Another year on and this wine is still drinking very well. Very good with food (quality Aberdeen Angus beefburgers). The is the last of a dozen bought at Aldi 4+ years ago for £7.99 a bottle. It is always worth keeping an open mind and popping into Aldi occasionally because they do manage to source some cracking bargains. It is not as if this was a very poor year. Very good, classic Claret. At least as good next day.
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Over a year on from our last bottle. It is still drinking very well, given an hour or three to open. Good with food (and on its own). Well-made wine with life, yet. 88+ Once again, it was better 24h after decanting and, even then, it continued to open in the glass. Good fruit, body, balance, length with soft, integrated tannins. Very attractive, classic claret. My wife enjoyed it even more than I did and would have given it a higher rating so I have raised the score a point.
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Still showing quite well but it needed a couple of hours to open a little. Not too complex, quite austere and lean in the Bdx mould, but with fair fruit, some spice, plenty of acidity and well integrated tannins. Not a big, fat, sweet Parkerised Bdx but a very good food wine and more enjoyable as it opened. Very good for the low price paid. We have a few more but feel there is no rush to drink them. 88+ Good next day (after a night in the fridge and 2h to warm to ambient temp). The nose was more fruity and open, the balance was good and the wine had the acidity and soft tannin to accompany food very well.
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We found a few more bottles. Opened early and it needed a couple of hours to soften a little. Fruit is still there but the tannins are more noticeable. Next day, it was very good with Saltimbocca. Not a wine to drink on its own but the tannins and acidity were just what was needed with food. We'll drink the rest soon. Note. Another bottle opened a couple of weeks later was similar but was softer and more attractive after a day and a half.
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Nice showing with good fruit character. Consumed over 2 days, showing well both days, almost richer on day 2. Very approachable now with medium term aging potential
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Another bottle, opened on 27 August 2018 was consistent with my previous notes - good fruit and length, some spice and a very good partner to a variety of foods. As before, it was better next day - richer, fruitier, and longer. I have added another note because, surprisingly, it improved further over 48h by which time it was really excellent and performing way beyond my expectations. Open early. 89+
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As before - good colour and fruit on the nose with some spice as it opened over 4-5 hours. The palate again showed soft cherry and berry fruit and the juicy acidity was still a feature. An excellent accompaniment to slow roasted pork shoulder. This bottle retained the fruit without any hint of excess tannins after the food. Quite relieved that it is drinking well and that it has a future because I bought quite a few of these bargain bottles...... 24h later it was soft, fruity, and balanced. Very drinkable.
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Another bottle, opened 10h before drinking. Similar character to my previous note but softer tannins after having time to open. Rather nice for the price.
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Good colour and fruit on the nose with some spice as it opened. Attractive, soft cherry and berry fruit on the palate with decent structure and juicy acidity. Some gentle spice, vanilla developed later. Better with food but tannins were more forward afterwards. Good straightforward Merlot-based Claret - ready now and a steal for £7.99 at Aldi.
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Blind tasting of Grand Cercle wines 2011 vintage: Part I (Château Bellefont-Belcier): Violet/Ruby. Fresh red fruit nose. Wet, yet fresh earth. Not too glycerin driven, at least from the aspect. Aromatics of red cherry. Blackberry. Medium bodied palate is red fruit, slightly hard tannin but overall juiciness on the mid palate makes it appealing, and demands some time. Finish is medium.
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9/22/2022 - johnrm Likes this wine: 89 Points
Another year on and this wine is still drinking very well. Very good with food (quality Aberdeen Angus beefburgers). The is the last of a dozen bought at Aldi 4+ years ago for £7.99 a bottle. It is always worth keeping an open mind and popping into Aldi occasionally because they do manage to source some cracking bargains. It is not as if this was a very poor year.
Very good, classic Claret. At least as good next day.
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10/28/2021 - johnrm Likes this wine: 89 Points
Over a year on from our last bottle. It is still drinking very well, given an hour or three to open. Good with food (and on its own). Well-made wine with life, yet. 88+
Once again, it was better 24h after decanting and, even then, it continued to open in the glass. Good fruit, body, balance, length with soft, integrated tannins. Very attractive, classic claret. My wife enjoyed it even more than I did and would have given it a higher rating so I have raised the score a point.
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9/22/2021 - MSheridan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Actually improved over a couple of days after opening. Nice uncomplicated claret
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9/18/2021 - MSheridan Likes this wine: 89 Points
benefitted from double decant and being left open for a few hours which blew off some cork/stalk note that tainted the palate after PnP.
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9/18/2020 - johnrm Likes this wine: 88 Points
Still showing quite well but it needed a couple of hours to open a little. Not too complex, quite austere and lean in the Bdx mould, but with fair fruit, some spice, plenty of acidity and well integrated tannins. Not a big, fat, sweet Parkerised Bdx but a very good food wine and more enjoyable as it opened. Very good for the low price paid. We have a few more but feel there is no rush to drink them. 88+
Good next day (after a night in the fridge and 2h to warm to ambient temp). The nose was more fruity and open, the balance was good and the wine had the acidity and soft tannin to accompany food very well.
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4/3/2020 - johnrm Likes this wine: 87 Points
We found a few more bottles. Opened early and it needed a couple of hours to soften a little. Fruit is still there but the tannins are more noticeable. Next day, it was very good with Saltimbocca. Not a wine to drink on its own but the tannins and acidity were just what was needed with food. We'll drink the rest soon.
Note. Another bottle opened a couple of weeks later was similar but was softer and more attractive after a day and a half.
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7/28/2019 - MSheridan Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice showing with good fruit character. Consumed over 2 days, showing well both days, almost richer on day 2. Very approachable now with medium term aging potential
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8/29/2018 - johnrm Likes this wine: 89 Points
Another bottle, opened on 27 August 2018 was consistent with my previous notes - good fruit and length, some spice and a very good partner to a variety of foods. As before, it was better next day - richer, fruitier, and longer. I have added another note because, surprisingly, it improved further over 48h by which time it was really excellent and performing way beyond my expectations. Open early. 89+
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8/5/2018 - johnrm Likes this wine: 89 Points
As before - good colour and fruit on the nose with some spice as it opened over 4-5 hours. The palate again showed soft cherry and berry fruit and the juicy acidity was still a feature. An excellent accompaniment to slow roasted pork shoulder. This bottle retained the fruit without any hint of excess tannins after the food. Quite relieved that it is drinking well and that it has a future because I bought quite a few of these bargain bottles......
24h later it was soft, fruity, and balanced. Very drinkable.
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4/29/2018 - johnrm Likes this wine: 88 Points
Another bottle, opened 10h before drinking. Similar character to my previous note but softer tannins after having time to open. Rather nice for the price.
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3/23/2018 - johnrm Likes this wine: 87 Points
Good colour and fruit on the nose with some spice as it opened. Attractive, soft cherry and berry fruit on the palate with decent structure and juicy acidity. Some gentle spice, vanilla developed later. Better with food but tannins were more forward afterwards. Good straightforward Merlot-based Claret - ready now and a steal for £7.99 at Aldi.
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1/26/2016 - thunberg wrote: 83 Points
@Grand Cercle des Vins de Bordeaux Stockholm
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9/5/2015 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 87 Points
Blind tasting of Grand Cercle wines 2011 vintage: Part I (Château Bellefont-Belcier): Violet/Ruby. Fresh red fruit nose. Wet, yet fresh earth. Not too glycerin driven, at least from the aspect. Aromatics of red cherry. Blackberry. Medium bodied palate is red fruit, slightly hard tannin but overall juiciness on the mid palate makes it appealing, and demands some time. Finish is medium.
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