- > Matter of taste
Matter of taste
London
Tasted Saturday, October 27, 2018 by Mascarello59 with 781 views
Introduction
Walkaround plus a 2016 Bordeaux Master class
Flight 1 - Walkaround tasting (40 Notes)
Flight 2 - Masterclass 2016 Bordeaux (13 Notes)
A fantastic consistency from the top wines.
2016 Château Montrose 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Fantastic dark fruit and cassis, very open aromas. More of the same on the palate but also more tannin and a bit dryer than its peers. Early signs of tobacco. Rather backward compared to the others but a real treat.
Post a Comment / 6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Château Pontet-Canet 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Lots of cedar and pencil shavings, sweet cassis aromas, glue. Deep and layered fruit. Again a bit more backward and tannic compared to the rest but with a beautiful cassis tinged end. A great success. 94-96p
Post a Comment / 5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 98 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Dark cassis driven fruit, licorice hints and an open and inviting nose. Very graceful and elegant with very silky tannin and uplifting acidity. Great fruit and a touch of earth on the palate. An impeccable balance and finish. Superb! 97-98p
Post a Comment / 5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château Calon-Ségur 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Higher than usual Cab Franc component. Stylish, unique with the C-S distinctive terroir of licorice and spice (can't describe I just recognize it again, just read Decanter and the mention of mint leaves is maybe what struck a chord in me) and with sweet cassis nose. Very silky and with fantastic fruit which all comes together on the finish. Great freshness too.
Best Calon Segur I have tasted, no doubt. 97-98pPost a Comment / 5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château Palmer 98 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
Sweet, lush with some vanilla notes. Great perfume and more towards the blue fruit at this stage. 47% merlot. Silky, layered and elegant and with a fantastic finish. All in harmony. 97-99p
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château Belair-Monange 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Lovely expressive red fruit with clear notes of ripe raspberries and other darker fruit. Silky tannin, layered with deep fruit and good acidity. Long very nice finish and a slight touch of warmth. 94-96p
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château Villemaurine 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Dense sweet aromas dominated by sweet raspberries. Rich, very ripe fruit combined with silky tannin and an oak element. Long lingering finish. Maybe a bit rich compared to the other right banks of 2016 on display.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château Péby Faugères 92 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Blockbuster Merlot nose, rich and dense aromas. Same on the palate coupled with very fine tannin and good acidity levels. Very long persistent finish. Very hedonistic.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château Trotanoy 97 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Beutiful nose with violets, licorice and iron. Soft, fruity, very fine ripe tannin. Relatively rich but still dry without falling into the blockbuster category. A fabulous wine! 97-98p
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château La Fleur-Pétrus 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
More of clay component and a bit dusty to start off. Changes for the better though. Licorice, fruit, earth in a complex mix where nothing takes the upper hand. Soft impression and superfine tannin. Excellent long balanced finish. 94-96p
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château La Conseillante 98 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Not sure if I tasted this before but what an improvement! Aromas of ripe, sweet fresh raspberries and violets sending off a very elegant message. The finest of tannins and an impeccable balance. Lift and nerve. Could drink even now. Just gorgeous! 98-99p
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château Cos d'Estournel 98 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Relatively open with a fantastically perfumed nose of cassis and licorice. Dry with superfine ripe tannins. Very intense mid and then a very long elegant finish. One of too many favourites of this lot of 14, 2016 top Bordeaux wines. What a vintage! 97-99p
Post a Comment / 5 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Lots of cassis and relatively closed. Dark fruit and a bit dusty to start with. 80% new oak and therefore a bit more tannic impression. Dark deep fruit and a beautiful balance. I may sound a bit negative but just wait until it all comes together! 95-96p
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
-
Where to Buy
-
100% Like It 20
-
What do you think?
I like it I don't like it
-
What do you think?
- My Cellar 0
- Tasting Notes 55
- Pro Reviews 21
- My Wish List 0
- My Private Notes 0
-
Community Holdings 2,513
- Pending Delivery (4%) 108
- In Cellars (86%) 2,169
- Consumed (9%) 236
- Top Stores
© 2003-24 CellarTracker! LLC. All rights reserved. "CellarTracker!" is a trademark of CellarTracker! LLC. No part of this website may be used, reproduced or distributed without the prior written permission of CellarTracker! LLC.
2015 Château La Conseillante 96 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Sweeter more red fruit than violets compared to the 2016. A bit leaner and higher acidity as well. Very silky with great freshness and elegance. I prefer the 2016 at this stage but this is also an outstanding wine.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2005 Château Calon-Ségur 93 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Mature notes of sweet figs fruit, licorice. Ripe tannin and drinkable now. I would prefer to wait another 5-10 years though. Better than last time.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2009 Château Calon-Ségur
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe
Not much of notes. Soft, drinks well but save for longer. Not quite up to the recent years standards. 92-93 range.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2010 Château Figeac 95 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
Walkabout tasting. Feels riper and darker than 2015. Starting to ripen and open up showing some of that sweet intense fig fruit and tobacco. Could drink very well now but a shame not to save for more complexity. Just beautiful.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Château Figeac 98 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru
My tasting note no 1000!
Walkabout tasting. Intense with sweet elegant fruit. Such silky elegance, really nothing to add, just give it time to develop. Perfect balance and a long fantastic finish. A really good representative of this note no 1000!
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2009 Château La Fleur-Pétrus 94 Points
France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol
Sweet violet and fruit aromas. Dry, fine with a long finish but not quite up to the standard of the 2016. Far from ready and not as approachable as some other 2009's I've come across.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Ridge Monte Bello 94 Points
USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains
Very perfumed and cool with the oak still shining through. Very silky and Bordeaux like, not as big as like the 2012/2013 from what I remember them. Medium body and great freshness.
Post a Comment / 6 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon McGah Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford
100% french oak and high extraction which gives it a somewhat heave impression after a session of Bordeaux. Very good acidity levels to balance the richness though.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Bevan Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Wildfoote Vineyard, Vixen Block 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Heavy nose of fruit, licorice and smoke. Oak comes through at this early stage of the wine which is clearly built to last decades. Very deep and rich. A blockbuster of a wine.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Lail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvée 95 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Rich but very European in style. Lovely balance very fine grained tannin and one for the long haul. 250 euros a bottle is a lot but compared to other high brow Californians this defends its position very well.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Lail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvée 93 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Compared to the 2015 this is more tannic or more coarse but that's just a relative matter to its younger version. Rich but restrained and it needs years before becoming ready.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Arkenstone Estate 96 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain
Opulent aromas of fruit and cool freshnesss and minerality as well. Beautiful fruit package with uplifting acidity giving a wine with fantastic balance and it seems to sit somewhere in between the best of Bordeaux and California. A real treat to taste this! 95-97p
Nice guy too that winemaker. Will make sure to visit if I get the chance to go there.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2002 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Hillside Select 95 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District
Dark, dense and intense. Silky tannin and super long finish. This has many years to go.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 96 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia
Blue, black red (!) fruit aromas, crushed rocks. Very fine tannin and refreshing acidity and impeccably balance by the rich fruit. Very Bordeaux like. A great wine and with a fair price against many top Bordeaux.
Pretty consistent with my previous note. 96-97p
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays 92 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
Maturity notes on the nose. High acidity and good structure without being disturbing. More backbone after a lot of Californinan PN samples. Drinks well from now on. Better than expected.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays 93 Points
France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru
Lovely raspberry and red fruit. Acidity and tannin balanced nicely by fruit. Tasted after a round of Californian Pinot Noirs and ths difference in style is very obvious and yes, I prefer this more structured version in the long run.
93-94p
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2009 Château Beychevelle 91 Points
France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Quick taste with sparse notes. Soft, silky and quite advanced. Elegant but lacks energy perhaps.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2008 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté 95 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Impressive and expressive nose of orange, citrus, rose hips, just wonderful. Fine tannins but still disturbing the harmony but the fruit is deep and persistent as well so with time this should integrate beautifully. Just be patient another 5-10 years and this may even defend its high scores
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia 94 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Sparse notes. Tar, roses ie the classical markers. Silky elegant tannin but still far from resolved.
Much more potential to emerge.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2011 Seña 93 Points
Chile, Aconcagua Valley
More of the same cassis liqeur nose but less pungent than 2014 of course. Peppery, spicy with that Sena coolness. Very good acidity and this one can be drunk now but 10 more years will reward you. 93-94p
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Seña
Chile, Aconcagua Valley
Third time i'm sampling this wine. Cool, licorice and VERY cassis nose. No point in rating, just wait a decade and then revert. This came late in the tasting event so the ability to get any more of the subtle notes was impaired. 92-95 ish.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2006 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia 93 Points
Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja
Nutty, honeyed, leathery in a lightly oxidized style. Rich with high acidity, very different and intriguing. First encounter with this wine and I quite like it. 92-94p
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand 93 Points
France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Abricots and riesling aromas. Dry and refreshing. Top notch Alsace riesling with superb balance. Buy!
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2013 Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer Rangen de Thann Clos St. Urbain 93 Points
France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Distinctively sweet nose with Gewurtz typicity. Very sweet taste but fabuluous. Rich and long finish. Wait out 5-10 years more.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Kistler Chardonnay Laguna Ridge Vineyard 96 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Superbly balanced wine with depth, nutty, fat, buttery, bright acidity and fruit in great harmony. Maybe the best California chard I have tasted!
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Schloßberg Riesling Großes Gewächs 93 Points
Germany, Rheingau
Citrus notes. Crisp acidity with good fruit levels and a nice minerality. Very clean with a fine balance and a with a very good future. Leave for longer, too tight for now.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Weingut Josef Leitz Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland Riesling Großes Gewächs
Germany, Rheingau
Nice acidity, slate, very good balance. A touch of warmth. Not much of notes.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2013 Fattoria di Fèlsina Berardenga Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Colonia
Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG
Open and expressive fruit. Grippy tannin and painfully young. Will need decades to resolve the tannin. Scribbly notes, need to retaste.
Tannin generally seems to be the theme in Tuscany 2013!?
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2010 Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso 94 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino
Very attractive nose of cherry fruit and fine oak. Great acidity, fine tannin. Save at least another 10 years. Slightly warm on the finish. Surprisingly good at this early stage! 94-95p
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2013 Cayuse Syrah Armada Vineyard 93 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Rich and overpowering in style. Loads of smoke, bacon fat and meat on the nose and then again more of the same. Just too much. A great wine and vineyard no doubt, but I would have preferred a bit more restraint. Maybe time will allow it to come together. 92-95p
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2011 Horsepower Vineyards Syrah The Tribe Vineyard 93 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Lots of smoke, big, sweet and rich in its style. Very intesnse, even a bit overpowering for my taste. As I didn't make any note of the acidity level, maybe that was what I personally would have needed to find the balance. Still, I can see why people seem to love this. Great quality wine. For me, more like a 92-94 range.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2011 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 94 Points
France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage
Smoke, bacon notes, violets, animalic notes, lovely Syrah nose. Rather soft, could easily be approached now but wll improve. A great Syrah from an average vintage.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2012 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah Stonessence 94 Points
USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
Pepper, spices, with a whiff of burnt tyres or rather smoke (?) and black Nyons olives. Great fruit, soft in the mouth, medicinal hints and a clear note of spearmint. Acidity on the low side so for me the perfection is missing. Still a great wine.
Post a Comment / 3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2010 Chris Ringland Shiraz Hoffmann 94 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Floral, dense fruit aromas with violet, mint. Soft black fruit, great uplifting acidity but virtually without tannin or just buried under the fruit? Intense and impressive with a never ending finish. However, too much of a good thing to find the right balance or just a Matter of Taste?
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2013 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 93 Points
Australia, New South Wales, Southern New South Wales, Canberra District
Mint, Aussie type of dark fruit aromas. Great acidity and freshness. The finish is very long and well balanced. Not as big and rich as expected. Quite like. If tasted blind it might have passed as a Rhone Syrah.
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2016 Kistler Pinot Noir Laguna Ridge Vineyard 95 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
A lovely PN with mineral, spices, light oak handling and great fruit. Easy soft, sappy carried by fruit and a really refreshing acidity rather than tannin. So sweet and inviting and very hard not to swallow.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2015 DuMOL Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard 93 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Again a very appealing PN with lovely fruit aromas and full of PN carachter. Great acidity, fruity, soft with a nice sweetish finish. 93--94p.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2014 Donelan Pinot Noir Tripp's Block 93 Points
USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino Ridge
Light and delicate nose with red sweet fruit. Sappy and fruity with very good acidity.
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue
2013 Donelan Syrah Richards Family Vineyard 97 Points
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Didn't keep much score or notes on this one but I just remember it as an outstanding wine up there with the best of the Rhones I have tasted. This is more restrained in style with fantastic fruit, lavender notes, great acidity and superfine low key tannins. Syrah at its best and the best Syrah on show today, by far. Will try to find...
Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue
2013 Fontodi Flaccianello della Pieve Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT 93 Points
Italy, Tuscany, Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT
Sourish cherries but still sweet on the nose. Lots of acidity and tannin around the fruit, very tight. Seems to have a very good balance. Just wait a long time…and this should turn out just fine. Hard to have a view though, a wide range of 93-96p.
Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue