Bordeaux

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

This is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Merlot.  On release, this seemed to be a bit of a disappointment for a First Growth form a great vintage.  At this stage, 33 years later, it has closed the gap somewhat and while perhaps not as good as a 1989 tasted side by side, it was till good.  Ruby/brown in color.  A very earthy nose but also some cassis and dried cherries.  Also some cigar box/tobacco.  Medium to full bodied.  Tannins all resolved.  Nice texture.  On the palate, much livelier.  Cassis, cherries, dried cherries and spice.  Moderate finish.  These nee

What a treat to drink.  Ruby/brown in color, mostly opaque and bright.  This is apparently a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc.  Georg Baselitz is the artist who did the label.  Perfectly mature if even slightly past, this bottle was singing.  The nose has cassis, dried fruits, cigar box, dust and spice.  Full bodied.  Tannins pretty much resolved.  Good balance.  On the palate, there is cassis, coffee, spice and some cherries.  A bit of anise on the finish.  These probably should be consumed as they take the slow ride down.  Very nice on its own, but a bit of

This is one of our favorite value plays in Bordeaux.  It is 98% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color with ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose features cherries, slight black cherries, spice, slight graphite and cedar.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this drinks easy.  Cherries, black cherries, slight chocolate and slight char.  Good  balance.  Nice finish.  At almost nine years old, this seems to be mature but with plenty of life left.  A nice level of complexity.  This is nice on its own but even better with food.  A great choice for a mid day m

My first time trying this winery.  Purple in color, darker at the core, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has cherries and black cherries along with oak and spices.  Medium to full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries with spice.  Some depth.  Nice finish.  This is drinking quite well at age 19.  One wonder though if the tannins will ever resolve fully before the fruit fades.  Drink over the next five years.  Probably better with some big and/or fatty foods.  A nice wine with Chili.  

For those who say that Bordeaux has  gotten crazy over priced, look no further than this wine which is a great value.  It is a blend of 49% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and shimmering bright in the glass.  The nose has black cherries, some chocolate and slight cigar box.  Medium bodied.  Wispy tannins.  On the palate, this is tasty.  Black cherries, some black raspberries with some underlying char and a bit of chocolate.  Good finish but there is some heat.  This is drinking well but still could use a bit of air.  Drink over the next

Always a pleasure to drink Yquem.  From a 375ml bottle.  This is young, of course, but delicious.  It is a blend of 55% Semillon and 45% Sauvignon Blanc.  Light golden in color with some orange hues, clear and bright.  The nose has apricots, honey and slight caramel notes.  Full bodied.  Viscous.  Excellent acidity.  On the palate, this is sweet, not cloying.  Apricots with honey.  Incredibly long finish.  This will get better with further cellaring, but is delicious now.  Drink over the next thirty years.  great on its own, this would also work with simple pound cake. 

From Magnum.  This was an ok year in Bordeaux, but Haut Brion may have made the wine of the vintage.  In regular bottles, this should be at or past peak, but in Magnum it was doing just fine.  Purple in color, ruby at the  rim, mostly opaque and flat.  The nose is mature with cassis, cigar box, gravel and slight char.  Medium bodied.  Medium silky tannins.  On the palate, cassis, with some tobacco, gravel and char.  Some complexity.  Good finish.  Older bottles are always variable, but these should be drunk sooner than later.  This will work better with hearty food.  Cassoulet would work we

Tasted blind.  I guesses a 2017 Napa Cab with mountain fruit (Continuum?).  In a flight of 6 great wines, this was the one I was the most disappointed in after the label was revealed.  It is an outstanding wine, but with Latour, one expects more.  It is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon,  9% Merlot, with some Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot as well.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  On the nose, cassis, some graphite, a bit of forest floor and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, Cassis, slight cedar/woodiness and char.  Long finish.  I believe this to be at least p

Tasted blind, I guessed Napa Merlot (Screaming Eagle The Flight).  It was so open and accessible, it was quite surprising to find out it was a five year old First Growth.  Gorgeous wine.  It is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is tight but with air, black cherries, chocolate, cassis, spice, and dust.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, cassis, and a slight dry earthiness.  Deep.  Complexity that unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  Delicious.  It will definitely get better, but was s

Wines from this winery keep showing up from the early 70's.  I am not sure of the story, but it seems to stem from the sale of the winery and vineyards in 2014 from the Lurton family to Dennis Debourdieu. The vineyards were ripped up and new plantings incorporated into Chateau Doisy-Daene.  It is an old estate in fact, it was classified as a second growth in the 1855 classification of Bordeaux.