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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.2 pts. and median of 93 pts. in 31 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by jeff nowak on 12/9/2023 & rated 91 points: Purchased en primeur from Prima Wine. Not decanted. 100% Merlot. Drinking well, but I don’t see any reason to hold. Tannins resolved, and it isn’t a blockbuster. Why risk it at this point? Coffee, currant, blackberry. Medium finish. (580 views) | | | Tasted by tomasio-1 on 3/18/2022 & rated 93 points: Opened 4 hours in advance and brought to a right bank tasting with friends. Cherry, plum, leather, on the palate dark fruit, slight mushroom, good acidity, dense, harmonious, resolved tannins, long finish. Still in very good shape, but will not develop more. (1230 views) | | | Tasted by Andice on 6/25/2021 & rated 90 points: Tasted twice with consistent notes. Nice right bank bouquet, secondary mushroom flavours with some wood. Extracted style with grainy tannins still to sort themselves out. Could use more elegance. Expected more for 2000 (1779 views) | | | Tasted by Luckey on 10/3/2020 & rated 94 points: We coravined a glass after a steak dinner to chase a 2001 Chateau Angelus, and the Croix de Labrie exceeded our expectations. The wine did not need more than a few minutes in the glass before the nose opened. Well structured, but not dominated by tannins at this stage. Finish was long, approaching 45 seconds. We think this wine is at the pinnacle of its drinking window, and we look forward to drinking the remaining bottles over the next 12 months. (2267 views) | | | Tasted by dnnk88 on 6/17/2020 & rated 92 points: CB Wine Night #17 (turned out to be the last CB Wine Night) - WT Last Day!: 2nd try this CB - great consistency. Enjoyed this again! 92/93 (2380 views) | | | Tasted by EMAZurich on 6/6/2020 & rated 95 points: Nach wie vor sehr jugendliche Farbe. Tiefes Bordeauxrot, kaum Randaufhellungen, keine bräunliche Reflexe ausmachbar.
In der Nase schwarzfruchtig, schwarze Johannisbeere, Pfeffer, leicht rauchig.
Am Gaumen setzt sich das schwarze Aromenprofil fort. Johannisbeeren, Lakritz, Pfeffer, hat das Dickfruchtige der letzten Flaschen verloren und ist jetzt ein ernstzunehmender, toll balancierter Merlot. Ganz, ganz grossartig, werde mit den weiteren Flaschen doch noch einige Jahre warten, das hat weiteres Potential. (2218 views) | | | Tasted by dnnk88 on 6/5/2020 & rated 92 points: CB Wine Night #13 - CT 91 and up!: Notes to come (1620 views) | | | Tasted by Volleyball on 4/30/2020 & rated 93 points: This was brilliant, perfect maturity. Definitely needs to breathe - only decanted 45 mins before first drinking and still too closed with a bit of an acidic edge. Next day was wonderful. (1387 views) | | | Tasted by HeavyPourWine on 2/12/2018 & rated 93 points: Good amount of sediment. Decanted for 20 minutes. Perfect pairing with chicken galantine stuffed with mushroom, eggplant and zucchini, brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. Nose is black fruit and cassis. Well balanced strong flavor. Silky feel. Ruby red color. Excellent garage wine! (2744 views) | | | Tasted by jimyeni on 1/12/2018 & rated 90 points: Pyrazines among notes of black cherry, anise and chocolate. Vibrant yet simple. (2894 views) | | | Tasted by EMAZurich on 12/24/2017 & rated 94 points: Wuha. Auch wenn ich tendenziell eher am linken Ufer daheim bin und Cabernt-lastige Weine bevorzuge ist das ein tolles Ding. Eher Dolly Buster Style aber dafür wirklich schön balanciert und sehr interessant. (2524 views) | | | Tasted by lmbernstein on 11/26/2017 & rated 93 points: Full nose with bright fruit. 100% Merlot evidenced in the color - dark purplish inky. Wonderful. More nuances of minerals and complexity than the 2005. (2626 views) | | | Tasted by N.Bonaparte on 3/17/2017 & rated 94 points: In prime. Nominal decant necessary. Big pure fruit up front. Above average balance. Will continue to hold for 5-10 years but this should be drank young. Great value. (3304 views) | | | Tasted by hdchappy on 3/6/2017 & rated 89 points: Maybe on the downhill slide. Very subtle fruit and very earthy. In fact wife described it as old and dusty. Drinkable, good but not great, was not overly impressed and expected it to be better. (2171 views) | | | Tasted by N.Bonaparte on 6/11/2015 & rated 94 points: Needs an hour decant- this is outstanding- full bodied, seductive, perfect balance and good finish. In prime and unlikely to improve but will hold for another 10 years easily. Good value. 100% Merlot (3248 views) | | | Tasted by Power Forward on 5/10/2015 & rated 90 points: A solid wine to pair with a rib eye au poivre, but I must admit I was a little disappointed that the wine did not have as much body or depth as I was hoping. (3039 views) | | | Tasted by MLwine on 12/29/2014 & rated 89 points: Solid showing on first night, with good balance and some grip. Not terribly complex, but punched at its weight (and price). On day two, nothing left at all. Just overly cloying. Not a wine to let sit too long. (3186 views) | | | Tasted by capacious on 11/16/2013 & rated 93 points: I think this has more than a decade but it is in a really nice place right now. Our first experience with this fairly small producer - certainly won't be our last. As the cliche goes, so many st Emilions so little time. (3699 views) | | | Tasted by capacious on 10/9/2013 & rated 91 points: I think will move higher in score but for us still earlier in its life than ideal and we will wait on next bottle at least a year. That said a very good right bank -liked the feel, finish, balance. (3646 views) | | | Tasted by mindev on 6/3/2012 & rated 92 points: Soft lovely emiion drinks well (3442 views) | | | Tasted by MLwine on 12/17/2011 & rated 93 points: Very enjoyable Bordeaux. Rich, thick fruit, but with some complexity and tannic backbone. (3633 views) | | | Tasted by Eric on 4/10/2010 & rated 92 points: Ripe, ripe, ripe. Nice wine. Not quite as 'serious' as I expected based on all I have read. Consumed across 2 days, and this absolutely crashed into a pile of raisin pudding on day 2. Troubling. The score is for day 1. Trying to ignore the day 2 nightmare. I thought wine would have more stuffing/longevity. (4627 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 3/5/2010 & rated 94 points: This is a sexy little wine made for hedonists. Rich, velvety, plush waves of dark chocolate covered plums, licorice and minerals fill your palate. This 100% Merlot is drinking perfectly today. Owners should drink this wine young to capture its fruit and vitality. (3386 views) | | | Tasted by rnellans on 1/28/2009 & rated 91 points: Sexy wine. Dark ruby. Cherries on the nose. Rich and lush on the palate. Smooth tannins. Nice wine. (3907 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 7/12/2008 & rated 94 points: With its coffee, fennel, black fruit nose is a treat. The fruit is silk and velvet. Already showing well, this sexed up wine is a lot of fun to drink (2826 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Château Croix de Labrie Producer website
- Read about Chateau La Croix LabrieRed 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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