6/14/2023 - jeffjohnsonjj@hotmail.com wrote:

Dark garnet, showing little age. Nice nose, dark, oak, spice. A big wine on the palate, very dark, very extracted, lots of oak and tannin still present. Much more structured than I was expecting, this would be good with food now but was a bit severe to be drunk on its own. Hopefully they have moved towards a more elegant, less extracted approach with more recent vintages.

2/14/2024 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Another great showing for this wine at La Miette in Crested Butte. Decanted and enjoyed over about 2 hours with Incredible meal duck confit and duck breast and lamb osso bucco which this wine I know well paired perfectly with. Great off the bat but even better after an hour. Youthful but open. Can still evolve but perfect now. Notes similar to prior but tannins softer now. 92-93

10/27/2023 - BellevuePhil Likes this wine:

In the realm of connoisseurs, where taste is not just a sensation but an experience, there exists a wine that transcends the boundaries of ordinary indulgence – the 1961 Pétrus. This legendary vintage, a testament to the artistry of the vine and the alchemy of time, found its way into my hands, stirring a symphony of memories and emotions that only a scoundrel, adventurer, and lover of life’s finer things could truly appreciate.

Picture, if you will, the untamed wilderness of Alaska, where the rugged beauty of the landscape meets the infinite expanse of the night sky. In the heart of this wild terrain, my mother, a woman of grace and spirit, would dance around the fires, her hippie laughter mingling with the crackle of burning wood and the smell of Alaskan Thunder*** in the air. She was a lover of red wine, and her most cherished companion in those moments of uninhibited joy was none other than Pétrus of which she had cases upon cases of 61.

A gift from a musician friend who shall remain anonymous.

As I uncorked the bottle, the room was filled with the aroma of history – a heady bouquet of dark fruits, leather, and subtle spices that whispered of the vineyards of Pomerol, where this extraordinary elixir was born. With the first sip, I was transported back to those Alaskan nights, where the Northern Lights painted the sky with hues of emerald and amethyst. The wine, with its velvety texture and complex layers of flavor, was a sensory journey, a symphony that played on my palate. Each nuance was a note, echoing the laughter of my mother, the warmth of the fire, and the sheer exuberance of youth.

In the flickering glow of candlelight, I raised my glass to the memory of my mother – a woman whose love for life was as boundless as the Alaskan wilderness.

The wine danced on my tongue, weaving a tale of sun-soaked vineyards and the hands that had nurtured the grapes, transforming them into a masterpiece that stood the test of time. In each drop, there was a story – a story of passion, of craftsmanship, and of the unyielding pursuit of perfection. It was a story that resonated with the adventurer in me, a tale of exploration and discovery, of uncharted territories and hidden treasures.

As the night wore on, I found myself in a state of quiet reverence, my glass raised in a silent toast to the memory of my mother. The 1961 Pétrus had taken me on a voyage through time and space, allowing me to relive those precious moments of my youth, when the world was a canvas waiting to be painted with the vibrant hues of experience.

Note to self: She’s ready now, but needs an hour.

11/23/2023 - BellevuePhil Likes this wine:

In the realm of enological treasures, one standout gem beckons with an allure that transcends mere taste and transcends time itself—the 1979 Château Léoville Las Cases. It is more than a libation; it is a tale woven from the vines of passion, a sensory odyssey that stirs the soul and captivates the senses, summoning memories of a bygone era and a young maiden whose knowledge of vintages was as enchanting as her spirit, and the taste of tannins on those lips.

This elixir, a vinous masterpiece born from the sun-kissed vineyards of Bordeaux, arrives as a testament to the ages, its crimson hue a symphony of ruby and garnet dancing elegantly within the glass. No, it's not a mouton but when she opens it will blow you away to reveal a bouquet that unveils a tale of its own— a delicate interplay of fragrant florals, with whispers of violet and rose petals carried upon a breeze of cedarwood and hints of leather, a testament to the passage of time and the stories held within.

Allow me to transport you back to the enchanting château, where sprawling vineyards basked in the warm embrace of the sun. Amidst this verdant splendor stood a young maiden, her essence as intoxicating as the vintages she tended to with meticulous care. Her laughter echoed through the cellars, her knowledge a treasure trove woven into the very fabric of the vineyard's history and every wine boy knew with the last name of Las Cases she was off limits.

Ah, the memories flood back as I savor the first delicate sip, an experience akin to a lover's tender embrace. The wine, like her, possesses a grace that belies its age, the initial notes teasing the palate with a symphony of dark berries, blackcurrants, and a hint of plum, a melody that lingers, weaving a tapestry of flavor that unfolds with each passing moment.

As the wine caresses the senses, one is transported to that idyllic realm where time stands still. The tannins, once bold and assertive, have mellowed with the passage of years, embracing the palate with a velvety softness that speaks of wisdom acquired through time's gentle tutelage. It’s an enigmatic dance between fruit and earth, a testament to the terroir that bore this liquid masterpiece.

With each sip, I am reminded of her—her twinkling eyes, alight with passion as she imparted the secrets of the vintages. She spoke of the challenging growing season of '79, the trials that tested the vines, and the triumph of harvest that yielded grapes of unparalleled character. Her tales, much like this wine, were steeped in history and wrapped in an air of mystery. She took my hand and as well fell among the vines with the blood moon above Ill never forget the magic of Las Cases and of this vintage.

The finish, oh, the finish! It lingers, an encore that refuses to fade, leaving behind a whisper of tobacco and a touch of graphite, a gentle reminder of the vineyard's soil and the toil of those who tended it.

This 1979 Château Léoville Las Cases is a symphony encapsulated in a bottle—a testament to the craftsmanship of the winemakers and the legacy of the land. It is a treasure, much like the young maiden who wove her passion and knowledge into the very fabric of this vintage, forever immortalized in the amber liquid that now graces my glass.

As the last drops grace my lips, I am left with a bittersweet longing—a yearning for that time and that place, where the artistry of winemaking and the spirit of adventure intertwined, leaving an indelible mark on my soul. In this wine, I found not just a vintage but an exquisite memory—a reminder of a time when passion, romance, and the pursuit of life's finer things were intertwined in a story that continues to unfold with each precious bottle uncorked.

NOTE TO SELF. DECANT ONLY ONE HOUR, THEN GLASS BY GLASS

6/9/2023 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Jerry opened a bottle of this for us as third in line after a Fossacolle Brunello (I think 2010) and a 2012 Vietti Ravera. All were great but this stood out to me as exceptional. This is an off vintage?? I guess I've been lucky as the wines from this vintage I've tasted have been superb. Might be producer and terroir dependent. IN any case, this beautfulLight floral fragrence with some light balsamic notes and then the nose becomes very complex. Lucious dark cherry, some nuttiness and mild balsalmic in the flavor. Perfect mouthfeel. Smooth tanins. Everything I have come to love in my relatively limited excursion into trying some Barolo. Amazingly, I had never tried this vintage Lazzarito but did buy 2 magnums of it after tasting other 2011 Barolo from same producer and tasting other Lazzarito vintages. I don't understand the undewhelming ratings here. I found it exceptional and with tremendous potential to just get better and better. Drink or Hold 95++

3/7/2022 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Unbelievable showing for this wine. Perfectly stored in dad's cellar since release and base neck fill. I knew it was a sleeper from the prior tasting but this bottle was even better. We took it to Gilbert's steak house in Omaha. Opened with Durand and cork only half saturated and came out perfectly. Decanted and it had an immediate burst of blue fruit and some funk and a bit of metallic nose and flavor. After 20 min, most of the funk has blown off and the metallic aspect is gone and you are left with an aroma that makes it hard to take your nose out of the glass. Dark and youthful color. Modest sediment. Blue fruit domninates the aroma and some red and dark on the nose and the flavor with some truffle and flowers and some wet forest floor that move in and out as it is drank. Stable over almost 3 hours of sipping but just kept getting better with time in the glass. Just an incredible wine with the amazing steaks they have at Gilbert's and all agreed. I give it the slight edge over the Rauzan-Segla 82 which we opened right after that mainly because I think this wine is drinking at peak and has a long finish and so lots of life in it. It is the best bottle of this I have ever tasted. Yes, I gave it a 97 which is a huge score for a 1986 right bank but I really just loved it so much. Everyone at the table said "wow". If you like old right bank and you have stored this well, this is a real treat.

5/31/2023 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Coravin taste. Then another. Didn’t even let it breath. Was too good. Maybe coravin gave some air but drank within the hour. No formal notes. Will open bottle in a couple days and add notes later. All I can say is 2015 Margaux appellation rocks the house down pretty much across the entire appellation. Surely this one is in the early drinking window. A classic in the making I have no doubt. So happy I got 2 mags of this and a handful of bottles. Outstanding already. 95++

Updated note-the first part above was the coravin taste (a big one).Opened the bottle to a little more than half of the bottle left and it remained similar for quite some time. Even in the glass, after several hours, with swirling, the wine was still very good. I Plan to hold the rest of mine for a while now until I see some other notes from others trying it. Very ripe but otherwise classic in style and I believe recognizable as Margaux. Does not seem overextracted or overly fruit forward to me like some of the 2015s may turn out to be. 94+

2/13/2023 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

My 62nd bday after watching the Eagles lose while on call last night. Been waiting for this Monday for a while. Hoping I would be celebrating eagles plus Super Bowl but surviving to 62 is enough! Champagne with shrimp. 2012 esprit de chevalier with seabass, spinach and rice perfectly prepared by Christine. Great pairing. Then on to the red—Made this choice over 75 and 81 du cru and various 75 or 78 or 82 options but knew I was going old Bordeaux at some point tonight. Opened this early before champagne hour done and have had it all to myself. From Dads cellar. Old stained label, old shape bottle. Perfect fill, cork intact with Durand. Decanted the 75 Rauzan segla into my little decanter then a giant glass. I'm getting old and it's closest to oldest I have - I was 14 in the 75 vintage 17 when It was released. TN: Explodes out of the glass like a huge bouquet of flowers and a donut bakery. A tiny bit of saddle leather. Light weight and quite translucent light garnet color but not orange or brown at all. Rock solid color does not change much so far. Low alcohol but still youthful mouthfeel somehow with plenty of grip. Flavor mostly stewed fruit and some pomegranate and kirsch that coats the mouth and lasts forever wow I got lucky here I hope it doesn't fade. Incredible with cheeses and bday cupcake! Complexity off the scale. 3 hours later-not fading! Only getting better. Stunner! Lucky bday!! 98-99!!

Further note: Surprisingly very little course sediment and not a ton of fine sediment either. But I should have reduced the air the wine was getting. After about 8 hours open to air, it started fading. Should have done what I did with the 78 haut brion at Christmas (glass stopper on the decanter and maybe there’s some left day 2 but I got distracted and forgot). The wine peaked about 90 min after opening but was good from the start and only got more complex with a few hours. Aroma and color held steady for a long time. Plenty of dark and red fruit and lots of tertiary flavors as time went on. Quite a bday experience. Thanks, Dad for letting me “steal” this. I realize my score is crazy high but lovers of old Bordeaux would give it at least 95 in my opinion. Couple extra points maybe for my expectations being so thoroughly surpassed on my bday and one point just for dad’s cellar and my “bookend” 2nd generation cellar where the bottle was transported to last year. Minus one for the fade. Fully mature of course. Some might say past peak if you need a LOT of less evolved fruit (I don’t). Obviously if you have this DRINK !! 97-98

7/21/2021 - rocknroller wrote:

Heidi's Redux: A Night to Remember (St. Genevieve, Mpls, MN): Dark red color with a 2mm clear margin. Drank a glass over an hour or so. I popped the cork to check on this late in the afternoon to see if it needed some air. This was one of those times you just stick the cork back in the bottle and pleasantly smile to yourself. Before that, giddy as I was, I poured a small taste for my wife and she looked at me and said, "oh, that's good." Yes, yes it was. I love these old RS wines, they have an elegance and expressiveness that strikes at the core of Margaux. This was a nearly, if not fully, realized bottle that still has everything necessary to go on for another couple decades. The nose is mesmerizing in its violet perfume with layers of purple flowers tickling the olfactory hairs, the most refined number two pencil notes you could ask for along with cigar wrapper, cassis and red berries, dark cocoa, and dried forest floor. The palate is medium full bodied with soft fine grained tannins, well integrated with red and black fruits and deep earthiness that permeates your soul and resonates with the the pencil, dark berries, charcoal, spices and dried wood notes on the long finish. Wow, this was amazing and after what came before, almost even more impressive. 97+ to 98pts.

6/11/2020 - GeauxDoc Likes this wine:

Great bottle and drinking very well now. What are you waiting for? Open it up!

11/12/2022 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

A back up plan for a New old world and old new world dinner with 1980 Opus One and 2011 VCC that we wound up tasting and then opening. OMG this is just magnificent. It's the best Beychevelle I've ever tasted and that's saying a lot. Absolutely classic St. Julien and typical Beychevele but with unusually Incredible power and polish. Just erupts from the glass as soon as it is poured. Even my wife loved it and she's not normally a huge St. J. fan. Just AMAZING even now but a baby. HOLD. 97++

7/24/2022 - g-man wrote:

One of my all-time favorite wines but I fear this monumental wine has passed it's peak. It's still vey enjoyable with menthol, smoke, red fruit, and earth but missing a certain richness and balance that has captivated my interest in the past. It will be a bittersweet moment when I open my last bottle and the end of an era.

8/9/2022 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Outstanding QPR and definitely in a sweet spot if you like Gloria and I do. People who like a lot of fruit probably won't love Gloria but would be better off trying the 2015 and even then, they may have missed the window. This vintage was never a fruit forward one. That said, this is Another 2014 left bank wine that has really come along since the last one I tasted and may be more ready than many of the others I've tried recently. Pretty classic Gloria profile. Deep garnet with light purple rim. For me, I think I detect the Aroma of smoke,tobacco, and mushroom and wiff of dark fruit. Nice mouthfeel and minerality with some chocolate and mint in the palate as well as some mellow plum and cedar in the finish. Tannins still a bit puckering and the wine is still moderately dense. Starting to throw a good bit of sediment now compared to prior bottles. Should get better but really no reason to wait. Hard to assess longevity at this point as the slightly acidic tannins do compromise the finish just slightly. Drink now or hold a while if you have plenty of them. 93+

8/6/2022 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

First time trying this wine. Coravin pour then opened couple days later and allowed to slow ox part and decanted about half. This may be the most interesting left bank 2014 I’ve tried. On a mission to try the 14 vintage now for wines I have a few or lots Of. Deep dark purple core almost to rim. Opens beautifully but with air just keeps getting better. Lots of smoke, dark fruit and some spice. A bit tannic in the finish but very long and the tannin is not overbearing. Certainly this is a wine to hold but it’s going to be a classic st estephe and I don’t regret the decision to try one. 94+ potential 96 or more in 5-20 years. Will save other bottles. I’m just thinking if this is the quality of the 14, the 16 might just be exceptional.

4/2/2022 - Sundbyberg wrote:

Wow!
The 2005 Vieux Château Certan was no longer available so I had to do with this instead.
Asked the restaurant to double decant 24 hours in advance, and so they did reluctantly, but obviously 48 hours would have been even better.
Anyway, what a wine. There is nothing showy about this wine - I think you really have to enjoy good wines to realise how good this is. There is an enourmous purity in the fruit - they must have selected only the top 10% of the grapes - and the fruit is so balanced and incredible seductive - its so elegant withouth being the least showy. This wine is not sweet at all - yet it has the coolest fruit. Another thing that is remarcable is the absence of abundant fruit - as said - this is a wine for people who appreciates elegance, before big fruit.

Previosly the 2008 and the 2012 vintages of this wine, but the 2015 plays in a completeley different league. If you want to try a future 100 pts wine, without having to sell the house, then this is the wine for you.

4/11/2022 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

I loved this when I first tried it on release and I like it even better now. The color is a dark purple just gorgeous St. Julien with a lot of the classic notes one would expect but an absolute explosion of fruit and truffle as soon as it hits the glass. Took this on a trip to celebrate our Etape du Tour success and this vintage has always seemed a good choice as it is approachable early but with minimal sediment and I've had limited bottle shock with the 2015 Bordeaux wines so stick with that. It has a pretty dense mouthfeel and a dark fruite profile with some smoke and violet and a bit of wood. It's pretty primary but man it's fun to drink. Just enough structure that I think it will go the distance and keep getting better over the next 2 decades or more but it is fabulous to drink now and don't miss the first aroma. The wine is superb on opening right now and if you wait too long you miss that. I hope in the future, the wine has what it has for the first 30 min and more for much longer. That said, once it mellows a bit, it is stable for more hours than I could leave it in the glass. Fabulous as usual from one of my favorite St. Julien wines. If the 2016 is better, I look forward to it, but i feel certain that would be a much more definitive infanticide. NOTE TO SELF: WAIT ON BOTH the 2015 and 2016 for right now. 96++

1/28/2022 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

First bottle of a newly received half case. I knew this wine could weather a plane flight but opened day one after arrival to Jackson hole so maybe there was a touch of bottle shock. See my prior notes on this wine. This bottle was very similar but just not quite as good which could be partly my travel fatigue as well as that of the bottle. Was better day 2. Not really fair. Save the other 5, next one in 5 years maybe. 93+

10/24/2021 - Triforwine wrote:

Out of 375. Bought this year at a special sale, not cheap but the temptation was great to get 6 of these little guys because half bottles re always fun and I love the 2005 vintage which is mostly ready to go now and they were delivered recently. Normally, would let it rest longer after travel but decided to try. Dark Maroon color with dark red rim. Minimal sediment. OK to drink on initial pour with aerator but definitely benefitted from an hour or more in the glass. Aroma is a bit restrained with some mushroom, tobacco, coffee and earth with faint red and dark berry. Palate is more fruit forward with sweet red fruit dominating but some darker fruit notes and just enough vanilla and spice to keep it interesting as well and while probably not fully mature, the oak and tannin seems pretty well intergrated but it lacks the complexity or the length of finish of the really great right bank wines and the even greater left bank wines of 2005 so while it is very pleasant to drink now, I don't expect this to improve markedly. I will probably try another one in a few months after it's had time to rest following its journey to see if that makes a difference. I don't know this wine well but I did buy half case of the 2015 as futures which was probably a better QPR and tried one (but apparently forgot to make notes on it, possibly because that one needs time) and that one seems more like one that has the potential to age well. I guess I had expected more but perhaps that was unrealistic. 91?

10/23/2021 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Dark purple core with Crimson rim.
On initial pour undoubtedly st julien aroma but young and mostly closed at first taste.
2 hours in the decanter (or longer) and the wine begins to reveal its potential. Tobacco leaf, cedar, graphite and some mix of dark red and black fruit. Palate opens even more with time in air and medium body somewhat high acidity and fine tannins do block what’s coming in a few years but it’s already very fun to drink and even though the finish is a bit tannic at the end, it is long and not only tannic. If you have a case, try one but give it as much air as possible. Luckily I bought a bunch of this as futures so I was curious to check in on it at the 5 year mark. I think this has the potential to be the best Gloria ever in just a few years and should age very well. Almost no sediment at this stage, just a small dusting of it. I’m pretty sure this will be better than the 82, 09, 10 and 15 and those are all very good vintages of this stuff. I still think gloria is one of the best QPR on the left bank as long as you buy as futures even though not like back in the old days when it was crazy inexpensive. It’s better now and the market knows it. 92++

8/4/2021 - mahmudn Likes this wine:

Deep ruby color. Pronounced aromas of plum, dark cherries, earthy dark red jam, and faint notes of butter and wood spice. Dry, high tannins, medium acidity, long finish, full body, and medium flavor intensity. Flavors of charred wood, blackcurrant, dark herbaceous notes, liquorice, and prunes.

8/18/2021 - jmoon Likes this wine:

So promising but never quite delivered. Classic Pauillac cassis but with a stern structure that never quite drops the wall to reveal the plush fruit hidden a little. I wait and hope. Try next bottle again in a year or two… or five.

7/20/2021 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Tried this last week with Coravin after purple tooth posted a note reminding me o meant to check on it a while back but opened another 09 by mistake. Over the weekend the wine was great but not the wow of the 09 even with a couple hours of air. Was concerned as the cork seemed to move a bit with the Coravin pour and I thought maybe there would be a leak but it was ok. Certainly not flawed. But I felt like I should open it sooner as a result.

So, now a few days later-opened and decanted through the Venturi. Omg! Hello! Immediately a huge nose of smoke and dark fruit which I didn’t get a few days ago with Coravin. Reminded me of the amazing ‘09 but this time I knew I didn’t accidentally open the ‘09 again. With an hour in the glass, this is just awesome. Deep ruby almost purple core with light ruby rim. Aroma already complex with changes on every swirl and with time. I detect boysenberry and cafe mocha and some truffle. The flavor is on par with the aroma and there is some cherry and vanilla in the finish. Mouthfeel medium to dense and tannins slightly coarse and mouth coating but indicating a structure that should last for decades. Impossible not to take another sip, then another. Long long finish I mean LONG! Great with ravioli we had tonight but almost needs lamb or something like that. This is a huge wine. I think I benefitted from whatever happened with the cork during the Coravin a few days ago which somehow allowed a super slow ox and I didn’t have to wait hours as I expected to for it to open but I still think this wine is in the very early stage and I recommend hold unless you have a bunch of them and this should give the incredible 2009 a run for its money in the long run. I look forward to the first side by side comparison of these in a few years. Sure to improve. This is my kind of wine, st julien at its best in my opinion. I just might wind up finishing this bottle faster than I should. 96+

2/20/2021 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

See Lalande Borie 2018 for notes to date and tasted twice, this most recent. Cellartracker just changed the name to the correct new name but there are tasting notes posted on the Lalande Borie 2018 site for this wine.

Best QPR on the left bank in my opinion. 2018 St. Julien promises to be very special and possibly some of them more approachable early than the 2016. Experts seem to think 2018 is a variable vintage and sort of a mix of features of 2015 and 2016 with St. Julien being the sweet spot again.
NICE! 92+

4/10/2021 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Coravin taste day 1- I found a bottle at wineworks prior to arrival of case I ordered as futures and had to know. Color is plum purple core with magenta/jam rim. Darker than the 2017 certainly but lighter than '16, similar to '15 and '14 in color as I recall. I had no patience so drank first glass right away and pretty quickly about a third of the bottle with the last sip being a few hours later and the best was at the end so planned day 2 accordingly. Aroma is really big and open. Definitely St. Julien nose but more lively than most vintages of this wine I've tasted early with elements of violets, roses, red fruit, some tobacco, and light cedar. With time, still equally open but more mellow. Mouthfeel initially is a bit gritty and the tannins a bit grainy but this resolves with air, especially on day 2 when I opened and used Venturi. The flavor profile is mostly red fruit (currant and dark cherry) but with some blackberry too and some subtle coffee notes. This is a very complex wine for being so young. Finish is easily 30 seconds if not more. This might be the best Gloria ever on early tasting. It has the finesse and ripeness of the '09 and the '15 and the structure to hopefully age with the '10 and the '16. It will be fun to compare this with the many other great vintages in the past decade as they all evolve. Gloria remains the greatest high quality very affordable left bank wine and even with slight increase in prices over the years, it's still one of the very best values especially if you are a big St. Julien fan like me. I never have regretted buying a case of this in any vintage. If anything, I regret not having bought 2 cases of this one and some magnums. 2018 Bordeaux vintage is shaping up to be a very fun vintage so far. If the 2019 Gloria is truly better than this one, all I can say is buy it now (and I probably will). 94+

5/2/2021 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Much better than last time tasted. Dark purple with ruby rim. No sediment at all. Aroma of smoke, leather, stone, dark and red fruit. Flavor profile and mouthfeel quite lovely, similar to nose. Nice finish but eclipsed a bit by drying slightly puckering tannins even after several hours of air. Likely to be a classic chevalier in the future with potential in future of 94 or more. 92+ for now. Approachable but still holding a lot back. Hopefully will be a lot like the awesome 2005 in 5 years or so from now.

2/28/2021 - boston617 Likes this wine:

Big earthy berry tasting wine with cloves and vanilla. Hint of nutmeg as well.

3/20/2021 - John McCabe wrote:

Very powerful right out of the bottle. Even with decanting this remained a brooding monster of a wine. The class and quality was apparent but was hoping for a bit more. This may be one to forget for another ten years to better show what it has. Was hoping for a bit more from this to be honest, though the class and quality is quite apparent. 95+pts.

4/5/2021 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Young wine tasted to consider cellar purchase bought at a very fair price. Initially with Coravin a couple of weeks prior with no notes taken and then very slowly over several days with very small sips and so extra slow slow ox without decant. Held up fine for hours in the glass after pour and days after opening in the bottle though I did return it to the cellar and put cork back in overnights. It's very dark purple in color. Very open but very primary with loads of red fruits as well as darker blue/black fruit and some mouth coating tannins. Both the fruit and tannins are intense but I didn't mind. Mix of red fruits as opposed to overwhelingly strawberry which prior Janasse CDP's have been for me. Aroma and flavor quite similar, limited complexity due to lack of age but it is in the background and the alcohol is present but not overwhelming. Tannins are big but not offputting. A bit of air is helpful at this stage but do recommend try a glass on first pour to see the initial profile. it appears that 17 is as good as 15 and 16 if not better in the early tasting department. Janasse is a superb and rather unique producer of CDP which I am so glad I visited a few years ago. Will probably buy more now that I know this vintage is almost as good as the 16 at least for this wine at this point. At least 40 second finish. Will be a good one for long-term aging. 94+ (potential of 96 for me)

9/8/2020 - paulst wrote:

Superb shape; leather and tar; blackberry; balanced; soft mature tannin; smooth coarse and sweet long finish.

2/9/2019 - floridawinedrkr Likes this wine:

This is certainly getting better as it matures. This is the best showing its had yet. The best year Gloria Ive had was the 2009.

7/26/2020 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Wine from Dad's cellar. I think he bought as futures and was one of the first wines he bought. I never tasted this vintage of Beychevelle but figured it was worth trying to take a chance on. Actually popped and decanted into a camping wine goblet using a camping hand filter. Amazingly, no issues with the cork using a cheap corkscrew. The color was a light cherry red. It had a very faint but definite Beychevelle aroma with tobacco, forest floor, mushroom and light dried red fruit. The flavor profile was very similar and while quite light and clearly past prime, this was a wonderful wine to drink at a campsite during a mixed cookout (I know, weird but whatever-we had a long day driving so I took a chance). Possibly I gave it a point or two extra just because I was so surprised it was so good under the circumstances and after reading other notes. And the finish while not super long, was a good 15 seconds so well preserved bottles still are well worth drinking. I enjoyed it immensely and drank the last glass very slowly by the campfire so this wine doesn't die after opening but I would not recommend a long decant, just enough to remove the sediment. Dad has a few more, and I would love to drink one with him soon. Expect bottle variation but this one was a lucky one for sure. 92

2/3/2021 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Jefferson Sialo virtual networking event tasting wine #2 with Coravin. Light yellow color. Aroma is citrus, maybe a bit like grapefruit and sour apple. It tastes like lemon and grapefruit, apple, and has some definite mineral/slight saltiness which really is pleasant. Medium bodied with a bright texture and chewy mouthfeel. The wine has high acidity and a remarkably long tapering finish. Felt it would pair well with seafood when tried on day 1 with just snacks. Day 2 pop and pour and drank a glass with linguine and garlic wine sauce with mussels, shrimp and calamari-same overall initial impression, but now I detect some yellow floral (?sunflower) element noted on the complex nose also and there is some sweetness (almost sweeter apple or pear and perhaps melon) before that gentle sea saltiness reemerges on the rather long pleasant finish. Great pairing and fabulous QPR for the under $20 we paid for it. Excellent. 92+

12/10/2016 - The Drunken Cyclist Likes this wine:

Retail $250 (from Jeroboam). Years ago, shortly after moving to Philadelphia, I found these bottles on an internet site. When I saw that they were $40 delivered, I really could not believe it, but I was able to convince my ever skeptical wife that we should order one. We tried it shortly after it arrived with some good friends (after all, it was the equivalent of four bottles), and it was fantastic. I went back to that website several times to buy more (the label stated “Deux Mille jours pour l’an Deux Mille” [“Two thousand days for the year two thousand”], so after the celebration in 2000, these bottles were somehow “dated”), and ended up buying close to 100 of them for friends and family. We estimate that we were in on the consumption of at least 40 of the bottles, and this, tragically, was the last.

We transported it over to our friends house–the same friends who shared that first bottle–and by the time we arrived, inexplicably, a bit had seeped out. I had planned to saber, but seeing the leak, I decided against it. In all, the seepage caused the loss of about a half of a bottle, but that still left us with some work to do. Dark but not ominous for a wine that has been in the bottle for two decades. Not much fruit left on the nose, but loads of brioche and yeast. Older champagne is a bit of an acquired taste but once you acquire it? Whoa. Double whoa. I was worried about this last bottle (perhaps why we took so long to open it) as the last few “big bottles” were a bit “meh”but not this one–gangbusters and a fitting way to say: “Goodbye Philly.” Outstanding. 94-96 Points.

1/31/2018 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Just awesome. Floral, depth of fruit, may improve but hard to hold onto any more as it is just SO GOOD. Tasted 3 times and consistent and just plain yummy. 95+

2/18/2021 - Triforwine Likes this wine:

Third time trying this wine but second bottle. First bottle over a few days with detailed notes previously posted. This bottle small Coravin pour tasted during the actual Jeff tasting alongside 4 other reds and 2 whites so could not make sensible notes at that time. This bottle now opened two weeks later with only that small coravin pour missing. After the cork popped, the wine opened more easily, perhaps the effect of prior Coravin injection. Again, deep purple color, with garnet rim, gets a little lighter in weight after poured through Venturi to help get some air. Drank slowly over the course of 5 hours. The wine got a tiny bit lighter in color over the hours. Fruit dominates both the nose and palate and it seems mostly like blackberry to me but perhaps some currant, a mix of black and red. The wine is young and primary and mostly fruit and slightly sweet but not a "fruit bomb", there is a hint of violet and smoke on the nose and a hint of anise and graphite on the palate. To me, I think I could pick this out as a left bank and probably St. Julien blind. The wine has lush tannins and it lingers in the mouth with a lot of density and finishes very long so I think it will be much better in a few years but it is delightful now. Half the bottle left so will see what happens over a couple days after opening this one. But, if this is an indication of what Ducru Beaucailou will be like in this vintage, look out! Incredible QPR in my opinion. Note to self: "Buy more, don't open it for a while". 92+