September 30, 2021 - Seems silly to call it pure burgundy in color, but that's what it is. Crystalline. Nose is attractive, if a bit linear, with dusty red fruit, and a shade of roses around the edges. The first taste is quite shrill, with screechy high acid, almost like an enamel stripping Saar Riesling. Where'd that come from? After 3 hours of air, it's much better integrated, with punchy red fruit, tempered by sous boi, a bit of savory bouillon. Good depth, appropriate for a 1er cru. Still crunchy tannins, a bit rustic, and probably still has 5 years before plateauing. Excellent QPR (I paid $37) and 91 for now, with 1-2 points of upside.
September 24, 2021 - Warm garnet orange/brick on the edges. Mature fruit, spice, slight mineral, and earthiness on a nice finish. Drinking nicely now but has some years left. Sad that this is my last bottle.
March 13, 2021 - Light cherry red color. An enveloping, enticing nose that, while not terribly complex, draws you in with a deep, vinous, savory, mature blend of aromas—leather, vanilla, wet earth, and rose petals. A very sophisticated bouquet. But it's all very tightly knit together and doesn't immediately present as separate notes. Very enjoyable to just keep sniffing. I get the sense that a lot of the success of the nose is the result of excellent oak management. It just has that classy, luxurious elegance that comes from tasteful use of very good oak. On the palate, though, things become more of a mixed bag. The fruit has receded, and as a consequence, there isn't really enough stuffing to balance out the slightly green bitterness and rather coarse tannin. The leather and earth from the nose come through, but there's no sign of the richness or vanilla spice that made for such a pleasant bouquet.
I drank my other bottle of this seven and a half years ago, and I see that I thought it was a bit closed but promising, and that it would bloom with age. Maybe I just waited too long and missed the window, but I think more likely I overestimated its potential when it was young. If you're still holding any of these, now is the time, before the nose dries up too.
March 18, 2020 - Light ruby color with moderate clearing at rim
Medium plus aromas of cherry/ forest floor/ flowers and dry herbs - no noticeable oak
Medium palate of sour cherry with green/ tart aspect
Medium plus acidity and medium plus fine/ silky tannins and a medium finish
Beautiful aromas but a little too green on the palate to rate this any higher - This was not so apparent on previous tasting
March 18, 2020 - Single blind tasting
Pale ruby, filtered
Medium + aromatics with no oak. Red fruit, floral feminine/elegant with secondary of mushroom and forest floor
Medium palate with medium + tannins (gum and palate location, fine grained), medium + acid and medium - alcohol. Red, unripe fruit with no secondary.
Medium + length. Balance is a bit off, with palate lacking fruit, driven by the acidity. Still quite nice, especially the aromatics.
January 11, 2020 - Drank with dinner of roasted Poussin Rouge chicken with roasted potatoes and carrots and a simple, tossed salad with vinaigrette dressing. Quite good said my spouse. My sense of smell and taste was off a bit.
August 3, 2019 - The line up: 06 Clarendon hills hickenbothen cab, 07 Clarendon hills hickenbothen syrah, 2010 pommard sebastian magnien, 2011 don Melchor cab, 1999 fontanafredda lazzarito, 07 Paolo conterno ginestra reserva, 04 ciabot berton roggeri reserva from mag.. this was by far the least expensive wine in this group and yet it was one of the most well liked. 10 people in the group a one had this as their wotn. I thought it was good but in the bottom half of the wines. Still, fantastic QPR. Drinking very well and is aging great.
February 7, 2019 - Translucent, warm garnet in color with a little orange/brick on the edges. Strawberry, ripe red fruit, and spice/white pepper on the nose. The palate follows through with cherry cola, strawberry, rose petal, and a soft savory wet earth/meadow. Has a nice balanced acidity and soft mouth feel. Some light cedar/spice on a decent finish. Much softer and more integrated since my last bottle.
January 19, 2019 - REBUY - MAYBE, Had with Salmon. Earthy tones, nice finish. Deep cherry
November 24, 2018 - Had over 1-2h during Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing to write home about. Wouldn't rebuy this wine or this winery.