March 22, 2024 - This was pleasantly surprising. Decanted for one hour. Wonderful dark purple color with a hint of the beginning of an orange rim.
Fragrant black nose that lasted through the night.
Dark black blackberry and raspberry. Good follow.
March 1, 2024 - A very deep and rich wine showing fully mature now with dark raspberry and boysenberry fruits and a really opulent, velvety texture. There are delicious accents here of smoked dark chocolate, truffles and decadent spices and the finish shows just a bit of tannins left. Delicious but typical of this wine for me in that it shows some alcoholic heat and lacks terroir-specificity especially compared to the Figeac. Comanderie Edwardian dinner 2/29/24.
February 29, 2024 - I never have enjoyed this wine although most people did. I find it tannic and did not drink it
Smthird best wine of a set of 4 right bank wines at Edwardian dinner
February 25, 2024 - DC Dinners and Tastings; 2/24/2024-2/26/2024 (Washington, DC): Cheese rind, black licorice and fresh green herbs on the nose. Smells a bit funky, and not a lot of fruit. Medium + intensity of aromas, which is not a great thing for this. The palate, however, fares better. It shows flavors of tobacco, chestnuts, over ripe dark plums, over ripe blackberries and brown sugar. The finish is oak-driven, showing more wood and some caramel. Almost reminiscent of Cognac.
Medium + body with medium + acid and medium + tannin. If ratings were only for structure; this wine would recieve 100 points. As far as flavors go, however, you can tell this is well into the second half of its life.
January 22, 2024 - Robe encore bien opaque malgré les 33 ans au compteur.Bouquet sensationnel de complexité:il offre des senteurs de fruits noirs (cassis,mûre) de fruits rouges (groseille),de café,moka,de feuilles de thé,d'épices douces bref c'est passionnant de constater cette évolution au fur et à mesure de l'aération alors qu'une décantation avant consommation de 1h30 a déjà eu lieu.La bouche confirme: c'est juteux,suave,de l'hédonisme pur et dur.Cet assemblage 50%Cabernet franc 50% merlot donne sa pleine mesure.Magnifique longueur.Bouteille sublime qui confirmait le renouveau du château après des années maigres.Intéressant aussi de comparer 89 à 90 deux grands millésimes à n'en point douter.
November 12, 2023 - Opened up nicely after an hour. Good vintage
October 7, 2023 - Two bottles recently. Just stunning
October 5, 2023 - Ripe and mature with very good power and persistence. Much like another bottle from the same source tasted a few months ago.
October 5, 2023 - The nose is very complex with both red and black fruit as well as cassis and a touch of licorice. The palate is still powerful with similar notes of fruit and a touch of leather. The tannins are plush and the finish is long.This is a spectacular wine but alas it was my last bottle.
August 21, 2023 - A good decade past its prime for me. Primary is completely gone. Nothing left to this but tobacco notes. Very unfortunate