October 30, 2021 - Paprika, Johannisbeere, vegetabile Noten, Pfeffer, Schokolade,am Gaumen wenig Komplexität, etwas grün und zehrend...
July 5, 2021 - very smooth; good fruit even though kept a bit long, it was very good
March 17, 2021 - 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.
October 14, 2020 - Starts quite bitter but evolves on the second night into a very good acidity supported tart bordeaux.
May 4, 2020 - good but not sensational, maybe I left it a bit long
December 14, 2018 - 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.
October 4, 2018 - Pop and pour. No decanting needed.
July 19, 2018 - 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.
March 11, 2017 - As before, a nice mixture of fruit and smoke/char.
February 20, 2017 - 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