January 27, 2024 - Great wine - still young
January 20, 2024 - Wow, this is my kind of wine. Balances fruit and earth components so well. Absolutely delicious, especially with our grilled meats. This is ready to go with just a bit of air.
December 18, 2023 - With help from the notes here under (open at least 3 hours in advance) I had a wonderfull tasting (every monday 5-6.15h) of 2012 Claret.
Lacoste Borie (Very nice now, herbs), Pontet Canet (closed after 3 hours, opens up maybe tonight) and Smith Haut L. This one was astonishing: almost black, open, Pessac, long aftertaste, wow. I will keep my last bottle for a few years.
December 15, 2023 - A youthful wine showing pronounced dark berry fruit with graphite and some burning embers and spice notes in the background. Medium-bodied palate of mostly primary fruit. Still showing some tannic structure on the medium finish. Another few years of cellaring should pay rewards. A few hours of air suggested if drinking now.
November 22, 2023 - Shith this is getting better and better probably not the best vintage but really nice to enjoy now! On its apogee
October 24, 2023 - I loved everything about this bottle. Full fruit new world style. Sampled upon opening and this wine develops exponentially as each hour passes. Now at hour 3-4, it is really singing!! A wine to enjoy over the course of an evening. I wish I had bought a case.
October 9, 2023 - Already entering its drinking window. Medium+ nose intensity with black fruits, black currant, spices, toast. Medium+ acidity and medium+ tannin. Medium+ finish. Can drink or keep.
July 16, 2023 - Agree with Redknife. A patient, three-hour decant takes us from any number of stops along the Rue de Ordinaire to the Champs Élysées and back. Lasted (improved?) for several days without noticeable deterioration. Admirable. Enjoyable.
June 8, 2023 - Quadruple decanted last minute and enjoyed with Carol's Miso Sea Bass (an hour later)...with wild rice and even wilder mushrooms. I've had this debate previously on here about white or red with this meal, and we both have tried having white and red open at the table multiple times, with both of us coming to the same repeat conclusion, that this meal is better suited to a red, but not a big Cali cab, something more in line with food, a Bdx or mildly aged Napa.
This was pretty potent early on but by the time it had 3 hours of air after dinner, it really settled in. Dark, dark garnet in the glass with just a hint of a ruby meniscus at the edge. Black ballpoint pen ink on the nose with walnut dust, a little bit of graphite and dark baker's chocolate. Medium weight in the mouth, the palate exhibits riveting acidity all along its length from start to finish. A few drying tannins left to integrate which are felt up high in the cheeks on each side, not much on the tongue. This is all black fruited, with hints of coffee bean. There's also maybe a hint of citrus or orange rind on the very finish and thanks to the wonderful acidity, that finish goes on for a good 45+ seconds. Maybe 92-93 then? This one could certainly use a little more time but overall, I'm glad to see that a Left Bank '12 is starting to perform well as many on the Left have been slow to come around compared to their brothers on the Right from '12. Not sure that it gets much better from here, only perchance a bit more integrated as far as the tannins, which might get it another point in my book. 4th hour in and that's exactly what started to happen, the wine softened further and the tannins backed down a bit. A solid, very nice and clean wine. Good structure and precision if that makes sense? Maybe 93-94 at the end.
June 2, 2023 - The 2012 SHL Rouge is a blend of 55% CS, 40% M, 4% CF and 1% PV. The wine has been aged for 18 months in 60% new french oak barrels from yields of 32hl/ha. It took about 3 hours in the carafe for it to loosen up. On the nose, the bouquet is impressive in breed, sophistication and depth: black fruits (mainly blackcurrant and blackberry I guess), noble spices, a little graphite, a few wisps of tobacco, an harmonious touch of oak aging (roasted hazelnut perhaps) and even some flowery shades probably due to the non-negligible part of Merlot. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied with a full and fragrant mid-palate as well as an enveloping flesh which brings a sexy roundness to the matter. Long, long fresh finish with notes of violets, graphite, coffee and a few tannins still a bit tight and firm. This SHL represents everything we love about high-lineage Bordeaux wines. A real treat! It sings so well right now that you can uncork.
[Photo on Instagram]