Bordeaux Blend

From the great 2018 vintage, this is one that is drinking quite well at this young age with just a bit of air.   It is a blend of 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, cinnamon, spice and black cherries.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is showing a nice depth and complexity.  Delicious.  Medium but firm tannins.  Flavors of cassis, leather, spice and slight dry earthiness.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This will continue to mature over the next five to seven years, but drinks well now and will for the n

This is the second wine of Cos D'Estournel.  It is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc.  Deep purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with dust cassis, cherries, soy sauce, slight tobacco and spice.  A great lush texture.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis, black cherries, with spice and slight tobacco notes.  Long finish.  This needs another seven to ten years to mature and will drink well for ten to fifteen after that.  It will work well with roasted meats such as Roasted Lamb with garlic.  

From Pesac-Leognan in Bordeaux, this is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, and the rest 3% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cedar, cassis, black cherries, and asphalt.  Full bodied.  A lovely, plush, velvety texture.  The palate has cassis and cherries with slight leather notes.  Nice acidity.  Firm tannins.  The asphalt note re-emerges on the finish.  This needs another seven to ten years and should drink well for ten to twelve after that.  If drinking now, give it 12 hours of air.  It will work well w

This is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot.   Purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, cedar, spice and char.    Lush, velvety texture but lots of vibrancy.  On the palate, cassis and blueberry fruit with underlying tobacco and char.  Long finish.  This is still developing and will be for a decade.  That said it is delicious now and will continue to drink well for another fifteen to twenty years.  It drinks very well on its own and will work with bigger, fattier foods such as prime rib or a roasted veggie pizza.  

 This is the second wine of Château Tour Baladoz.  It is produced made from the youngest vines and consists of 90% Merlot.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight milk chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, there are light tannins.  The cherries and chocolate come thru with slight earthiness.  Nice finish.  Not profound but tasty and easy drinking.  Drink over the next five to ten years.  This drinks well on its own and would be a nice match with stuffed peppers.  

Very impressive showing and while just a bit tight, this opened nice with air.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  Black currants, plums, baking spices, graphite and char on the nose.  Full bodied with a lush texture.  On the palate, this unwinds in the glass to show depth and layers of fruit (plums and black currants), spice, slight forest floor, and smoke.  Great balance.  Delicious.  Long finish.  This is not yet at peak but well worth opening now and letting it breathe.  Drink over the next twenty years.  It drinks great on its own but will work better with food.  Roasted duck or eggp

Spectacular showing for this wine.  Opened, allowed to breathe for ten minutes then decanted for sediment and allowed to breath for another twenty minutes.  Totally exceeded expectations.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is everything one could want from aged Bordeaux.  Cassis, black cherries, tobacco, slight leather, hints of funk and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this is complex, layered and contemplative.  Layers of cassis, black cherries, funk and earth.  Great balance.  Long finish.  More elegant than a powerhouse, but it can hold its own as well.  This bottle seemed at

What a treat.  The cork was popped, waited ten minutes and decanted for sediment.  This is classic old Bordeaux.  Deep ruby in color with some bricking at the rim.  The nose is great with cassis, cherries, tobacco, some funk and dried cherries.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this is complex and delicious.  Most likely past prime but not a whole lot.  This bottle had been purchased on release and properly cellared.  Flavors of cassis and cherries layered with dry earth and funk.  Great balance.  Nice finish.  Drink now if you own any.  A bottle like this will work with dinner but it

This was popped and allowed to breathe for 20 minutes.  Certainly way too early but it was quite enjoyable nevertheless.  Consumed next to the 82, 83 and 09, for my tastes, this was the least great showing, but in time, will be the best wine.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, spice and freshly turned earth.  Powerful as it opens in the glass.  Wonderful texture.  On the palate, this is delicious if tight.  Cassis, slight black cherry with a hint of minerality.  Long finish.  This needs another ten to twelve years and should drink well for 30 after th

This is  70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, with some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is a more forward style of Bordeaux, but certainly not a fruit bomb.