April 13, 2024 - 1986/2019/2020. i have little experience with this estate, except for the 24 bottles of their 2018 2nd wine, Blason d’Issan, which was a fantastic value and very enjoyable. At PnP, the 1986 is showing some primary fruit but clearly beyond its crescendo but still enjoyable. a bit thin, fully resolved tannins. dark berries and cassis quite noticeable. a bit of bricking. enjoyable yet noticeably different stylistically from a typical bordeaux or even a margaux. 2019 and 2020 exhibit the same fruit profile, 2019 coming across lighter, less tannins and not much on the nose. 2020 offers quite a pleasing olfactory experience and more density and concentration of fruit. perhaps the 2019 is shutting down, or it is a vintage variation? time will tell. currently decanting the 19/20 and letting the 1986 slow ox in the wine fridge after a double decant to remove sediment (of which there was surprisingly little). will sample again in 2 hrs
March 30, 2024 - Currants, cassis, slight pepper, and perfumed silkiness on the nose. Smooth, polished, elegant, light body, medium acidity, fine tannins. Not concentrated or powerful. More delicate. Immediacy of the aftertaste seems to retreat early but a residual longevity lingers with a fine delicate aroma.
Not sure what to make of this...a bit too light and thin for my taste, but has some very good qualities. A high quality, fresh purity of fruit and aromatics.
Might need more time in bottle but drinking well now. I'll have to revisit as this is not the typical powerhouse bordeaux I enjoy but more of a delicate burgundy experience, albeith with a bordeaux taste profile.
March 28, 2024 - Not ready. Hold.
November 14, 2023 - Pulled the cork on the bottle previously accessed by Coravin.
Air allowed the wine to reveal gorgeous bouquet. Blackcurrant and blackberry, with red berry top notes, violets, herbal teas, summer potpourri, and incredible mineral depth. Balanced oak treatment and seamless alcohol allow the perfume to shine. Compelling in all respects.
Precision and tension characterize the tasting experience. Juicy, gritty, and compact. Acid and tannin dance across the palate. Harmonious transitions, gripping back, exceptionally long finish, evocative of Left Bank purity and Margaux sexiness.
Nothing overpowering and yet the wine begs for no less than a decade in the cellar and will likely evolve for two. All elements point to a wine that should reach fully maturity by 2050. Stellar QPR. Worth seeking out! 95-96.
November 13, 2023 - Lovely wine, classic Margaux. Needs hours to open up but once it does shows nice red fruits, elegant florals, nice earthy tones of red rocks.
Astounding value and will age beautifully in the cellar. 92-93
November 5, 2023 - Showing very promising but also shut down at the same time. Drank over 3 hours. Red fruits, tobacco, herbs. Some Margaux florals came out early on but receded. Palate integrated well over the course of the bottle, but the finish remained astringent and tannic. I might recommend holding at this point or else a long decant to check in early.
October 31, 2023 - 2019 Bordeaux Tasting, MW tasting (Vintner's Hall, London): 70% CS 30% Mer, 14%
Black fruit, bold, licorice, earthy, some coffee liqueur notes, thick oak frame
Palate is juicy, with nice fruit, low tannins, some earthy notes, med body, short-ish finish
September 30, 2023 - Beautiful bramble, black fruit and oak integration. Vanilla, cola, and cloves. Great for a nice cool fall evening over looking out the backcountry out our back porch.
September 23, 2023 - Sur le tertiaire et fané, court, vert et mince.
Pas pour moi!
September 22, 2023 - really quite oaky. Brambly black fruit. Quite mineral and quite savory. Unresolved tannin. Big, but perfumed. Oaky and super structured, racy acidity and big tannic backbone. Perhaps it needs to age; a I found this way too oaky, with astringency smothering the fruit.