Bordeaux Blend

From an excellent vintage whose wines are slow to come around, this one is drinking well.  Seems to be shy of peak but getting close.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, slight tobacco and spice.  On the palate, this has medium body.  Cherries with some intertwines tobacco.  Some depth if not a lot.  Good acidity.  Worked well with food.  Nice finish.  I believe this was under $30 on release which is a fair price.  

This is one of my favorite wines from Pomerol.  They have gotten crazy expensive over the years and this was probably the last reasonably priced vintage.  2002 was not a great vintage.  What is good about it though is that the wines drank well in the short term and were evenly good if not great.  This bottle is at peak right now or maybe just shy.  It will probably stay there for another few years, so if you own any, be thankful and drink up.  It won't get better and depending on the bottle, may start to fade.  Purple in color.  The nose has dark cherries, chocolate, slight spice and a bit

On opening the cork fell into the bottle.  It was fished halfway out and removed with a Durand corkscrew.  Anytime one gets the opportunity to try a Cheval Blanc it is truly a treat!  Of course, this is not a great year and it might be getting a bit old but it still has plenty to offer.  It took about 15 minutes to really open up.  Purple in color, slight browning at the edges.  There is some initial bottle stink but that blows off leaving cherries, slight dried cherries, spice, dust and blood.  Interesting.  On the palate, this has nice tart cherries layered with dry forest floor and some

Pop and pour.  This is very solid but given the release price ($50) and ten years from a great vintage, it seemed to under perform a bit.  Purple in color.  The nose is tight at first but eventually opens up to cassis and spice.  On the palate, this has a nice enough texture.  Nice cassis fruit but a bit one dimensional.  Perhaps there is still time to develop but it seems that if that was the case, there would be glimpses.  Still, it is enjoyable and if straightforward, at least that is a good direction.  

This was a treat.  Lafite was not at the top of their game back in the 60's but still a first growth is cool.  I believe this came from a private collection that was sold to a wine store.  No idea about storage.  The cork was soaked to the rim and the very bottom disintegrated upon opening.  The wine was then decanted for sediment.  Purple in color which was surprising.  The nose took about 30 minutes to blow off all of the bottle stink.  At first it seemed corked but that blew off so clearly it was not (TCA doesn't blow off).  Eventually showing some tobacco, dried fruit, some cassis, and

Purple in color.  The nose is dusty and warm.  With air, it opens to show cassis and some tobacco.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Black cherry fruit.  Light tannins.  Juicy acidity.  At $80, this will hopefully be better with some cellaring.  Not a lot of value at the moment, but it is a very pleasurable wine that is good with food.  

Purple in color.  The nose is very nice with cassis, tobacco and spice.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  A lot of depth but the wine is very tight now.  It kept improving all night long and probably needs  at least a decade.  But, that patience will be rewarded with at least a few points of upside potential.  In the glass it shows nice cassis fruit, cigar box and earth.  Good balance.  $75

At this point in my life (almost 60), this is what I am really looking for in great Bordeaux vintages.  That is to say, wines that are affordable, drink with out requiring a decade or more of cellaring and provide pleasure.  This one is $23 and is drinking quite well today.  However, unlike most of the wines on the table this night, this started strong, held out for a while and faded.  Based on that, it would seem prudent to drink these up in the next few years.  And that's OK.  Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has leather, black cherries and slight cassis.  Also a bit of tobacco and oak spi

This winery as been on a roll, certainly over the last twenty years, but especially, the last 10.  This is the best 2015 I have tasted so far.  Purple in color.  The nose has great cassis, some char, tobacco and cedar.  On the palate, this has soft black cherries while still having firm tannins.  Cassis, earth and tobacco.  Some spice.  It is big and bold, yet accessible in the glass.  Improved all night long.  Certainly a few points of upside if cellared for a decade or two.  $130 is expensive but for this quality, probably fair.  

Purple in color.  The nose is very tight at first.  Eventually, it opens with a perfumed nose of cassis, slight menthol and cigar notes.  On the palate, this is very tannic.  Boysenberries with some earthiness.  Nice finish.  This kept improving all night.  It is an expensive wine at $130.  There is no reason to open this for at least a decade to justify the price.  The potential is there but it will take time.