Bordeaux Blend

Purple in color with some ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, tobacco, cherries and dust.  Medium to full bodied.  Great lush texture.  On the palate this is bigger than on the nose.  Cassis with some char.  Firm tannins.  Medium depth.  Good finish.  i found this to be slow maturing like many 2000's but it is certainly accessible and drinking  well at this point.  it should go at least another ten years.  This would work nicely with Lamb chops.  

This is a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Purple in color, shimmering bright.  The nose is dusty with black cherries, cassis, and some char.  Full bodied.  Soft texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is tight but complex.  It unwinds slowly.  Black cherry fruit with some spice.  Good finish.  This is drinking well and will work well with many foods.  Certainly, it would be nice with Rotisserie Chicken.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.   

Great showing for this wine.  Still, not close to maturity, but certainly no harm drinking now.  Purple in color with very slight dark brown hues, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, cigar, graphite, and a slight herbal/minty note.  Medium tannins.  Full bodied.  On the palate, cassis with underlying char and minerality.  Good acidity.  Complex.  Long finish.  This is delicious and kept improving all night long.  It will improve but was fantastic now.  Great on its own, this needs big/fatty food now such as Prime Rib.  Drink over the next twenty years.  

Not a particularly good vintage, but when someone opens a bottle of Mouton, it gets one's attention.  Purple/brown in color, mostly opaque and slightly flat.  There is some fruit on on the nose, cherries along with dried cherries and caramel/brown sugar notes.  Thin.  Moderate acidity.  Some cherries on the palate.  At age 50, it really was better than expected.  More of a cool factor than a wine I would want to drink but not bad.  Maybe with some cheeses at the end of a meal would be cool.  Drink up.  

This is a big, plush wine for Bordeaux standards.  It seemed a bit polarizing between those who enjoy those types of wines and those who want a more "traditional" Bordeaux.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has blueberries, cassis, cedar and tobacco.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, a plush, rich texture.  Plenty of depth.  Still quite youthful.  Long finish.  It is slightly over the top but I think with a bit more cellaring it will come together.  Another five years in the cellar will help.  Drink over the next twenty.  A nice choice with BBQ Ribs.  

No, not that Lafite.  It's Lafitte with two "t"s.  It is hard to find any information about this estate, but the wine was good.  Purple in color if a bit flat.  Mostly opaque.  The nose has cassis and spices.  Medium bodied.  Bright acidity.  Nice texture.  On the palate, nice cassis fruit turning a bit tart on the finish.  It drinks well now and should be nice for another three to five years.  It is nice on its own and will work with food such as Roasted chicken.  

This is the second wine of Chateau Montrose.  The blend is 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, shimmering bright and opaque.  The nose has cassis, sandalwood, spice, and tobacco.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is deep and powerful.  Cassis, and earthy with some char.  Long finish.  This will drink well for another ten years.  It will go well with a steak but also a home made Macaroni and Cheese.

Purple in color, opaque if slightly flat.  It seems young for a wine to be flat, so this may not be a pristine bottle.  The nose is earthy with cassis and spice.  Also some char.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has a soft texture.  Light tannins.  Black cherry fruit with good acidity.  Moderate finish.  No obvious flaws and it drinks easily.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  A nice wine for a beef or lamb stew.  

This is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 2% Petite Verdot.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is tight but with air opens to show Cassis, spices, slight vanilla and char.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis, plums and spice.  Juicy.  Moderate finish.  This is drinking well but will improve with a few more years of good cellaring.  Drink over the next eight to twelve years.  Shepard's Pie would make a nice pairing.

Kirkland wines tend to be good values and this fits that category.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is tight but opens with air.  Cassis, slight funk, and spice.  Medium bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this drinks easy with nice cassis fruit.  Some spice.  Moderate finish.  For $18, its hard to find a better Bordeaux.  A nice choice for mid-week meatloaf.  Drink over the next three to six years.