Bordeaux Blend

According to the label, this is 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Malbec.  It is a biodynamic wine.  Ruby/purple in color if a bit flat.  The nose is nice with cedar, cherries, and a slight char.  Firm tannins.  A bit thin on the body.  Black cherry fruit with low acidity.  Moderate finish.  This is a nice inexpensive Bordeaux for drinking over the next few years.  It the fruit holds out, perhaps even longer.  Better with food.  This would be nice with meatloaf or a burger. 

This is a blend of 84% Cab Sauvignon, 8% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot, and 3% Merlot.  It doesn't seem fair to call this a second wine as it stands on its own as an amazing wine.  2017 was a challenging vintage yet this wine is excellent.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, dust, pencil lead, chocolate and floral notes.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this has depth and complexity.  Cassis, black cherries and plums with underlying spice and slight tobacco.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This will still get better but should drink well for the next twelve

This is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot from the excellent 2009 vintage.  That vintage has always been accessible and one that may be long lived but the wines developed quickly.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, pencil lead, spice, black cherries and tobacco.  Full bodied.  Great texture.  Medium tannins.  This is well balanced.  On the palate, cassis with leathery notes and underlying char.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue to for another twelve to fifteen years.

My personal favorite of the First Growths.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, black raspberries, gravel and slight black olives.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is a powerful Haut Brion which is interesting as the vintage was good but not great.  Complex.  Just starting to show signs of maturity.  Cassis and black raspberry fruit with underlying char and gravel.  Long finish.  This may still improve a bit.  Drink over the next twelve to fifteen years and probably more.  This would work well with a beef a

Classic Cos from the great B2K vintage.  This has been a very slow developing vintage and the better wines are finally showing their wares.  Purple in color with slight ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is vibrant with cassis, black cherries, soy sauce, spice, and leather.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, Cassis, black cherries, some dried cherries with underlying spices.  Some mint on the finish. This is just starting to approach peak and should drink well for the next twelve to fifteen years.  A nice match for roasted fowl.  

This is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 16% Cabernet Franc from the excellent 1996 vintage. Great showing.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, tobacco, black cherries, spice and some mint on the end.  Full bodied.  Great velvety texture.  Medium tannins.  Perfect balance.  On the palate, this is complex and deep yet still seemingly youthful.  Delicious.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own and would work well with all but the lightest foods.  Deck breast would work very well.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  

Spectacular showing for this bottle.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, spice, slightly earthy along with some leathery notes.  Full bodied.

Always a treat to drink a First growth.  This is made in an old school style at a time when Bordeaux was kicking it up a bit.  Accordingly, this wine was "disappointing" to many people on release (especially for the 1990 vintage).  But thirty some years down the road, this wine is still proving its merits and in fact, this was better than a bottle consumed a few years ago.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is perfumed and quite pretty.  Cassis, strawberries, floral notes and a bit of dusty.  Great texture.  Powerful with firm tannins, yet supple.  On the palate, black cherries,

I was apprehensive about this.  Not a great vintage and 46 years from that vintage.  The wine performed way above expectations.  Ruby in color, some browning at the edges, clear and still somewhat bright.  The nose has some cassis, some dried fruits, a bit of burnt sugar and slight oxidation.  On the palate, cranberries and cassis with some dried forest floor.  Light tannins.  Good acidity.  Some complexity.  Long finish.  While not a great Lafite perhaps, a very fun experience and outstanding wine.  This works better with food though, considering how rare to get to try this, perhaps just e

This is Screaming Eagle's Merlot based wine.  This year the blend is 61% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc.  It is still young and tight and took some time to open.  That said, it was delicious. Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, dark chocolate, violets and a bit of earthiness.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this has a lush texture.  Black cherries and cherries with some chocolate and char.  Great balance.  Long finish.