4/17/2024 - KAT9 Does not like this wine:

Earthy, herbaceous, brambly on the nose. Can smell the alcohol, which is not a good sign. On the palate, high acidity, alcohol is burning as you swallow. Checked the bottle and it’s 14.5%. What a disjointed mess!

4/16/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

I have tried it twice in the last year. Both times, the wine is quite enjoyable to drink. Earthy, floral, red and dark fruits, very effortless. Very Napa like. You can drink this by itself. Big but well controlled tannin, acidity, good finish.

4/15/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Earthy. Herbal, a hint of green note. On the palate, balance, acidity is high, tannin is noticeable. Not heavy. Seems a little clunky but still good. Alc at 13.5% but somehow can feel it in the throat.

4/14/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Very distinct nose after about 30 min in the decanter. Such an umami, gamey note. Very earthy.
On the palate, balance, tannin is fine, finish is good, acidity is super high. But not that enjoyable drinking by itself.

3/31/2024 - KAT9 wrote:

Decanted for 3 hours, the first hour, the oak is intense and impenetrable, I thought I had a dud on hands. After a few hours, the oak went away. Some dark fruits, mostly herbal on the nose, a minty touch is in there as well. On the palate, hot hot hot. As you swallow, you can feel the alcohol. And of course, 15.5% alc. There is a bitter herbal after taste. Seems like so much manipulation went in to make this wine drinkable.

3/26/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Upon opening, there is a lot of black and red fruits on the nose, a hint of dust and earthy. Acidity is high, but relatively balanced. 14% alc. Slight savory on the palate. Compare to d’issan, Malescot, brane Cantenac, not good value.

3/25/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Brane Cantenac can’t do no wrong the last few years. Every year is another step up in quality. The 2020 is truly excellent. On the nose, dark fruits, hint of cocoa, hint of menthol, dried flowers. On the palate, fine tannins, high acidity, but still balanced. Elegant, intense even at 13.5% alc. Top of the class in this price point.

3/17/2024 - KAT9 wrote:

Earthy, savory, dark fruits. On palate, dense and big. Alc is only 13.5% but I am feeling a little bit of that. A hint of oak, but not too bad. Solid wine but nothing like nice st Julien wine.

3/16/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Very fruity, warby, a hint of fragrant. On the palate light and high acidity. Nice wine with some food. Not eaxtly great, but a solid wine .

3/10/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Billecart rose NV has always been the benchmark of good rose champagne. This 2010 one off is a little off. Should have been much better than the NV but acidity was just significantly raised. There are some interesting components going on but somehow not as enjoyable as the NV.

3/10/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

On the nose, this champagne is very rich, oxidative notes, brioche, distinct Bollinger style. On the palate, full bodied champagne, zesty acidity to balance out the big style. Really good rose champagne.

3/10/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Strawberry, bright red fruits. Balanced. Similar to billecart rose. Nice rose champagne. Mouthfeel is very nice.

3/10/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Initial phase, a lot of cocoa powder, earthy, dark fruits. After a few hours, a hint of floral, cassis. On the palate, balanced, good finish. Very well made wine.

3/7/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

What an elegant wine. Everything is just right. Complexity is not comparable to top tier Bordeaux, but oh so enjoyable.

3/7/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

The aroma on this wine is very nice, earthy, dark fruits, some savory notes, a slight pleasing floral note.
On the palate, tannin is very high, everything else is relatively balanced. So much better than the 2018. Alc at 14.5% and well masked.

2/18/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

The aroma is intense. Dark fruit, some kind of earthiness and smokiness layering. On the palate, acidity is super high, tannin is fine. I can feel the alcohol 14%, but it’s not intruding. I think this has a lot of potential but it’s not that fun to drink.

2/4/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Super solid wine. Great young bdx. Not sure if I get the cab franc component, but technically flawless. Elegant at 13.5% alc.

1/24/2024 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Not sure what has changed since, but this bottle is quite good. The kind of balance and elegance that you find in top tier bottles can be found here. Acidity is super high, of course.

12/1/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Oh wow, this is a very good second wine. Rich, but not heavy. So classic. Not detecting alc. Earthy, but with fruit purity that can hang with a lot of grand vin near by. So balance. This is baby Montrose.

11/29/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Interesting bdb champagne from gardet. Very distinct lemony note and some hint of raspberry jam/compote. Acidity is a little elevated. Overall, nice departure from typical bdb but not sure if it’s great.

10/30/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

This the sadly the last vintage before there is another style shift. This 2016 Napa is well made, not much oak there. Tomato-y, some green notes, balance of fruits, acidity, tannin. Very Napa in a good way.

10/30/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Wine is technically well made, leaning toward Napa style. Drinking blind, could be Napa. Not a lot of earthiness, both tannin and acidity are high. Oak is present and not well controlled. A bit boring, I think.

10/19/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Upshot here. At the moment, acidity and tannin are aggressive, yet balance. Alc is only 13%, so much earthiness and very distinct tobacco. Almost no fruits. As classic Bordeaux as you can get.
Wish it has more complexity but at $34, shouldn’t be asking too much.

9/3/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Salmon color, sweet on palate, not much complexity. With delamotte, the regular nv and the bdb at least are identifiable, this rose version could be from any producer. Not worth the price they are asking.

9/3/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Minerality plenty in this bottle, still getting that strawberry note, relatively mild and balance. Enjoyable on its own. Feels fresh and light.

9/2/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Bone dry, some hint of minerality, not much fruit on the nose. Nice complement to the garlicky seafood.

8/27/2023 - KAT9 wrote:

Very average effort here. Wine is not showing much on the nose, some red fruit, tobacco, herbal. On the palate, acidity is quite high, out of balance. Can feel alc a little even at 13.5%.

8/17/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Dark fruits, earthy, a hint of oak. Very LB Bordeaux on the palate. A little simpler than I expected. I can feel the alc after a few sip, at 14% abv. At $35 all in, it is a nice wine but not as good as croix de ducru beaucaillou.

8/6/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Classic champagne notes, balance, toasty, medium plus acidity, good finish. Some hint of fruits.

7/29/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Acidity is piercing, just like other LP millessime. At its best, not as good as 2008, but at this point, it is better and more balance than 2008. You get a nice toastiness to it.

7/29/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

This wine is Napa through and through. It expresses Napa identity, terroir, point of view. The aroma has blue fruits, then changes to dried floral, then earthy. Alc at 14.5% but undetectable. Wine is balanced. Acidity is very nice. Tannin smooth. Really enjoying it. Uncompromising wine.

7/23/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Not as good as I remember. Acidity is quite high, still getting the toastiness, and clean fruits. Maybe time to drink up.

7/21/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

This la conseillante is everything I want in a wine, low alc, elegant, long finish, aroma is changing every hour. Tannin is silky, acidity is piercing. One minus point is the presence of oak. Not too crazy but there.

7/20/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

On the nose, black currant, minerality, some herbal notes. On the palate, tannin and acidity are very balance. Alc is not present at 13.5%. Beautifully made wine. Finish is ok. Not lingering like the top wine. I think this is in the drinking window and will decline in the next 3-5 years.

7/21/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Has to be the most consistent mid range rose champagne out there. The fresh and clean taste of rose champagne is unmatched in its price point.

7/18/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Beautiful aroma, very dense and intense. On the palate, acidity and tannin are more balance than before. Good finish. Went very well with the steak. So earthy on palate.

7/16/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

The classic bollinger profile is there plus very strong acidity, and showing way more complexity.

7/15/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Super Bordeaux, elegant, earthy, dark fruit, minerality. On the palate, balance except for the oak influence. Without the oak, would be 98 points kind of wine. Really enjoying this.

7/9/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Smells correct, a lot of dark fruits, but with a hint of spice cake and confectionery sugar. On the palate, a very faint hint of sweetness is there. Taste correct. Immediately after swallowing, you can feel the heat at 14.5% alc. What a shame because this wine has so much potential but cannot control alc that well.

After 6 hours, it improves dramatically. Alc disappeared. Becoming way more earthy and interesting. If this is what I got initially, it would be 94-95.

7/9/2023 - KAT9 wrote:

The wine is just too big and showing no restraint. Alc is aggressive, so is tannin. Acidity seems elevated but barely matching the big tannin.

7/9/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Best showing of the mountain fruit blind tasting. A hint of green, but wine is cool and showing restraint. Old school Napa. Not great, just good. Alcohol could be controlled a little better.

7/2/2023 - KAT9 wrote:

Very basic Rhône varietal. There is some fruit there. Not detectable alc. Does not taste like what it is worth.

7/2/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Incredible that this wine is at 15% alc and so airy and light and alc is undetectable. Very old world style, balance, elegant. One of the best from bdx in the 2019 vintage. What a revelation!

6/28/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Pine-y, fresh cut, sweet spices, red fruits. On palate, tannin and acidity work well together, good finish. Cannot pin point what’s wrong but it doesn’t wow me. Interesting wine but at the end of the day, not great.

6/25/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

What a great bdx, young and beautiful! Like Lana del Rey said, all that body, all that grace. Alcohol is so well masked. Has a certain Palmer feel to it. A hint of savory note on top of dense dark fruits, but no goopy feel at all. Intensity, balanced. There is oak presence so it cannot go above 95 for me.

6/24/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Beautiful bouquet of dark fruits and earthiness characters, but with a hint of oak. On the palate, relatively balance, good acidity, good finish. Very solid wine. Even more attractive due to price. Screaming QPR.

6/17/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Very floral, a little minerality, a little dusty, some pencil shaving. On the palate, acidity is slightly higher than typical, but very balance. Tannin is fine. Medium plus finish. Really good. Although not as good as d’issan and brane cantenac 2019.

6/13/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

I’ve had this wine at least 6 times, and it is outstanding every single time. Today, it is so balance, floral, red fruits, medium plus acidity, fine tannin, good finish, so earthy. Classy Bordeaux. Unmatched QPR.

6/12/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Just like bollinger special cuvee, so rich, toasty, oxidative. Love this style.

6/7/2023 - KAT9 Likes this wine:

Beautiful bouque of fruits, burnt caramel. So intense yet light. Balance.