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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 88 pts. and median of 89 pts. in 57 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by CabIsKing on 7/6/2022 & rated 90 points: On its way out. Drink it if you have it!! (1045 views) | | | Tasted by DaleW on 3/30/2021: This is a rather round, dull Merlot that could be from anywhere. I’ve enjoyed de Sales as a value in past, but this is quite pedestrian. C+/B- (1687 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 2/14/2019 & rated 84 points: Light, bright and leaning to the red, tart berry side, the wine is more interesting on the earthy, floral, slanted cherry nose, than on the light red fruit palate. This is not a wine I would hold for evolution. (3117 views) | | | Tasted by Kris G on 5/4/2018 & rated 91 points: this wine shows secundary's aroma's with a very nice acidity at the end of the middle part, the burned wood impressions from the toasted barrels is nicely done (2955 views) | | | Tasted by indiscriminate palate on 12/17/2017 & rated 87 points: More floral than my previous bottle, but still primarily showing woody and earthy notes. Some cherry. Fairly mild tannin. Drink now. (2846 views) | | | Tasted by indiscriminate palate on 2/28/2017 & rated 86 points: Pretty nose of graphite and sandalwood. Earthy, quite woody, dusty. Enjoyable. After about two hours, began to fall apart, and was nearly undrinkable (bitter, shrill, and woody) after three. Not at all bad for under $20. (3326 views) | | | Tasted by suthersm on 9/5/2016 & rated 89 points: This, unsurprisingly, tastes better now than it did in 2010. Much more integrated. Seemingly straddles the line between ripe and lean -- surpasses my expectations for what I was told was a wine from "an average chateau and a less than stellar vintage." Minimal tannin left but good acidity. No rush on this wine. From 375. (3622 views) | | | Tasted by STEVEN@WINECELLARCLUB.COM on 3/12/2016 & rated 90 points: Beautiful color. Orange edges.
Delicate nose.
Earthy but light body. Truffles. Typical of Pomerol (3482 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 11/5/2015 & rated 72 points: This is about as interesting and enjoyable as watching Titanic. At least it's a lot shorter, so it has that going for it. Dull, slightly dusty red fruit with not a whole lot else going on, and hardly a surprise that there was more wine left in this bottle than any other at the end of the night. (3834 views) | | | Tasted by indiscriminate palate on 11/5/2015 & rated 74 points: Similar to previous bottle in that there is very little fruit and mostly woody notes, but this time, seemed much more dried out without much else going on. Not at all pleasant. (3154 views) | | | Tasted by CabIsKing on 11/1/2015 & rated 90 points: Same notes. Just showing more maturity. Holding its own. (2303 views) | | | Tasted by indiscriminate palate on 9/29/2015 & rated 86 points: Dusty, earthy, leathery nose of dried flowers and some berries. Very little fruit on the palate, mostly woody, with some chocolate and plum notes. Medium body. Fine tannin. Medium acid. Good. Drink now. (2159 views) | | | Tasted by Sotto325 on 8/28/2015 & rated 88 points: In 375, this should be consumed now. A soft Merlot sense of right bank consistency, but little excitement or distinguishing tastes. Nice woody, dark berry nose, good mouth feel, some cassis and wet oak flavors with a bit of moss. (1851 views) | | | Tasted by Rezy13 on 5/5/2015 flawed bottle: Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Bin 75): Cloudy; smells terrible, vegetal, leather, musty, sandy; terrible; not sure whether it was cooked, not exactly sure of provenance, didn't seem to be volatile. (1994 views) | | | Tasted by Sotto325 on 11/26/2014 & rated 90 points: QPR and Bordeaux are seemingly oxymoronic post-China, but this bottle demonstrates how more investment can turn smaller estates that used to smell of vegetation and soil into respectable and enjoyable wines for a meal, even in a less stellar vintage. This 375 opened smoothly, displaying fairly single note cassis/medium cherry tones, some aged wood and a nice absence of overt tannin or alcohol. Huge improvement. (2223 views) | | | Tasted by CabIsKing on 11/3/2014 & rated 90 points: Still has the good nose that it had last time. This time the finish really seemed to linger. Very nice for the price. (2234 views) | | | Tasted by Rick and Debra on 8/16/2014 & rated 92 points: - Fast forming legs - Dinner August, 2014 Neil and Steve with Ribeye (2415 views) | | | Tasted by Kevincrouch on 3/18/2014: This was a lovely wine that picked up weight as the evening progressed. It started with light berry and an alluring sauvage character faded into a more classic compilation as it breathed. Very elegant and great with or without food. (2870 views) | | | Tasted by DarinC on 2/1/2014 & rated 87 points: Medium body. Needs air to develop and soften. A cooler style with bright fruit, earth and some slightly aggressive tannin and acid. Easy to drink with ample air time. Compliments food well. (2804 views) | | | Tasted by tautlinehitch on 11/28/2013 & rated 92 points: Drunk with Thanksgiving dinner, roast turkey and veg. Decanted via Vinturi and left to sit for half an hour. Early on, mild nose of raspberry and plum, a bit austere, with distinct notes of coffee, pencil shavings, a bit of caramel. Full on the palate, adding black cherry. The hollow, watery midpalate I noted in 2012 is pretty much gone. Nice acid, tannins hot and a bit rough. Quite a nice, long finish. After a few hours in decanter, nose is nicely integrated, palate leading now with blackberry. Huge improvement over last year. (2734 views) | | | Tasted by Rick and Debra on 6/21/2013: Dinner hot dogs Howard and Christine (3297 views) | | | Tasted by Stockgorilla on 10/2/2012 & rated 94 points: Tasted this wine on-site at the winery in Pomerol in Bordeaux. Perfectly stored mint '06 which was left to decant for a few hours. On the eyes this was a beautiful purple/red bleeding into orange on the edges- still much life to it. The bouquet was outstanding with multiple layers of floral perfumes, white cane sugar, dark plum, raspberries and smoky tobacco. I also had hints of wet fallen leaves that only the Bordeaux terroir can provide. One of the things that Bruno Lambert, the owner of Sales prides himself on is using slightly older- compared to most Bordeaux Chateau's - french oak barrels to age his wine. These aged barrels allow the fruitiness of the Merlot to emerge, while balancing the tannin's. The result on the palate was incredibly balanced and sophisticated, allowing for sweet fruit, smoked pepper and wet earth to emerge all at once. The finish on this wine was fabulous and lasted longer than I was anticipating for this specific vintage. I strongly recommend keeping this vintage in your cellar for as long as possible. If you must, drink with good friends and eat with dark poultry and grilled vegetables- you will not be disappointed. (4150 views) | | | Tasted by tautlinehitch on 9/3/2012 & rated 89 points: Decanted through Vinturi and left to sit for four hours. Nose of earth, pot pourri, tobacco, smoke. Palate enters with black fruit, then goes watery for a bit, then adds spice and mild tannins. Short to medium finish. The wateriness in the mid-palate is a big weakness - would rate it 91-93 if there was more going on there. On the other hand, for $10 I wasn't expecting Petrus... Update after 24 hours in decanter: some more fruit on the nose. Mid-palate has filled in significantly, but still a bit flabby. Will try it again in a year and see what's happened. (3720 views) | | | Tasted by CabIsKing on 6/17/2012 & rated 90 points: Same notes as last time except tannins are mellowed out and has just a real nice finish. (4150 views) | | | Tasted by peterchoy on 4/30/2012 & rated 88 points: Appearance: Bright and clear, medium (+) intensity ruby colour, with paler rims and legs.
Nose: Clean, with medium intensity and developing aromas of black cherry, plum, cedar, earth, bilberry, cloves and violet.
Palate: Dry, with medium acidity and medium tannin, ripe and velvety. Medium in alcohol, with medium (+) body and medium flavors of black cherry, plum, cedar, coffee and hints of savory. Medium length.
Conclusion: Good quality Pomerol with reasonably intense nose and palate, showing a fairly complex nose. More simple on palate, but with good fruit and a little sign of development. Good balance with firm structure, this wine is ready to drink now though can benefit from further ageing of another 6-8 years. (4068 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| Château de Sales Producer website | Read more about Chateau de SalesRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanLibournais Libournais (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) - Read more about St. Emilion and its wines - Read more about Pomerol and its wines
Saint Emilion Grat Classified Growth, Classified Growths, Grands Crus Classes, GCC
In 1954, while the "Graves" growths had just published their own classification, the wine syndicate of Saint-Emilion, composed by wine growers, brokers and wine traders with the approval of the INAO - Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (A.O.C), decided to work on a classification for the wines of Saint Emilion. Initially, four grades were defined. These were reduced to two - First Great Classified Growth (A and B) and Great Classified Growth - in 1984.
As of Medoc's 1855 historical grading, the Saint-Emilion Great Classified Growth classification is not only based on qualitative criteria by tasting the wines on a ten years period previous to the assessment, but also on commercial considerations such as:
- sales price levels
- national and international commercial distribution
- the estate's reputation on the market
Properties who don't manage to join the club of about sixty Classified Growths are given the denomination of Great Growth ("Grand Cru"), while the remaining wineries of the A.O.C are simply reported as "Saint-Emilion". It is to be noted that the owners must officially apply to appear in the official classification. Thus for example the famous Chateau Tertre-Roteboeuf, whose quality and reputation would easily justify to be listed among the First Great Classified Growths, does not appear here by the will of its owner, François Mitjaville.
The Saint-Emilion Great Growth classification was revised in 1969, 1985, 1996 and 2006. The only two guaranteed vintage (A.O.C) who can apply to the classification are the "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" and "Saint-Emilion" areas.
By grading 61 properties, the 2006 revision confirmed many growths from the former classification, but also caused a number of surprises and a few inevitable disappointments. Many observers thought that the impressive progression of Perse's Chateau Pavie since 1998 would be rewarded by an upgrade into the First Great Classified Growths (A) category, but finally such was not the case.
Among the estates promoted to the First Great Classified Growths B category are Chateau Troplong-Mondot and Pavie-Macquin, whose efforts made since the Nineties fully justify their new grade. It should be noted that no First Great Classified Growth was relegated to the lower Great Classified Growth class.
Promoted growths from the status of Great Growth ("Grand Cru") to Great Classified Growth ("Grand Cru Classe") are: Chateaux Bellefont-Belcier, Destieux, Fleur Cardinale, Grand Corbin, Grand Corbin-Despagne and Monbousquet.
The demoted growths from the status of Great Classified Growth to Great Growth are: Chateaux Bellevue, Cadet Bon, Faurie de Souchard, Guadet Saint-Julien, La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Belivier), La Tour du Pin-Figeac (Moueix), Lamarzelle, Petite Faurie de Soutard, Tertre Daugay, Villemaurine and Yon-Figeac. If the recent samples of some of the above mentioned properties may justify their current downgrade, there are great chances that estates like Bellevue, Tertre Daugay or Yon-Figeac will be upgraded to their previous rankings by the next revision in 2016 as the progresses noted after 2000, but not entering in the range of vintages (1993 - 2002) appointed for the criteria of selection for the 2006 classification, are noticable.
The two following estates have completely disappeared from the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classification: Curé-Bon-la-Madeleine (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Canon) and La Clusière (integrated meanwhile to Chateau Pavie).
Finally, no estate considered as "garagiste" has integrated the classification. Valandraud, Mondotte, Le Dome, Bellevue-Mondotte or Magrez-Fombrauge have, for the least, the potential to be ranked as Great Classified Growths. In sight of the very fine quality reached by the above mentioned estates in recent vintages as well as all the innovative wine making methods used by the "garagistes", it remains to be seen whether the authorities will dare to cross the line in 2016..?Pomerol Wikipedia | French wine guide - Read about Pomerol |
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