9/6/2016 - Wine Ratings wrote:

Another ‘flier’ wine, so to speak – I saw this on the shelf and figured at that price it was certainly worth a shot, despite a lack of notoriety. The result was not something special, but certainly a suitable representation of basic-level Bordeaux combined with (unanticipated) age. On the nose, the wine was rich, spicy, and inviting, with plenty of ripe fruit, sweet spices, pepper, and oak; it appeared that it could be an absolute steal. However, the palate was somewhat muted – even after developing with some air, it never quite matched what the nose had promised. The fruit consisted primarily of tart red and black currants, while the palate was generally dominated by savoury notes of pepper, gravel, tobacco/cigar, and wet leaves. A slight meatiness showed through, as well as a some of the oak hints that were present on the nose. At a shockingly low 12.5%, the mouthfeel was actually quite light. The tannins were still fairly strong and the acidity in check – I’d like to say that more time would allow the tannins to soften, but I’d fear that the already understated fruit would all but disappear completely and the tertiary notes would overwhelm. Though lacking some overall intrigue, it was still a very interesting bottle to try out.