brennan18

Tasting Notes

• 2015 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion

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  5/5/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Orthodox Easter
  
  I agree with AGELVIS this drinks below its price point. If I had paid ~$80 for this wine I would have scored it 93-94 points (I paid ~$135 @ Spec's in Houston - they were running a special that day). On the open it's very tart cherry with some herbal notes and definitely closed off, but after a few hours it settles in and the wine starts to shine. That's when the bright red fruit gives way to a much more nuanced structure of dusty strawberry/blackberry with a pronounced herbal tone, some tobacco, violet and bitter chocolate. On the palate the wine is vey smooth and has fine tannins that are more or less fully integrated along with a taut acidity and medium body. An enjoyable wine that both me and my wife liked very much. I opened and decanted the wine into an Erlenmeyer flask that I set in the fridge for ~90 minutes and then re-decanted back into the bottle (that I had also laid in the fridge) and let it sit for another hour. The wine definitely needs 90-120 minutes to relax and open up. Has the potential to age 10+ years more if properly stored. Served with oven roasted rack of lamb (hit me up in the comments if you want recipe), oven roasted potatoes & sauteed spinach with garlic.
  
  92+ points -- very, very good wine - sophisticated & nuanced (I would score this 93-94 if the price were ~$80.00 USD vs the $135 I paid)
  
  Value: there are other wines from PL that can compete with this at a lower price point (Smith Haut Lafite, Pape Clement, etc.) but I wanted to try the 2nd wine of HB so here we are
  
  Would I buy again: maybe... at this price point I think Smith Haut Lafite & Pape Clement offer more value but I have to admit the distinctive HB bottle shape looked really good on the table
  
  NB: 4+ hours in and this is really starting to strut. A silky magenta in the glass with a near transparent rim. The acidity is still pumping, the herbal notes are coming to the fore and the bright red fruits are starting to reassert themselves.

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• 2019 La Dame de Montrose

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  4/28/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 92 Points

  I can't remember if I bought this from B-21 or Costco but I do remember paying some ridiculous price (under $40 USD). Regardless, terrific entry-level St. Estèphe, the 2nd wine of Ch. Montrose and to be frank a much better deal than the grand vin considering the outstanding quality and drinking experience vs the enormous price delta between the two. I opened this on Saturday night and found it was wound pretty tight, closed off nose, palate everything so I pulled out the vacu-vin it and put into the fridge. On Sunday all that shifted and what presented itself was a rich, captivating wine that's dark & brooding in the glass with a pronounced bouquet and velvety mouthfeel. Loads of red/dark red/purple fruit mixed with herbs and notes of earth & tobacco. Tannins already nicely integrated; Finish lingers for 30-40 seconds. This is still young and can easily age another 3-5 years if properly stored. I know this is a 2nd wine but with a few more years of age I'd wager in a blind test it wouldn't drink like it.
  
  92 points - very good wine with potential to add another 1-2 points
  
  would I buy again - yes, excellent value at its price point ($40-$50 USD); outperforms much of its competition

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• 2010 Château Smith Haut Lafitte

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  4/21/2024 - brennan18 Likes this wine: 96 Points

  This was incredible, hands down best wine I've had in 2024 and perhaps in the last 5 years with the possible exception being a '96 Chateau Margaux I had at a friend's dinner party in 2021 (the SHL is a close contender tbh). No detailed notes but the previous review captures the essence of the '10 SHL perfectly. The wine was fresh, vibrant and full of life with a razor sharp acidity and a finish that lingered for nearly a minute. A silky magenta in the glass with a bouquet that just leaps at you (we could smell the wine amidst everything going on in the restaurant - Rumi's Kitchen here in Houston - on a very crowded Saturday night). My friend at dinner could not stop marveling how good this was. Just an uplifting experience. We opened at the restaurant and decanted for about 45 minutes prior to drinking over the course of 2 hours. Kept getting better down to the last drop. Has many, many years of life ahead but you only live once....
  
  Would I buy again: yes
  
  Value: enormous bargain at it's price point
  
  96+ points -- world-class wine
  
  NB: I should add the wine had very little sediment

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