Purple in color. The nose is very tight at first. Eventually, it opens with a perfumed nose of cassis, slight menthol and cigar notes. On the palate, this is very tannic. Boysenberries with some earthiness. Nice finish. This kept improving all night. It is an expensive wine at $130. There is no reason to open this for at least a decade to justify the price. The potential is there but it will take time.
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.
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
One never knows about older bottles until they are opened. I would have thought this DOA but it had some life left and was a nice older wine. Ruby/brown in color, clear and bright. The nose has some Volatile Acidity when first poured but the blew off after about ten minutes leaving Cherries, and earthiness and slightly perfumed. Medium bodied. On the palate, cherry cough syrup notes with a bit of mint on the finish. This kept improving in the glass for the 15 or so minutes that I had it. Nice on it own, this worked great with a mushroom popover dish. Certainly past prime, but that's
Purple in color. The nose is very nice with cassis, tobacco and spice. On the palate, this has a nice texture. A lot of depth but the wine is very tight now. It kept improving all night long and probably needs at least a decade. But, that patience will be rewarded with at least a few points of upside potential. In the glass it shows nice cassis fruit, cigar box and earth. Good balance. $75
This bottle had been purchased at the Chateau on release and well stored. Decanted for sediment right before serving. The cork was perfect. Purple in color, opaque and still mostly bright. The nose is great with cassis, slight perfumed note, dust and char. With air some leather and cigar box notes emerged. Medium to full bodied. Tannins mostly resolved but still some silky ones. Good balance. On the palate, this is still fresh. Complex with layers of cassis, earth, tobacco and underlying char. Good finish. Overall, this bottle is at peak but seems right there. At age 28, this w
