Bromley Wine Circle does Bordeaux - 18th January 2024

Informal supper at mine with a few wines from the cellar.

• 2016 Juillet-Lallement Champagne Grand Cru Special Club 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Bruised apple and some sourdough breadiness to the nose here. Palate is dry and very well balanced, just the slightest hint of gooseberry coulis, great acidity and length. Only one left but suspect this will age for a decade or longer.

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• 2015 Château Rahoul Blanc 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves

  Waxy lanolin noise, bright, refreshing and more-ish with limey acidity that charms. A little straw too. Creamy, rich and long. Love it.

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• 1998 Clos René 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  Punches above its weight. Meatier than I recall other bottles in years gone by, only the faintest nod to Merlot chocolatiness. Fully tertiary and gorgeous with a faint seem of liquorice adding to the ensemble.

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• 1998 Château Grand Mayne 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru

  A hint of graphite here, there is some grated dark milk chocolate here and some subtle pungent greenness. This is good but bottles from my first case some years ago were outstanding.

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• 2012 Château Cantemerle 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Decanted for 2 hours. Cool dark fruits and bell pepper here, some redcurrant coulis. Palate has some cigar box and some flecks of nutmeg. Savoury and lovely.

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• 1996 Château Cantemerle 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Meatier than the 2012 it's served with. This is replacement bottle for a corked one, so stood up, popped and poured. Takes some time to get going but wow, when it does. Some bell pepper with hints of clove and cinnamon. Palate has layers and layers of cassis and sandalwood, framed by melting tannins. Savoury, food friendly and right up my street.

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• 2005 Château Lafon-Rochet 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Really muscular wine here. Some Bovril and liquorice on the nose. Palate is cool fruited, the tannins need another decade to fully resolve but a lovely drop. With some air there is a little dark chocolate on the nose.

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• 2004 Château Lafon-Rochet 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

  Brooding, structured, serious. Some soy and cepes umami depth. Palate a little readier to go right now than the 2005 this is served with. With air some earthy beetroot comes to the fore. Really like this.

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• 2007 Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 93 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  Some toffee apple char, blood orange marmalade. Long and so well poised with sweetness, acidity and texture all absolutely à point. Very good indeed.

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Great fun, notes briefer than normal as cooking