MattTM
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2012 CELLARTRACKER BORDEAUX TRIP - Bordeaux, France (5/21/2012-5/24/2012)
Visit and tasting at Château Cos d'Estournel
Château Cos d'Estournel
Château Cos d'Estournel
The barrel room at Château Cos d'Estournel
The barrel room at Château Cos d'Estournel
Old vintages from the families personal cellar
2008 Château Cos d'Estournel - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (5/21/2012)
85% Cabernet Sauvignon / 13% Merlot / 2% Cabernet Franc. Showing a very concentrated nose up front, this displays aromas of rich cassis, bright red plums and cherries, along with some black pepper, asphalt, and a touch of mint. On that palate more cassis comes through, followed by tart red fruits in the form of tart red cherries, red currants, cranberries, and a bit of tar. The palate showed quite tight and shy, along with a touch of heat. Lots of structure hiding in there, with a ton of bright gripping acidity and sharp sandy tannins. Medium+ length finish ending on a note of black currants. This was popped and poured and surely suffered from it, as this really needed a lot more air to strut its stuff and show its true character. With that said, you could clearly see the potential of this wine lying beneath. Very good.
Visit and tasting at Château Latour
The infamous tower of Château Latour
The vines of Château Latour
The barrel room of Château Latour
The seemingly endless supply of 1961 Château Latour
The tasting lineup of 2009 Pauillac de Latour, 2006 Les Forts de Latour, and 2004 Château Latour Grand Vin
2009 Pauillac de Latour - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
56% Cabernet Sauvignon / 44% Merlot. This is already quite approachable on the nose, displaying aromas of rich dark plums and cherries, lead pencil shavings, asphalt, and a hint of cedar floating in the background. Onto the palate, rich dark cherries come to the forefront, followed by more lead pencil and cedar, along with some fresh coffee beans and a hint of tar. A moderate amount of silky soft tannins are evident, paired with a medium amount of acidity. Medium length finish ending on notes of black cherry and asphalt. This was a nice entry level - third wine with its soft texture, red ripe but not overly ripe fruit, and was already quite approachable. Nice wine for the price. Good.
2006 Les Forts de Latour - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
70% Cabernet Sauvignon / 30% Merlot. This is showing beautiful rich aromas on the nose, yet thankfully they're not overbearing nor over extracted. Rich black cherries come to the forefront on the nose, followed by cassis, prunes, some wonderful violet floral aromas along with some nutmeg and herbal notes. A blast of lead pencil attacks the palate, along with rich black cherries, some spice, and a hint of asphalt. Like the nose, this was rich but not overdone. Smooth silky tannins come through with a moderate level of acidity. Long finish, ending on notes of lead pencil and cassis. This wine had great balance, and showed exactly what you'd expect from a Pauliiac. Very good.
2004 Château Latour Grand Vin - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
89% Cabernet Sauvignon / 10% Merlot / 1% Cabernet Franc. Truly intoxicating on the nose, displaying concentrated dark fruits yet with amazing balance and elegance. Rich black cherries, cassis, and roasted espresso beans up front on the nose, followed by lead pencil shavings and a hint of oak. Some soft espresso notes follow through on the palate, along with rich cassis, black cherries, cigar leaf, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, as well as some cedar. A moderate amount of dusty tannins are evident, paired with medium acidity. Long finish that doesn't seem to end, but when it does it displays cassis and roasted coffee beans. Truly a delicious and beautiful wine, that while a touch soft of the palate, captivates you with its incredible balance and finesse. Outstanding.
Visit and tasting at Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
A full OWC of 2009 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
The barrel sample of 2011 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
2011 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
82% Cabernet Sauvignon / 18% Merlot. Barrel sample. Showing very young and primary right now, as is to be expected. Bright red cherries at the forefront on the nose, along with some blackberries, tar, crushed slate, and what I would describe as almost a sea salt - ocean breeze type aroma. Bright red and dark cherries some through strong on the palate, followed by some raspberries, black currants, lead pencil, a hint of coffee, as well as more of that seas salt character. A moderate amount of dusty drying tannins pair nicely with a medium+ amount of gripping acidity. Medium+ length finish ending on notes of tart red cherries and lead pencil shavings. A classically styled Bordeaux, this Château did not try to produce something uncharacteristic of the vintage. Very good.
2007 Château Pibran - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
50% Cabernet Sauvignon / 50% Merlot. Tons of roasted coffee beans are at the forefront on the nose, along with black plums, red cherries, and some tart cranberry aromas. More of that coffee - mocha notes dominate the palate, as well black cherries, cranberries, lead pencil shavings, and a hint of tobacco. This displays soft smooth tannins, along with a medium amount of acidity. Medium+ length finish ending on notes of mocha and cranberries. A simple wine from a tough vintage, this is perfectly acceptable but far from a standout. Good.
2004 Château Pichon-Longueville Baron - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
65% Cabernet Sauvignon / 30% Merlot / 4% Cabernet Franc / 1% Petit Verdot. This is classic Pauillac on the nose in the form of rich cassis, freshly shaved lead pencil, black cherries, along with some aromas of fresh strawberries and red currants. Not quite what I was expecting from the palate, this was very light and elegant showing more of that strawberry that was evident on the nose, along with black cherries, lead pencil, asphalt, and some tobacco. A good does of acidity compliments the palate, along with a moderate amount of gritty tannins. Medium+ length finish, ending with notes of tar and black cherry. This being my first time tasting the '04, I'm going to have to assume this was somewhat closed and not ready to strut it's stuff. I'd like to try this again in a few years, as I've really enjoyed a lot of the other '04's I've tasted recently. Good+.
Lunch at Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
Lunch was enjoyed in the main dining room at Château Pichon-Longueville Baron
2006 Les Tourelles de Longueville - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
50% Merlot / 30% Cabernet Sauvignon / 20% Cabernet Franc. Tons of dried fruits dominate the nose in the form of prunes and dates, along with red cherries, black plums, black pepper spice, and some mint eucalyptus notes as well. Dark dried fruits once again at the forefront yet this time on the palate, with a blast of dates, prunes, black plums and cherries, cigar box, with a hint of menthol. Medium acidity rounds this out along with a solid amount of sandy tannins. Medium+ length finish ending on notes of menthol and prunes. To sum this wine up...dried dark fruits. This wouldn't win an award for it's balance, but it's an enjoyable wine in the right context. OK.
Visit and tasting at Château Mouton Rothschild
The pour
The lineup, including the barrel sample of the 2010 Château Mouton Rothschild
2010 Château Mouton Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
94% Cabernet Sauvignon / 6% Merlot. Barrel sample. A blast of cassis opens up the nose, followed rich black cherries, lead pencil shavings, charred oak, roasted coffee beans, along with some cedar and tart red currants. Quite primary this time around and not as open as last year when I tasted this wine at the Château. Tons more cassis on the palate, followed by freshly ground coffee beans, dark plums, cigar box, rich tart black cherries, cedar, and of course lead pencil shavings. A massive amount of sandy tannins round this out, along with a ton of bracing acidity. Long+ length finish ending on notes of black currants and freshly ground coffee beans. This was quite a polarizing wine for me as last year this was already approachable, yet this time around, while showing lots of potential and beautiful texture, it was a bit off balance and very rough around the edges. There is no doubt this is a wine that need a ton of time to show it's true colors and fall into perfect balance as all the tell tale signs are there. Fantastic.
Visit and tasting at Château Lafite Rothschild
The vat room at Château Lafite Rothschild
An old dusty bottle of Château Lafite Rothschild
The famous circular barrel room at Château Lafite Rothschild
Some barrels at Château Lafite Rothschild
2001 Château Lafite Rothschild - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
87% Cabernet Sauvignon / 13% Merlot. Fantastic aromas on the nose of rich cassis coupled with freshly shaved lead pencil, along with ripe blackberries, dark plums, and a hint of freshly roasted coffee beans. Incredible balance of rich dark fruit yet not overripe. A wonderful display of rich black cherries and cassis on the palate, along with a strong showing of lead pencil shavings, cigar box, blackberries, espresso, red currants, and a hint of blueberry and fresh mint. Still a ton of silky tannins evident, along with a moderate amount of crisp yet smooth acidity. Long+ length finish, ending with notes of pencil shavings and cassis. A great display of power with elegance, and while still being very young, displays a beautiful silky texture along with a welcome richness in the fruit. Outstanding.
Visit and tasting at Château Pontet-Canet
Château Pontet-Canet
Large format bottles of Château Pontet-Canet
The underground cellar at Château Pontet-Canet
2007 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
70% Cabernet Sauvignon / 25% Merlot / 4% Cabernet Franc / 1% Petit Verdot. Massive ripe nose of cassis, lead pencil shavings, blackberries, tart red cherries, raspberries, and a slight note of tar. The lead pencil shavings follow through to dominate the nose, along with red cherries, raspberries, and a small amount of both cranberries and asphalt. A moderate amount of smooth tannins come forward, along with lots of sharp acidity. Long finish, ending on notes of lead pencil and black currants. Overall a great effort for the '07 vintage, showing good balance and shying away from the over extraction that a lot of the other wines seem to display. Needs at least 5+ years. Good+
2011 Château Pontet-Canet - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac (5/21/2012)
60% Cabernet Sauvignon / 35% Merlot / 3% Cabernet Franc / 2% Petit Verdot. Barrel Sample. Beautiful nose, opening with a blast of roasted coffee beans, followed by black cherries, red plums, strawberries, sweet ripe blackberries, prunes, and some great violet floral aromas. A solid amount of lead pencil shavings and graphite on the palate, along with some more coffee beans, black cherries, strawberries, fresh cut flowers, rounded out with a touch of clove. A fair showing of dusty tannins complimented by a moderate amount of crisp acidity. Long length finish ending on notes of lead pencil shavings and black cherries. Very well balanced for a wine this young, along with a nice smooth texture on the palate. As usual, a solid wine for the vintage from this Château. Very good.
Visit and tasting at Château Léoville Barton
The entrance to Château Léoville Barton
The barrels at Château Léoville Barton
Stairs to the barrel room at Château Léoville Barton
Barrels at Château Léoville Barton
2011 Château Langoa Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (5/22/2012)
63% Cabernet Sauvignon / 34% Merlot / 3% Cabernet Franc. Barrel sample. Very fruit forward and concentrated on the nose, displaying cassis, red cherries, and tart red currants. Quite simple and fruity on the nose. Concentrated fruit comes to the forefront as well on the palate showing rich cassis, red cherries, tart red currants, red plums, and a bit of heat. There's no hiding the bracing acidity and chalky tannins. Medium finish ending with notes of black currants and red cherries. Quite one dimensional and not very well balanced for my palate. OK
2011 Château Léoville Barton - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien (5/22/2012)
80% Cabernet Sauvignon / 15% Merlot / 5% Cabernet Franc. Barrel Sample. Beautiful nose leaning towards the darker side of the fruit spectrum, displaying aromas of dark dried fruits, cassis, lead pencil, and black cherries. Rich cassis at the forefront of the palate, as well as a strong showing of black cherries, saddle leather, and earth. A solid amount of dusty tannins and medium+ acidity round this out. Long finish ending with notes of cassis and black cherries. With its fabulous balance and texture this is a great effort for the vintage, and is worth adding to the cellar. Very good+
Visit and tasting at Château Margaux
The picturesque Château Margaux
In the barrel room at Château Margaux
In the barrel room at Château Margaux
The vats at Château Margaux
Inside the cooperage of Château Margaux
2008 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (5/22/2012)
68% Cabernet Sauvignon / 26% Merlot / 4% Petit Verdot / 1% Cabernet Franc. A solid showing of roasted coffee beans at the forefront of the nose, followed by red plums, black cherries, fresh green oak, and a touch of fresh mint. Black plums and chewing tobacco dominate the palate, along with mocha, red cherries, cigar leaf, black pepper and cloves. Fresh and elegant on the palate, with crisp acidity and a moderate amount of drying dusty tannins. Medium+ length finish ending with notes of oak, coffee beans, and red plums. Good+
2008 Château Margaux - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (5/22/2012)
87% Cabernet Sauvignon / 11% Merlot / 1% Cabernet Franc / 1% Petit Verdot. What a difference when compared to the '08 Pavillon Rouge tasted just prior. A fantastic, intoxicating nose of lead pencil shavings - graphite, dark plums and cherries, black pepper and clove spice, along with a shy display of oak, tart red currants, and blueberries. Flavors of cassis and shaved lead pencil coat the tongue, as well as black cherries, saddle leather, black pepper, charred oak, and a hint of tart red currants and espresso. Tons of dry dusty tannins and a huge amount of sharp acidity give this a crisp bite at the end. Long length finish ending on notes of lead pencil, black cherries, and espresso. Beautifully balanced, with an amazing silky texture which leaves a lasting impression. I'd love to taste this again when it has another 10+ years under its belt. Outstanding
Visit and tasting at Château Giscours
Château Giscours
The ceiling of the vat room at Château Giscours
The crest of Château Giscours
OWC's in the tasting room at Château Giscours
2008 Château Duthil - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (5/22/2012)
55% Cabernet Sauvignon / 45% Merlot. Quite fruit forward and extracted on the nose, displaying aromas of fresh red cherries, dark plums, prunes, and a touch of heat. Overall quite simple and one dimensional on the nose. The fruit forward nature from the nose carries through on the palate, showing black cherries, red currants, crushed slate, and a touch of bitter coffee. Tongue numbing acidity is paired with a moderate amount of dusty tannins. Medium- length finish ending on a note of red cherries. Not much complexity of balance here, very simple, slightly bitter, with sharp acid. OK
2006 Château Giscours - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (5/22/2012)
60% Cabernet Sauvignon / 40% Merlot. A very elegant nose and not giving much, dominated by aromas of prunes, along with black plums, black pepper spice, and black licorice. A solid showing of anise and prunes up front on the palate, as well as black cherries and plums, black pepper spice, and some herbal flavors in the form of rosemary and mint. A fair bit of acidity here along with a moderate amount of tart bitter tannins. A medium length finish ending on notes of prunes, black pepper, and rosemary. Tough to call at this point, this is pretty shut down and not giving much right now. Good
1996 Château Giscours - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (5/22/2012)
60% Cabernet Sauvignon / 40% Merlot. This is showing a lot of age on the nose, displaying aromas of prunes, menthol, black plums, earth, wet moss, and leather. The nose had a slight unripe aspect to it. This shows quite a bit younger on the palate, in the form of prunes, black plums, anise, black pepper, and more unripe - green bean - vegetal notes. A fair amount of soft gritty tannins still lingering, along with a slight amount of soft acidity. Medium length finish ending with notes of green bean and prunes. Appears to be at full maturity based on the showing of this bottle. Good
Visit and tasting at Château Figeac
Château Figeac
Château Figeac
An old press inside Château Figeac
Tasting through the barrels at Château Figeac
2003 Château Figeac
2003 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (5/23/2012)
33.3% Cabernet Sauvignon / 33.3% Merlot / 33.3% Cabernet Franc. Very expressive on the nose, displaying aromas of rich dark fruits, cassis, tobacco, leather and some clove spice. While rich, this is more towards the concentrated side of the spectrum as opposed to being extracted. Tons of cassis and tobacco up front on the palate, followed by black pepper and clove spice, red plums, and cranberries. A bit tart and quite tight on the palate, this needs some time in the cellar to come together. Lots of smooth tannins hanging around, along with high acidity which gives this a bit of a sharp bite towards the end. Medium+ length finish ending with notes of spice and black currants. All in all, a great effort of the '03 vintage and not overdone like a lot of the wines from that year. Very good
Visit and tasting at Château Canon
The entrance to Château Canon
The vat room at Château Canon
The ceiling of the vat room at Château Canon
An old press deep inside the underground cellar of Château Canon
The pour
2007 Château Canon - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (5/23/2012)
75% Merlot / 25% Cabernet Franc. The nose opens with a blast of bright fruit in the form of blueberries, red cherries and blackberries, along with some asphalt, spicy black pepper, and crushed slate. Tart red cherries and plums come through on the palate as well as red currants, lots of spicy black pepper, some tar, and stone minerals. This brings with it a punch of acidity and a moderate amount of sandy gritty tannins. Medium length finish ending on a note of tart red cherry. This was quite light and elegant on the palate, yet showed a lot of structure and texture. Clearly this needs more time, but it's a great effort considering the vintage. Very good
2001 Château Canon - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (5/23/2012)
75% Merlot / 25% Cabernet Franc. Wonderful expressive rich nose black cherries and plums, blackberries, prunes, black pepper, and a touch of shoe leather. Black cherries and black currants at the forefront on the palate, along with prunes, blackberries, a ton of spicy black pepper, with a bit of tart cranberry rounding this out. The medium+ amount of acidity pairs well with the moderate amount of dusty tannins still remaining. Medium finish ending with notes of prune and lots of black pepper. This was quite a but richer and deeper than the '07 tasted along side, with the Cabernet Franc being much more evident. Quite simple and displaying a very classical style, but well made with nice balance and texture. Very good
Visit and tasting at Château Troplong Mondot
The vines at Château Troplong Mondot
Command central at Château Troplong Mondot
The barrel room at Château Troplong Mondot
Tasting 2011 Château Troplong Mondot straight from the barrel
2011 Château Troplong Mondot
2007 Château Troplong Mondot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (5/23/2012)
85% Merlot / 10% Cabernet Sauvignon / 5% Cabernet Franc. Huge nose, displaying a ton of toasted oak up front, along with a generous amount of rich black plums, freshly ground coffee beans, and rich sweet blackberry jam. Quite fruit forward and almost extracted. A strong showing of mocha at first on the palate, as well as blackberries, dark cherries and plums, charred oak, a touch of tart red currants, with a slight green component to this. A bit of sandy tannins round this out with a moderate amount of acidity. Medium- length finish ending on notes of black cherries and roasted coffee beans. Not a ton of depth on the palate, a touch thin and simple, and this clearly needs some time in the cellar to integrate the oak. Good
2011 Château Troplong Mondot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (5/23/2012)
100% Merlot. Unblended barrel sample. A blast of bright fruit and dark berries dominate the nose as well as some raspberry jam, black plums, burnt rubber, combined with a subtle smokey aroma. Very ripe on the palate, showing a generous amount of dark berries, black plums, spicy black pepper, and black licorice. A medium amount of acidity compliment the fruit, along with a fair amount of silky dusty tannins. Long length finish, ending on notes of black licorice and black plums. There's a ton of texture on the palate which makes this quite interesting, which is welcome considering how rich this is. Good+
2011 Château Troplong Mondot - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (5/23/2012)
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Unblended barrel sample. There a beautiful floral aspect to this on the nose, along with a nice showing of ripe red berries, black plums, blueberries, toasted oak, and red licorice. Roasted coffee beans make their presence felt upfront on the palate, along with ripe sweet strawberries, black cherries and plums, and a touch of vanilla bean. There's a ton of dusty drying tannins that compliment the medium+ sharp acidity well. Long finish ending with notes of black cherries and dark roasted coffee beans. Well there's no doubt this is quite rich and concentrated on the palate, the acidity helps dial back the fruit and it's actually fairly well balanced. I really preferred this to the 100% Merlot sample tasted just prior. Very good
Visit and tasting at Château Le Bon Pasteur
A vertical of Château Le Bon Pasteur
2008 Château Bertineau St.-Vincent, 2008 Château Rolland-Maillet, and 2002 Château Le Bon Pasteur
2008 Château Bertineau St.-Vincent - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lalande de Pomerol (5/23/2012)
75% Merlot / 25% Cabernet Franc. Quite tart and shy on the nose, while not giving much, showed fresh bright red berries, red cherries, sour raspberries, and a hint of black plums. There's a bit more richness to this on the palate in the form of red cherries, spicy black pepper, floral notes, tart red currants, black plums, along with a hint of toasted oak and coffee. A fair bit of sharp acidity round this out along with a moderate amount of dry dusty tannins. Medium length finish ending on notes of red cherries, toasted oak, and black pepper spice. This was quite interesting to me, as one who reads a fair bit of press on the style of Rolland wines and from the ones I have tasted, this was pretty much the opposite of what one would expect. While a simple and elegant wine, it proved a bit of an eye opener to me. Good
2008 Château Rolland-Maillet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion (5/23/2012)
75% Merlot / 25% Cabernet Franc. Not giving a ton on the nose at the moment, but peeking through are aromas of freshly roasted coffee beans, red cherries and plums, some tart red currants, black plums, a bit of clove spice, and floral aromas. More red cherries and tart red plums surface on the palate, along with some dark plums and saddle leather. There's a bit more roundness and depth on the palate compared to the nose, and this continued to open up and gain weight as it sat in the glass. A fair bit of structure is evident here, with a ton of tart acidity and drying tannins. Medium length finish ending on notes of red plums and fresh flowers. This was a fair bit richer and rounder than the '08 Bertineau St.-Vincent tasted along side. Good.
2002 Château Le Bon Pasteur - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (5/23/2012)
80% Merlot / 20% Cabernet Franc. Rich aromas of dark dried fruits and dark cherries come through on the nose, along with black plums, saddle leather, and a touch of fresh mint. A fair bit of spicy black pepper up front on the palate, followed by black plums, red cherries, leather, some graphite - lead pencil, with a slight green note evident as well. A little bit of soft tannins remain, along with a light amount of acidity. Medium length finish ending on notes of red cherries and a bit of tar. While being quite simple and soft on the palate, this was very well balanced and has integrated nicely with some time under its belt. This is just entering its peak and is drinking very well right now. To be honest I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, a great effort for the tough '02 vintage. Good+
Visit and dinner at Château de la Rivière
The entrance to Château de la Rivière
Railing detail on the patio at Château de la Rivière
Château de la Rivière
A double magnum of 1988 Château de la Rivière
2011 Château de la Rivière Rosé - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac (5/23/2012)
78% Merlot / 22% Cabernet Sauvignon. Quite elegant on the nose, but coming through are aromas of fresh melons, pears, yellow raspberries, and some red apples. A bit more complexity to the palate, with more sweet pears showing along with orange peel and a hint of candied ginger spice. Not a ton of acidity, displaying a short length finish ending on notes of pears and apples. Overall a simple and refreshing easy drinker that would prove valuable on a warm summer day on the patio, especially at this price. OK+
2011 Château de la Rivière Blanc - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac (5/23/2012)
67% Sauvignon Blanc / 33% Sauvignon Gris. A blast of green apples and lemons on the nose, along with some floral notes, cantaloupe, and a grassy element. Tons of ripe pears coming through on the palate, along with limes and red apples, finished off with a slight amount of melons, lemons, and peaches. A light dose of acidity rounds this out, with a medium length finish ending on notes of green apples and limes. A nice, simple bright dry white. Impressive considering this is only the second vintage of this wine, surely once the vines start to mature and grow older this will improve. Good.
1995 Château de la Rivière - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac (5/23/2012)
71% Merlot / 14% Cabernet Sauvignon / 14% Cabernet Franc / 1% Malbec. From double magnum, decanted 2 hours. Quite youthful on the nose, displaying a generous amount of saddle leather and rich dark fruits, along with prunes, chocolate, spicy black pepper, and a touch of fresh mint. Onto the palate, another strong showing of leather, but this time a lot of rich black currants as well, along with black cherries and plums, prunes, lead pencil shavings, black pepper, and some fresh mint. There's still a solid amount of chalky tannins hanging around, paired with a moderate amount of acidity. Rounding this out is a medium length finish ending on notes of leather, graphite, and dark plums. The palate shows nice depth and had a great smooth texture in the mouth. This was a delicious wine at its peak of maturity, yet is still young and has many years of good drinking ahead of it. Very good
1988 Château de la Rivière - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Fronsac (5/23/2012)
71% Merlot / 14% Cabernet Sauvignon / 14% Cabernet Franc / 1% Malbec. From double magnum, decanted 30 minutes. This has a gorgeous nose, that while showing a bit of its age remains youthful and expressive. Aromas of rich dark dried fruits, sweet cassis, dark plums, leather, and some cedar. Beautiful aged expressive palate displaying sweet dark cherries and plums, cassis, prunes, lead pencil, lots of spicy black pepper, saddle leather, toasted oak, and a touch of muddled fresh mint leaves. Still a good amount of dusty tannins remain coupled with a medium+ amount of crisp acidity. A medium length finish rounds this out with notes of graphite and dark dried fruits. This is beautifully mature and right in its prime window, yet still showing years of life ahead. This was very enjoyable, while expressive and slightly sweet on the palate, shows great balance and integration. Very good+
Visit and tasting at Château La Mission Haut-Brion
Looking down the path from Château La Mission Haut-Brion
In the vineyard of Château La Mission Haut-Brion
Château La Mission Haut-Brion
In the barrel room of Château La Mission Haut-Brion
2007 Château La Mission Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (5/24/2012)
48% Cabernet Sauvignon / 43% Merlot / 9% Cabernet Franc. This displays an expressive yet elegant nose of cassis, dark plums, red cherries, graphite, chocolate, roasted coffee beans, a hint of graphite, and some tart red currants. The flavors proved more subtle and almost a bit thin on the palate, with black cherries, charred oak, red plums, chocolate, cassis, and a bit more ground coffee beans. Tons of chalky tannins in this, with a lot of acidity giving this a crisp bite on the palate. A medium+ length finish round this out with notes of red cherries and tart cranberries. This wasn't close to as expressive as it was when tasted at the Chateau a year ago, and seems to be clearly starting to shut down. You still get a sense of the complexity and richness this wines does possess, but its hiding behind its layers. Give this some time. Very good+
2007 Château Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (5/24/2012)
44% Cabernet Sauvignon / 43% Merlot / 13% Cabernet Franc. Quite subdued and elegant on the nose, displaying fresh floral aromas along with red cherries, dark plums, toasted oak, along with some tart red fruit and cranberries. Tons of red cherries come forward on the palate, followed by charred oak, bright red fruits, some rich blackberries, and sour raspberries. Some smooth dusty tannins are evident on the palate paired with tons of acidity giving this a crisp bite on the palate. A medium length finish ends on notes of red cherries and raspberries. Like the '07 LMHB tasted along side, this was very tight and is surely starting to shut down. However, lots of structure and layers lurk beneath, and with some time in bottle will be an excellent wine especially for the vintage. Very good
Visit and tasting at Château d'Yquem
Château d'Yquem
The rose garden at Château d'Yquem
Château d'Yquem
Deep in the cellar of Château d'Yquem
Pouring the 2008 Château d'Yquem
2008 Château d'Yquem - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (5/24/2012)
80% Sémillon / 20% Sauvignon Blanc. What an unbelievable nose, this is fantastic, and would surely stop anyone dead in their tracks. Huge, voluptuous aromas of fresh pure honey, ripe apricots, candied ginger, dried pears, fresh mandarins, ripe peaches, with a touch on lime zest on the back end. An impressive display of honeycomb, red apple sauce, sweet gingerbread, rich roasted espresso beans, ripe pears, and some clove spice coat the tongue and leave it tingling. This ends with a long, long length finish with notes of ripe pears, fresh caramel, and roasted coffee beans. The bonus is the generous amount of acidity that gives this a nice crisp punch towards the end. And this coming from a vintage that is know known for its general success in Sauternes, this is truly an outstanding effort. Can d'Yquem make a bad wine? It doesn't seem possible. Outstanding
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2012 CT Bordeaux Trip: 35 Notes + LOTS of Photos - 
. Just kidding, I actually live there for a while.
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