Decanted off sediment, followed for an hour or so in Glasvin Prestige.
Nose shows some cedar and leather, followed by high toned red fruits. Swirling the glass brings out some underbrush notes. Palate is a true medium body, bright acid that is well balanced with the integrated tannins. Finish shows some zippy acid that leads way to classic BDX character of cedar, saddle leather, dried leaves, dried earth.
Definitely BDX, no way to mistake it for something else. This has a nice balance of secondary and primary character, with secondary just starting to take the lead. Not for the new world crowd, but will do well with classic BDX fans. Although I'm giving it an 88, I want to emphasize that this is a good 88 and I do like this wine for what it is.
Drink now or hold for 3-5 years.
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Shockingly, there is a *ton* of sediment already. Be sure to decant this.
PnP, aired in the glass, followed for a few hours. Have to say, this is pretty nice! Not sure why its getting panned on here.
Nose is a little plummy but also has old world character of leather, herbs, maybe even fallen leaves. Palate is red fruit, herbs, rocky, a touch of green pepper, with coy acid and tannin. That changes on the finish, where the tannins and acid pound their chest producing a drying, rocky, slightly herbal and green conclusion.
Scratches that Bordeaux itch with slightly more modern fruit. Strangely, this shows signs of being ready to drink, but also signs of needing cellar time. For me, this comes together quite nicely. Pretty good for the price! Lots of tannin and acid on the finish, so there's plenty of structure cellar this.
Drink now or hold for 5 years to reevaluate. Plenty of structure to hold things together.
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Color: Deep ruby. Nose: Not that expressive. Dark berries. Leather. Mouth: Too bitter for my liking. Not that much fruit. Full bodied. A bit astringent and harsh. Medium finish. Better after some aeration and together with food.
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Plummy merlot nose, notes of spices, herbs, tobacco, hints of liquorice. On the palate good acidity and structure, a little rustic with good concentration of fruit and well integrated alcohol, but slightly angular tannins. Medium depth, nice length. Great QPR. Drink or keep. 89-91
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This is a very well rounded and well structured wine in a medium body. However, the fruit seems somewhat green and underdone, regardless of the 14.5% alcohol. I think that this wine needs 2 years to lose tension and become earthier. It seems like its the only real hope for improvement due to lack of fruit depth. It seems as if this wine was made from very young vines. hold...Not a rebuy for me.
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Deep, dark and plum coloured with dark fruits and hints of sour cherry on the nose followed by cedar and spice. Medium weight with the firm tannin profile and crisp acidity.
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Taste Top Wines for May (San Diego Wine Co.): Typically a 95 % Merlot & 5% C.F. selection from the best parcels of old wine branches, situated on the plateau of Saint-Philippe-d’Aiguilhe with a clay-limestone subsoil.
N: Slightly closed, but seeming ripe with notes of earth, poss pyrazines
P: LM body; Nice, almost swtish frt fairly quickly met by almost sweetish, very, VERY fine tannins which pretty much carry through the LONG finish of the same nature. A nicely balanced wine that NEEDS into, if not through, '20 (poss longer), then going THROUGH its 10th. 14.5% ABV; My VG+/EXC-, likely more... eventually. [This vendor's $19.99 matches the only other currently listed wine-searcher source.]
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10/28/2023 - rickswan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Enjoyed with Vace pizza with friends
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2/22/2022 - Rbhan12 wrote: 88 Points
Decanted off sediment, followed for an hour or so in Glasvin Prestige.
Nose shows some cedar and leather, followed by high toned red fruits. Swirling the glass brings out some underbrush notes. Palate is a true medium body, bright acid that is well balanced with the integrated tannins. Finish shows some zippy acid that leads way to classic BDX character of cedar, saddle leather, dried leaves, dried earth.
Definitely BDX, no way to mistake it for something else. This has a nice balance of secondary and primary character, with secondary just starting to take the lead. Not for the new world crowd, but will do well with classic BDX fans. Although I'm giving it an 88, I want to emphasize that this is a good 88 and I do like this wine for what it is.
Drink now or hold for 3-5 years.
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12/10/2021 - Rbhan12 wrote: 90 Points
Shockingly, there is a *ton* of sediment already. Be sure to decant this.
PnP, aired in the glass, followed for a few hours. Have to say, this is pretty nice! Not sure why its getting panned on here.
Nose is a little plummy but also has old world character of leather, herbs, maybe even fallen leaves. Palate is red fruit, herbs, rocky, a touch of green pepper, with coy acid and tannin. That changes on the finish, where the tannins and acid pound their chest producing a drying, rocky, slightly herbal and green conclusion.
Scratches that Bordeaux itch with slightly more modern fruit. Strangely, this shows signs of being ready to drink, but also signs of needing cellar time. For me, this comes together quite nicely. Pretty good for the price! Lots of tannin and acid on the finish, so there's plenty of structure cellar this.
Drink now or hold for 5 years to reevaluate. Plenty of structure to hold things together.
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7/5/2021 - wineaficionado wrote: 84 Points
Color: Deep ruby. Nose: Not that expressive. Dark berries. Leather. Mouth: Too bitter for my liking. Not that much fruit. Full bodied. A bit astringent and harsh. Medium finish. Better after some aeration and together with food.
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10/24/2020 - InrigWine Likes this wine: 87 Points
Dark fruits. Medium tannins, enjoyable
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3/21/2020 - rossi.wine wrote: 90 Points
Plummy merlot nose, notes of spices, herbs, tobacco, hints of liquorice. On the palate good acidity and structure, a little rustic with good concentration of fruit and well integrated alcohol, but slightly angular tannins. Medium depth, nice length. Great QPR. Drink or keep. 89-91
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8/25/2019 - Drewsky Likes this wine: 88 Points
Opened up after 15 min. Good and VG at price point
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8/14/2018 - Purple Tooth wrote: 87 Points
This is a very well rounded and well structured wine in a medium body. However, the fruit seems somewhat green and underdone, regardless of the 14.5% alcohol. I think that this wine needs 2 years to lose tension and become earthier. It seems like its the only real hope for improvement due to lack of fruit depth. It seems as if this wine was made from very young vines. hold...Not a rebuy for me.
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8/8/2018 - IMR wrote:
Deep, dark and plum coloured with dark fruits and hints of sour cherry on the nose followed by cedar and spice. Medium weight with the firm tannin profile and crisp acidity.
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5/5/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
Taste Top Wines for May (San Diego Wine Co.): Typically a 95 % Merlot & 5% C.F. selection from the best parcels of old wine branches, situated on the plateau of Saint-Philippe-d’Aiguilhe with a clay-limestone subsoil.
N: Slightly closed, but seeming ripe with notes of earth, poss pyrazines
P: LM body; Nice, almost swtish frt fairly quickly met by almost sweetish, very, VERY fine tannins which pretty much carry through the LONG finish of the same nature. A nicely balanced wine that NEEDS into, if not through, '20 (poss longer), then going THROUGH its 10th. 14.5% ABV; My VG+/EXC-, likely more... eventually. [This vendor's $19.99 matches the only other currently listed wine-searcher source.]
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