Bordeaux Blend

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

This is the second wine of Chateau Palmer and from the great 2000 vintage.  It is drinking very well now and likely at peak (not something I say often about 2000 Bordeaux wines).  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, some cassis, a bit of baking spices, and leather.  Full bodied.  Just a wisp of tannins.  Enticing texture.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis and some black cherry fruit with a bit of spice and tobacco.  Nice finish.  This drinks great on its own, but will be better with food.  Lamb would be a classic pairing.  Drink over the next five to eig

This was pop and pour and it really needs a long decant but even so, it showed very well.  From the heralded 2000 vintage, it seems to me that the better left bank wines are still in need of more cellaring.  A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 6% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color with ruby swirls but slight browning at the edge.  The nose is great with cassis, slight cigar box, cedar, some dark chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  Lovely texture.  This is a big wine on the palate.  Juicy cassis, black cherries with chocolate and cedar.  Medium tannins.  Long f

Great showing for this wine.  The vintage was good if not great, but at age 20, this is vibrant and youthful.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The first sniff has that classic soy sauce note often found in Cos.  Also black cherries, cigar box, and slight roasted meats.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has a great lush texture.  Medium tannins.  Lots of cassis with some smoke and a bit of earthiness.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This was pop and pour and really could have used an hour or so in a decanter.  It needs a few more years until maturity but no harm in

This wine was controversial on release due to its ripeness and size.  At age 16, it is still a big wine but starting to settle down a bit.  Just a bit.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, toast, spice, black pepper and leather.  Full bodied.  Wonderful velvety/jammy texture.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Firm tannins.  Lots of black raspberry and cassis, some blueberries with spice and underlying leather.  It certainly may be atypical from St.

This is a blend of 70% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Franc, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 6% Malbec.  Pop and pour, this took about an hour and then was drinking quite well.  Purple in color, thin ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The  nose is nice with black cherries, cigar box, slight dark chocolate, a bit of leather.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, cherries, black cherries and coffee with a bit of dried tobacco.  Good balance.  Seems to be almost or at peak at this point.  Great on its own, this will work well with prime rip or other roasted meats.  Drink over the next five to ten years.  

This has always been one of my favorite value Bordeaux wines almost always hitting above its weight class.  This is no exception.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has some nice funk with black cherries, and slight green bell pepper.  Medium bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, some cherries with just a hint of bell pepper and black pepper.  Nice balance.  Nice finish.  This needs some time and food to shine.  Give it a nice decant or a few years in the cellar.  Drink over the next ten.  It will work well with a beef stew or cassoulet.  

Tasted from two bottle, one seemed off due to heat/poor storage while the other was fine.  The off bottle had raisin notes, brown sugar and balsamic.  The better bottle was purple with ruby swirls, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is peppery with black cherries and char.  Tannic.  On the palate, the black cherries and char come thru.  This is tight and needs some air right now.  A bit of warmth on the finish.  Drink over the next ten years.  This will work better with food although it can be drunk on its own. 

A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc.  This was pop and pour and is, of course, young and really needs time or a decant.  That said, it is just an incredible wine!  Inky purple in color, shimmering bright and opaque.  The nose has cassis, cedar, blueberries, chocolate and slight spice.  Full bodied.  Lovely velvety yet sinewy texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is tight.  Cassis, black cherries, vanilla, and slight chocolate and char.  Deep.  Tight layers slowly unwind in the glass.  Long finish.  This needs another decade in a cellar and should dr

This was  served for a friends 60th birthday.  It was decanted for sediment and allowed to breathe for 20 minutes before being poured into glasses and given another ten minutes.  I ended up letting the wine go another 45 minutes (checking in on it during that time) before consuming which seemed to me optimum.  The bottle was bought a few years ago at auction and seemed sound and looked legit.  Purple in color, a bit lighter at the core with some browning especially at the edges.  A bit flat and slightly opaque.  After blowing off some bottle stink and coming back to life, the nose is comple