May 3, 2024 - More impressive than genuinely enjoyable right now. This didn't live up to the praise I've read for this wine elsewhere, and seemed quite a step down from the gorgeous 2016 version. There's a lot of pretty red and black fruit here that comes out with time in the decanter and lightly floral and spicy notes, but it's also more oaky and extracted than the '16. It feels like a medium-weight wine that's trying to be a heavier blockbuster, rather than a more medium-weight claret, and it doesn't work. At the price, I'd much rather just buy Ferriere.
April 11, 2024 - High expression of black and purple fruit to it. Fresh and brilliant on the palate. Juicy and fleshy on the plate. Direct right now, bu tthe stuffing is there.
February 11, 2024 - Intense and austere showing blackberry, tea, spice and plum. Tannins are still pretty tight. However, currently pairs very well with sirloin. Tannins still need time to resolved. NI:3, FI:22, FC:8, B:3, L:4
October 28, 2023 - Great wine, will be incredible over time. Big fruit on the nose upon opening. Decanted for an hour+. Strong bright red cherry and raspberry, some blue berry, leather, vanilla, spice, maybe thyme. Dusty medium tannin.
September 21, 2023 - I kill a lot of young wines, can't help it. This is one stern mutha at this point but near the end of day two it delivered some aromatics that made the poorly timed opening worth it! The kind of aromatics that make anyone's obsession with wine understandable. Not to mention depth of fruit is fantastic! I will not touch another for at least 2-3 years. I will buy more!
August 4, 2023 - Young
July 16, 2023 - Exceptional vibrant nose and entry offering a Bordeaux wine tasting lesson. Agree +++ with preceding notes which capture its youth, complexity and potential. I am compelled to add a grace note; @$40 on sale, given 50 years of inflation, improved winemaking, one would have to travel back in time to the 1970 vintage and choose with care to find an equivalent value. Be thankful friends, we live in a Bordeaux Nirvana.
June 17, 2023 - Nose: Exceptional! Sweet dark cherry, bright cassis, wet earth, floral spiciness; on day two the wet earth notes become even more prominent and add an attractive note of decayed detritus. Palate: Cedar wood that is nicely integrated into a fruity core of warmed blackberries, red licorice, more cedar spice toward the finish; grippy tannins with a good acid backbone. With some time in the glass, more red fruit character emerges; on day two the fruit transition to barely rip dark cherry but remains behind a veil of gritty cedar and slate. Overall, this is very well-balanced with with a nice bit of assertive personality.
June 8, 2023 - Decanted about an hour. The nose on this is fabulous! Opened nicely, plenty of black fruited goodness on the palate, balanced, tannins are there but allow the fruit to shine. This is really good for a $50 Bordeaux. Drink over a decade plus.
May 18, 2023 - Dark reddish-purple garnet in color. Full, forward & fragrant nose of ripe fruits aromas of dark cherries, blueberries & cassis & plums with overtones of floral notes of violets & dusty/earthy notes, spices, cocoa, coffee, tobacco, minerals & a good measure of vanilla/oak. Full bodied with a very good concentration of well balanced & smooth textured, ripe fruit flavors of cherries, blackberries & plums with herbs, minerals, spices & vanilla/oak. Lingering finish. Drinks quite well at present with decanting & extended airing but should develop further with additional aging at which time it may merit a higher score (94+). Very good QPR when compared to Napa Cabs at twice the price.