External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher
Vintages
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Show more
From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
|
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.8 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 49 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by CheviotCellar on 6/7/2023 flawed bottle: Very mildly corked but somehow delicious enough to drink. The palate wasnt affected much as it blended with the dry boxwood notes. The fruit was deep and pure. Leather also. One more bottle (1568 views) | | | Tasted by king-bing on 5/6/2023: A full colour. Will this be too much? On the palate much more restrained and defined than I was expecting. A decent fresh finish gave this life. Rather enjoyable. (1628 views) | | | Tasted by Purple Tooth on 11/7/2022 & rated 91 points: A modest, well woven Merlot that showcases the richness of the fruit, while throwing some sexy earth here and there to bring just a little exoticness to this bargain of a French wine. The structure here is incredible and it sure has the fruit to keep it company as it ages gracefully over the next 3 to 7 years. This will just get better and better. Drink or Hold (2751 views) | | | Tasted by Jonnhy99 on 8/29/2022 & rated 88 points: Some sediment was in this half bottle.
Nice perfume aromas along with plum, cherry, raspberry, cedar, and cola which show up later on.
High acidity wine with chalky tannins that don't even let up after five hours and not even fully after 24. Once you get by that you get juicy blackberry, plum, cherry, vanilla, oak, cola, perfume, and mint. Good with food but this will need more years in the cellar (2408 views) | | | Tasted by Mr. Brisket on 8/15/2022 & rated 92 points: This wine continues to age slowly and subtly, but still young and somewhat unrestrained. Satisfying body and mouthfeel, baked cherry still dominant but now developing a bit of mustiness and leather, a nice complement. Better and more in balance on day 2. I am very much looking forward to uncorking more of these down the road. You would be hard pressed to find a better $30 bottle of wine. (2456 views) | | | Tasted by DianaPaul on 12/8/2021 & rated 93 points: Wine is beginning to come into its own. Beautiful color with bright ripe fruit that takes over the entire palette. Enjoyed with some napoleon style pizza and had a hard time deciding what I enjoyed more. Bought a case and wished I had bought 5 at this price since it punches several weight classes above. (2890 views) | | | Tasted by Sjjordan on 11/20/2021 & rated 91 points: This is drinking beautifully right now. Smooth and silky tannins. Classic merlot flavors of black cherry, herbs, and a touch of vanilla. Very food friendly—paired with a Provence-style beef stew. Decanted an hour before serving. Great value! (2593 views) | | | Tasted by Saint B on 9/17/2021: Classic Merlot nose of sweet berries. Tannins are quite resolved, quite sweet, paired well with olives, very inviting, slightly thin on the mid palate and short towards the end. It was not too hot at all, despite being 15% abv. It was otherwise a pleasant bottle. (2679 views) | | | Tasted by Takeshi on 3/27/2021 & rated 90 points: So so nothing special needs time decanting to open up. (3285 views) | | | Tasted by DanR on 3/26/2021 & rated 91 points: Hugely built, powerful Bdx showing sappy dark fruit on an iron spine. Coiled up like a spring, needs substantial time. (3100 views) | | | Tasted by winecadence on 1/15/2021 & rated 91 points: Really nice wine. Has the makings to improve over the next couple of years. Big wine. Lots of silky black fruit. Medium tannins. Nice mouthfeel. (2702 views) | | | Tasted by linkswinelover6549 on 11/30/2020 & rated 90 points: Delicious now. Full body Bordeaux (3133 views) | | | Tasted by daveyk39 on 10/9/2020 & rated 94 points: 2020: Top Ten Wines; 1/1/2020-12/31/2020 (Redwood City, CA): After my experience with the 2016 Clos du Roy the previous day, allowed this Fronsac blend (90% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc) 4h of air to open up.
Deep ruby color. Offers a complex bouquet of blackberry, plum, pepper, cedar, leather, potting soil and hazelnut. Velvety texture, weighty on the palate, with red fruit and blackcurrant flavors, pepper and spice, framed by sinewy tannins with a youthful rusticity.
The 2016 Dalem offers texture, potency and depth, with years of room left to evolve, and may be the best wine I've tasted so far in 2020. (3172 views) | | | Tasted by wineotim on 8/22/2020 & rated 92 points: I had to open another one of these as I recently had a Montrose of the same vintage. Hmm...I scored this the same, that's a shame. Very similar flavor profile. What a value! (3316 views) | | | Tasted by SuperSomm on 4/20/2020: Deep ruby red colour with hints of purple. Medium nose with dark plum, blackberry, cedar and tobacco. Medium taste of dark plum, blackberry, cedar and tobacco. Medium long and dry finish. Medium acidity. Medium tannins. Full body. A good Fronsac that is bold and needs at least five more years to mature. Goes well with beef or lamb, might also go well with game. (439 views) | | | Tasted by La Cave d'Argent on 3/30/2020 & rated 93 points: The 2016 iteration of Dalem is an opaque crimson blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Packed with chocolate covered cherries, melted licorice, dried herbs, tobacco and exotic spices, it is a full-bodied, freshly acidic, judiciously oaked red with ample fine-grained tannins. Delivering a payload with intensity on the mid-palate and somehow throwing no heat from its lofty 15% alcohol, it closes with an impressively lengthy finish. This is a noble wine from a humble appellation...and it should age with grace. Drink now-2036. (4346 views) | | | Tasted by CheviotCellar on 3/29/2020 & rated 90 points: Showing its youth but still a lot to enjoy here. Accessible and nice texture out of bottle, adds depth with more air. Rich, complex flavors and long finish. 90-91 with upside potential. (3391 views) | | | Tasted by Catina on 3/7/2020 & rated 93 points: Great value for money Fronsac. Fruit forward with delicious fresh blackberry and plum flavor. Well balanced with hints of licorice and tobacco. Very smooth with medium length and good acidity. Drinking well now but could evolve further. (3328 views) | | | Tasted by xyc on 1/21/2020 & rated 89 points: Deep fruit nose, dusty, oaky tannic, tannins and oak overwhelming the rich fruit. Has plenty of fruit and intensity to age plus tannin.
Side by side with
LaMarque Marquis d'Envy this has cleaner fruit, the tannins without the smoke and dust and without the fruit ripeness, a different style. (90)
La Tour de Besson The Margaux is lovely, not delicate but feminine, acidity which adds grace, intensity without the oak. One of he better Margaux buys and more enjoyable than the 2013 and 2014 Margauxs I tasted, some at twice the price. (91) (3508 views) | | | Tasted by bjecjohnson on 1/1/2020 & rated 93 points: Great QPR on this young wine! Can’t wait to see how the other bottles evolve. (3406 views) | | | Tasted by Mr. Brisket on 12/20/2019 & rated 92 points: Decanted and drank over three nights; dark purple color, medium-full bodied, nose of baked cherries with some floral, same on the palate along with oak and tobacco. Nice finish, and overall really a very enjoyable wine. I will seek out more to see how well it ages. (2566 views) | | | Tasted by englishman's claret on 12/1/2019 & rated 88 points: The 16 Dalem is slightly lightish and even a touch vegetal at first, but picks up fruit with a little swirling in the glass. Savory palate. (3711 views) | | | Tasted by ChristoBretts on 11/17/2019 & rated 89 points: Drank over three days, decanted. Full bodied, dark. Nose and palate restrained at this point. Some very dark fruit on the palate, plumb pit, detected no smoke or leather at this point, but so tannic that could be hidden at this early stage. 89 for now, but could develop. (2729 views) | | | Tasted by Jeff Leve on 9/21/2019 & rated 93 points: Dark in color, the wine exudes flowers, deep, red and black pit fruits, silky textures, balance, freshness and length. The silky textured finish brings everything together. (3558 views) | | | Tasted by Jchen01854 on 9/13/2019: Attractive wine red, medium to full body. Ripe fruits firm tannin. Medium finish. (2609 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, Bordeaux 2016: Firing On All Cylinders (2/28/2019)
(Chateau Dalem Red) Login and sign up and see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (1/14/2019)
(Château Dalem Fronsac, Red, France) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2016 Bordeaux…It’s All In The Bottle (Jan 2019) (1/2/2019)
(Dalem Dalem Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, The DBs: Bordeaux 2016 In Bottle (Jan 2019) (1/1/2019)
(Dalem Dalem Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2016 Bordeaux: 30 Top Values (Apr 2017) (4/17/2017)
(Dalem Dalem Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2016 Bordeaux: It’s Now or Never, Baby (Apr 2017) (4/17/2017)
(Dalem Dalem Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (4/4/2017)
(Château Dalem Fronsac, Red, France) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, Bordeaux En Primeur 2016 Smaller appellations (4/2/2017)
(Château Dalem, Fronsac, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/15/2017)
(Ch Dalem Fronsac Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JebDunnuck.com and JamesSuckling.com and Vinous and Decanter and JancisRobinson.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Dalem Read about Chateau Dalem
Producer websiteRed 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..?Fronsac Vins Fronsac (Conseil des Vins de Fronsac)
Read more about Fronsac
Fronsac AOC Wikipedia Article |
|
