Bordeaux Blend

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.

Pop and pour with no decanting.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, barnyard, cassis and truffles.  Full bodied.  Complex and layered with light tannins.  This seems to be at peak.  On the palate, cherries, dried cherries, and slight tobacco.  Clean.  Long finish.  Contemplative on its own but better with a bit of food.  Although it will drink well for another  decade, it probably will start a slow slide down soon.  

Classic Napa Cab.  This is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, and 2% Cabernet Franc.  The nose has cassis, dust, graphite, and mocha.  Full bodied.  Complex.  Velvety texture.  On the palate, cassis and black cherries with underlying spice/sandalwood.  Firm tannins.  Long finish.  This is still young but drinking well.  It should drink well over the next twenty years.  A great wine to drink on its own or serve with braised lamb.  

This wine is now called simply The Flight to prevent any confusion from thinking this is a second wine.  It normally has a more significant percentage of Merlot, but in 2012, it is actually 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc.  Beautiful wine.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cassis, cherries, graphite and slight black olives.  Full bodied.  Silky but rich texture.  Great depth and balance.  On the palate, black cherries, mocha, slight char and spice.  Long finish.  Delicious.  Medium tannins.  This is drinking well no

Always fun to get a chance at drinking an older wine.  1967 was a long time ago.  The Beatles released Sgt.

This is a blend of 35% Cabernet Franc, Porkoláb-völgy, 29% Merlot, Porkoláb-völgy, 25% Tannat, Bati Kereszt, and 11% Kékfrankos, Bati Kereszt.  It was brought up in separate lots aged in wood and blended for bottling.  Purple in color with ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with black cherries, black olives, tobacco and a bit of chocolate.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this has a perception of sweetness but drinks dry.  Black cherries, plums and slight spice notes.  Nice finish.  This has some depth and complexity.  It drinks well on its own and will work wel

From South Africa, this is a blend of 76% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Petit Verdot.  Deep purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, chocolate, slight tobacco, a hint of bell pepper and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, the black cherries come thru along with some cherries and a bit of chocolate.  Some depth.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This will drink nicely on its own but better with food.  Drink over the next three to five years.  It will work well with meatloaf or a burger.  

Pop and pour, this is drinking very well.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, black cherries, tobacco and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has nice tight layering that unwinds in the glass.  Light tannins.  Notes of cassis, black cherries, slight chocolate, and char.  Great balance.  Long finish.  Still a bit on the young side but no harm in opening a bottle.  This will drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  Great on its own, even better with food.  Pot roast would be a great choice.  

This is a blend of 53% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Petit Verdot.  It is a delicious wine that is another label different from their Cabernet Sauvignon.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, dark chocolate, cassis, plums, cedar and baking spices.  Full bodied.  On the palate, lots of black cherry fruit with some purple fruit over char and spice.  Firm tannins.  Good energy.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well and will probably improve a bit, but either way should drink well for ten to twelve more years.  It drinks well on

Another example of the wealth of fairly priced wines that Bordeaux produces once one gets past the trophy wines.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has spice and cherries.  Light tannins.  On the palate, cherries with some tobacco and spice.  Good balance.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with meat, fowl and pork.  Lamb stew would be perfect.  Drink over the next five to eight years.