Bordeaux

• Barsac
• Bordeaux Supérieur
• Margaux
• Graves
  • Pessac-Leognan
• Haut-Medoc
• Listrac
• Pauillac
• Pomerol
• Saint Emilion
• Saint Estephe
• Saint Julian
• Sauternes

Ruby in color with a purple core, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has sour cherries, some cassis, and slightly earthy with some attic dust.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate sour cherries and black cherries.  Nice finish.  A nice wine, but the tartness will require some food to balance.  Perhaps Roasted Duck would work nicely.  Drink over the next seven to twelve years.  

This is 100% Semillon from Bordeaux.  Light, silvery gold in color, clear and bright.  Great, powerful nose with papaya, slight tangerine, and chalk notes with nice minerality.  Medium to full bodied.  Oily texture.  Good acidity.  On the palate, the tangerine comes thru but also some limes, especially on the long finish.  Some depth.  This is nice on its own but will work well with foods, too.  It will work well with sea food and especially shell fish.  Drink over the next eight to ten years.  

This is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot from the very good 1996 vintage in Bordeaux.  purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  There is some cassis but mostly dried fruits, tobacco, cigar box, dried leather and some spice.  Medium bodied with good acidity.  On the palate, this is complex and fully mature.  It doesn't seem much past though (depending on how you like older Bordeaux).  Black cherry fruit, dried cherries, forest floor, and slight spice.

Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and showing just a bit of bricking on the edges.  The nose is a bit musty but I didn't think TCA  (although some did), with cigar and some cassis.  The mustiness did not blow off completely but did not get stringer so I am going with a bit of bottle age.  There is some depth to the wine.  The palate has some cassis and some tertiary notes of leather and dust.  Good acidity.  Most 2000's are slow to mature, but this bottle, at least, seems past prime.  Drink up.  No rating as not sure how representative this bottle is.  

Deep ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has cigars, cherries and dust.  Full bodied.  Drying tannins.  On the palate, this is past peak but still showing a nice complexity.  Layers of cherry fruit with dried tobacco and slight forest floor.  Moderate finish.  Still plenty to like about this.  It would be better with food although somewhat contemplative on its own.  Lamb stew would be a good match.  drink up.  

Obviously young, it was nice to drink this early to check in on it.  It is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Carménère.

Arguably the best winery in the world.  This was not their best vintage (IMO 2001), but it is amazing.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is gorgeous with pineapple, mango, beeswax, floral tones and vanilla.  Medium to full bodied.  Viscous.  Great balance.  On the palate,  Pineapple, mango, slight lemon rind, a touch of salinity and peach.  Long, long finish in which the peach notes just keep expanding.  Slightly sweet but nowhere near cloying.  Delicious.  Great on its own, but went well with less sweet pastries.  Drink over the next fifty years.  

Bordeaux is famous for its amazing wines that come with amazingly high prices.  There is also a sea of wine made for very affordable prices.  This is a lovely wine from a great vintage.  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is spicy with cigar box, black cherries and cherries.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins (true to the vintage).  On the  palate, black cherries, cassis, anise and char.  Good finish.  Overall, a very nice showing.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  Nice on its own and would be a great meatloaf/burger wine.  

A First Growth in a top vintage?  Yes, please.  This is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color with some ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, leather, perfume, slight cigar box and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is tight and young but delicious.  Cassis, black cherries, spice and slight chocolate.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This is drinking well but will get better with further cellaring (or air).  Drink over the next twenty to thirty years.  For now, it will be a t

Very nice showing for this second label of a First Growth Chateau Lafite.  It has about 40% Merlot in it (according to an early Robert Parker review).  The nose is earthy, with tobacco, cigar box, dust but also vibrant dark cherries and some cassis.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, earthiness and some spice.  Good finish.  Well stored bottles should have a few more years out of this.  Nice on its own, but better with food.  Roasted duck or chicken would work well.