December 16, 2023 - Solid classically styled Bordeaux. Dark currents, some mid fruits, stones, dry topsoil, dark rich earth, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, leather, soft spice, light baking spices, withering dark flowers, round acidity, nicely woven with good evolution and integration making for well balanced and smooth finish. Nice producer from this region that prices good value. Fine pair with the brisket.
September 16, 2023 - There are good steak wines and then there are steak WINES! Not that this is the best wine or steak wines I’ve had. It was simply birthed for steak. Allen Brothers Strip Steak. Seasoned with coarse Garlic Salt/ Pepper and Napa Valley Rub from wholespice.com. If you haven’t had your steak this way, my highest recommendation. The fat & gristle are perfect w/ the 08 Belle-Vue. If you olive oil, heavy coarse salt & pepper your bake potato at 475 for an hour & a half, you’ll discover how great, crispy/crunchy/complex a potato shell can be. Older Bordeaux can be good on its own but with beef or lamb, it’s just a marriage made in heaven. Here’s the rub for my friends & I, we can’t find a steak better than we make. That’s what the Covid years firmed up for us. The 08 vintage was saved with late good weather. It sits somewhere between the good and very good vintages. Drinks better earlier than great to grand vintages. Slightly over achieving its young critical reviews.
The palate shows; drier dark currents-blackberries, black raspberries, black plum dark, not quite ripe cherries, raspberries edges. Dark chocolate baking bar (that’s what French oak does), lead pencil shavings, dark rich earth with dry leaves, limestone powder, dry river stone, dry tobacco, chewy leather, dark, intense spices, nutmeg, some cinnamon, vanillin, caramel hues, saline, fresh & withering, dark, purple flowers with lavender hues, nice acidity with a well structured & balanced, rounded meaty tannin, floral finish that lasts minutes. Medoc is always the place to look for nice wines with value…even better in excellent vintages. Even better in 5 years.
It has another 10 years plus of good drinking ahead properly stored.
November 29, 2022 - What a surprise, this Médoc is most enjoyable, and right in the drinking window. Balances finesse and strength; maturing yet youthful.
Loads of black fruit balance by cedar, licorice, tobacco. Long well-defined finish with dry almost bitter-sweet notes.
Cabernet sauvignon 48%, Merlot 30%, Petit verdot 20%, Cabernet franc 1%, Carménère 1%.
Has years of cellar life left.
November 6, 2022 - Deep ruby with black opaque core. Nose of black fruit, blackberry jam, dried leaves 'herbaceous' and cedar. Dry, medium-medium(+) acidity, medium tannin, 13% abv and medium(+) body. Attack of black fruit, tobacco, licorice. Great length with dry almost bitter-sweet finish.
Has years of cellar life left. Excellent balance and beautiful crunchy mouthfeel make this a very approachable and enjoyable Medoc.
September 17, 2022 - From Magnum
July 19, 2020 - No rush and still going strong. Nice structure but the fruit is limited as well as the finish
April 2, 2020 - Still going strong. 2 years since my last notes and not much has changed. Has many more years left. One of the best 2008's I have had and that includes many grand cru's.
January 22, 2019 - This developed nicely over the last 7 years, and is finally turning into something more authentic and enjoyable. But there's still no rush to open, as the remaining fruit and structure were totally sufficient to support further development. Revisit in 5 years.
August 5, 2018 - Still going great. Very well balanced and full bodied. I have enjoyed this wine very much over the years. One bottle left after 12. I'll drink this in a couple of years.
February 18, 2018 - The wine is at the beautiful spot of mellowed fruit and tertiary aromas, yet maintaining great freshness and youthful energy. Thin watery rim, dark ruby colour, clean. On the nose dark and fruity tones of chocolate, coffee, black tea, cherry, dried tomato, parsley. The palate is clean, full, ripe, soft, with solid tannins and lifted acidity, very long. 50 CS, 30 M, 20 PV.