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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 88.7 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 54 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by empire80 on 7/25/2021 & rated 90 points: A better bottle, doesn't shoot the lights out, just good mature claret, still some cedar notes, a bit meaty, not much fruit, but a nicely balanced package. 21 years and counting... (1160 views) | | | Tasted by NickNYC on 12/28/2020 & rated 91 points: very good showing. in line with prior comments from the community. a tad short to be great. (1362 views) | | | Tasted by Collector1855 on 8/4/2020 & rated 93 points: During a Bdx2000 tasting. A nice surprise right at the start with this wine produced by the Chateau Ausone team. Expressive nose of dark fruit with caramel ans sweet spices. Lush palate, sexy. Not the longest finish but a pleasure to drink. Fully mature. (2538 views) | | | Tasted by jadedw11 on 1/23/2020 & rated 90 points: Decanted for about 1 hour. Strong hit of blackcurrant at start, decent though not exceptional length. Started to fade after a couple of hours.
Overall very enjoyable/ accessible, with robust fruits and little sign of age in either colour or taste, but is clearly at peak maturity so will be drinking up to enjoy it while it's still in this state. (Bottle was from a case bought around 2002 which has sat in the same cellar ever since) (1762 views) | | | Tasted by empire80 on 1/23/2020 & rated 89 points: Mature cedar notes, slightly meaty, not much fruit. Enjoyable with food but drink soon. (1723 views) | | | Tasted by Double-A on 3/18/2019 & rated 90 points: Complex, smoky mineral, black currant, tar and toast nose. Med-full, ripe and well-balanced; long, evolving finish.
4/5 (1265 views) | | | Tasted by Tao on 5/18/2017 & rated 89 points: Actually, this bottle is performed slightly better, more fruits showing and in a better structure! But of course, it is certainly running towards the end of its life! If you are really interested in my view on this wine, please kindly look at my previous tasting notes, thank you very much! (2320 views) | | | Tasted by empire80 on 4/16/2017 & rated 90 points: Fully mature, plum fruit quite subdued but classic elements of cedar, with a hint of iron. (2174 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 2/1/2017 & rated 90 points: Monthly Tasting Group EEE #057 : A random set (@ My place): Not so many notes. The bouquet is beautifully mature and shows some barnyard and rustic flavors. On the palate quite mature but still juicy red and dark forest fruits as well. The wine is fully mature now and in fact a bit better than I expected. Drink within the next two years is probably wise. (2674 views) | | | Tasted by Tao on 8/15/2016 & rated 88 points: Very unfortunately it is clearly in the downward trend! The fruit is slightly fading, the palate is a little tiring! I think ladies and gentleman, it is time to drink this little baby up! (2692 views) | | | Tasted by Pearlie on 7/28/2016 & rated 81 points: Very drinkable. No tannin at all but still a little fruit. (2365 views) | | | Tasted by erichohim on 3/5/2016: old bordeaux style ,
not much fruit left
gamey earthy medium bodied
should drink asap
quite a lot of sediments so pour carefully
good value for this wine
cost 30 usd (1682 views) | | | Tasted by cristian_m on 1/4/2015 & rated 84 points: An experiment in barnyard. I've never had a wine that was as markedly barny as this one. Overtones of manure, wet oak and earth. Not a lot of fruit left in this one and a mouth feel that was a little thin for a bordeaux. Tannins were pronounced. (2693 views) | | | Tasted by comnsense on 10/13/2014 & rated 87 points: - Brick color. It's somewhat balanced with a full body. Coarse texture with a medium finish. (2371 views) | | | Tasted by epiphany on 10/13/2014 & rated 83 points: Not worth recent price of $35. No substance. (2486 views) | | | Tasted by Tao on 1/20/2014 & rated 90 points: It is very much unlike the last time I tasted this wine which is a number of years ago! Massive difference on the nose, no more flowery bouquet but instead very very gamey nose, mineral and a touch of greenness! But still very fragrant! On the palate, slightly thicker than the last time with a bit of tannins! The red fruits is a bit shy away! Still has a few more years to go but I prefer to drink it now! Lacking a bit of charm this time! (2862 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 12/17/2013 & rated 89 points: Beautiful bouquet with cassis, good oak and a slight touch of pleasant barnyard. On the palate smooth cassis, some red forest fruits, a bit leather and earth. Good acidity and tannin. Although really nice, the wine lacks a bit in concentration, is a bit classical and tastes more like a 2001. I have one more bottle, so there will be a follow up. Don't know when, but I do not expect much improvement. (2819 views) | | | Tasted by gallu on 4/27/2013 & rated 92 points: Capa aún alta, con ribete atejado, propio de la edad. En nariz se nota la madera de calidad, el cacao, las especias (pimienta). En boca está domado, es muy largo y tiene acidez. Un vino al que le ha sentado de maravilla la edad. (2505 views) | | | Tasted by empire80 on 11/25/2012 & rated 90 points: Cedary and savoury, plummy but quite subdued fruit. (2806 views) | | | Tasted by empire80 on 1/8/2012 & rated 91 points: As before but just that bit better - delicious rounded claret with cassis, cedar and a decent finish. (4188 views) | | | Tasted by empire80 on 9/25/2011 & rated 90 points: Just beautiful St Emillion, plenty of cassis and plummy fruit, tannin quite evident but well integrated, drinking really well now but I suspect will continue to do so for next five years (4099 views) | | | Tasted by Robyung on 5/14/2011 & rated 84 points: A little astringent, but generally smooth. While it's reasonably priced, I expected more from a grand cru from 2000. (4612 views) | | | Tasted by pcwoz on 11/14/2010 & rated 89 points: very nice mature bottle of wine. Dark fruits, nice balance and some decent complexity. Not flawed like some bottles reported here by others. Still has some good life left. A very nice wine. (4750 views) | | | Tasted by Winekrupt on 6/25/2010 & rated 82 points: Brickish on the disk. Earthy dirty nose, which was initially quite animal... with not much fruit coming through, perhaps some cherry. On the palate this wine offered nothing more. At one point this might have been interesting, but that was certainly a few years ago. Disappointing for such a good vintage. (5045 views) | | | Tasted by Capt Cutlass on 6/21/2010: This bottle was past its prime but still gave me pleasure from its faded glories... Earthy, animal aromas mingled with blackcurrant and creosote which led to the addition of tobacco and black tea in the mouth. It was smooth and the tannins were silky but there was only a tiny bit of acidity left. (5013 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Château de Fonbel Producer website - read more about Chateau FonbelRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanLibournais Libournais (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) - Read more about St. Emilion and its wines - Read more about Pomerol and its wines
Saint Emilion Grat Classified Growth, Classified Growths, Grands Crus Classes, GCC
In 1954, while the "Graves" growths had just published their own classification, the wine syndicate of Saint-Emilion, composed by wine growers, brokers and wine traders with the approval of the INAO - Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (A.O.C), decided to work on a classification for the wines of Saint Emilion. Initially, four grades were defined. These were reduced to two - First Great Classified Growth (A and B) and Great Classified Growth - in 1984.
As of Medoc's 1855 historical grading, the Saint-Emilion Great Classified Growth classification is not only based on qualitative criteria by tasting the wines on a ten years period previous to the assessment, but also on commercial considerations such as:
- sales price levels
- national and international commercial distribution
- the estate's reputation on the market
Properties who don't manage to join the club of about sixty Classified Growths are given the denomination of Great Growth ("Grand Cru"), while the remaining wineries of the A.O.C are simply reported as "Saint-Emilion". It is to be noted that the owners must officially apply to appear in the official classification. Thus for example the famous Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf, whose quality and reputation would easily justify to be listed among the First Great Classified Growths, does not appear here by the will of its owner, François Mitjaville.
The Saint-Emilion Great Growth classification was revised in 1969, 1985, 1996 and 2006. The only two guaranteed vintage (A.O.C) who can apply to the classification are the "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" and "Saint-Emilion" areas.
By grading 61 properties, the 2006 revision confirmed many growths from the former classification, but also caused a number of surprises and a few inevitable disappointments. Many observers thought that the impressive progression of Perse's Chateau Pavie since 1998 would be rewarded by an upgrade into the First Great Classified Growths (A) category, but finally such was not the case.
Among the estates promoted to the First Great Classified Growths B category are Chateau Troplong-Mondot and Pavie-Macquin, whose efforts made since the Nineties fully justify their new grade. It should be noted that no First Great Classified Growth was relegated to the lower Great Classified Growth class.
Promoted growths from the status of Great Growth ("Grand Cru") to Great Classified Growth ("Grand Cru Classe") are: Chateaux Bellefont-Belcier, Destieux, Fleur Cardinale, Grand Corbin, Grand Corbin-Despagne and Monbousquet.
The demoted growths from the status of Great Classified Growth to Great Growth are: Chateaux Bellevue, Cadet Bon, Faurie de Souchard, Guadet Saint-Julien, La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Belivier), La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Moueix), Lamarzelle, Petite Faurie de Soutard, Tertre Daugay, Villemaurine and Yon-Figeac. If the recent samples of some of the above mentioned properties may justify their current downgrade, there are great chances that estates like Bellevue, Tertre Daugay or Yon-Figeac will be upgraded to their previous rankings by the next revision in 2016 as the progresses noted after 2000, but not entering in the range of vintages (1993 - 2002) appointed for the criteria of selection for the 2006 classification, are noticable.
The two following estates have completely disappeared from the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classification: Curé-Bon-la-Madeleine (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Canon) and La Clusière (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Pavie).
Finally, no estate considered as "garagiste" has integrated the classification. Valandraud, Mondotte, Le Dome, Bellevue-Mondotte or Magrez-Fombrauge have, for the least, the potential to be ranked as Great Classified Growths. In sight of the very fine quality reached by the above mentioned estates in recent vintages as well as all the innovative wine making methods used by the "garagistes", it remains to be seen whether the authorities will dare to cross the line in 2016..?St. Émilion Grand Cru Les Vins de St. Émilion (Syndicate Vitocole de Saint-Emilion) – Read about St. Emilion
Vins de Bordeaux:
Grape Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot
Soil: Sandy soils with alluvial gravel deposits
Surface Area: 4,160 ha |
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