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| Community Tasting Notes (average 88.1 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 40 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by wurzel68 on 10/30/2021 & rated 86 points: Paprika, Johannisbeere, vegetabile Noten, Pfeffer, Schokolade,am Gaumen wenig Komplexität, etwas grün und zehrend... (669 views) | | | Tasted by BcDuncan on 7/5/2021 & rated 89 points: very smooth; good fruit even though kept a bit long, it was very good (679 views) | | | Tasted by Jetjock on 3/17/2021 & rated 90 points: Very dark, lovely aroma & latent sweetness frankly put this btl over the top given I bought six in late 2012 for $10/btl, delivered. Shows that a good BDX producer will reward your patience. (756 views) | | | Tasted by dke on 10/14/2020 & rated 89 points: Starts quite bitter but evolves on the second night into a very good acidity supported tart bordeaux. (908 views) | | | Tasted by BcDuncan on 5/4/2020 & rated 87 points: good but not sensational, maybe I left it a bit long (989 views) | | | Tasted by Somm David T on 12/14/2018 & rated 92 points: As a Sommelier, it’s interesting to read professional reviews. Something you need to keep up on for what consumers will be looking to buy.
As someone who attends a lot of tastings, you get to get to do your own comparisons. For me, a lot of Bordeaux. It’s my true love. I’ve been to Bordeaux eleven times. Two of them En Premiers.
When I tasted this so called critically difficult/bad vintage from Chateau Belle-Vue, I saw its potential and wasn’t wrong. Now, eleven years later, this wine is singing. While the critics haven’t tasted this wine as recently as this year, they would tell you this wine was average. It is anything but! If I put this wine in a blind tasting, I am confident many would call higher end Napa Cabernet and this is a Bordeaux producer from an ancillary region, under the radar known producer and a difficult vintage.
If I’ve learned anything about wine, it’s in all difficult vintages anywhere, there are producers who still make good wine. This one is magic for around $20 upon release. I’ve had $100 a bottle plus Bordeaux and Napa Cabernet that weren’t this good.
The nose shows, ripe, earthy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, creamy raspberries on the glass edges, some blueberries & boysenberries and baked plum. Rich, forest floor, steeped black tea, used coffee grounds, limestone minerals, crushed, dry, rock powder, black licorice, hints of herbaceous notes, touch of mushroom, purple flowers, violets and faint lavender.
The body is full, round and lush. The structure, tension, length and balance are harmonious. The tannins are dark, round, soft, velvety and slightly tarry. Ripe, earthy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries, creamy raspberries on the glass edges, some blueberries & boysenberries and baked plum. Rich, forest floor, steeped black tea, used coffee grounds, tarry notes, limestone minerals, crushed, dry, rock powder, dry top soil & clay, black licorice, dark cocoa powder, cinnamon, dark spice, some vanilla, hints of herbaceous notes, touch of mushroom, graphite, burnt charcoal, suede leather, pipe tobacco, purple flowers, violets, dark red florals and faint lavender. The acidy round & beautiful. The finish is; ripe, ruby, lush, elegant, well balanced between fruit & earth and persistent for minutes.
The well know professional critics would tell you this wine is old or late. I will tell you, from my storage, it’s has another 7-10 years of life ahead of it.
Have it with a good butchered Ribeye (not store bought) seasoned with coarse ground garlic salt & pepper. (1318 views) | | | Tasted by hajoka on 10/4/2018 & rated 90 points: Pop and pour. No decanting needed. (1230 views) | | | Tasted by Skibank114 on 7/19/2018 & rated 89 points: We are fans of Belle-Vue and the '07 is a nice, solid year for this vineyard in an otherwise weak year for Bordeaux. Nice nose, dark with a nice balance of fruit and depth. Clearly well integrated at this point. We have two more bottles and will drink them over the next six months. Not as good as the '05 or '08, but solid choice at the price point. Enjoy now. (1375 views) | | | Tasted by Racer117 on 3/11/2017 & rated 88 points: As before, a nice mixture of fruit and smoke/char. (2155 views) | | | Tasted by flwino on 2/20/2017 & rated 93 points: WOW Too bad I only had one of these. SAD! When opening a great waft of super aroma. Solid red fruit. The taste was firm, and full bodied. Color great dark red.
Super finish. Low tannins.
So far my wine of the year (2160 views) | | | Tasted by Alvinho on 4/30/2016 & rated 86 points: Drank well with foundue at hansl... (2363 views) | | | Tasted by Khon Kaen on 3/6/2016 & rated 89 points: No decanted, drinking well but more open after half hour. Medium to full bodied. Very nice Bordeaux style. Good balance of black fruits and tannin. I think it needs about one hour decant. Great value!! (2401 views) | | | Tasted by Racer117 on 11/16/2015 & rated 88 points: Very similar to a bottle on 05/15/14: cassis/berry/vanilla but this had a nice roasted/charred edge to it. What a bargain. (2412 views) | | | Tasted by ebpayne on 9/30/2015 & rated 87 points: Classic Brdx: cassis, cedar, herb, a bit of nice funk. Damn fine $10 wine (1878 views) | | | Tasted by euroyup on 12/25/2014 & rated 87 points: Nice herbal note. No further formal notes. 87-88. (2226 views) | | | Tasted by Racer117 on 5/15/2014 & rated 88 points: A great simple bottle of Bordeaux; touch of funk on the nose with layered flavors of cassis, berry, and vanilla. The acidity is substantial but not imbalanced. A serious bargain to be sure. (2334 views) | | | Tasted by buffyst on 7/20/2013 & rated 90 points: Even better than I remember it. [See note from 01/10/2013] (3145 views) | | | Tasted by Tracypyo on 7/16/2013 & rated 86 points: Smooth but not complex at all. (3146 views) | | | Tasted by Tracypyo on 4/5/2013 & rated 88 points: Ruby red color. Nose of earthy forest floor, mushrooms and hints of vanilla. Red cherries and wood accents on the palate leading to a short to medium finish. Not a bad wine by any stretch and a pretty good value for the price. A weekday wine that I plan on consuming remaining bottles over next year or two. (3190 views) | | | Tasted by alhun on 3/15/2013 & rated 90 points: value for money. (2703 views) | | | Tasted by Tsubasa on 2/9/2013 & rated 87 points: Dry wine, nose is ver subtle. Some nutty and earthy flavor. Expecting something better, a bit disappointed. (2387 views) | | | Tasted by buffyst on 1/10/2013 & rated 89 points: The Belle-Vue is a dark purple-ruby. Its composition is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Petit Verdot. Although the nose is slightly muted, with time come faint aromas of wild cherries, roasted herbs, lillies, and soiled straw. Rich, smooth, velvety mouthfeel. The blackfruits glisten on the palate, accompanied by kirsch and vanilla. Nice balance and integration. 13% abv. Extraordinary value! Drink or hold. (1920 views) | | | Tasted by JustDrinkIt on 12/22/2012 & rated 88 points: PnP
Much nicer bottle than the 2006, but not quite in the class of the 2009. This was balanced in black fruit, tannin and acid, totally smooth and not overtly dense. The aromatics however was quite muted and tight. The taste was savory and delightful. Again for $10.50 (inc $2.00 shipping) this is a QPR bargain for everyday drinking with dinner in my books. (2090 views) | | | Tasted by edub7 on 3/11/2012 & rated 90 points: Excellent, dark fruits and fresh. I currently prefer the 2007 over the well regarded 2006 Belle Vue ( which is more plummy) while the 2007 retains a great freshness. For a wine at this price tag, this is a big winner. (3068 views) | | | Tasted by oakland.cory on 2/28/2012 & rated 90 points: Chalk it up to bottle variation, this was a terrific bottle of Bordeaux. Easily tasted like a $30+ wine, barnyard aromas giving away to pure, layered fruit, vanilla, and cassis. Smooth tannins, I'd hold for a couple of years. (2914 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Château Belle-Vue (Haut-Médoc) - Read about Chateau Belle-VueRed 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 RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.Haut-Médoc Read more about Haut Medoc and its wines Long-standing fame The legally created division into Médoc and Haut-Médoc dates from 1935. But as long ago as 1815 a Chartrons broker, whose word carried weight, spoke of great red wines in the Haut-Médoc, so recognizing the high quality successfully achieved by this region's growers in the eighteenth century. The same Bordeaux broker revealed that the business world of the Chartrons and the great Bordeaux proprietors had established a sort of league-table of the parishes in which the vine-growing communes of today's Haut-Médoc appellation showed up well.
The Haut-Médoc appellation stretches over some thirty seven miles from north to south, from Saint-Seurin de Cadourne to Blanquefort. Within this area, certain zones produce wines exclusively with the Haut-Médoc appellation. It has terroirs of remarkable quality. And although we may note a certain predominance of layers of gravel (essentially Garonne gravel) from the Quaternary, all these sites are characterized by their wide diversity. Today in the southernmost communes of the appellation, the suburbs of Bordeaux, numerous vineyards which existed at the beginning of the twentieth century have disappeared, victims of urban expansion. But the vines live on... because man has retained his devotion to them.
The astonishing variety of different terroirs, the result of the very extent of the area, explains the diversity of Haut-Médoc wines, a fact which is rare within one and the same appellation.
But, over and above the differences, linked to this mosaic of climatic and geological influence, all these wines have the same family traits of character.
Alert and lively, full-bodied without being too powerful, and harmoniously balanced, they acquire a rare bouquet over the years.
In order to have the right to the Haut-Médoc appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the communes of Blanquefort, Le Taillan, Parempuyre, Le Pian, Ludon, Macau, Arsac, Labarde, Cantenac, Margaux, Avensan, Castelnau, Soussans, Arcins, Moulis, Listrac, Lamarque, Cussac, Saint-Laurent de Médoc, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, Saint-Sauveur, Cissac, Saint-Estèphe, Vertheuil, Saint-Seurin de Cadourne "excluding all the parcels situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions : grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (48 hectolitres per hectare).
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