January 8, 2021 - Challenging cork. Oxidized. Berry Bros bottling.
June 29, 2020 - Allegedly a P. Janoueix bottling. Unclear, mahogany color; mint, Christmas spices, cough syrup. Like a faded Chinato. Fake.
June 1, 2019 - Cheval Blanc Vertical ‘Chez Elke’ (Hotel Hohenzollern, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler): Eschenauer negociant bottle. Some forest floor notes, Italian hard cheese, some iron. Reminded us of the 1959 but with less power and length.
June 1, 2019 - Very interesting bottle that needed a lot of time (and would have benefited from some more to be honest). Initially closed off, but developing a complex aroma of young wood, thai basil and metal. Impressively smooth and well balanced on the palate.
March 26, 2019 - An Evening of Vinous Merriment and Majesty Among Friends (Craft, New York): The fruit is amazingly young and fresh for a wine this age, just incredible. Sweet ripe raspberries with a long, long complex finish. This is so delicious and just impossible to put down.
March 25, 2016 - A great bottle here. In fact, Pierre said it's the best bottle of '45 he's ever tasted. Really open and decadent with flavors of dark minerals, haunting black forest and leathers along with notes of charcoal and black spices on the finish. Almost falling apart but hanging on just enough here to be something very special. Intimate dinner for 8 with Pierre Lurton in the rotunda on the roof at Nomad, NYC.
May 22, 2015 - Alas, cork fell into the bottle during transport.
June 30, 2013 - By far, the most interesting bottle I have ever owned and drank. I am still not quite sure what to make of this bottle. I shared it with two friends who are more knowledgeable than me in wine, and we were not able to come to a conclusion on the authenticity of the bottle. The fill was in the neck (essentially impossible), with a relatively young, hard cork that was compressed and small, but half-soaked. It read "Chateau Cheval Blanc." There was abundant sediment, and the wine was mature and delicious. Definitely could have been a 40's wine if it wasn't the real thing. The bottle was another story -- a friend identified that the bottle had no "seam", meaning it is one continuous piece of glass. He mentioned that this style of bottle was definitely pre-1940's. One hypothesis might be that since the wine is a war-year bottle, maybe they re-used an older bottle? The label seemed authentic, a Dutch negociant bottling. So what to make of this bottle? I suppose that the story, the wine, the company, and the discussions only make it more memorable.
The wine itself was exactly what is described as '45 Cheval Blanc -- a little bricking and oxidation around the edges, but still a stunning violent hue throughout. Forest floor, vegetables, and a mushroom farm feel that combined with little remaining fruit and tannins to make a remarkably balanced and tasty wine. The complex flavors linger -- both on the palate, and in my mind...
September 7, 2012 - Østkantsmaking: Topp skulder. Noe skyet, rødbrun med 1 mm klar menisk. Aldeles nydelig nese av julekrydder, søte røde bær (med nesten kokosaktig sødme), brent paprika, skogbunn og tørket kjøtt. Bløt, silkemyk og dyp frukt med elegant fremtoning, I motsetning til de 3 foregående i 45 flighten har denne masser av frukt. Saftig og med fin sødme. Flott balanse gjennom smakskurven. God lengde. 95/96 P
September 7, 2012 - Seven Decades of Right Bank Wines (Trondheim, Norway (my house)): Fill: on join. Brilliant bricking red, light, long brim; very complex nose, forest floor, some beef juice, very fresh; very intense wine, long, complex, but the taste does not quite live up to the fantastic nose (to merit a perfect score), elegant, floral, and grows in the glass. Tannins still present. All in all, a wonderful bottle.