March 13, 2024 - A rather elegant, even gentle Bourgueil. Tannin mainly resolved. I don't know if the Neocork made it more advanced than it would have been, but this my only bottle was drinking very well.The texture was downright Burgundian. The pretty palate had a whiff of flowers towards the end.
September 21, 2021 - I noted with dismay had a synthetic cork. Yet this one survived- lots of Cab Franc-y green pepper, celery, but also super savory raspberry fruit Tangy and tasty. B+/B
January 19, 2018 - My last of the case. Again spot on and just in the middle of its drinking window. Still dark with no browning at all. The acid is completely resolved and the tannins are very fine. A mouthful of garden veg and wrapped in a beautiful rainbow of dark fruits. Loire cab franc at its most elegant. Great bottle. On to the 2005’s. A few hours later it’s just a mouthful of vegis. A bit lean but this is classic Loire Valley cab franc.
I like this profile a lot.
December 20, 2016 - Tonight the V-8 of wine. Green bell peppers, tomatoes, celery the full gamete of the garden. The wine is just the typical Loire Valley Cab Franc. Tannin and acids in balance. Like this very much.
April 18, 2016 - Bought on release from Chambers Street and cellared ever since. Been meaning to pull my 4 bottles from long term storage just to open and pour out given the frequency of bad bottles. Then I read Repoper's reviews and thought maybe there is a chance. Tonight expecting very little - I even pulled two bottles to open, almost brought all 4 bottles. Well, surprise, surprise, this is my kind of wine. And no rush to drink - it's only going to get better.
March 25, 2016 - Been drinking these slowly and they just keep getting better and better and thats why I'm so schocked as to all the flawed bottles. I have owned them all from release and have let them sleep without a disturbance. Never thought these as fragile. Tonight pop and pour tonight. Somehow it mixes the green veggies celery turnip root with crunchy cranberry sour black cherries aromas. Very dry and leathery and black pepper. Very long. Still very primary but the fruit is so alive and the acidity balances out the feel in the mouth. Coats the entire palate and nice long finish. IMHO this wine has years and years to go before it struts any secondry traits. I still have 6 that I will follow over the next several years. I love this producer and have a lot of '05 (36 bottles) of different vineyards that I have not even tried. If you like this style wine, which is singularly unique, the Brentons are way up on my list. This is the best bottle to date and they keep etting better.
November 26, 2015 - I am shocked to see so many flawed bottles. I am well thru my first case and just opened number 7 to decant for this afternoon and have never had one yet.
My experiences with this wine which started in 2013 have been excellent. The wine is still very primary and has been drinking better and better as time passes. I do find that it is necessary to airate and decant for many hours 6 - 10.
The nose thismorning was amazing. I could smell it the minute I poped the cork. Beautiful darl fruit and I did take a small taste, which was stellar. An perfect balance of fruit acid and tannin. It is still just enetering the early part of it drinking phase.
I am looking forward to the balance of the Brenton '06's I have.
11/27 We consumed it last night after a 10 hour airation and decant. It was amazing and in a really good place. This is exactly we buy and cellar these wines.
Can't wait to break into my '05's
March 5, 2015 - My bottle was not seriously flawed, but there was just something not quite right with it, either, as it came across as dull and boring, which is rarely something said about the Bretons' wines. So, this is either a cranky adolescent phase or, as others have said, the closure.
November 26, 2013 - Fortunately, the last of these bottles in my cellar. Every one had that rubbery, vinyl character from these closures that made the wine absolutely undrinkable. If this were any other product at all besides wine, there would be a mandatory recall.
August 16, 2013 - Another fake closure. Another flawed bottle. I am NOT checking the flawed box. This is not a random event. This is pretty much every bottle and thus anyone looking to drink or buy these should avoid.