During a Matter of Taste walkabout tasting, no detailed tasting notes. Very dense and ripe, cooked fruit. Second bottle was a little better, still, I found this wine too extracted and a bit step away from the 2016 La Fleur Petrus side by side
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A very nice young St-Emilion, that still needs to digest its oak though. It is full bodied and balanced, with a creamy texture. Aromas of vanilla, plum, cherry and cocoa. I would have liked to see the minerality come through, but hey it's damn easy to drink and enjoy. Would love to revisit in 10+ years.
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Totally great. Excellent from first pour. Thick plummy delicious fruit with high notes of juicy raspberry. Totally satisfying and delicious. No decant needed as no significant improvement at 2 hours.
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Cellared at 55-65°F since release. Juicy blue and black fruit. Balanced and drinking great today. Recorked and tried again 5 days later with similar notes implying that this can age for an extended time.
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Bordeaux tasting - with a few pirates: This seemed to be in a less than affable mood for most of the evening. On one hand, I think there were not only other better showing wines, but also, simply better wines that the Belair-Monange just couldn’t keep up with. I last had this wine nearly three years ago, and it was quite the exuberant showing. However, and like many 2016 BDXs, this seems to be in shy guy mode. What elements were showing themselves to some degree, were flattened out by a beam of acidity and frame. The fruit was basically not as expressive as I had hoped. The finish showed more alcohol than fruit flavor. Hold this 2016. This is nowhere near the 2015, and is kinda at the lower end of the scoring range that I have previously given for the 2018. It’s not a weak wine necessarily, but it was kind of a weak comparative showing. It wasn’t the 2000 Poyferre, but it was light years away from the top performers in the lineup.
On the palate was black fruits with a red sheen, bitter minerals and deep, bitter dark earth.
I'd give this an extra point because of the fruit but having this next to some of the good ones we had this evening, this was just a tad behind the rest.
The tasting experience at this point was like riding a wave, with various ups and downs.
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Bordeaux and Beyond (The csimm_M Estate): Yet another great contribution from our hosts. Unlike most of the other TNs, I found more red than black fruit. My other takeaways: 1) while some booze and vanilla elements are duly noted, they seemed to me, on all but a relative basis for a BDX, pretty light, especially compared to a really screamer in that category, like the ‘19 SQN which finished my evening there, 2) I viewed the acidity as more of a plus than a minus, giving this bottling welcome lift, 3) that said, the elements in this weren’t particularly balanced, let alone integrated, and the fruit-flowers-funk mix of my higher scored RB’ers wasn’t there, perhaps not surprising considering the youth of this bottle compared to them. I don’t know if it gets all the way to the VCCs or Angelus or the CT score, but this is VG+ already with fluctuation in the years to come likely to be solidly to the upside. 94+
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Dark black cherry, blackberry, black raspberry, bitter chocolate, unsmoked cigar, Christmas spice, wet cedar, and the slightest bit of animale. Deep and saturated while maintaining a medium+ bodied weight and profile overall. Perfect speed and balance for such a young wine. A superb expression of St. Emilion, with a bit of funky personality on the tail to raise an eyebrow, look around the room and ask, “Hey...?! Anyone else notice that?!”
Hold for 3-5+ years, but a fun ride even now with some air. Super sexy and silky. The darker fruit and chocolatey smoothness here makes for an even more alluring execution. The bottle was empty well before I wanted it to be. 95-97+ points. Try to hold out until after 2023+ minimum.
Really seductive aromas with pronounced red currant fruit, darker fruit peel, graphite and espresso. Full bodied wine with lovely slim mouthfeel, which is nevertheless experienced so present. Lovely fruit with juicy red berries, spices, espresso and sweet wood. Appropriate tannins and very good acidity. Long and beautiful finish. Eminent wine! 96 points.
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Full-bodied, concentrated, soft, silky and with a beautiful purity to its layers of fruits, you also find, smoke, licorice wet earth, cigar wrapper and spice. Fresh, energetic and fruity, with soft, polished tannins this is going to be a knockout with at least a decade of aging.
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Amazing wild nose, expressive black raspberry nose, wild herbs, fantastic personality and distinctiveness. Followed through on the palette, wonderful length, layers of flavour. Highly recommended, good buying.
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Matter of taste (London): Lovely expressive red fruit with clear notes of ripe raspberries and other darker fruit. Silky tannin, layered with deep fruit and good acidity. Long very nice finish and a slight touch of warmth. 94-96p
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Tasted in early April at the Moueix negociant offices in Libourne. Gorgeous floral aromas with vivid notes of blackberry and plum coming from this blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. The palate is at once charming and delivers tannic power, as if there is a Pauillac underneath. As fellow wine writer Jane Anson put it: “The epitome of St-Émilion plateau power and elegance.” This is the best barrel sample I have ever tried from this terroir from barrel. A premier grand cru classé to be reckoned with! Score may be rather high but it really gave off that good an impression. I am sure it will not be too inexpensive, however ... 95-97
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Fresh, dark red fruits, kirsch liqueur and black raspberry open the wine. Silky, soft and mineral driven, both bright red and dark red berries create the wine’s core. There is freshness, length, purity of fruit and a stone-filled finish.
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3/3/2024 - Collector1855 wrote: 90 Points
During a Matter of Taste walkabout tasting, no detailed tasting notes. Very dense and ripe, cooked fruit. Second bottle was a little better, still, I found this wine too extracted and a bit step away from the 2016 La Fleur Petrus side by side
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6/8/2023 - Vinum Deorum wrote: 94 Points
A very nice young St-Emilion, that still needs to digest its oak though. It is full bodied and balanced, with a creamy texture. Aromas of vanilla, plum, cherry and cocoa. I would have liked to see the minerality come through, but hey it's damn easy to drink and enjoy. Would love to revisit in 10+ years.
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4/30/2023 - jmoon Likes this wine: 95 Points
Totally great. Excellent from first pour. Thick plummy delicious fruit with high notes of juicy raspberry. Totally satisfying and delicious. No decant needed as no significant improvement at 2 hours.
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2/28/2023 - Roentgen Ray Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cellared at 55-65°F since release.
Juicy blue and black fruit.
Balanced and drinking great today.
Recorked and tried again 5 days later with similar notes implying that this can age for an extended time.
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11/1/2022 - csimm wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux tasting - with a few pirates: This seemed to be in a less than affable mood for most of the evening. On one hand, I think there were not only other better showing wines, but also, simply better wines that the Belair-Monange just couldn’t keep up with. I last had this wine nearly three years ago, and it was quite the exuberant showing. However, and like many 2016 BDXs, this seems to be in shy guy mode. What elements were showing themselves to some degree, were flattened out by a beam of acidity and frame. The fruit was basically not as expressive as I had hoped. The finish showed more alcohol than fruit flavor. Hold this 2016. This is nowhere near the 2015, and is kinda at the lower end of the scoring range that I have previously given for the 2018. It’s not a weak wine necessarily, but it was kind of a weak comparative showing. It wasn’t the 2000 Poyferre, but it was light years away from the top performers in the lineup.
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10/29/2022 - WineBurrowingWombat Likes this wine: 95 Points
Bordeaux tasting with some Napa outsiders (The Embrace of Silence): Loved the aromas of dark, rotted autumn leaves with red and black fruits.
On the palate was black fruits with a red sheen, bitter minerals and deep, bitter dark earth.
I'd give this an extra point because of the fruit but having this next to some of the good ones we had this evening, this was just a tad behind the rest.
The tasting experience at this point was like riding a wave, with various ups and downs.
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10/29/2022 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bordeaux and Beyond (The csimm_M Estate): Yet another great contribution from our hosts. Unlike most of the other TNs, I found more red than black fruit. My other takeaways: 1) while some booze and vanilla elements are duly noted, they seemed to me, on all but a relative basis for a BDX, pretty light, especially compared to a really screamer in that category, like the ‘19 SQN which finished my evening there, 2) I viewed the acidity as more of a plus than a minus, giving this bottling welcome lift, 3) that said, the elements in this weren’t particularly balanced, let alone integrated, and the fruit-flowers-funk mix of my higher scored RB’ers wasn’t there, perhaps not surprising considering the youth of this bottle compared to them. I don’t know if it gets all the way to the VCCs or Angelus or the CT score, but this is VG+ already with fluctuation in the years to come likely to be solidly to the upside. 94+
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9/3/2022 - Otaku Oenophile Likes this wine: 96 Points
Delicious.
Baking spices, tobacco and red fruit on the nose.
Coffee, red fruit and balanced acidity on the palate.
Paired great with a prime ribeye steak.
I find the notes below to be quite accurate.
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12/25/2019 - csimm wrote: 97 Points
Dark black cherry, blackberry, black raspberry, bitter chocolate, unsmoked cigar, Christmas spice, wet cedar, and the slightest bit of animale. Deep and saturated while maintaining a medium+ bodied weight and profile overall. Perfect speed and balance for such a young wine. A superb expression of St. Emilion, with a bit of funky personality on the tail to raise an eyebrow, look around the room and ask, “Hey...?! Anyone else notice that?!”
Hold for 3-5+ years, but a fun ride even now with some air. Super sexy and silky. The darker fruit and chocolatey smoothness here makes for an even more alluring execution. The bottle was empty well before I wanted it to be. 95-97+ points. Try to hold out until after 2023+ minimum.
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11/28/2019 - Andre Brattland wrote: 96 Points
92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. 14% alcohol.
Really seductive aromas with pronounced red currant fruit, darker fruit peel, graphite and espresso. Full bodied wine with lovely slim mouthfeel, which is nevertheless experienced so present. Lovely fruit with juicy red berries, spices, espresso and sweet wood. Appropriate tannins and very good acidity. Long and beautiful finish. Eminent wine! 96 points.
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9/21/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Full-bodied, concentrated, soft, silky and with a beautiful purity to its layers of fruits, you also find, smoke, licorice wet earth, cigar wrapper and spice. Fresh, energetic and fruity, with soft, polished tannins this is going to be a knockout with at least a decade of aging.
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8/29/2019 - jmoon Likes this wine: 96 Points
Splash decant then 7 hour slow ox in bottle...
Amazing wild nose, expressive black raspberry nose, wild herbs, fantastic personality and distinctiveness. Followed through on the palette, wonderful length, layers of flavour. Highly recommended, good buying.
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10/27/2018 - Mascarello59 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Matter of taste (London): Lovely expressive red fruit with clear notes of ripe raspberries and other darker fruit. Silky tannin, layered with deep fruit and good acidity. Long very nice finish and a slight touch of warmth. 94-96p
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6/10/2017 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine:
Tasted in early April at the Moueix negociant offices in Libourne. Gorgeous floral aromas with vivid notes of blackberry and plum coming from this blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc. The palate is at once charming and delivers tannic power, as if there is a Pauillac underneath. As fellow wine writer Jane Anson put it: “The epitome of St-Émilion plateau power and elegance.” This is the best barrel sample I have ever tried from this terroir from barrel. A premier grand cru classé to be reckoned with! Score may be rather high but it really gave off that good an impression. I am sure it will not be too inexpensive, however ... 95-97
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5/28/2017 - wineappellation wrote: 91 Points
2016 En Primeur (tasted 26 May 2017) - Floral, perfect ripeness, above average.
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4/29/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Fresh, dark red fruits, kirsch liqueur and black raspberry open the wine. Silky, soft and mineral driven, both bright red and dark red berries create the wine’s core. There is freshness, length, purity of fruit and a stone-filled finish.
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