Very light for a caronne , light in colour and on the palate it’s light too, high acidity . Sour strawberries , leather , damp earth , cigar box a hint of herbaceous. Showed more fruit after a few hours.. very nice ! Second night and not a huge difference, a little vanilla and a tiny bit of spice that wasn’t there yesterday
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First bottle in 2 years. This is developing nicely. Plenty on the nose with cedar, blackcurrant, earth, a touch of vanilla. Still a little lean and acidic. Another bottle in 12 months.
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13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. Half bottle. The cork has reasonable length and is of pretty good quality; no wine penetration but some tartrate deposits. Not decanted as I found the last bottle to be on the soft side. Deep colour with minimal thinning at the rim. Good nose with a harmonious mix of reddish fruit and élevage; similarly poised in the mouth with excellent acidity and good grip as well as a commendable juicy quality; significant confectionery in the finish, although less so than the last time when I decanted. A perfect companion to grilled lamb chops. A perennial overachiever in a no non sense sturdy mode, now sadly subsumed in the Magrez morass.
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Decanted for 7 hours, the 2016 poured as a beautiful accompaniment to roasted lamb chops. On the palate, it was well-rounded with restrained tannins. Hints of bayleaf and leather on the nose, with gratifying taste on the palate. Satisfaction continued thru the cheese plate, where it was an excellent pairing with aged English cheddar.
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Light to mid weight, with a nice flinty core ans cedar spiced fruits. Crisp ans clean with wonderful bdx typicity. Tannins light but present. In a good spot. Doubt this will make old bones but it’s balanced.
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Much better than the bottle I had 8 months ago, the issues I had last time have gone.
I decanted this a couple of hours ahead, but then it drank well over 4 days, so still has years ahead of it. It has plenty of tannin still, but well covered by the developed fruit. Over the days it gained in balance and elegance. So nice to drink now, but keep some for later.
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This really is very good. Plenty of fruit but stacked with tannic structure with a long finish. Ste. Gemme always used to be good but a bit austere. This is still classical stuff but is also now seems fun to drink. Brilliant
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Initially subdued on the nose and a little thin and dilute on the palate. Given a couple of hours and allowed to warm from cellar temp, it has opened up. Low acidity, some tannic grip, sweet blackcurrant fruit and slightly leafy. Not complex or long, but easy drinking and does the job. A good old-fashioned lunchtime claret!
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Fine nose with cassis, plum, licorice and chocolate. Really some power here, made in a rustic, old school bdx way, but plenty of fruit with nice sweetness to balance. A pretty long finish with nice tannins and a lot of dryness.
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Appearance: Clear and bright, medium ruby in color with some signs of aging on the rim. Nose: Clean and pronounced, with aromas of black fruit (blackberry, blackcurrant), red fruit (cherry, raspberry), and some secondary notes of cedar, tobacco, and leather. Palate: Dry, medium-bodied with high acidity, medium tannins, and a moderate alcohol level. The flavors reflect the nose, with black and red fruit notes, and some earthy and spicy undertones. The finish is medium in length, with a slightly bitter and tannic aftertaste. Quality: This is a good-quality wine, with balanced acidity and tannins, and a complex and evolving flavor profile that shows some signs of aging. It has a good length and a firm structure that suggests it can age further.
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Half. Mid ruby, aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, prune, stewed fruit, cedar, toast, vanilla, leather, tobacco & wet leaves. Decent acidity with grippy ripe tannins. On the palate blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry, toast, cedar, smoke, leather & meat. Good length. Very good. Nice balance and still time in hand. Good range of flavours & excellent value.
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13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. From a half bottle. Very good dense cork essentially free of defect; tartrate deposits but no wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead. The colour is deep enough but not ink dark. The nose is appealingly red fruited, youthful and without complexity. No perception of oak. The mouth is in the same vein with an irresistible juicy quality; no unresolved tannins, but yet no lack of grip. Very well made and a celebration of CS. Had this in parallel with the remnants of a bottle of Pontet Canet 1999; clearly the present wine is simpler but the pleasures offered by the two wines were sufficiently differentiated to allow them both to shine. The chateau has since been acquired by B Magrez, and I fear the worst.
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A second bottle of this for me, nowhere near as dense or rich as the previous one. Surprised to see no sediment at all and only a vague trace of smokiness at the bottom of the bottle which I separated off when decanting (tasting this revealed it was no different to the rest of the bottle). Feels much more restrained and lighter bodied than the previous bottle and somewhat underwhelming. Not sure if this bottle was flawed or the other one! Brett much less obvious on this bottle, only showing faint traces after 4 days open. Little evolution over the course of this time, constantly felt as if it just hadn't had enough air or as if it were a tad too cold. Could be mild TCA muting the flavours, but no discernible TCA smell despite searching for it.
Maybe just bottle variation? Both from the same source, Majestic, purchased about six months apart (this bottle in May 2022, the other in September).
Echoing some things some other people have said. The palate seems quite developed - leathery and brambly flavours of an older wine - but then there is quite a big ugh of tannins and alcohol hotness. The colour is also developed. I have 2010s that look and taste less developed than this, though tbf at twice the price. So really rather disjointed or poorly integrated. The overall effect is rustic. But there is a lot of flavour there, which is probably why the merchant who sold it to me thought it rather more promising than it seems on this showing. I decanted it and drank it over 3 days and it didn't really change very much.
I have had something similar to this with some claret before, and it did eventually come around. So maybe we'll be lucky in time.
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I expected more freshness, vitality and…. mostly…. classic structure for a 2016. Soft, ripe, silky isn’t what I expected. OK this sounds nice but the flavour is too ripe, dark plums plus some brett.
This used to be cheap old-school claret. Now it’s a bit souped up (consultants?), probably way more reliable and acceptable to retailers but it’s stewed fruit (ripe and unripe).
13% (probably a bit more). Cork.
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I like this. It took about 2h in the "ship's" decanter to really hit its stride, then after about 3h I really noticed the brettanomyces quite suddenly and all I could smell was that.
The tannins are present still, nice texture even though the bottle threw a remarkable amount of sediment for a wine that is only 6 years old. Aside from the Brett, dark fruits, cigar box and liquorice root on the nose and a savoury palate with a slight touch of eucalyptus, graphite/pencil and cedar.
This is my third bottle of CSG, having tried the 1998 in about 2005 and again in roughly 2018. Comparatively the '98 seemed a lot more tannic at a similar age, but of course was a completely different beast by 20.
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First quite intense nose with licorice, tobacco and plum. Palate is quite powerfull ending in a fine finish with tannins that dominates, but also lovely sweet fruit. This is classic Haut Medoc and just tasty, although its not refined, but does well on intensity. This is a special chateau for me since the beginning of my cellar was the 1990 vintage. I had the last bottle last year, so this will last many years and I guess 2016 will improve.
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Deep ruby with good sheen. Aromas of dark fruit and red fruit mixed in with cedar and green peppers. Fresh and smooth palate. A lovely wine for a bargain.
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A Nony-borie wine, situated virtually on top of Labat. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot. 13% abv. NOSE: radiant mineral emerging from startling, meaty, bacon-scented blackberry. MOUTH: Tense and lean, with ripe berries. The tannins are spicy and grippy yet linear, and thoroughly domesticated. The predominantly red berry fruit is involved with a little salt. It seems to accumulate a specific minty, papery reduction; it’s a familiar fault; if I was of the right mind, maybe I could consider it a feature. This wine goes well with Barnburner cheese. The finish is a little short for something so elaborate.
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A: Medium ruby N: medium + nose of iodine, medicinal, barnyard, red cherry, red plum, cranberries, bramble, juniper, liquorice, black currant leaf P:Dry, medium + acid, high grippy tannins, high alcohol (13% so nope) medium (+) intensity, medium finish (others got medium +) C: Tannins poorly integrated and resolved at this time so Not in balance. The red and black fruit are accompanied by an old world Brettanomyces factor carrying through a good intensity to a rather clipped finish. The wine is of good quality. Better quality examples might have smoother tannins and longer finishes.
Ageable with tannin resolving to a smoother form and fruit developing into complex tertiary notes in time. This wine has years left to develop.
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65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Mind you, the château's website only goes up to 2012 for its vintage details! While close to Gruaud Larose at the southern end of St Julien, it is separated by a wood.
Colour: med deep red, med rim, purple tinge. Nose: full, ripe, cassis, perfumed, plum, classic Médoc. Taste: light/med body, rounded, fleshy, not very dense, cassis, plum, earthy, med finish, soft, ripe, pleasant. Gains in weight with decanting time. Overall, like all v ripe 2016s well resolved tannins, seemingly forward. Has weight, balance and ripeness as it evolves into quite an impressive wine. Great value for the quality.
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Consistent with previous notes. Some substance gained over several days. That's the first half of the case enjoyed young. Will consume the second half over a longer period
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First bottle from case. Decanted for an hour before meal. A very enjoyable bottle. Nose was typical left bank Bordeaux, with some cedar, vegetal notes. Had some tannin grip, but initial thoughts were of a very good Medoc wine. Finish was a little short and the initial burst of black fruits were less noticeable in subsequent glasses. Would buy again and drink from about 5/6 years old.
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By glasses. Soft wine, worthy representative of your area. Blue flowers with notes of blueberries on the nose. Elegant but direct. Balanced and quite resolved in the mouth. There is depth and some elegance. To watch.
Por copas. Vino suave, digno representante de su zona. Flores azules con notas de arándanos en nariz. Elegante aunque directo. Equilibrado y bastante resuelto en boca. Hay profundidad y algo de elegancia. A seguir.
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13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. From a half bottle. Shortish white cork, but very dense; maybe the length seems appropriate to the format, but in actual fact the neck of a half bottle of Bordeaux is only marginally shorter than on a full bottle (I measured 6.5cm vs 7.5cm). After this fascinating bit of info that the whole world and his wife was waiting for, let's get to the wine. Opened 20 mn ahead to give a modicum of air. Served slightly cool as a result of the last minute decision to open the bottle. Medium dark colour. The nose is superb with vivid wild red berries, I detect CS here! The mouth is equally good with plenty of drive and a winning juicy aspect (more CS). Nothing opulent, no perception of oak, but equally nothing vegetal or under-ripe. Substantial acidity in the finish, but nothing to throw the wine out of balance. A vg Médoc, utterly reliable even if sampled in less than ideal conditions (early on in its life and without decanting). This has such an easy natural style and a purity of fruit which is not that common in Bordeaux. A repeat purchase for sure, even though I am not supposed to buy more Bordeaux according to my own actuarial rules.
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13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. From a half bottle, decanted for a good hour. Pretty good whitish cork with some tartrate deposits. Deep colour with some thinning at the edge of the rim. Vivid nose with dark wild berries and the CS signature of ripe pepper. The mouth follows suit, with soft pepper in evidence again, giving vigour and grip to the wine; nothing opulent or even rounded here, but no bitterness either, indicating that the tannins are ripe. Very young of course, and best left for CS lovers at this stage. I like it at this young vigorous stage, but it will become more civilised with bottle age.
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The progression of this has maintained its trajectory from the last 2 bottles confined. Nose has more black fruit, some leather, tobacco, starting to round out. Palate is even, red and black fruits coming through with a medium finish. Pleasant young wine, though this will develop nicely for many years.
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Delightfully crunchy fruit through this. Didn't show as many green notes as previous bottle - they came through more after a couple of days. Delightful to drink in its youth.
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Typical Bordeaux nose with a leafy edge from the cabernet. Elegant palate, some leafy berries, green presence makes itself felt on the finish. Pleasant, though will be better when that finish develops in a few years.
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Popped and poured from a half. 2016 shows a its influence here. Plenty going on. Lead pencil shavings and blackcurrant. Plenty of grip which resolves a little over time in the glass. Needs food and ideally another year or so
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13% alcohol. Short dense cork. From a half bottle opened at the last minute as a replacement for a corked Lagrange, so served at cellar temperature and without decanting. In spite of these suboptimal serving conditions, the wine performs well. Initially, the vigour comes across in a nearly excessive way, but in time a youthful harmony emerges, with vibrant red fruit and good grip. This property rarely disappoints, and this vintage should mature into something more rounded. To be followed up over time out of more civilised containers.
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13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. From a half bottle. Decanted an hour ahead. Very good dense cork. Very dark colour. The nose is very good and reminiscent of a cross between a top Terrasses du Larzac and a Chinon (not meant in a derogatory way, these wines can be magnificent); liquorice and some herbs. The mouth is vg too with plenty of energy and grip but no aggressive tannins. No sign of oak. The overall impression is one of freshness and juiciness (which are not normally Bordeaux' strongest suits in my opinion). Surprisingly approachable at this early stage and somewhat unformed, but very enjoyable nevertheless, with more harmonious experiences ahead. One of the most reliable Haut Médoc producers in my experience.
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Leafy, tobacco, herb and ripe, bright red fruits are found here from start to finish in this medium bodied wine. Give it at least a few years to soft and round out and it should be a better
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Medium bodied, with lean to the bright, crunchy, red berry side of the style range, with a touch of espresso, tobacco and fresh, red fruits in the end note
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5/4/2024 - #alexindahouse Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very light for a caronne , light in colour and on the palate it’s light too, high acidity . Sour strawberries , leather , damp earth , cigar box a hint of herbaceous. Showed more fruit after a few hours.. very nice ! Second night and not a huge difference, a little vanilla and a tiny bit of spice that wasn’t there yesterday
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2/23/2024 - Paul@bbott Likes this wine: 89 Points
First bottle in 2 years. This is developing nicely. Plenty on the nose with cedar, blackcurrant, earth, a touch of vanilla. Still a little lean and acidic. Another bottle in 12 months.
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2/20/2024 - Smahlatz Likes this wine: 91 Points
Has really developed with tertiary notes starting to emerge. Dusty, leather, tannins subdued, fruit prominent
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11/21/2023 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. Half bottle. The cork has reasonable length and is of pretty good quality; no wine penetration but some tartrate deposits. Not decanted as I found the last bottle to be on the soft side. Deep colour with minimal thinning at the rim.
Good nose with a harmonious mix of reddish fruit and élevage; similarly poised in the mouth with excellent acidity and good grip as well as a commendable juicy quality; significant confectionery in the finish, although less so than the last time when I decanted. A perfect companion to grilled lamb chops.
A perennial overachiever in a no non sense sturdy mode, now sadly subsumed in the Magrez morass.
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11/5/2023 - RJMP Likes this wine: 89 Points
Decanted for 7 hours, the 2016 poured as a beautiful accompaniment to roasted lamb chops. On the palate, it was well-rounded with restrained tannins. Hints of bayleaf and leather on the nose, with gratifying taste on the palate. Satisfaction continued thru the cheese plate, where it was an excellent pairing with aged English cheddar.
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10/3/2023 - davesdream Likes this wine:
Lightweight, the perfume is enticing. Second night still holding together, there is some good fruit here. 60% Cab.
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9/19/2023 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Light to mid weight, with a nice flinty core ans cedar spiced fruits. Crisp ans clean with wonderful bdx typicity. Tannins light but present. In a good spot. Doubt this will make old bones but it’s balanced.
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7/1/2023 - Echinosum Likes this wine: 88 Points
Much better than the bottle I had 8 months ago, the issues I had last time have gone.
I decanted this a couple of hours ahead, but then it drank well over 4 days, so still has years ahead of it. It has plenty of tannin still, but well covered by the developed fruit. Over the days it gained in balance and elegance. So nice to drink now, but keep some for later.
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6/20/2023 - Dj6544 wrote: 91 Points
This really is very good. Plenty of fruit but stacked with tannic structure with a long finish. Ste. Gemme always used to be good but a bit austere. This is still classical stuff but is also now seems fun to drink. Brilliant
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6/17/2023 - Matt.H wrote: 86 Points
Initially subdued on the nose and a little thin and dilute on the palate. Given a couple of hours and allowed to warm from cellar temp, it has opened up. Low acidity, some tannic grip, sweet blackcurrant fruit and slightly leafy. Not complex or long, but easy drinking and does the job. A good old-fashioned lunchtime claret!
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5/19/2023 - Whitman wrote: 90 Points
Fine nose with cassis, plum, licorice and chocolate. Really some power here, made in a rustic, old school bdx way, but plenty of fruit with nice sweetness to balance. A pretty long finish with nice tannins and a lot of dryness.
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4/6/2023 - Folkmar wrote:
Appearance: Clear and bright, medium ruby in color with some signs of aging on the rim.
Nose: Clean and pronounced, with aromas of black fruit (blackberry, blackcurrant), red fruit (cherry, raspberry), and some secondary notes of cedar, tobacco, and leather.
Palate: Dry, medium-bodied with high acidity, medium tannins, and a moderate alcohol level. The flavors reflect the nose, with black and red fruit notes, and some earthy and spicy undertones. The finish is medium in length, with a slightly bitter and tannic aftertaste.
Quality: This is a good-quality wine, with balanced acidity and tannins, and a complex and evolving flavor profile that shows some signs of aging. It has a good length and a firm structure that suggests it can age further.
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1/29/2023 - JonathanFlavell Likes this wine:
Half. Mid ruby, aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, prune, stewed fruit, cedar, toast, vanilla, leather, tobacco & wet leaves. Decent acidity with grippy ripe tannins. On the palate blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry, toast, cedar, smoke, leather & meat. Good length. Very good. Nice balance and still time in hand. Good range of flavours & excellent value.
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1/24/2023 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. From a half bottle. Very good dense cork essentially free of defect; tartrate deposits but no wine penetration. Decanted an hour ahead. The colour is deep enough but not ink dark.
The nose is appealingly red fruited, youthful and without complexity. No perception of oak. The mouth is in the same vein with an irresistible juicy quality; no unresolved tannins, but yet no lack of grip. Very well made and a celebration of CS.
Had this in parallel with the remnants of a bottle of Pontet Canet 1999; clearly the present wine is simpler but the pleasures offered by the two wines were sufficiently differentiated to allow them both to shine.
The chateau has since been acquired by B Magrez, and I fear the worst.
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11/20/2022 - GHRM002 wrote: 89 Points
Pulled the cork and off we went. First impressions, really very pleasant; Youthful, but well integrated and not overly aggressive on the tanins.
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11/13/2022 - sjw_11 wrote: 87 Points
No proper notes made, but this was a fairly enjoyable, quite deeply fruited Haut-Medoc that seems pretty good value around €13.
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11/8/2022 - mattmoy_2000 wrote:
A second bottle of this for me, nowhere near as dense or rich as the previous one. Surprised to see no sediment at all and only a vague trace of smokiness at the bottom of the bottle which I separated off when decanting (tasting this revealed it was no different to the rest of the bottle).
Feels much more restrained and lighter bodied than the previous bottle and somewhat underwhelming. Not sure if this bottle was flawed or the other one! Brett much less obvious on this bottle, only showing faint traces after 4 days open. Little evolution over the course of this time, constantly felt as if it just hadn't had enough air or as if it were a tad too cold. Could be mild TCA muting the flavours, but no discernible TCA smell despite searching for it.
Maybe just bottle variation? Both from the same source, Majestic, purchased about six months apart (this bottle in May 2022, the other in September).
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10/17/2022 - Smahlatz wrote:
Hmm, had certainly out on a little weight, but felt a bit stewed. I reserve judgement on this for now.
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10/17/2022 - Echinosum wrote:
Echoing some things some other people have said. The palate seems quite developed - leathery and brambly flavours of an older wine - but then there is quite a big ugh of tannins and alcohol hotness. The colour is also developed. I have 2010s that look and taste less developed than this, though tbf at twice the price. So really rather disjointed or poorly integrated. The overall effect is rustic. But there is a lot of flavour there, which is probably why the merchant who sold it to me thought it rather more promising than it seems on this showing. I decanted it and drank it over 3 days and it didn't really change very much.
I have had something similar to this with some claret before, and it did eventually come around. So maybe we'll be lucky in time.
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9/30/2022 - ProfByron wrote: 86 Points
I expected more freshness, vitality and…. mostly…. classic structure for a 2016. Soft, ripe, silky isn’t what I expected. OK this sounds nice but the flavour is too ripe, dark plums plus some brett.
This used to be cheap old-school claret. Now it’s a bit souped up (consultants?), probably way more reliable and acceptable to retailers but it’s stewed fruit (ripe and unripe).
13% (probably a bit more). Cork.
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9/26/2022 - mattmoy_2000 Likes this wine:
I like this. It took about 2h in the "ship's" decanter to really hit its stride, then after about 3h I really noticed the brettanomyces quite suddenly and all I could smell was that.
The tannins are present still, nice texture even though the bottle threw a remarkable amount of sediment for a wine that is only 6 years old. Aside from the Brett, dark fruits, cigar box and liquorice root on the nose and a savoury palate with a slight touch of eucalyptus, graphite/pencil and cedar.
This is my third bottle of CSG, having tried the 1998 in about 2005 and again in roughly 2018. Comparatively the '98 seemed a lot more tannic at a similar age, but of course was a completely different beast by 20.
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8/2/2022 - Whitman wrote: 90 Points
First quite intense nose with licorice, tobacco and plum. Palate is quite powerfull ending in a fine finish with tannins that dominates, but also lovely sweet fruit.
This is classic Haut Medoc and just tasty, although its not refined, but does well on intensity.
This is a special chateau for me since the beginning of my cellar was the 1990 vintage. I had the last bottle last year, so this will last many years and I guess 2016 will improve.
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6/24/2022 - elrascuache Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep ruby with good sheen. Aromas of dark fruit and red fruit mixed in with cedar and green peppers. Fresh and smooth palate. A lovely wine for a bargain.
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3/25/2022 - Putnam Weekley Likes this wine: 88 Points
A Nony-borie wine, situated virtually on top of Labat. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot. 13% abv. NOSE: radiant mineral emerging from startling, meaty, bacon-scented blackberry. MOUTH: Tense and lean, with ripe berries. The tannins are spicy and grippy yet linear, and thoroughly domesticated. The predominantly red berry fruit is involved with a little salt. It seems to accumulate a specific minty, papery reduction; it’s a familiar fault; if I was of the right mind, maybe I could consider it a feature. This wine goes well with Barnburner cheese. The finish is a little short for something so elaborate.
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3/17/2022 - Heynetty wrote:
D3 Tasting Prep with Mike, Sarah and Lauren (Mike's House): Tasted Blind
A: Medium ruby
N: medium + nose of iodine, medicinal, barnyard, red cherry, red plum, cranberries, bramble, juniper, liquorice, black currant leaf
P:Dry, medium + acid, high grippy tannins, high alcohol (13% so nope) medium (+) intensity, medium finish (others got medium +)
C: Tannins poorly integrated and resolved at this time so Not in balance. The red and black fruit are accompanied by an old world Brettanomyces factor carrying through a good intensity to a rather clipped finish. The wine is of good quality. Better quality examples might have smoother tannins and longer finishes.
Ageable with tannin resolving to a smoother form and fruit developing into complex tertiary notes in time. This wine has years left to develop.
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1/20/2022 - Michael Mackenzie Likes this wine: 88 Points
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Mind you, the château's website only goes up to 2012 for its vintage details! While close to Gruaud Larose at the southern end of St Julien, it is separated by a wood.
Colour: med deep red, med rim, purple tinge.
Nose: full, ripe, cassis, perfumed, plum, classic Médoc.
Taste: light/med body, rounded, fleshy, not very dense, cassis, plum, earthy, med finish, soft, ripe, pleasant. Gains in weight with decanting time.
Overall, like all v ripe 2016s well resolved tannins, seemingly forward. Has weight, balance and ripeness as it evolves into quite an impressive wine. Great value for the quality.
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12/31/2021 - chbeaumont wrote: 86 Points
Garnet rim; cedar, expressive, herbal, briars; palate more diminished, pinched; narrow, attenuated finished. Time may improve. May..…
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9/6/2021 - Smahlatz Likes this wine: 89 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Some substance gained over several days. That's the first half of the case enjoyed young. Will consume the second half over a longer period
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8/9/2021 - Gannet2013 wrote:
Just entering its drinking window (from halves) . Plenty of tobacco, herbal notes , tannins largely resolved
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7/26/2021 - Smahlatz wrote: 89 Points
Textbook Haut Medoc. Drinking nicely, quite fruit forward, but will age for many years yet
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7/3/2021 - PhilJ Likes this wine: 89 Points
First bottle from case. Decanted for an hour before meal. A very enjoyable bottle. Nose was typical left bank Bordeaux, with some cedar, vegetal notes. Had some tannin grip, but initial thoughts were of a very good Medoc wine. Finish was a little short and the initial burst of black fruits were less noticeable in subsequent glasses. Would buy again and drink from about 5/6 years old.
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6/8/2021 - OWC wrote: 89 Points
This began a bit funky, but settled down offering gentle brambly fruit around a more earthy, metallic core. Probably hold this for now - or decant.
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5/31/2021 - Smahlatz Likes this wine: 88 Points
Consistent with previous notes. Joyful
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5/8/2021 - Harley1199 Likes this wine:
By glasses. Soft wine, worthy representative of your area. Blue flowers with notes of blueberries on the nose. Elegant but direct. Balanced and quite resolved in the mouth. There is depth and some elegance. To watch.
Por copas. Vino suave, digno representante de su zona. Flores azules con notas de arándanos en nariz. Elegante aunque directo. Equilibrado y bastante resuelto en boca. Hay profundidad y algo de elegancia. A seguir.
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5/4/2021 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. From a half bottle. Shortish white cork, but very dense; maybe the length seems appropriate to the format, but in actual fact the neck of a half bottle of Bordeaux is only marginally shorter than on a full bottle (I measured 6.5cm vs 7.5cm).
After this fascinating bit of info that the whole world and his wife was waiting for, let's get to the wine. Opened 20 mn ahead to give a modicum of air. Served slightly cool as a result of the last minute decision to open the bottle. Medium dark colour.
The nose is superb with vivid wild red berries, I detect CS here! The mouth is equally good with plenty of drive and a winning juicy aspect (more CS). Nothing opulent, no perception of oak, but equally nothing vegetal or under-ripe. Substantial acidity in the finish, but nothing to throw the wine out of balance.
A vg Médoc, utterly reliable even if sampled in less than ideal conditions (early on in its life and without decanting). This has such an easy natural style and a purity of fruit which is not that common in Bordeaux.
A repeat purchase for sure, even though I am not supposed to buy more Bordeaux according to my own actuarial rules.
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3/23/2021 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. From a half bottle, decanted for a good hour. Pretty good whitish cork with some tartrate deposits. Deep colour with some thinning at the edge of the rim.
Vivid nose with dark wild berries and the CS signature of ripe pepper. The mouth follows suit, with soft pepper in evidence again, giving vigour and grip to the wine; nothing opulent or even rounded here, but no bitterness either, indicating that the tannins are ripe.
Very young of course, and best left for CS lovers at this stage.
I like it at this young vigorous stage, but it will become more civilised with bottle age.
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3/8/2021 - Smahlatz Likes this wine: 88 Points
The progression of this has maintained its trajectory from the last 2 bottles confined. Nose has more black fruit, some leather, tobacco, starting to round out. Palate is even, red and black fruits coming through with a medium finish. Pleasant young wine, though this will develop nicely for many years.
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12/14/2020 - Smahlatz Likes this wine: 87 Points
Delightfully crunchy fruit through this. Didn't show as many green notes as previous bottle - they came through more after a couple of days. Delightful to drink in its youth.
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9/20/2020 - Smahlatz Likes this wine: 87 Points
Typical Bordeaux nose with a leafy edge from the cabernet. Elegant palate, some leafy berries, green presence makes itself felt on the finish. Pleasant, though will be better when that finish develops in a few years.
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7/28/2020 - dwynne Likes this wine: 87 Points
Very competent, good value Bordeaux. Surprisingly light summer fruits, with some cigar box tannins on the finish, which musters some complexity.
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5/4/2020 - Gannet2013 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Popped and poured from a half. 2016 shows a its influence here. Plenty going on. Lead pencil shavings and blackcurrant. Plenty of grip which resolves a little over time in the glass. Needs food and ideally another year or so
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5/3/2020 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. Short dense cork. From a half bottle opened at the last minute as a replacement for a corked Lagrange, so served at cellar temperature and without decanting. In spite of these suboptimal serving conditions, the wine performs well. Initially, the vigour comes across in a nearly excessive way, but in time a youthful harmony emerges, with vibrant red fruit and good grip. This property rarely disappoints, and this vintage should mature into something more rounded. To be followed up over time out of more civilised containers.
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4/24/2020 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 81 Points
Cherry and red apple fruit with a strangely elevated juiciness. Also some raw wood sticking out and an underripe element reminiscent of dried hay.
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4/21/2020 - Gannet2013 wrote: 87 Points
A bit green at the moment. Revisit in a year or more. From 375ml
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3/24/2020 - Eudemis Likes this wine:
13% alcohol. CS 65%, M 30%, PV 5%. From a half bottle. Decanted an hour ahead. Very good dense cork. Very dark colour.
The nose is very good and reminiscent of a cross between a top Terrasses du Larzac and a Chinon (not meant in a derogatory way, these wines can be magnificent); liquorice and some herbs.
The mouth is vg too with plenty of energy and grip but no aggressive tannins. No sign of oak. The overall impression is one of freshness and juiciness (which are not normally Bordeaux' strongest suits in my opinion).
Surprisingly approachable at this early stage and somewhat unformed, but very enjoyable nevertheless, with more harmonious experiences ahead.
One of the most reliable Haut Médoc producers in my experience.
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9/21/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 87 Points
Leafy, tobacco, herb and ripe, bright red fruits are found here from start to finish in this medium bodied wine. Give it at least a few years to soft and round out and it should be a better
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4/29/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 87 Points
Medium bodied, with lean to the bright, crunchy, red berry side of the style range, with a touch of espresso, tobacco and fresh, red fruits in the end note
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