Decanted and immediately poured. The faintest hint of bricking just beginning. The combination of sour earthiness, attenuated fruit, intensity and limpidity made me think of the 2007 Raffault Chinon I had a few months ago. Very prominent cranberry flavor with raspberry playing a decided second fiddle. Very strong acidity which, when coupled with a boatload of (fully resolved) tannins, gave this wine a riveting structure. The earthiness eventually turned into an intense graphite scent. Complex, masculine, but for all that it was not at all tiring to drink. This is not for beginners: the fruit is just too subtle, the acidity just too high, the tertiary just too in your face to appeal to civilians. And its charms are delicate at the same time: I paired this with veal chops and sage — which went together gangbusters — and a side of sautéed aubergines (hey, it was what was in the fridge and the Mrs loves aubergines, sooo…) — and the aubergines just dominated the subtlety of the wine. Pair this with the most refined meat dish you can think of — chaud-froid of chicken, no not kidding — or maybe just have it by itself with water crackers. This is an intellectual wine — it begs for analysis and discussion, not food and fun. I loved the combination of depth and intensity with high taste transparency. Like no other Margaux I can think of. Score: 93. Relative to expectations: ++
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Stood upright the day before--uncorked in the morning and decanted off (minimal) sediment an hour before serving. This was so intensely aromatic we used Zalto burgundy stems to luxuriate in the nose. Wow. Sweet red currants, hints of leather and earth. Fully integrated - seemed at peak but not going anywhere. Certainly delicious even if this seemed more defined by sweetness than other vintages we've had.
Nice nose from the get go: nicely evolved tertiary Bordeaux markers of leather, tobacco and some forest floor/damp earth. But even on the nose, we get some bright red berries, a hint of pyrazines and some understated florals. I decanted for sediment and left about one hour in the decanter before serving. Great showing tonight! On the palate, this is fresh but deep and complex: red berries (cranberries and redcurrant), meaty beef stock, leather, root vegetables and a hint of green pepper. The acidity is still lively and much needed. The tannins are fully integrated but still bring structure to the mix. Very enjoyable and a great buddy to tonight’s pierrade of mixed meats (beef, veal, pork, duck and turkey) Drink now or soon.
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I liked this a lot. Super classic, with dark fruits, lots of savory goodness, and plenty of acidity. Just a touch lean and not an overabundance of fruit. Not particularly bold but quite lovely. Probably close to peak.
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First out of 6 bought very recently, shipped directly from the château. I never tasted a Bordeaux like this: it is intense but weightless, subtle yet full, elegant but persistent, evolved yet young. The overall complexity and seemingly effortless intensity are beguiling. The wife actually liked this more than the 2005 Pontet-Canet tasted alongside. My first BAMA, and certainly not my last!
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Quite thin and I think in the last phase of development. Probably served too warm at around 20C. Maybe I would have appreciated it more about 3C colder.
Tasted beside the 2005 and I largely prefered the 2005.
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Decanted for sediment then poured into Grassl 1855s at cellar temp. This was showing well with a good balance of tertiary characteristics (forest floor, leahter) and red fruit. Still some tannin hanging on. On the palate, there was the occasional impression of dilution, which I think is likely attributable to the age, elevage, and ripeness of the wine. Overall, very much enjoyed this bottle.
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Mostly 1998s (Washington, DC): A rich nose of tangy blueberries and black currants, with lots savory, earthy, mushroom, pencil shavings, some chewing tobacco, smashed rocks. The palate shows medium tannins and acidity and a tart core of black cherry and currant fruit. Lots of cool spicy tones, of roasted red pepper, mint, pencil shavings, some meaty and smoky tones, too. I guess Margaux! Pretty stoked on that.
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Bel Air Marquis D’Aligre 1998 On the nose, an aromatic and elegant nose, with notes of truffles, black fruits, spice, pencil shavings. On the palate, elegant blackberry, black fruits and bramble combine with truffle and mushroom notes, with hints of spice and green herbs. Smooth and elegant, not at all overextracted. Lovely. 93/100
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-- decanted immediately before initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over 3 to 4 hours --
NOSE: smells barely corked at first, but this could be Old Bdx. Crankiness ... three hours in, it has an autumnal/old wood/rubbed leather presentation; much more tertiary than primary now.
BODY: medium-light bodied; mahogany color of medium-deep to deep depth.
TASTE: quite light; aged Bdx character on the light finish; no obvious TCA on the palate, both initially or at the 3 hrs open mark; noticeable pyrazine; tertiary; light leather; clearly aged, but not in a pretty way --- it's fairly muddled and muddy; smoldery; rolling tobacco; past peak for my preferences; ultimately, we didn't even drink this entire bottle --- it was more intellectually interesting than it was enjoyable.
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Old friends late night at home. Drank in Grassl 1855. Fruit diminished greatly already. Now very vegetal, green, lean and earthy. Better drink up soon.
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Red fruited and near fully bricked, this was ready to go. Already in a rustic style, but in this case with full tannin dropout. It reads like an old book, warm and familiar, with some musty notes and fading pages. Go for it! What more are you looking for from the wine?
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Finally a good bottle of Bel Air—this was clean and crisp, with a red berry profile mixed with some savory notes mixed in. Finish is a bit short and clipped with metallic notes. Uniquie expression.
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Fresh green garden nose, bursts from the glass. Palate is a slight step behind the nose, but still nice. A little bit of graphite, earth, and red fruit. Great balance. Blind guesses on age were 10 years younger than this actually is. Better on the first day open though.
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Earthy, a tad naturalist nose with wild red fruit. The palate is fully resolved, crushed raspberries, tobacco, earth and minerals. Leafy, savory and a bit sour flavor world. Good acidity provides freshness, the integrated tannins are in a supporting role and can be felt in the gums. This sits comfortably in its plateau of maturity and is lean the way 1998 left banks often are but in a positive way. Not as well structured and the dense 1999, not as classic and beautiful as the 2000 but very enjoyable. This is genuine and true to its origin, one for the true believers from an independent, a bit of a rebel, producer.
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Dinner with the wine group (Terun, Palo Alto): Decanted off 2oz of sediment despite months of standing. Medium ruby, age-appropriate bricking; aromatic, high intensity, red bell pepper, red currant, wild cherry, some tobacco; palate is medium-plus bodied, low 12.5% alcohol, medium-plus acidity, lovely leafy mature notes, clean but with savory character, fully mature fruits; finish is medium-plus length and complex. Honestly probably my favorite vintage from this producer that I've tried so far. 93
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Decanted off moderate sediment. Wild cherry and tobacco on the nose. Red fruit, red currant, on the palate, along with lively acidity. Tannins fully integrated. In a nice spot between primary fruit and earthy tertiary flavors. Truly a unique Bordeaux experience these days.
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-- decanted approx. 15 min. prior to initial taste -- -- tasted non-blind over 2 to 3 hours --
NOSE: red-fruited and high-toned; a touch vegetal; hints of mineral and cafe mocha.
BODY: medium-light bodied; mahogany color of medium depth.
TASTE: aged red fruits; lots of mineral; some smoky rubber (tertiary); tree bark; more tertiary than primary at this point; medium+ acidity; tannins resolved; relaxed, and seemingly settled-in to its prime window. Drink Now and over the near term. Gut impression score: low 90s.
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And now for something completely different. On the advice of many comments on CT, I let this breathe for 5 hours after pouring a glass out and drank a slowly over and after dinner for a few hours. This was already dry smooth and interesting when opened, but it became expressive and mellow after a lot of air. Earthy tones and integrated tannin have way to a brief kiss of fruit followed by a good 15-20 second finish.
This tastes like the wine equivalent of your father’s baseball mitt - slightly earthy smell, oddly comfortable, worn in just the right way, and unlike anything you can buy or find today. Label says 12.5%; why can’t winemakers today keep things like this? Can’t image anything from 2015+ will ever taste like this.
First time having this producer so I’m not sure this will get better, but this bottle felt young with only a slight bricking color for a 24 year old. No rush if you want to wait a few years.
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Drinking beautifully right now, and quite the contrast to the '99 from a few weeks back which was still ruggedly structured and practically bursting at the seams. This one, in contrast, is totally resolved and streamlined, reminiscent of a traditional Rioja in many ways except that it doesn't actually taste like Rioja, so it's probably more accurate to say that it's just reminiscent of the (very) old style Bordeaux that the traditional Rioja recipe was made to imitate. It still has some shades of ruby in its color but the flavors are post-fruit and deceptively dark-toned for something so mellow and gentle. No perceptible tannin left, so it goes down the gullet smooth and easy, a wine made to pair with a club chair and an old book.
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Late night at Maison Dakota with Frenchie peeps. Drank in Grassl Cru. Appearance medium intensity, garnet colour. Thin legs. Nose meidum+ intensity, with aromas of rusty iron gate, green moss, mouldy damp cellar, blackcurrant leaf, blackberry. Developed. On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium- alcohol, integrating medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of blackcurrant leaf, blackberry, green vegetal moss, savoury earth. Medium+ finish. Good quality. Charming, in a rustic vegetal way. Wouldn't age this vintage more. Not showing me as much love as I had with other vintages of this wine before.
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Head and shoulders better than the 00 I’ve tasted a couple times recently. This wine showcases the coolness of the vintage and has a long green pepper streak. Elegant and soft on the palate, with minimal recession of fruit and no tertiary wood character. It’s a really unique expression of Margaux or even Bordeaux in general, and as such is a terribly difficult blind if you aren’t looking for it. Actually quite telling how big a role oak plays in that sense. Anyway this vintage was really pretty and I’m glad to have a couple more.
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corked soaked all the way through. Decanted an hour before first sip, little bit of bricking, but only noticeable if looking for it. Classic aged claret nose, with some of the earthy tones slightly dominant. Fruit is still very alive, some slightly sour cherry, red currants, mushroom and earth underneath it, a little tobacco on the finish. A few hours later the fruits slightly less rich, but still very much intact. Nice wine in a good spot with tons of life left.
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Just like the last one, which was just like the one before! It's a boring way of starting a note, I agree. Notes of slightly fading spring flowers on the nose, but with much zestier redcurrant and cranberry coming right behind. The attack is fresh and spritely, more raspberry than blackberry this time, leaning into redcurrant and cranberry, but the latter is not the usual tell-tale sign of a wine entering its decline - this one still has far to go. By far the best Margaux from 1998 (admittedly not that difficult) this is an excellent wine. Monsieur Boyer has increased the price by 30% in the last year, but at 45€, this is still worth getting more of.
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Old school wine, made in heaven. Crushed Red berry nose. Light feathery palate, more Burgundian than Bordeaux. Some flowing leather as wel. Beautifully acidic juicy finish
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A blend composed of relatively early-harvested Merlot, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenère. The exact blend isn't really known, but estimated to be one third of Merlot, one third of Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and the remainder rounded out by the remaining varieties. Fermented slowly in large cement tanks with no extraction. Aged for 6 months in old, neutral barriques, then returned to the cement tanks and bottled after several years of aging. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted in Bel Air-Marquis d'Aligre 2010-1985 vertical tasting after 5 hours of decanting.
Quite translucent but also relatively youthful pomegranate red with a slightly bloody hue and a clear, colorless rim. Quite rich and expressive nose with complex aromas of wizened blackcurrants and juicy black raspberries, some gamey meat, light dark-toned plummy notes, a little bit of herbaceous leafy character, a savory hint of bayleaf and a touch of leather. The wine is juicy, full-bodied and relatively concentrated on the palate with a silky mouthfeel and clean, vibrant flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some meaty notes of umami, light iron notes of blood, a little bit of bayleaf, a hint of gravelly minerality and touch of brambly black raspberry. The structure relies more on the high acidity than on the grainy yet easy medium tannins. The finish is silky and gently grippy with long, savory flavors of fresh blackcurrants, some autumnal notes of sous-bois and herbaceous leafy character, light pruney notes of wizened dark plums, a little bit of licorice root, a meaty hint of rich umami and a touch of stony minerality.
A beautiful and very balanced Margaux that is stylistically more Burgundian than Bordelais: despite its full body, the wine is relatively delicate for a Bordeaux with flavors that show freshness and minerality that would be more in place in Côte de Nuits than in Left Bank - qualities only accentuated by the lack of obvious oak, low alcohol and high acidity. The overall feel is seductively silky and while the wine isn't young anymore, it certainly isn't going to be falling apart anytime soon. Truly a positive surprise considering how the wet 1998 vintage wasn't that memorable a vintage on the Left Bank. Most likely the wine will continue to improve for a handful of years and then keep for a long time. Comparatively speaking, this wasn't as great as the neighboring vintages 1999 and 2000, but nevertheless among the best BAMA vintages we had. Fine stuff, highly recommended. Terrific value at 34,90€.
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Unlike the 96, this was stunning. I had to check the bottle to make sure it was really a 98! Full of zest and depth, a beguiling blend of blackcurrant, blackberry and raspberry, perhaps edging more towards darker fruits that usual but retaining the dusty finish. Very young still - this has at least ten years ahead of it and could improve further. One of the best BAdeMAs I've tried.
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Decanted at 5pm and tasted through 9pm. Very old school Bordeaux. Labeled 12.5% ABV. Light to medium translucent garnet color with a little brick on the edge. Elegant and light to medium bodied. Nose has sous bois, red currant, menthol and crushed stone. Palate is light and velvety smooth, with red currant, raspberry, sour cherry, minerals and a “leatheriness” that dances on your tongue but is not forward. Excellent, but fairly straightforward and yet unique in its lack of adherence to modern styled Bordeaux and New World Cab for that matter. More like a Chinon Cab Franc in my mind. A nice wine reminiscent of days gone by...
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From memory. Stood up for several days then decanted off sediment at 12p and put into wine fridge. Took out of wine fridge at 4p and still closed and so left on counter. Wine did not start to open until 7:30p in terms of aromas. By 7p, the palate had opened to pretty cherries, cassis, currants, leather, tobacco, and cedar with very mild tannins still left on the midpalate. Excellent acids gave the wine lift and was a nice accompaniment to the elegant texture, that really stood out, framing the flavors in gentle waves. The palate was somewhat diluted, which was my biggest issue here. Best sip was the last at 8:30p. Lovely with a pan-seared steak.
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A brief postscript on the 1998 BAMA: We opened another last night, with veal, and it was quite different, leading me to conclude that first bottle (OP) was indeed flawed.
I think, at long last, I "get it". The word I would use is "idiosyncratic". It had the nose of Margaux, but other than that, to this taster, it was barely perceptible as bordeaux -- or, for that matter, even as cab/merlot. Indeed it tasted downright "old fashioned" to me, as others have noted. Though the mouthfeel is soft, there is simply nothing slick or hedonistic about this wine. A bit brambly like a southern Rhone, but without the high alcohol. A good deal of earth as well. A contemplative wine, I really enjoyed it.
This was my last 98, but now I am thankful I stocked up on 95, 96 and 00.
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Fresh, floral notes at first with redcurrant and cranberry, before an attack of the same, leading into a beguiling blend of wild strawberry and blackberry and a typically restrained but persistent finish. After a while, blackcurrant flavours appeared mid-palate and hints of tobacco, but none of the caramel I feared. I think intrinsically, the 95 and 96 may be superior, but this is just as good in its own way and great for drinking now. The most striking aspect is the freshness of the fruit, untainted by any oak
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Give it a little air. Pretty but not quite as beautiful as the '95 a few days ago - not as silky in texture. Good earthy, tobacco-y and red berry smells. Tastes the same as it smells. Rougher tannins and more spice on the finish than the '95.
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1998 is not a great year like St.Emilion or Pomerol, but this Chateau does magical things, indeed. After 8 hours decant is was ready to enjoy, color dark with a brownish rim, nose mellow black currants and dark fruits, with a hint of green pepper, just intriguing lovely, good pleasent aftertaste, love it. Remember long decant is the key here! Glass Zalto Bordeaux
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The Grand Tour - day ten (Bordeaux): Fresh with raspberry fruit and sweet spice. A touch of white pepper and some volatile acidity. On the palate it's juicy, with flavours of coffee and raspberry, soft and full resolved tannins. Very pleasant as it is but, over the 2 hours we consumed the wines, this one is the one that falls over completely
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Style vieillot, couleur légèrement orangée, ses arômes de cuir et tabac ne sont pas des plus invitants au départ. La bouche est toutefois étonnante, de bonne tenue et dense, de bonne concentration. Belle finale sur le chocolat amer, relativement longue. Un très bon vin dans un style unique.
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Dark sweet fruit. In the background liquorice, undergrowth, a moist stack of leaves, tobacco and some pepper. Pretty classic Bordeaux notes but very femininely packed. Wouldn’t go as far as writing mature but it has definitely began to move in that direction. Lovely sniff. Soft and round palate with fine and easy going tannins. Sweet fruit, blackcurrant. Liquorice and a hint of pepper. Short aftertaste. Overall very pleasant without the last oompf. Will surely last and develop for a long time. Questionable qpr imo. (€30)
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Le vin a été carafé trois heures avant la première dégustation. Robe tirant vers l'acajou, clairement évoluée. Nez dominé par les arômes tertiaires de bois noble, essence de cèdre, fruits rouges macérés aux épices douces. Toucher des plus soyeux et matière très équilibrée avec une haute acidité et un alcool très modéré (12,5°). Il est bon de l'apprécier maintenant, l'apogée est là.
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4/27/2024 - JJYoyo Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted and immediately poured. The faintest hint of bricking just beginning. The combination of sour earthiness, attenuated fruit, intensity and limpidity made me think of the 2007 Raffault Chinon I had a few months ago. Very prominent cranberry flavor with raspberry playing a decided second fiddle. Very strong acidity which, when coupled with a boatload of (fully resolved) tannins, gave this wine a riveting structure. The earthiness eventually turned into an intense graphite scent. Complex, masculine, but for all that it was not at all tiring to drink.
This is not for beginners: the fruit is just too subtle, the acidity just too high, the tertiary just too in your face to appeal to civilians. And its charms are delicate at the same time: I paired this with veal chops and sage — which went together gangbusters — and a side of sautéed aubergines (hey, it was what was in the fridge and the Mrs loves aubergines, sooo…) — and the aubergines just dominated the subtlety of the wine. Pair this with the most refined meat dish you can think of — chaud-froid of chicken, no not kidding — or maybe just have it by itself with water crackers.
This is an intellectual wine — it begs for analysis and discussion, not food and fun. I loved the combination of depth and intensity with high taste transparency. Like no other Margaux I can think of.
Score: 93. Relative to expectations: ++
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3/25/2024 - dreambeam Likes this wine:
Stood upright the day before--uncorked in the morning and decanted off (minimal) sediment an hour before serving. This was so intensely aromatic we used Zalto burgundy stems to luxuriate in the nose. Wow. Sweet red currants, hints of leather and earth. Fully integrated - seemed at peak but not going anywhere. Certainly delicious even if this seemed more defined by sweetness than other vintages we've had.
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1/31/2024 - philmtl Likes this wine:
Nice nose from the get go: nicely evolved tertiary Bordeaux markers of leather, tobacco and some forest floor/damp earth. But even on the nose, we get some bright red berries, a hint of pyrazines and some understated florals. I decanted for sediment and left about one hour in the decanter before serving. Great showing tonight! On the palate, this is fresh but deep and complex: red berries (cranberries and redcurrant), meaty beef stock, leather, root vegetables and a hint of green pepper. The acidity is still lively and much needed. The tannins are fully integrated but still bring structure to the mix. Very enjoyable and a great buddy to tonight’s pierrade of mixed meats (beef, veal, pork, duck and turkey) Drink now or soon.
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1/17/2024 - rc@ughey wrote: 92 Points
I liked this a lot. Super classic, with dark fruits, lots of savory goodness, and plenty of acidity. Just a touch lean and not an overabundance of fruit. Not particularly bold but quite lovely. Probably close to peak.
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12/17/2023 - roelof.ligtmans@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
First out of 6 bought very recently, shipped directly from the château. I never tasted a Bordeaux like this: it is intense but weightless, subtle yet full, elegant but persistent, evolved yet young. The overall complexity and seemingly effortless intensity are beguiling. The wife actually liked this more than the 2005 Pontet-Canet tasted alongside. My first BAMA, and certainly not my last!
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11/28/2023 - Vas19 wrote: 92 Points
A little less vibrant than my bottle a year ago but still a really enjoyable bottle of bordeaux.
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11/7/2023 - Peraix wrote: 88 Points
Quite thin and I think in the last phase of development. Probably served too warm at around 20C. Maybe I would have appreciated it more about 3C colder.
Tasted beside the 2005 and I largely prefered the 2005.
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10/10/2023 - ekorn Likes this wine:
Decanted for sediment then poured into Grassl 1855s at cellar temp. This was showing well with a good balance of tertiary characteristics (forest floor, leahter) and red fruit. Still some tannin hanging on. On the palate, there was the occasional impression of dilution, which I think is likely attributable to the age, elevage, and ripeness of the wine. Overall, very much enjoyed this bottle.
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10/8/2023 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 90 Points
Mostly 1998s (Washington, DC): A rich nose of tangy blueberries and black currants, with lots savory, earthy, mushroom, pencil shavings, some chewing tobacco, smashed rocks. The palate shows medium tannins and acidity and a tart core of black cherry and currant fruit. Lots of cool spicy tones, of roasted red pepper, mint, pencil shavings, some meaty and smoky tones, too. I guess Margaux! Pretty stoked on that.
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5/12/2023 - ceadsearc Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bel Air Marquis D’Aligre 1998
On the nose, an aromatic and elegant nose, with notes of truffles, black fruits, spice, pencil shavings. On the palate, elegant blackberry, black fruits and bramble combine with truffle and mushroom notes, with hints of spice and green herbs. Smooth and elegant, not at all overextracted. Lovely. 93/100
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5/11/2023 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted immediately before initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 3 to 4 hours --
NOSE: smells barely corked at first, but this could be Old Bdx. Crankiness ... three hours in, it has an autumnal/old wood/rubbed leather presentation; much more tertiary than primary now.
BODY: medium-light bodied; mahogany color of medium-deep to deep depth.
TASTE: quite light; aged Bdx character on the light finish; no obvious TCA on the palate, both initially or at the 3 hrs open mark; noticeable pyrazine; tertiary; light leather; clearly aged, but not in a pretty way --- it's fairly muddled and muddy; smoldery; rolling tobacco; past peak for my preferences; ultimately, we didn't even drink this entire bottle --- it was more intellectually interesting than it was enjoyable.
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3/3/2023 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 90 Points
Old friends late night at home. Drank in Grassl 1855.
Fruit diminished greatly already. Now very vegetal, green, lean and earthy. Better drink up soon.
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2/11/2023 - jviz wrote: 92 Points
Red fruited and near fully bricked, this was ready to go. Already in a rustic style, but in this case with full tannin dropout. It reads like an old book, warm and familiar, with some musty notes and fading pages. Go for it! What more are you looking for from the wine?
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12/27/2022 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Finally a good bottle of Bel Air—this was clean and crisp, with a red berry profile mixed with some savory notes mixed in. Finish is a bit short and clipped with metallic notes. Uniquie expression.
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11/12/2022 - Vas19 wrote: 93 Points
Fresh green garden nose, bursts from the glass. Palate is a slight step behind the nose, but still nice. A little bit of graphite, earth, and red fruit. Great balance. Blind guesses on age were 10 years younger than this actually is. Better on the first day open though.
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10/22/2022 - Lype Likes this wine:
Earthy, a tad naturalist nose with wild red fruit. The palate is fully resolved, crushed raspberries, tobacco, earth and minerals. Leafy, savory and a bit sour flavor world. Good acidity provides freshness, the integrated tannins are in a supporting role and can be felt in the gums. This sits comfortably in its plateau of maturity and is lean the way 1998 left banks often are but in a positive way. Not as well structured and the dense 1999, not as classic and beautiful as the 2000 but very enjoyable. This is genuine and true to its origin, one for the true believers from an independent, a bit of a rebel, producer.
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8/16/2022 - aagrawal wrote: 93 Points
Dinner with the wine group (Terun, Palo Alto): Decanted off 2oz of sediment despite months of standing. Medium ruby, age-appropriate bricking; aromatic, high intensity, red bell pepper, red currant, wild cherry, some tobacco; palate is medium-plus bodied, low 12.5% alcohol, medium-plus acidity, lovely leafy mature notes, clean but with savory character, fully mature fruits; finish is medium-plus length and complex. Honestly probably my favorite vintage from this producer that I've tried so far. 93
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7/29/2022 - Maphill01 wrote:
Decanted off moderate sediment. Wild cherry and tobacco on the nose. Red fruit, red currant, on the palate, along with lively acidity. Tannins fully integrated. In a nice spot between primary fruit and earthy tertiary flavors. Truly a unique Bordeaux experience these days.
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3/22/2022 - grafstrb wrote:
-- decanted approx. 15 min. prior to initial taste --
-- tasted non-blind over 2 to 3 hours --
NOSE: red-fruited and high-toned; a touch vegetal; hints of mineral and cafe mocha.
BODY: medium-light bodied; mahogany color of medium depth.
TASTE: aged red fruits; lots of mineral; some smoky rubber (tertiary); tree bark; more tertiary than primary at this point; medium+ acidity; tannins resolved; relaxed, and seemingly settled-in to its prime window. Drink Now and over the near term. Gut impression score: low 90s.
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1/7/2022 - JBLevinson Likes this wine: 94 Points
And now for something completely different. On the advice of many comments on CT, I let this breathe for 5 hours after pouring a glass out and drank a slowly over and after dinner for a few hours. This was already dry smooth and interesting when opened, but it became expressive and mellow after a lot of air. Earthy tones and integrated tannin have way to a brief kiss of fruit followed by a good 15-20 second finish.
This tastes like the wine equivalent of your father’s baseball mitt - slightly earthy smell, oddly comfortable, worn in just the right way, and unlike anything you can buy or find today. Label says 12.5%; why can’t winemakers today keep things like this? Can’t image anything from 2015+ will ever taste like this.
First time having this producer so I’m not sure this will get better, but this bottle felt young with only a slight bricking color for a 24 year old. No rush if you want to wait a few years.
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12/26/2021 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking beautifully right now, and quite the contrast to the '99 from a few weeks back which was still ruggedly structured and practically bursting at the seams. This one, in contrast, is totally resolved and streamlined, reminiscent of a traditional Rioja in many ways except that it doesn't actually taste like Rioja, so it's probably more accurate to say that it's just reminiscent of the (very) old style Bordeaux that the traditional Rioja recipe was made to imitate. It still has some shades of ruby in its color but the flavors are post-fruit and deceptively dark-toned for something so mellow and gentle. No perceptible tannin left, so it goes down the gullet smooth and easy, a wine made to pair with a club chair and an old book.
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12/11/2021 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 91 Points
Late night at Maison Dakota with Frenchie peeps. Drank in Grassl Cru.
Appearance medium intensity, garnet colour. Thin legs.
Nose meidum+ intensity, with aromas of rusty iron gate, green moss, mouldy damp cellar, blackcurrant leaf, blackberry. Developed.
On the palate, dry, medium+ acidity, medium- alcohol, integrating medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of blackcurrant leaf, blackberry, green vegetal moss, savoury earth. Medium+ finish.
Good quality. Charming, in a rustic vegetal way. Wouldn't age this vintage more. Not showing me as much love as I had with other vintages of this wine before.
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12/5/2021 - jviz wrote: 93 Points
Head and shoulders better than the 00 I’ve tasted a couple times recently. This wine showcases the coolness of the vintage and has a long green pepper streak. Elegant and soft on the palate, with minimal recession of fruit and no tertiary wood character. It’s a really unique expression of Margaux or even Bordeaux in general, and as such is a terribly difficult blind if you aren’t looking for it. Actually quite telling how big a role oak plays in that sense. Anyway this vintage was really pretty and I’m glad to have a couple more.
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12/5/2021 - jhw425 wrote: 90 Points
This was good but needed more than a 2-hour decant. Would go back to the usual 5 hour decant for these
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11/18/2021 - adnorthup wrote:
corked soaked all the way through. Decanted an hour before first sip, little bit of bricking, but only noticeable if looking for it. Classic aged claret nose, with some of the earthy tones slightly dominant. Fruit is still very alive, some slightly sour cherry, red currants, mushroom and earth underneath it, a little tobacco on the finish. A few hours later the fruits slightly less rich, but still very much intact. Nice wine in a good spot with tons of life left.
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7/4/2021 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just like the last one, which was just like the one before! It's a boring way of starting a note, I agree. Notes of slightly fading spring flowers on the nose, but with much zestier redcurrant and cranberry coming right behind. The attack is fresh and spritely, more raspberry than blackberry this time, leaning into redcurrant and cranberry, but the latter is not the usual tell-tale sign of a wine entering its decline - this one still has far to go.
By far the best Margaux from 1998 (admittedly not that difficult) this is an excellent wine.
Monsieur Boyer has increased the price by 30% in the last year, but at 45€, this is still worth getting more of.
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4/5/2021 - Neuneuil Likes this wine: 92 Points
Old school wine, made in heaven. Crushed Red berry nose. Light feathery palate, more Burgundian than Bordeaux. Some flowing leather as wel. Beautifully acidic juicy finish
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9/2/2020 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points
A blend composed of relatively early-harvested Merlot, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenère. The exact blend isn't really known, but estimated to be one third of Merlot, one third of Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc and the remainder rounded out by the remaining varieties. Fermented slowly in large cement tanks with no extraction. Aged for 6 months in old, neutral barriques, then returned to the cement tanks and bottled after several years of aging. 12,5% alcohol. Tasted in Bel Air-Marquis d'Aligre 2010-1985 vertical tasting after 5 hours of decanting.
Quite translucent but also relatively youthful pomegranate red with a slightly bloody hue and a clear, colorless rim. Quite rich and expressive nose with complex aromas of wizened blackcurrants and juicy black raspberries, some gamey meat, light dark-toned plummy notes, a little bit of herbaceous leafy character, a savory hint of bayleaf and a touch of leather. The wine is juicy, full-bodied and relatively concentrated on the palate with a silky mouthfeel and clean, vibrant flavors of ripe blackcurrants, some meaty notes of umami, light iron notes of blood, a little bit of bayleaf, a hint of gravelly minerality and touch of brambly black raspberry. The structure relies more on the high acidity than on the grainy yet easy medium tannins. The finish is silky and gently grippy with long, savory flavors of fresh blackcurrants, some autumnal notes of sous-bois and herbaceous leafy character, light pruney notes of wizened dark plums, a little bit of licorice root, a meaty hint of rich umami and a touch of stony minerality.
A beautiful and very balanced Margaux that is stylistically more Burgundian than Bordelais: despite its full body, the wine is relatively delicate for a Bordeaux with flavors that show freshness and minerality that would be more in place in Côte de Nuits than in Left Bank - qualities only accentuated by the lack of obvious oak, low alcohol and high acidity. The overall feel is seductively silky and while the wine isn't young anymore, it certainly isn't going to be falling apart anytime soon. Truly a positive surprise considering how the wet 1998 vintage wasn't that memorable a vintage on the Left Bank. Most likely the wine will continue to improve for a handful of years and then keep for a long time. Comparatively speaking, this wasn't as great as the neighboring vintages 1999 and 2000, but nevertheless among the best BAMA vintages we had. Fine stuff, highly recommended. Terrific value at 34,90€.
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6/30/2020 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 94 Points
Unlike the 96, this was stunning. I had to check the bottle to make sure it was really a 98! Full of zest and depth, a beguiling blend of blackcurrant, blackberry and raspberry, perhaps edging more towards darker fruits that usual but retaining the dusty finish. Very young still - this has at least ten years ahead of it and could improve further. One of the best BAdeMAs I've tried.
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4/4/2020 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted at 5pm and tasted through 9pm. Very old school Bordeaux. Labeled 12.5% ABV. Light to medium translucent garnet color with a little brick on the edge. Elegant and light to medium bodied. Nose has sous bois, red currant, menthol and crushed stone. Palate is light and velvety smooth, with red currant, raspberry, sour cherry, minerals and a “leatheriness” that dances on your tongue but is not forward. Excellent, but fairly straightforward and yet unique in its lack of adherence to modern styled Bordeaux and New World Cab for that matter. More like a Chinon Cab Franc in my mind. A nice wine reminiscent of days gone by...
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12/25/2019 - James Kim Likes this wine: 91 Points
From memory. Stood up for several days then decanted off sediment at 12p and put into wine fridge. Took out of wine fridge at 4p and still closed and so left on counter. Wine did not start to open until 7:30p in terms of aromas. By 7p, the palate had opened to pretty cherries, cassis, currants, leather, tobacco, and cedar with very mild tannins still left on the midpalate. Excellent acids gave the wine lift and was a nice accompaniment to the elegant texture, that really stood out, framing the flavors in gentle waves. The palate was somewhat diluted, which was my biggest issue here. Best sip was the last at 8:30p. Lovely with a pan-seared steak.
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7/17/2019 - straight outta iowa Likes this wine: 92 Points
A brief postscript on the 1998 BAMA: We opened another last night, with veal, and it was quite different, leading me to conclude that first bottle (OP) was indeed flawed.
I think, at long last, I "get it". The word I would use is "idiosyncratic". It had the nose of Margaux, but other than that, to this taster, it was barely perceptible as bordeaux -- or, for that matter, even as cab/merlot. Indeed it tasted downright "old fashioned" to me, as others have noted. Though the mouthfeel is soft, there is simply nothing slick or hedonistic about this wine. A bit brambly like a southern Rhone, but without the high alcohol. A good deal of earth as well. A contemplative wine, I really enjoyed it.
This was my last 98, but now I am thankful I stocked up on 95, 96 and 00.
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6/2/2019 - Julian Marshall Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fresh, floral notes at first with redcurrant and cranberry, before an attack of the same, leading into a beguiling blend of wild strawberry and blackberry and a typically restrained but persistent finish. After a while, blackcurrant flavours appeared mid-palate and hints of tobacco, but none of the caramel I feared. I think intrinsically, the 95 and 96 may be superior, but this is just as good in its own way and great for drinking now. The most striking aspect is the freshness of the fruit, untainted by any oak
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12/25/2018 - diggydan wrote: 93 Points
Give it a little air. Pretty but not quite as beautiful as the '95 a few days ago - not as silky in texture. Good earthy, tobacco-y and red berry smells. Tastes the same as it smells. Rougher tannins and more spice on the finish than the '95.
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1/12/2018 - Voodoo_Champagne Likes this wine:
1998 is not a great year like St.Emilion or Pomerol, but this Chateau does magical things, indeed. After 8 hours decant is was ready to enjoy, color dark with a brownish rim, nose mellow black currants and dark fruits, with a hint of green pepper, just intriguing lovely, good pleasent aftertaste, love it.
Remember long decant is the key here!
Glass Zalto Bordeaux
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10/11/2017 - chatters wrote:
The Grand Tour - day ten (Bordeaux): Fresh with raspberry fruit and sweet spice. A touch of white pepper and some volatile acidity. On the palate it's juicy, with flavours of coffee and raspberry, soft and full resolved tannins. Very pleasant as it is but, over the 2 hours we consumed the wines, this one is the one that falls over completely
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12/30/2015 - ludwigbpm wrote: 92 Points
Style vieillot, couleur légèrement orangée, ses arômes de cuir et tabac ne sont pas des plus invitants au départ. La bouche est toutefois étonnante, de bonne tenue et dense, de bonne concentration. Belle finale sur le chocolat amer, relativement longue. Un très bon vin dans un style unique.
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2/18/2015 - JohanPe wrote: 88 Points
Dark sweet fruit. In the background liquorice, undergrowth, a moist stack of leaves, tobacco and some pepper. Pretty classic Bordeaux notes but very femininely packed. Wouldn’t go as far as writing mature but it has definitely began to move in that direction. Lovely sniff.
Soft and round palate with fine and easy going tannins. Sweet fruit, blackcurrant. Liquorice and a hint of pepper. Short aftertaste. Overall very pleasant without the last oompf. Will surely last and develop for a long time. Questionable qpr imo. (€30)
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8/10/2014 - stadler Likes this wine:
Le vin a été carafé trois heures avant la première dégustation. Robe tirant vers l'acajou, clairement évoluée. Nez dominé par les arômes tertiaires de bois noble, essence de cèdre, fruits rouges macérés aux épices douces. Toucher des plus soyeux et matière très équilibrée avec une haute acidité et un alcool très modéré (12,5°). Il est bon de l'apprécier maintenant, l'apogée est là.
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