Pauillac

Tasted blind, I guessed Napa Merlot (Screaming Eagle The Flight).  It was so open and accessible, it was quite surprising to find out it was a five year old First Growth.  Gorgeous wine.  It is a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is tight but with air, black cherries, chocolate, cassis, spice, and dust.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries, cassis, and a slight dry earthiness.  Deep.  Complexity that unwinds in the glass.  Long finish.  Delicious.  It will definitely get better, but was s

What a treat to drink.  This is a fascinating vintage.  After some less than great years, this looked like it could possibly be exceptional and the Bordeaux hype train got into gear.  Despite many fans who kept saying just be patient, it never took those last few steps.  That said, it also has so much to offer.  The wines can be austere, but they also are complex and fascinating.  Which brings us to the Lafite.  Is it a great Lafite?  No.  Is it a great wine, certainly close.  Ruby in color with browning, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, graphite, and slight cigar box.  Med

Popped the cork, allowed to breathe for an hour or so.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, slightly flat and opaque.  The nose is classic Bordeaux.  Some Bordeaux earthy funk along with cassis, cigar box and cedar.  Firm tannins.  Nicely balance.  Great texture.  On the palate, this is just about at peak but maybe not quite.  Layered complexity.  Cassis, earthiness, tobacco and slight char.  Long finish with some dark chocolate on it.  Delicious.  Everything one could have hoped for on purchase.  This drinks well on its own but would be great at the dinner table with Roasted Lamb.  It still

It is always a pleasure to drink a first Growth.  2003 was an extremely hot vintage all across Europe.   This vintage is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  Great nose.  A bit of funk, some cigar, plenty of cassis, and leather.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this seems about at peak maturity.  Plenty of depth.  Layers of cassis with some tobacco notes and earthiness.  Long finish.  Just a fantastic wine.  This drinks great on its own and would work well with roasted meats or veggies.  It w

The 2005 vintage was excellent in Bordeaux and most are open and drinking well right now.  This wine showed wonderfully.  Ruby in color with some browning.  The nose is classic with cassis, char, tobacco, leather and cherries.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, cassis and black cherries with some spice and a bit of dry earthiness.  Some complexity.  Nice texture.  Good finish.  This wine is just about at peak (or maybe a bit past).  Drink these sooner than later.  It will be better with food.  Beef stew with roasted root vegetables would be a nice match.  

This is, of course, the second label of Chateau Latour.  In recent years the price on the seconds has sky-rocketed as well.  That said, this is an excellent wine in a really nice place right now.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, tobacco, leather, slight graphite and spice.  Also a bit of the funk.  Full bodied.  Great balance.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is drinking well.  Nots of cassis, slight dried cherries and a bit of leather.  Some underlying char and funk.  Long finish.  Complex and deep.  Drink over the next twelve to twe

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.

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 was pop and pour and it really needs a long decant but even so, it showed very well.  From the heralded 2000 vintage, it seems to me that the better left bank wines are still in need of more cellaring.  A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 6% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color with ruby swirls but slight browning at the edge.  The nose is great with cassis, slight cigar box, cedar, some dark chocolate and spice.  Full bodied.  Lovely texture.  This is a big wine on the palate.  Juicy cassis, black cherries with chocolate and cedar.  Medium tannins.  Long f