiple fruits, most of them dark,
offset by refreshing acidity. Tarry. There are other wines in the
appellation as powerful, but
none of them come close to this in balance. |
|
Ausone |
If just shaded by Cheval Blanc in this year's
face-off for the appellation's top honor, Ausone again delivers a wine of
great nobility. 52% Cabernet Franc, 48% Merlot, this is all about the
harnessing of kirsch-laden fruit to refined power and delineated structure.
Loaded with extraction, almost liqueur-like. A wonderful interplay of tannins, lusciousness and nerve. For
the long term. |
|
Balestard La Tonnelle |
70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet
Sauvignon. Quite straightforward. Some spice and minerality. Mid-weight.
Moderately fruity. |
|
Barde Haut |
Beautifully textured with concentrated fruit.
100% new oak. Purple, dark, ripe fruit flavors. Powerful. Liqueur-like cassis sweetness, nuanced oak and good length. A
Garcin-Cathiard property in the La Mondotte sector. |
|
Beausejour Becot |
70% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, 6% Cabernet
Sauvignon. 100% new oak. Sweet currant flavors. Floral aromas. Bold tannins.
Black cherry, kirsch, acidity and balance. Textured and luscious. |
|
Belair |
On the Burgundian side. Quite silky, in the
restrained mode. Some nice cocoa aromas, 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. A
little more overtly fruity than usual. A fair amount of grip with roasted
character in the flavors. Tasted twice. |
|
Bellevue Mondotte |
Along much the same flamboyant lines, but better
integrated than Pavie Decesse. Molasses-like in texture. Layered. A
supercharged vehicle for oak and immense fruit taken almost beyond
ripeness. 90% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Miniscule yield. |
|
Berliquet |
Rather schizophrenic wine, offering both extreme
ripeness and restrained elegance of structure. Aromatically exotic. 80%
Merlot,15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. 80% new oak. |
|
Canon |
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Managed for
Chanel by John Kolasa of Rauzan Segla. Very much in the traditional
St.Emilion camp, all understatement but with perfumed, crushed berry aromas,
minerals, some roasted herbs, silkiness, dark-fruit character and refined
length all evident. |
|
Canon La Gaffeliere |
Count Stephan von Neipperg's home chateau. The
wine is along the lines of his superb1998. 37 hectoliters per hectare yield.
50%Merlot,45% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines mostly
pre-dating the 1956 freeze. Biodynamic in all but name, the wine has hints
of blackberry and ripe pomegranate. Aromatically distinctive. A
triumph of understatement. |
|
La Chapelle d'Ausone |
Essence of blackcurrant with spice notes.
Prominent, mouth-coating tannins. Appealing stoniness offset by generous
fruit. 500 cases made. |
|
Cheval Blanc |
A symphonic Cheval Blanc. As usual, discretion
gets the better of bombast, with an exquisitely delicate hint of rosehip on
the nose, to go with orange peel and spice. "Elegant" is no
euphemism for lack of definition here. A textbook Cheval Blanc with
wonderful mid-palate intermingling of assorted fruits. 55% Cabernet Franc,
45% Merlot. An extended finish of great finesse. |
|
Clos Badon |
From Jean-Luc Thunevin. Just over 900 cases of
extremely focused and structured high-tone 70% Merlot fruit. Same
hands-on vinification as Valandraud but at a fraction of the cost. |
|
Clos de L'Oratoire |
The von Neipperg approach to sustainable
agriculture, abetted by oenologist Stephan Derenoncourt, has constructed a
90% Merlot-10% Cabernet Franc, 42 hl/ha low yield jewel. 90% new oak,
persistent, fresh red berry fruit, measured tannins. |
|
Clos Fourtet |
85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet
Franc. Another Derenoncourt project, together with Jean-Claude Berrouet,
oenologist at Pétrus. Outstanding. Bright, ripe fruit, good fatness, but
not at all over-extracted. Mid-garnet robe, good sleek, glycerol
fatness. Mocha, blackberries. |
|
La Confession |
From Jean-Philippe Janoueix, small production,
equal parts Cabernet Franc and Merlot with1 0% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Broad-shouldered, well-made, with restrained power and prominent
fruits. |
|
Corbin |
Anabelle Cruse Bardinet produces this firm,
restrained and well-wrought 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc effort,
with silky tannins, ripe fruit and moderate extraction. |
|
La Couspaude |
Very earthy, but with abundant ripe fruit. A
worrying streak of bitterness in the tannins |
|
Croix de Labrie |
Small production Saint Emilion. Rather closed
aromatically. Very mineral, but expansive with delineated fruit. |
|
Dassault |
Black in color. Four-square. 80% Merlot, 10%
Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Rather herbal, mentholated. Very subdued
fruit-wise. An astringent finish. |
|
La Dominique |
The sample of this wine was not showing well, so
judgment is suspended. |
|
Faugeres |
The last wine of Corinne Guisez's ownership. The
property has been sold. 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet
Sauvignon. half in new oak. Profound aromas of tar and violets.
Fruit-forward, juicy, unrestrained. Big, fresh tannins. |
|
Figeac |
Classic profile. One third each Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
Franc and Merlot. These relatively unusual proportions ( though not for
Figeac ) invest the wine with a strand of nerve as well as notable length.
Cassis and red plum with a little iron to it. |
|
Fleur Cardinale |
Fourth vintage for Francois Decoster, with
Jean-Luc Thunevin's input. Low yield, 70% Merlot then equal measures of
Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc. 100 new oak, but well assimilated. Avoids
over-extraction. Lively interplay of red and dark berry flavors. |
|
Fombrauge |
Very forward sweet raspberry mousse and
mocha/cocoa. More seductive than structured. Should be on-stream
early. |
|
de Fonbel |
Seems to get better by the vintage with the
80-20 Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon plantings now thoroughly in synch.
From Alain Vauthier of Ausone. Finesse, breed and richness. Tannic, but with
balanced extraction. Not offered en primeur, but worth watching for upon
release. |
|
Franc Mayne |
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. 60% new oak. Black cherry fruit. Good
upfront Saint Emilion fruit profile, but drying out a little on the finish. |
|
La Gaffeliere |
80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc. Black cassis.
Hardening at the end. Licorice. Might stuggle to integrate these tannins. |
|
Gracia |
Stonemason Michel Gracia's ultra-glycerol
micro-cuvee is almost impossible to evaluate by any standard other than
gratification. So here goes. Mouthfilling and full of layered black fruit with
a suggestion of port both texturally and in the sweetness of fruit. Will
drink gorgeously from bottling, though its not clear for how long. |
|
Grand Corbin Despagne |
Some pinched astringency interwoven with the
fruit. This seems to be a case of uneven ripeness. Over-extracted? Or was
this a poor sample? |
|
Grand Mayne |
Some kirsch, black raspberry, reined-in tannins with an extended, balanced
finish. |
|
Larcis Ducasse |
A star of the vintage. A lovely balance of
fruit, anise, smokiness and structure. From Pavie Macquin's Nicolas
Thienpont with consultant Stephan Derenoncourt, after an age of
underperforming, this property is at last living up to its terroir.
Dark and rich. |
|
Larmande |
Seems to be on the way back after some
off-vintages. Brooding dark, smoky fruits. Mocha notes. Big structure,
vibrant, vigorous, with excellent freshness. |
|
Lusseau |
Made and owned by Pavie cellarmaster Laurent Lusseau, 750 cases of this 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet
Sauvignon power-bomb (3 times the 2000 and 2003 quantities) have been
produced. Truffle and kirsch nose, forests of oak and a mass of
indistinguishable fruits. |
|
Lynsolence |
Outstanding Saint Emilion micro-cuvee from
Dennis Barrault. Penetrating red fruit aromas. Streamlined and glycerol. A
notable sheen to this. A long, long finish. |
|
La Magdaleine |
Deep garnet hue. Vibrant and lushly textured yet
restrained. Classic St. Emilion. Beautiful minerality, freshness and
delineation. Great purity of intermingled red and dark fruits. Ageworthy
with a long and graceful finish. |
|
Magrez Fombrauge |
High-tone purple. 80% Merlot, 20% Franc. Good
length, glycerol, dark, rich fruit and abundant ( 100% ) new oak. The 22
hectoliter rendiment is breathtakingly low in this, or any other
vintage for that matter. |
|
Monbousquet |
Heft and dimension, mighty fruit upfront but
strangely hollow flavor-wise from the mid-point on, despite the extraction
and tannic-overload. If this sample faithfully represents the finished
wine, than this is going to have a hard time coming into balance. |
|
La Mondotte |
Demands large format bottling and laying down.
Another from the Stephans von Neipperg and Dererencourt. 80% Merlot, 20%
Cabernet Franc. Huge forceful tannins. Monumental, dense fruit. Less
appealing than Canon La Gaffeliere, but a different wine altogether. |
|
Moulin St. Georges |
Weighty, dark and lustrous. Powerful in fruit
and tannic structure. 80% Merlot, equal parts Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc.
Another from A. Vauthier's Ausone stable with Michel Rolland imput. Clove
and dark plum with good follow-through. |
|
Pavie |
Cherry syrup and ripe figs. This will do nothing
to reconcile opposing camps in the acrimonious debate as to the viability of
such a wine. In a high-acid vintage, yet another extreme is thrown into the
pot of massive fruits, thickness, ferocious doses of new oak.
|
|
Pavie Decesse |
90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc. Viscous,
unfiltered, ultra-dark with aromas of highly toasted oak. On the palate,
prominent fruit, a barge of oak. Perhaps beyond the pole. As with all the
high-profile Perse wines, judgment is difficult as we have never seen wines
such as these come of age. |
|
Pavie Macquin |
Some good, oily olive and licorice richness to this.
Nicolas Thienpont with Stephan Derenoncourt. Very fine, sleek tannins with
plum, spice and blackberry, with some edge to it. |
|
Peby Faugeres
|
As with Faugeres, the last under Corinne Guisez.
Following the sale of the estate, its not yet clear whether Peby ( a tribute
to Mme. Guisez's late-husband ) will be produced again under this name.
Spectacular. 100% Merlot,100% new oak, but measured and charismatic.
Super-ripe with powerful, almost port-like licorice |
|
.Petit Cheval |
Very fresh and pungent aromatically. A vivid
red. Petit Cheval represents 25% of the Cheval Blanc estate's total 45
hectoliters per hectare yield, a further 25% having been declassified.
Immaculate red raspberry. 100% new oak effortlessly integrated. 65% Merlot,
35% Cabernet Franc. |
|
La Prieuré |
Tasted at the Moueix offices in Libourne.
Aromatic, lively, moderate tannins,discreetly measured fruit and minerality,
medium length. |
|
Quinault L'Enclos |
Deeply purple. Leather and clove. Despite vineyard plots
having been sold off, Quinault has come up with a very similar wine to
recent editions, with its signature emphasis on ripe lushness and density.
The harshness of the final tannins could indicate over-extraction. |
|
La Serre |
Fresh berry aromas, serious tannic grip.
Attractive mild smokiness and muted brambly fruit. |
|
Trottevieille |
Measured and subtle. Interplay of generous dried
and ripe fruits. Excellent freshness and understated definition. 51% Merlot,
the balance primarily Cabernet Franc. Excellent dimension and balance |
|
Troplong Mondot |
80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet
Sauvignon. Dark, pure, powerful and profound. Dark , muscular wine with
pronounced new oak and exceptional black fruit flavors. |
|
Valandraud |
Two cuvees each, Kosher and regular, of this and
of second wine Virginee. The great difference is that the Kosher version was
vinified in sealed vats and harvested from selected vineyard parcels. The
wines share characteristics, but the regular cuvee is on a much larger scale
in every department, with immense aromatic qualities of fruit and high-toast
oakiness. The sample poured from the bottle in a jet-black viscous stream,
resulting in highly glycerol, glass-staining pigments. The fruit component
and tannins are huge. A stellar wine. |
|
Virginie de Valandraud |
The regular cuvee is, like the grand vin,
on a much larger scale than the closed-vat Kosher version which shows good,
pure fruit, but not much heft. The regular cuvee offers powerful oak aromas,
richness and strongly extracted powerful fruits. |
|
Satellite St. Emilion/Cotes de Castillon |
|
d'Aiguilhe |
Canon La Gaffeliere's Stephan von Neipperg's
consistently well-made Castillon. 80-20 Merlot-Cabernet Franc. 46 hl/ha
yield. Very lively, with a seam of minerality running through. Meticulous
vineyard selection and aerated wooden-vat fermentation produce a powerful
elegance. |
|
Clos Les Lunelles |
Tasted at Pavie with the other Gerard Perse
wines. Product of an extraordinarily low 20 hectoliters per hectare, this
offering of 80% Merlot and 10% each of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc will
win no prizes for reticence, but among this ownership's wines this well
spiced and integrated wine comes closest to elegance. |
|
Pomerol |
|
Beauregard |
A solid, agreeable 80%-20% Merlot to
Cabernet Franc Pomerol. A reliable workhorse of an appellation of typically
more spectacular wines. |
|
Bon Pasteur |
Flagship chateau amongst Michel Rolland's own
properties. Notable density and cassis-laden black fruits. Opulent and ripe,
with some acidity and a prolonged, slightly smoky finish.. |
|
Bourgneuf Vayron |
Glycerol, a hint of pomegranate. Moderate
acidity and richness. Solid with a clean finish. |
|
Certan Marzelle |
Somewhat withdrawn. This may show at a
disadvantage through the Moueix policy of presenting samples without the
structure-lending press-wine component. A whiff of smokiness and suggestion
of dark fruits. |
|
Certan de May |
Assertive, good structure. Earl Grey and violets
on the nose. A range of flavors, from berries to dried white fruits and
walnuts. Moderately dense in texture. Excellent length and definition. |
|
Clinet |
Ultra-rich with lovely, lively ripe fruit. The
chateau sample somewhat marred by apparently ongoing malolactic
fermentation, a problem throughout the tastings. 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet
Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
|
Clos L'Eglise |
Sylviane Garcin-Cathiard's Pomerol estate shows
great fruit and impressive tannins which appear to be strangers to one
another at present, but this slightly oily long-finishing 80-20 Merlot
Cabernet Franc juggernaut should come to terms with itself in
time. |
|
La Conseillante |
81% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc. A lower
Cabernet Franc proportion than usual. As often, the most burgundian of
Pomerols. Combines power with softness. Cherries with The merest trace of
anise and wild time. Balanced and a long, seamless finish. |
|
La Croix de Gay |
A very pale reflection of super-cuvee La Fleur
de Gay. Disturbingly astringent and hollow. |
|
L'Evangile |
90-10 Merlot to Cabernet Franc. Gleaming
crimson. From a high achievement neighborhood plateau with La Conseillante,
Vieux Chateau Certan and Cheval Blanc all contiguous, and with the Lafite
team. Great elegance and lushness. Glycerol. Vivid, ripe and fresh. Expresso,
dark plum. |
|
La Fleur de Gay |
Super-rich and complex. A bold, lush Pomerol,
with lots of mocha, blackberry and smoke. Vibrant, textured with extended
finish. |
|
La Fleur Gazin |
Straightforward, somewhat layered. Mid-weight. A
little earthy with attractive smoky red fruit. |
|
La Fleur Petrus |
Quintessential Pomerol. Perfumed, earthy,
elastic, energetic, textured. Abundant fruit, roasted herbs, deep
spice, bursting with ripeness and depth. One of the very top of this
appellation with all the makings of a wine for the very long haul. |
|
Fugue de Nenin |
Bright and forward. A scaled down, forward
Pomerol that should drink early. 92.5% Merlot, the rest Cabernet Franc. |
|
Gazin |
It may have to do with the exceptionally high ( for Pomerol ) 12-13%
Cabernet Sauvignon component and the sale of a prime parcel to neighboring
Petrus, but something is something is l;acking from a property whose
reputation, position and terroir wine whose leanness offsets its finesse and
then tails off to a worryingly dilute finish . |
|
La Grave a Pomerol |
Another restrained sample at the Moueix offices.
Raspberry and red currant, thickening in the middle and fading away. |
|
Hosannah |
A streamlined wine, with multiple interplay of
fruits. Quite high acidity, but sleek and rich, with a smoked meat component
arriving late on the scene. |
|
Latour a Pomerol |
A fleshier, bolder Christian Moueix wine. Rich
spicy black plum, mild smoke and licorice. Reined-in power, well-structured
but with more to come when vin de presse is added to the blend. |
|
Le Moulin |
Usually a favorite of ours. Unfortunately this
is so over-extracted, stewed and contrived, its hard to find a kind word for
it, except to hope that we came upon an unrepresentative sample. |
|
Nenin |
From Jean-Hubert Delon of Leoville Las Cases,
with Michel Rolland consulting. 74.5% Merlot, 25.5% Cabernet Franc. Abundant
new oak. Good elegance and depth. |
|
Petrus |
Essence of black cherries, kirsch, walnut, mocha
melting into one another. Seamless and opulent, but self-contained. This
shows signs of being a Petrus that will come around relatively early and
maintain a plateau of maturity over several decades. Fills out on the finish
and endures. |
|
Le Pin |
A 100% Merlot wine of great beauty. If, as
unassuming owner Jacques Thienpont suggests - hedging his bets perhaps and
citing heat stressed vines, slow to recover from their scorching of a year
ago - this is not among the most profound of Le Pins yet made, it
certainly showed well beside the 2001 and '02 wines (none will be
released of the heat-damaged 2003 ). This exotic yet restrained offering
showed luster and vividness of fruit, assertive yet harmonious tannins. |
|
Trotanoy |
Very forward. Compelling. Deep, glistening, opaque. Floral
notes. Black cherry, cloves, anise and tarriness. Another sample as yet
without its press wine, but already showing structure harnessed to its
power. Impressively long on the finish. |
|
Vieux Chateau Certan |
Powerful, luxurious and outstanding. Clearly at
the very top level in this vintage. 70% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc. Diligent
vineyard management, stringent leaf-thinning and green-harvest, then minute
fruit selection beginning in the vineyard contributed to a classic, sinuous
wine of licorice and black berry intensity, volume and length. |
|
Vray Croix de Gay |
Hard to read, but super-silky with fine tannins
and great purity. Lots of latent fruit and floral, herbal nuances, but maybe
lacking a little structure and length until the press wine gives it some
support. |
