Needed 1 hour of decanting to breathe off the funk. Smooth, mature, and balanced with a complex flavor profile. An excellent aged wine. Was working better with the cheese than the food.
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This was a beautiful bottle that was at a point in its progression that I love. Fruit was taking a backseat to the green, pencil lead, herbal, and bretty funk. When Cabernet Franc starts to feel like Burgundy, I could not be happier. Still had plenty of acidity to hold on for 3-5 years, but why not just drink it now and truly enjoy it?
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No formal notes taken but earth, minerals and bell peppers dominated the impression, with fruit lingering in the background. Balanced amount tannins and acidity, has aged very nicely.
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Decanted 30 mins ahead. Leather, green pepper, and red currant nose. Vibrant, earthy fruit on the palate. More consistent through the evening than the ‘86, but the 86 was more subtly sophisticated later.... Long finish, and classic overall profile. Paired with steak.
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@Les Marchands. Nose of classic Bordeaux esters: new rubber, new inflatable swimming pool, with an undertone of spices - sage, cinnamon, cedar. Body medium to medium light, color an unsaturated reddish with good orange bricking, a thick margin. Palate remained with fresh acidity, structure was present but gentle, the veriest tiny hint of oak toast on the back palate. Balance was perfect, absolutely could not have been better - paired wonderfully with shakshuka, a spicy egg dish. After a splash decant and an hour in the sun, the back palate was giving an unmistakeable note of green bell pepper, a pleasant parting gift.
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Refreshingly perfectly aged. A gentle line drive with flowers and earth the whole way (and a little more energy than the bottle at the other week's tasting).
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Breton Bourgueil Perrières Vertical (Arlequin Wine Merchant, San Francisco): Enjoyably funky. Herbal and earthy. Very Soft Texture. Same candy corn finish as other vintages. A gentle, heart-warming winter drinker. Doesn't have the backbone to pair with food as well as most vintages of Les Perrieres, but you could try it with a mild hard cheese. Drink now.
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I was a bit skeptical this would have much life in it when I bought it, but the wine store clerk was insistent it would. Still had a bit of freshness and good fruit to it. Clearly in a tertiary phase. Interesting to be able to have tried a cab franc with that amount of age. Prefer them a bit younger though.
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Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and good tannins. The mid-palate is lacking slightly along with balanced tones of leather, earth, dark red cherries, and bell peppers.
Overall: This is a quality Chinon. It is showing a bit less than the other Bretons, but it's still very enjoyable and seems like it would be better on it's own.
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Equally spectacular as the '86 served alongside; yet quite different given the identical provenance. Decanted 45mins ahead. Medium bodied, but deep ruby color. Leather and herbs on the nose. Plums on the palate. Fresh with good acidity, but somehow this felt plusher than the '86. True test: '92 decanter was empty first, even though we poured '86 first. Brilliant with pan-grilled duck breast, glazed apples, lentils. Did I mention the cheese course? (Nettlesome from Valley Shepherd, et al...)
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A nice bottle of wine tat was pure on the palate, however it lacked the richness and lengthy finish of the 1986 I had two weeks prior. Perhaps it needs more cellar time.
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12/11/2020 - Winiac wrote: 92 Points
Needed 1 hour of decanting to breathe off the funk. Smooth, mature, and balanced with a complex flavor profile. An excellent aged wine. Was working better with the cheese than the food.
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1/30/2020 - bkc1428 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a beautiful bottle that was at a point in its progression that I love. Fruit was taking a backseat to the green, pencil lead, herbal, and bretty funk. When Cabernet Franc starts to feel like Burgundy, I could not be happier. Still had plenty of acidity to hold on for 3-5 years, but why not just drink it now and truly enjoy it?
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6/29/2018 - arvidpalmqvist Likes this wine:
No formal notes taken but earth, minerals and bell peppers dominated the impression, with fruit lingering in the background. Balanced amount tannins and acidity, has aged very nicely.
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4/29/2018 - M.Batard wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 30 mins ahead. Leather, green pepper, and red currant nose. Vibrant, earthy fruit on the palate. More consistent through the evening than the ‘86, but the 86 was more subtly sophisticated later.... Long finish, and classic overall profile. Paired with steak.
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6/24/2017 - viniferous Likes this wine:
@Les Marchands. Nose of classic Bordeaux esters: new rubber, new inflatable swimming pool, with an undertone of spices - sage, cinnamon, cedar. Body medium to medium light, color an unsaturated reddish with good orange bricking, a thick margin. Palate remained with fresh acidity, structure was present but gentle, the veriest tiny hint of oak toast on the back palate. Balance was perfect, absolutely could not have been better - paired wonderfully with shakshuka, a spicy egg dish. After a splash decant and an hour in the sun, the back palate was giving an unmistakeable note of green bell pepper, a pleasant parting gift.
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5/6/2017 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 93 Points
PnP at Californios. Super funky and intriguing. Drink now. 13%
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2/7/2017 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Refreshingly perfectly aged. A gentle line drive with flowers and earth the whole way (and a little more energy than the bottle at the other week's tasting).
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1/26/2017 - Rollerball wrote: 91 Points
Breton Bourgueil Perrières Vertical (Arlequin Wine Merchant, San Francisco): Enjoyably funky. Herbal and earthy. Very Soft Texture. Same candy corn finish as other vintages. A gentle, heart-warming winter drinker. Doesn't have the backbone to pair with food as well as most vintages of Les Perrieres, but you could try it with a mild hard cheese. Drink now.
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1/26/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Breton Bourgueil Perrières Vertical (Arlequin Wine Merchant, San Francisco): Light, brown, completely mature looking. Light, delicate, herbaceous, stalky with odd brown sugar notes. Underripe finish. A disaster.
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8/15/2013 - kenthargis wrote:
I was a bit skeptical this would have much life in it when I bought it, but the wine store clerk was insistent it would. Still had a bit of freshness and good fruit to it. Clearly in a tertiary phase. Interesting to be able to have tried a cab franc with that amount of age. Prefer them a bit younger though.
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6/24/2013 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
Rotating Dinner Series- A Focus on Cabernet Franc (Domaine Wine Storage, Chicago IL): Nose: This has a real nice rusticness to it on the nose with tones of leather, herbs, dark red cherries, earth, and root vegetables. There is nice depth and some good layering too.
Taste: Medium bodied with medium+ acidity and good tannins. The mid-palate is lacking slightly along with balanced tones of leather, earth, dark red cherries, and bell peppers.
Overall: This is a quality Chinon. It is showing a bit less than the other Bretons, but it's still very enjoyable and seems like it would be better on it's own.
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1/5/2013 - bpj87 wrote: 91 Points
Bel Air Bacchanal (Los Angeles, California): Herbal and vegetal. Light in body and very high in acidity. The palate is a little creamy and the tannins are sweet.
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1/4/2013 - mjg87 wrote: 89 Points
Tomato, red fruit, and vegetal scents. Mild and light-bodied. Great nose, but the palate disappoints.
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7/6/2012 - M.Batard wrote: 93 Points
Equally spectacular as the '86 served alongside; yet quite different given the identical provenance. Decanted 45mins ahead. Medium bodied, but deep ruby color. Leather and herbs on the nose. Plums on the palate. Fresh with good acidity, but somehow this felt plusher than the '86. True test: '92 decanter was empty first, even though we poured '86 first. Brilliant with pan-grilled duck breast, glazed apples, lentils. Did I mention the cheese course? (Nettlesome from Valley Shepherd, et al...)
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3/28/2012 - cardsandwine wrote:
A nice bottle of wine tat was pure on the palate, however it lacked the richness and lengthy finish of the 1986 I had two weeks prior. Perhaps it needs more cellar time.
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