Fresh, vibrant, elegant, and almost discreet, the wine is classic in style, in a good way. The nose, with its display of flowers, tobacco, cherries, kirsch and hints of cocoa shines with little effort. The medium-bodied palate, with its profile of sweet, ripe, red cherries, comes along with gentle accents of leafy herbs, cocoa, espresso and soft-textured, plums. The wine drink well young, yet age and develop for 2 decades. The wine blends 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, and 5.5% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2050.
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UGCB tasting-Amsterdam 2021 Bordeaux 03-04-2024: A whiff of cherries and other red fruit, a fresh impression in the midtaste, combined with a good bite; freshness is the hallmark of this wine and the aftertaste confirms it.
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Leicht rauchige Nase, Tabak, rote und dunkle Beeren, Kräuterwürze. Im Gaumen schlank, frisch, leichter bis mittlerer Körper, gute Struktur, die Tannine sind von guter Qualität, überlagern die delikate Frucht nicht, das hat Rasse und Präzision und im Abgang eine rote Beerenfrucht und florale Rückaromen. Delikat. 2025-2042 (Verkostet im November 2023 in Zürich bei UGCB)
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Similar to its last showing, the 2021 Branaire shows fresh cassis alongside green peppercorn. This struggles a bit with ripeness compared to other 2021 St. Juliens, but it should still make for a good drink given its balance. One can't help but consider that if the new cellar had been completed a year earlier this might have turned out a bit differently. 90-92
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UGCB SF Tasting Event (Metreon, San Francisco): Nice, more generous black fruit that gives way to a red fruit core, and finer tannins compared to the other St. Juliens. Gravelly and a bit of Pessac-like smoke. 92
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UGC 2021 Bordeaux (Vibiana, Los Angeles, CA): There is a good bit of perfume to the nose that really draws me in with pretty tones of sour red berries, cranberries, red cherries, raspberries, red currants, potpourri, spice box, cigar wrapper, leather, and some licorice notes. There is good depth with a real expressive side that is enticing. The Medium bodied feel is classy and refined with crisp, medium acidity and silky, medium tannins. This is a lovely and expressive wine that is showing well already. That is not to say that it won't develop with age, in fact there is a lot of room for this to grow. It's just that it's hitting really well at this moment and could be well worth an early peek in.
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UGCB Millésime 2021 (Montréal, QC, Canada): Grand changement avec 73 cuves pour 65 Ha. Assemblage similaire pour 2021 (60/35/5) malgré les surprises et fluctuations météo. Beaucoup d'épices, de fruit et un peu de notes florales. Long.
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Bordeaux 2021 Arrivage Tasting (Dolder Grand, Zurich): Brief notes only: Intense dark cherry and cassis fruit, leather and barnyard, some spice on the margins. The palate with fresh acidity but seemingly unripe tannin .
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The 2021 Branaire-Ducru shows some 2021 green pepper notes, but there's nice cassis and mineral notes alongside. The forecast was grim before harvest with torrential rains planned (80mm), but rather than prematurely harvesting, the team here decided to wait. In the end, only 4mm of rain fell!
En Primeur campaign for the 2022 vintage Day Four (Bordeaux): Creamy, more blackcurrant than plums, a tiny green note, dialled back sweet spice. Medium plus intensity acidity is juicy, fresh, crunchy black fruits, a little rhubarb, married to talc textured persistent tannins, long with a little green note joining on the finish but, for me, absolutely lovely
(92-94 vvPunkte) Leicht rauchige Nase, Tabak, rote und dunkle Beeren, Kräuterwürze. Im Gaumen schlank, frisch, leichter bis mittlerer Körper, gute Struktur, die Tannine sind von guter Qualität, überlagern die delikate Frucht nicht, das hat Rasse und Präzision und im Abgang eine rote Beerenfrucht und florale Rückaromen. Delikat. 2025-2042 (Verkostet "En Primeur" im April 2022. UGCB/Dourthe) vvWine.ch
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Flowers and black raspberries with black and red currants open the wine in the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, fresh, sweet, juicy and pure. Classic in style, this is going to be approchable early, so you will be able to enjoy all the ripe, elegant, cherries, plums and peppery currants without a long wait. Yet, the wine will age for 2 decades ore more easily. The wine is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc and 5.5% Petit Verdot, 13% ABV, 3.68 pH. The harvest took place September 24, finishing October 14. The yields were low at 32 hectoliters per hectare and from there, roughly 60% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2024-2050. 92-94
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66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot 6.5% Cabernet Franc 5.5% Petit Verdot from 60 ha of gravel-siliceous alluvium from the Quaternary era with vines of average age 35 yrs yielding 32hl/ha. Manual harvest and sorting by plot. Vinification by varietal and plot in 38 gravity-fed thermo-controlled vats. Up to 3 weeks maceration. Aging in French oak barrels (60% new) for at least 18 months. 12.9% Abv. History: Patrick Maroteaux (d. 2017) and family acquired the château in 1988 and brought it to prominence. Proprietor: François-Xavier Maroteaux (son of Partick) Director/Winemaker: Jean-Dominique Videau (since 2002)
Barrel Sample presented in May 2022.
A(ccuray)=2: Med deep purple. Plush, toasty Cab blend. B(alance)=3: Tout fruit with firm structure. C(omplexity)=2: Dark berries, plum, chocolate, herbs. D(epth)=2: Gripping mouthfeel. Full palate and lingering finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,2,2]= 9/10
Classic cab blend.
For story-telling label graphics, see: [https://www.instagram.com/p/CeYQqi1uMBV/] [https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/] For a unique multimedia resource, see [https://winetally.wixsite.com/vingnette]
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En-Primeur campaign for the 2021 vintage; 4/25/2022-4/29/2022 (Bordeaux): Red currant and red berries supported by brambles, plums, a little violet and a very slight meaty underpin. Polished oak lends a plushness to the nose. In the mouth it’s juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, talc textured tannins, again red fruited with a brambly background, oak present and lends slight toasty notes. Fresh-ish and gets more jubey with time on both the nose and the palate. Pleasant
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4/26/2024 - ggroebli wrote: 94 Points
Belle réussite, nez très flatteur.
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3/5/2024 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Fresh, vibrant, elegant, and almost discreet, the wine is classic in style, in a good way. The nose, with its display of flowers, tobacco, cherries, kirsch and hints of cocoa shines with little effort. The medium-bodied palate, with its profile of sweet, ripe, red cherries, comes along with gentle accents of leafy herbs, cocoa, espresso and soft-textured, plums. The wine drink well young, yet age and develop for 2 decades. The wine blends 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc, and 5.5% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2025-2050.
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3/4/2024 - Zweder Likes this wine: 92 Points
UGCB Amsterdam, walkaround tasting so just short notes.: Beautiful dark berries, juicy and round acidity, some herbal notes, good length. Beautiful wine. 91 – 92
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3/4/2024 - FransS wrote: 92 Points
UGCB tasting-Amsterdam 2021 Bordeaux 03-04-2024: A whiff of cherries and other red fruit, a fresh impression in the midtaste, combined with a good bite; freshness is the hallmark of this wine and the aftertaste confirms it.
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3/1/2024 - vvWine.ch wrote: 92 Points
Leicht rauchige Nase, Tabak, rote und dunkle Beeren, Kräuterwürze. Im Gaumen schlank, frisch, leichter bis mittlerer Körper, gute Struktur, die Tannine sind von guter Qualität, überlagern die delikate Frucht nicht, das hat Rasse und Präzision und im Abgang eine rote Beerenfrucht und florale Rückaromen. Delikat. 2025-2042 (Verkostet im November 2023 in Zürich bei UGCB)
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1/26/2024 - englishman's claret wrote: 91 Points
Similar to its last showing, the 2021 Branaire shows fresh cassis alongside green peppercorn. This struggles a bit with ripeness compared to other 2021 St. Juliens, but it should still make for a good drink given its balance. One can't help but consider that if the new cellar had been completed a year earlier this might have turned out a bit differently. 90-92
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1/25/2024 - MRichman wrote:
UGC Bordeaux 2021, SF: A bit on the light side. Some tar and mud, and a bit burnt. Not one of the better wines at the tasting.
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1/25/2024 - ohne_musik wrote:
UGCB SF Tasting Event (Metreon, San Francisco): Nice, more generous black fruit that gives way to a red fruit core, and finer tannins compared to the other St. Juliens. Gravelly and a bit of Pessac-like smoke. 92
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1/24/2024 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
UGC 2021 Bordeaux (Vibiana, Los Angeles, CA): There is a good bit of perfume to the nose that really draws me in with pretty tones of sour red berries, cranberries, red cherries, raspberries, red currants, potpourri, spice box, cigar wrapper, leather, and some licorice notes. There is good depth with a real expressive side that is enticing. The Medium bodied feel is classy and refined with crisp, medium acidity and silky, medium tannins. This is a lovely and expressive wine that is showing well already. That is not to say that it won't develop with age, in fact there is a lot of room for this to grow. It's just that it's hitting really well at this moment and could be well worth an early peek in.
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1/23/2024 - Burgundy Al wrote: 88 Points
UGC Bordeaux (Drake Hotel - Chicago IL): Walkaround tasting with the producers. Good weight but firm and slightly austere to me.
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1/22/2024 - oldwines Likes this wine: 92 Points
Union Des Grands Crus Bordeaux (New York City, NY, USA): Earthy, herbal, dark fruited. Very grippy tannin. Way too young and without enough aeration, but promising...potentially a very good value.
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1/20/2024 - Dr.Cork wrote: 90 Points
UGCB Millésime 2021 (Montréal, QC, Canada): Grand changement avec 73 cuves pour 65 Ha. Assemblage similaire pour 2021 (60/35/5) malgré les surprises et fluctuations météo.
Beaucoup d'épices, de fruit et un peu de notes florales. Long.
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11/6/2023 - sirpat00 wrote: 91 Points
Bordeaux 2021 Arrivage Tasting (Dolder Grand, Zurich): Brief notes only: Intense dark cherry and cassis fruit, leather and barnyard, some spice on the margins. The palate with fresh acidity but seemingly unripe tannin .
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5/9/2023 - englishman's claret wrote: 91 Points
The 2021 Branaire-Ducru shows some 2021 green pepper notes, but there's nice cassis and mineral notes alongside. The forecast was grim before harvest with torrential rains planned (80mm), but rather than prematurely harvesting, the team here decided to wait. In the end, only 4mm of rain fell!
90-92
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4/25/2023 - chatters wrote:
En Primeur campaign for the 2022 vintage Day Four (Bordeaux): Creamy, more blackcurrant than plums, a tiny green note, dialled back sweet spice. Medium plus intensity acidity is juicy, fresh, crunchy black fruits, a little rhubarb, married to talc textured persistent tannins, long with a little green note joining on the finish but, for me, absolutely lovely
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6/20/2022 - vvWine.ch wrote: 93 Points
(92-94 vvPunkte) Leicht rauchige Nase, Tabak, rote und dunkle Beeren, Kräuterwürze. Im Gaumen schlank, frisch, leichter bis mittlerer Körper, gute Struktur, die Tannine sind von guter Qualität, überlagern die delikate Frucht nicht, das hat Rasse und Präzision und im Abgang eine rote Beerenfrucht und florale Rückaromen. Delikat. 2025-2042 (Verkostet "En Primeur" im April 2022. UGCB/Dourthe) vvWine.ch
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5/20/2022 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Flowers and black raspberries with black and red currants open the wine in the nose. The wine is medium-bodied, fresh, sweet, juicy and pure. Classic in style, this is going to be approchable early, so you will be able to enjoy all the ripe, elegant, cherries, plums and peppery currants without a long wait. Yet, the wine will age for 2 decades ore more easily. The wine is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 6.5% Cabernet Franc and 5.5% Petit Verdot, 13% ABV, 3.68 pH. The harvest took place September 24, finishing October 14. The yields were low at 32 hectoliters per hectare and from there, roughly 60% of the harvest was placed into the Grand Vin. Drink from 2024-2050. 92-94
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5/7/2022 - WineTally Likes this wine:
66% Cabernet Sauvignon,
22% Merlot
6.5% Cabernet Franc
5.5% Petit Verdot
from 60 ha of gravel-siliceous alluvium from the Quaternary era
with vines of average age 35 yrs yielding 32hl/ha.
Manual harvest and sorting by plot. Vinification by varietal and plot
in 38 gravity-fed thermo-controlled vats. Up to 3 weeks maceration.
Aging in French oak barrels (60% new) for at least 18 months.
12.9% Abv.
History: Patrick Maroteaux (d. 2017) and family acquired the château
in 1988 and brought it to prominence.
Proprietor: François-Xavier Maroteaux (son of Partick)
Director/Winemaker: Jean-Dominique Videau (since 2002)
Barrel Sample presented in May 2022.
A(ccuray)=2: Med deep purple. Plush, toasty Cab blend.
B(alance)=3: Tout fruit with firm structure.
C(omplexity)=2: Dark berries, plum, chocolate, herbs.
D(epth)=2: Gripping mouthfeel. Full palate and lingering finish.
Wine Tally Score [2,3,2,2]= 9/10
Classic cab blend.
For story-telling label graphics, see:
[https://www.instagram.com/p/CeYQqi1uMBV/]
[https://www.facebook.com/WineTally/]
For a unique multimedia resource, see
[https://winetally.wixsite.com/vingnette]
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4/26/2022 - chatters wrote:
En-Primeur campaign for the 2021 vintage; 4/25/2022-4/29/2022 (Bordeaux): Red currant and red berries supported by brambles, plums, a little violet and a very slight meaty underpin. Polished oak lends a plushness to the nose. In the mouth it’s juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, talc textured tannins, again red fruited with a brambly background, oak present and lends slight toasty notes. Fresh-ish and gets more jubey with time on both the nose and the palate. Pleasant
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