2018 Château des Landes Luccianus Amphore, France, Bordeaux, Lussac-St. Émilion, Wine Review

This is 100% Cabernet Franc aged for a year in Amphorae and bottled with a very non-traditional label. Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has cherries and some black cherries, with dust, tobacco, and leather. Medium to full bodied. Light to medium tannins. Good balance. On the palate, this has some depth. Flavors of black cherries, tobacco, cherries, spice and char. Good finish. This seems to be just getting to peak but should drink well for another ten years. Better with food, this went well with Vegan Sausages but real sausages would work, too.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Vintage:

2018

2019 Château des Landes Luccianus Amphore, France, Bordeaux, Lussac-St. Émilion, Wine Review

Vintage:

2019

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$50.00USD

This is 100% Cabernet Franc. After fermentation, it spent 12 months in amphora where it underwent malolactic fermentation. The result is an outstanding wine. Black cherry in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose is tight at first but opens to show black cherries, smoke, and baking spices. Full bodied. Firm tannins. On the palate, black cherries, slight cigar box and very concentrated. Nice finish. Still young, this will improve. Drink over the next ten to twelve years. Lamb chops would go quite well.

Cheval Blanc: The “First Growth” of the Right Bank

When the wines of Bordeaux were classified in 1855 all of the wines were from the Left Bank of the Gironde River. In fact, with the exception of Haut Brion, which is from Graves, all of the wines classified were from the Medoc. Since that time, the winemaking areas of Bordeaux have greatly expanded. Some of the best wines in Bordeaux are now made on the Right Bank including some of the most expensive wines in the entire world. While there is no official classification system for all of Bordeaux, there can be no doubt that if such a system was implemented today, at least a few Right Bank wineries would make the list. Perhaps no winery deserves the mythical first growth of the Right Bank title more than Cheval Blanc. In fact, the wines of Saint Émilion, a commune on the Right Bank, were ranked in 1955 and Cheval Blanc was one of two that received the highest rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé (A). Those rankings were redone in 1969, 1986, and 1996 and most recently in 2006 (although that ranking is the subject of an ongoing legal dispute not relevant to Cheval Blanc) and Cheval Blanc has remained a First Growth in every subsequent ranking.

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Borgueil: The Unpronounceable, Unforgettable King of Cabernet Franc

When I think of wine that is interesting, unique, obscure, high-value, and small-production, I think of Borgueil – the small wine region in France’s Loire Valley that produces almost exclusively Cabernet Franc.

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1982 Château Sociando-Mallet, France, Bordeaux, Haut-Medoc, Wine Review

Vintage:

1982

Score:

Grade:

Bordeaux wines from 1982 are often still drinking great. While one might think a wine such as this might be over the hill, that is not true. At least for this bottle. It still has some youthful freshness. It is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Purple in color, ruby at the rim. No real bricking or browning. On the nose there is cassis, dust, slight cigar box and hints of cherry. On the palate, this has lively energy. Cassis and cherries with some underlying dried herbal notes. Not a big wine. Some depth and slight layering. Nice finish.

1986 Château Mouton Rothschild, France, Bordeaux, Pauillac, Wine Review

Vintage:

1986

Score:

100

Grade:

A+

Current Price:

$840.00USD

I have been lucky enough to have this on a few occasions. Never has it been open or showing anything like it's lofty status with the critics would indicate so I approached with trepidation. No need. This bottle was amazing. Everything it was supposed to be including still a bit on the young side. It is 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim. Bright but mostly opaque. On the nose, lovely cassis, cigar box, ash and slight pencil lead. The lead becomes more pronounced with air and there is some chocolate and spi

2018 Château des Landes Luccianus Amphore, France, Bordeaux, Lussac-St. Émilion, Wine Review

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2019 Château des Landes Luccianus Amphore, France, Bordeaux, Lussac-St. Émilion, Wine Review

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