Very nice showing for this wine. Pop and pour, it took about 30 minutes to open up and then kept improving over the next couple of hours. Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is nice with cassis, cigar box, slight funk. On the palate, this is full bodied.
From a tremendous vintage, but this Sauternes is great in just about any vintage and one of the more reasonably priced ones at that. This was purchased on release and well stored. Medium golden/orange in color. The nose is great with honey, slight pineapple, slight saline and canned peaches. Medium to full bodied. On the palate, this is sweet not cloying. It has dropped some of its sweetness in the 19 years since release. Lots of depth and complexity. Layers of peaches, minerals and honey. Good acidity. Nice finish. This is great on its own and will work with a not too sweet frui
It can be really fun to taste older wines. At age 47, this one is drinking nicely. Deep golden in color, clear and bright. The nose shows just a hint of oxidation with apricots and honey and white raisins. Full bodied and slightly viscous. Nice acidity. On the palate, this is sweet with honeyed apricots. Nice finish. The bottle was then stuck in the fridge for a few weeks. Upon re-tasting, it was still fresh and vibrant. Who know how long this may last. Drinks well on its own and worked well with various cheeses.
This is the second wine from Cheval Blanc, but that doesn't mean it is not a quality wine nor is it inexpensive. It is one of the better second labels out there. Purple in color with ruby swirls. The nose has cherries, tobacco, black cherries, slight mint and cedar. On the palate, this is drinking well. There are slight tannins. A nice complexity with cherries and black cherries over tobacco/earth. Nice finish. This won't get better but should be in this window for another seven to ten years. It works better with food but drinks nicely on its own. It would pair well with lamb.
2001 was a good if not great vintage and the better wines are certainly at peak. That would include this one. It is one of the better Merlot's produced in Bordeaux. Purple in color, ruby at the core. The nose is nice with cherries, slight plums, some cedar and a bit of milk chocolate. Full bodied. The wine has a nice complexity to it. If is mature and on the refined side. Layers of plums, cherries with an earthy/dried fruit base. Moderate finish. This worked well with a stuffed mushroom cap dish. No real hurry at this point, but probably best to drink up within five to ten years.
This is a great example of why to buy inexpensive Bordeaux in great vintages. This was $12,50 on release. I bought a bunch and this was the last bottle (I think). it was quite enjoyable. Is it amazing and complex? No, but at age 15, it was delicious, and pleasurable. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. The nose has cherries, slight dried cherries and a bit of baking spices and tobacco. On the palate, this is medium bodied. Plenty of cherry fruit with an underlying earthiness. Some complexity. Tannins are mostly resolved. Moderate finish. This drinks fine on its own but would be b
Always a treat to try this wine which is one of the best, if not the best, wines made in Barsac (next to Sauternes). This is young but gorgeous. Light golden in color. The nose is so pretty with cantaloupe and honey and a slight salinity. On the palate, this is sweet, not cloying with an unctuous texture. A nice bit of acidity to keep it lively though not a lot. The melon and honey come thru to the palate along with some apricot. Long finish. This will easily last another 25 years or more if well stored. It drinks great on its own but also would work well with a less sweet (and non
This was tasted non-blind at the conclusion of tasting a group of 16/17 Bordeaux blind. A great place to try this wine as it showed well in that spot. This is a big wine that is drinking quite well at the moment, perhaps due to the large amount of Merlot. It is a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
In a recent blind tasting of 2016/2017 Bordeaux's, this and the 2017 version were my top two wines. All of the notes can be found on this site. While the tasting did not include any first growths, it does point out that this Chateau is producing outstanding wines and at reasonable prices. While today I preferred the 2017, in the long run, the 2016 is the better wine. It is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. Opaque and bright. The nose is complex with cassis, black cherries, leather, tobacco and spice
Another great showing from this estate. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. Opaque and bright. The nose has slight cherries with a bit of smoke. Delicate but persistent. On the palate, this is very smooth. Light tannins. Cherries and sour cherries with a slight char underneath. Nice finish. This is a more delicate wine with nice acidity and will appeal to those who like more red fruits than say purple. It will match well to pasta dishes or fowl. This should improve a bit more over the next few years and then drink well for another ten to twelve after that.
