2005 Château Margaux, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

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 tough food wine, but a steak or heavy beef dish should work.

Grade:

A+

Score:

Vintage:

2005

Current Price:

$750.00USD

Bordeaux First Growths: Chateau Lafite, First Amongst First Growths

Of all Bordeaux first growths, perhaps none is as well known, both inside and outside of the wine world, as Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Its name transcends wine, standing as a symbol of luxury. How did it get this lofty reputation? And, more importantly is, it deserved? The answer to the second question is a definite yes. This article will explore the first question in more detail. The History: Records of this estate stretch as far back as 1234 when Gombaud de Lafite, abbot of the Vertheuil Monastery north of Pauillac, owned the property. The name Lafite comes from "la hite", a Gascon expression meaning "small hill." Records from the 14th century indicate that it was not a vineyard, but what the French call a seigneurie. This is an estate run by a lord and others who are effectively sharecroppers. The manor house was constructed in the 1500s and still standing today. Read part one of the First Growths Series. The Ségur family bought the property in the 1600s. Jacques de Ségur planted the vineyard in 1680 although grapes were no doubt grown before that. By the early 1700s, thanks to Nicolas-Alexandre, Marquis de Ségur, Chateau Lafite wines were very popular with those wealthy enough to afford them, first in English Society (where it was a favorite of Prime Minster Robert Walpole) and later in French society.

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1998 Château Margaux, France,Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review

Vintage:

1998

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Current Price:

$400.00USD

Any time one gets a chance to drink a first growth, it's a true pleasure. They have become prohibitively priced, so its nice when a bottle actually gets open and consumed. Perhaps not the greatest vintage of Margaux, but a very good one. At age 22, this is pretty much at peak and drinking very well. Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose has a bit of that Margaux liquor/perfume with cherries, cassis, slight spice, and leather but clean. Full bodied. Medium tannins. The palate has black cherries, slight black tea, and slight soy. Long finish.

1988 Château Margaux, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review

Vintage:

1988

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$800.00USD

It is always a treat to drink a mature First Growth. This is fully mature and drinking beautifully. 12.5% abv according to the importer sticker on the bottle. Purple/ruby in color with some browning at the rim, mostly clear and a bit flat. The nose is dusty with cassis and tobacco. With air some dried fruits come out. Medium bodied. On the palate, this has a vibrant acidity. Nice cherry and black cherry fruit with some cassis. Layers of complexity. Fruit over spice and dried forest floor. Nice finish. This begs for food and went well with a roasted Brie but would work well with

Wines to Go Buy This Week: Chateau Bonnet White Bordeaux and Clark-Claudon Cabernet Sauvignon

Wines to Go Buy This Week: A Crisp Summer White Blend by Chateau Bonnet and a Complex Napa Cabernet by Clark-Claudon Vineyards Labor Day weekend is here and people across the US are gathering to toast the end of summer. As Labor Day marks the tipping point between hot summer nights and cool autumn evenings, my wine recommendations this week will focus on both a cool, refreshing summer sauvignon blanc to savor on these last days of summer and a full bodied Napa cabernet for those upcoming autumn evenings by the fireplace. So as we say farewell to summer 2011, here are two wines to go buy this week: Chateau Bonnett Entre-Deux-Mers Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Muscadelle Andre Lurton, 2010 - Now say that 5 times fast! A quick lesson for those of you who are unfamiliar with French wine: The French label their wines slightly different than we do in the US as they emphasize the place more so than the grape varietal or the producer. In this case, the vineyards and winery are located at Chateau Bonnet, the region is the Entre-Deux-Mers appellation of Bordeaux, the grapes are a blend of sauvignon blanc, semillon, and muscadelle, and the producer is André Lurton, whose family has presided over the vineyards for over 100 years. White Bordeaux is almost always a blend of primarily semillon and sauvignon blanc, with a few other varietals permitted. So why do I like this wine? It's light, crisp, low in alcohol (12%) and at approx $15 a bottle, a fantastic way to introduce yourself to a white bordeaux without breaking the bank. This wine is ideal for a warm end-of-summer picnic that calls for a cool refreshing beverage.

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1999 Château Palmer, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review

Vintage:

1999

Score:

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Current Price:

$295.00USD

Though 1999 is a good if not great vintage, Palmer is certainly one of the top wines of the vintage. This is a blend of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot. It is at peak. This bottle was opened at 2:00 and allowed to breathe until 5:00 when it was double decanted back to its original bottle and sealed before serving at around 8:00. That seemed to be about right. Garnet in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has cassis, black cherries, spice, cedar and floral notes. Medium to full bodied. On the palate, this is complex and layered. Cassis

2005 Château Margaux, France, Bordeaux, Wine Review

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1988 Château Margaux, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review

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1999 Château Palmer, France, Bordeaux, Margaux, Wine Review