April 22, 2024 - Was hoping for better. The fruit was not bright, tannins not silky smooth. Finish was rather astringent with a prune edge. At 15 years, I truly doubt this wine has more to show. If it were blossoming, I would see hints by now. I have another bottle so here is hoping to bottle variation. Disappointing St Emillion. I detected no merlot in this wine although obviously it is there. Stored in a stand alone cellar since arrival.
February 7, 2024 - 7 months later and this is much more ready. Really a proper claret with all the gentleness and finesse of SE.
February 3, 2024 - Another really nice bottle of this. This bottle seems almost peak-drinking, but it will not fall off the table any time soon. Open, radiant and giving, slightly richer style, but really works nicely here. I would probably drink this over the next 5-10 years or so.
January 6, 2024 - Weird purplish ruby. Black fruit pie nose with some alcohol fumes. Hot, extracted, loads of dark fruit. More drinkable on day two but still not that great.
November 23, 2023 - Just lovely. Had with friends. Decanted one hour before first pour. Everything you want: great nose, interesting darkish fruit, lovely medium to fine grained tannins, and a delightful finish. Will last a couple more years but glad we opened this one.
October 1, 2023 - The nose is great with lots of fruit and damp earth but the palate is still dominate by the tannins. Bottle has great potential with a few more years.
July 23, 2023 - This was drinking well after an hour decant. Tasted great with a filet.
July 23, 2023 - I thought this wasn’t ready. Also after 1,5 hr decant. Tannins still dominate. Leave my 5 bottles for 2025.
June 20, 2023 - This is indeed spoofy, but I find this bottle less off-putting than the last bottle I had 3 years ago. Perhaps it's the additional bottle age or perhaps it's me, but this was inoffensive to borderline enjoyable. Has a rich roasty nose of espresso, tobacco leaf, bing cherry and ripe plum. A donut wine that hits you in the face up front and ends strong, but is a bit hollow in the middle. Dry tannins and a bit of alcoholic heat mar the otherwise long finish. An OK showing for pretty much the worst era in BDX if you ask me, particularly on the Right Bank.
June 9, 2023 - Corked