March 26, 2023 - To late after drinking for a valid TN. Very dark color. Quite some nice fruit in the attack and midpalate, the finish was short. More open than in december 2021. At last this wine is entering its window of maturity. To keep my last bottle untill end 2025 or later. For now about 88.
December 20, 2021 - A dark purple-ruby color. Concentrated, round taste, with plum and a cardamom-like note. More mature than last time, but this wine will probably benefit form one or two, even three more years of ageing. Nice wine, but the level of the alcohol (14,5%) is too high and makes this wine rather burning. 88.
November 24, 2020 - Kept partly under condition 1, but mostly under condition 2 since september 2012 (see my profile). Popped and poured. Taste: much more open then 09-11-2017, with red fruit and some depth and complexity. OK acidity. Medium bodied like most Bordeaux. The 85% of merlot makes it soft and round, the 15% cabernet franc adds a soft, agreeable herbal note, like that of cinnamon. To my surprise the burning alcohol of 2017 had almost fully gone, at least with food. Also the tannins were almost fully resolved. At the third day still more opened with plum and sweet herbs. Still this wine is just entering its drinking-window. Will almost surely be better after another year of keeping. Already very nice now. (According to the chateau on the label to be drunk till 2025+.) For now (88-)89.
August 24, 2020 - Deep ruby. On the nose the aromas are medium intensity with vanilla, sandalwood, red cherries, red plums, blackcurrant leaf, cinnamon, clove, truffle oil. On the palate the wine is dry with medium + acidity, medium + fine ripe tannins, high alcohol, and medium + body. The flavor intensity is medium plus and surprisingly has much fresh fruit - red and black cherries, red plums, along with toast, vanilla and cinnamon, black currant leaf, truffle oil. The finish is medium plus and primarily plum and earthy notes, pleasant. This is and very good wine and particularly good QPR- based on the other notes, I think it just needed time. The wine demonstrates medium intensity aromas on the nose rising to medium plus on the palate. The nose and palate demonstrate complexity and the finish is medium plus. The wine is not outstanding as the high alcohol is out of balance with the medium acidity and fruit nature and an observed alcohol burn is noted on the palate. Lovely wine, would drink now but it could also hold another 5-7 years.
July 4, 2020 - Sehr elegant , klassisch , extrem ausgewogen, saftig, Unterholz, der Cabernet Franc 15% ergänzt wunderbar die 85% Merlot
May 16, 2018 - If drinking today, I would hope you had let it stand upright in your cellar for a month, as the disturbed sediment will taint this wine with bitter notes.
Its nose was muted and nonexistent for a solid 2 hours, which means this wine needs some more years of bottle age. I would try it again in 5.
After 2 hours I ran it through a vinturi to see if I could get anything out of it and finally plums, lime and oak were showing.
The vinturi changed it quite a bit to where some of the bitter tannins subsided and conserved flavors were released. There were massive oak tannins, bitter and buttery that might eventually end up complimenting this wine in a good way by 2025. The Merlot was very ripe and plummy. This wine was two dimensional with unctuous texture and big ripe tannins. I liked the way it had a chilling effect, almost minty, but not tasting minty. It was effemeral yet thick, which was a pleasurable contrast.
As it opened up mushrooms with truffle oil came out with minerals and a spanking long finish.
$30 would be better spent on a left bank '05 or 2000.
7/10
4 hours in some chocolate bitters emerged.
September 11, 2017 - Nose: fine bush and mushrooms. Taste: the first impression was that of burning alcohol (14,5%). Behind that good enough fruit, round with notes that are probably from cabernet franc. A bit more integrated, less burning at the second day. Medium bodied, short finish. Unfortunately another 2009 wine that seems pleasant, but is dominated by alcohol. No rating.
August 15, 2017 - Similar terroir markers as the 2010 vintage. Dense, inky crimson drenched fruit, and modernly styled. Some angularities, which food mostly masks. Overall, typical of the flash-in-the-pan sexy, but lacking substance 2009 vintage.
July 4, 2017 - Delicious wine in a great place now... Reminds me of Carillon D'Angelus! Half the prince too! Finish is not as strong or refined, but it follows in its footsteps .... Good structure, soft sweet red cherries, licorice and a touch of leather.... Better than average for sure, great QPR! Drink up now!
June 22, 2016 - Popped and poured and consumed this over days. Dark fruit and earth on both days. Menthol on the nose. Tannin was a bit rustic on both days but smoother on day two. Solid wine. I suspect this will age nicely for at least five more years.