Coravin tasting. This is really curious. Earlier I drank half a bottle of a lovely, mature 2005 Meerlust merlot from Stellenbosch. It was like a very old school right bank Bordeaux of maybe 20 years old. I went for this as I thought it might offer a similar taste profile although expected it to be a touch younger tasting but wondered how it would compare. Bizarrely the first couple sniffs were reminiscent of young Luxembourg Pinot. Could that be an oak thing. Or how else on earth am I getting that. Is is just a cooler, barely ripe fruit thing. Really strange how youthful and fresh this tastes.... This wine, over the half case of so that I’ve had in the last 6 years, has taken me everywhere. I’m impressed. Even slightly in awe to be honest. I’ve reread previous notes and I think I get it now. It’s a minty thing. Green and cool climate like. The age doesn’t really matter, this wine is packed full of youthful traits like mint and acidity and green peppers that when compared to a rich lush mature South African merlot it seems stalky in comparison, ie ‘Luxembourgish’. I love it.
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Compared to a surprisingly good 2015 AOC Bordeaux earlier, this is also really classic but mature. Excellent. Some Rioja-like oak notes* yet with lots of Bordeaux fruit. *strange compared to previous notes of mine on this wine but it was a little short after a Brin de Paille cheese so maybe no surprise really.
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Very green pepper, uber-classic Bordeaux. Very cabernet franc. I love this. But many won't. Great with a burger and some cheddar cheese. Fresh on its own. Young, so like this is first bottle of a case (having had a couple of bottles already). Quality claret. Seems to be punching well above its weight. Give it lots of time? Love it :)
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Tawny looking. Nose is prune, cassis, green tea, finally some raspberry appeared. The taste was disappointingly flat, seeming stripped of fruit, with mushroom, dust, and stone before at last a bit of raisin underneath the oak'n'toast. Have i kept it too long? Overall, rather angular but this was a PnP so let's see what happens at dinner. Part 2. I feel i should be apologising to the bottle! An object lesson - for me at any rate - about giving it time. Warmer, plus chambré, and with food, it was a different experience. The oak and tannin is still there, but the toast transformed into savoury smokiness, well balanced by fruit which roared back (and of OK length). Went well with pan fried pork, roasted vegetables, and pommes dauphinoise (coincidentally).
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A comparison with a Rioja Alta 2006 Rioja Reserva - Wine Society Exhibition bottling. Just like I experienced with the Rioja tried earlier tonight, I'm not getting any tertiary leather/barnyard notes, which I have previously got with both wines. I think that is a problem with my nose - had a cold up to a few days ago. So this is largely a palate judging. This is so much more savoury that the Rioja and I prefer it. It has a green stalkiness to it, that I would have thought would have made this quite bitter and more food-friendly but its actually quite drinkable. Although I can see most people preferring the Rioja. Before opening these I thought they would have been quite similar due to the nose but they are like chalk and cheese. Actually I am getting a chalkiness with the Bordeaux - minerally! Also savoury, blackcurrant, green. Its the green element that stands out compared to the Rioja which is much more rounded, red and so sweet. I think I finally understand Bordeaux now!! And I prefer it. It's a cooler climate. The Bordeaux almost seems more Loire-like than the New Worldiness of the Rioja. Its a bit like the raw, acidic austerity of Chablis versus the lush drinkability (but flabbiness for me) of a Maconnais. The Rioja definitely has its place but I think I now get the elegance of a classic Bordeaux! ... Hardly any development 24 hours later (fridge, inert gas), unlike the Rioja which became quite volatile and oxidated. Then the Dauphine opened up beautifully after two hours sitting in bottle. Very good. PS: There was quite a bit of sediment left in the empty bottle.
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Old school. Good acidity, some brett/barnyard notes, a little spice, subtle cassis fruit and a little forward but typical of 07. A touch of balsamic. Complex and quite enjoyable, if you like a traditional style.
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Robe de couleur: Bourgogne foncé; Bouquet: Chêne, cerise, mure, terre, amande; Arômes en bouche: Chêne, fruit rouge, cerise, Très bon nez et complexe, équilibré, rond, à décanté, un peu court
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4/5/2019 - alanh13 wrote:
Coravin tasting. This is really curious. Earlier I drank half a bottle of a lovely, mature 2005 Meerlust merlot from Stellenbosch. It was like a very old school right bank Bordeaux of maybe 20 years old. I went for this as I thought it might offer a similar taste profile although expected it to be a touch younger tasting but wondered how it would compare.
Bizarrely the first couple sniffs were reminiscent of young Luxembourg Pinot. Could that be an oak thing. Or how else on earth am I getting that. Is is just a cooler, barely ripe fruit thing. Really strange how youthful and fresh this tastes....
This wine, over the half case of so that I’ve had in the last 6 years, has taken me everywhere. I’m impressed. Even slightly in awe to be honest.
I’ve reread previous notes and I think I get it now. It’s a minty thing. Green and cool climate like. The age doesn’t really matter, this wine is packed full of youthful traits like mint and acidity and green peppers that when compared to a rich lush mature South African merlot it seems stalky in comparison, ie ‘Luxembourgish’. I love it.
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3/19/2019 - alanh13 wrote:
Compared to a surprisingly good 2015 AOC Bordeaux earlier, this is also really classic but mature. Excellent. Some Rioja-like oak notes* yet with lots of Bordeaux fruit.
*strange compared to previous notes of mine on this wine but it was a little short after a Brin de Paille cheese so maybe no surprise really.
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2/27/2016 - dcwino wrote: 86 Points
Francois's 70th Birthday Celebration - Kelly and Kevin's another excellent adventure; 2/26/2016-3/1/2016 (Paris and Bordeaux): Quite concentrated, mostly black fruits and noticeable oak. Noticeable tannins, slightly disjointed acidity and abrasive tannins. Perhaps too extracted and too much oak at the moment. It will be interesting how this will evolve in ten years as the concentration is there.
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8/23/2014 - SimonN wrote: 87 Points
Disappointing initially as there is not a lot of fruit or length. Far better on day 2 though. Lots of sediment so decant.
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7/30/2014 - alanh13 Likes this wine: 87 Points
Wonderful again. So fresh and French!
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5/23/2014 - alanh13 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Very green pepper, uber-classic Bordeaux. Very cabernet franc. I love this. But many won't. Great with a burger and some cheddar cheese. Fresh on its own. Young, so like this is first bottle of a case (having had a couple of bottles already). Quality claret. Seems to be punching well above its weight. Give it lots of time? Love it :)
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11/16/2013 - OneForTheStairs wrote:
Tawny looking. Nose is prune, cassis, green tea, finally some raspberry appeared. The taste was disappointingly flat, seeming stripped of fruit, with mushroom, dust, and stone before at last a bit of raisin underneath the oak'n'toast. Have i kept it too long? Overall, rather angular but this was a PnP so let's see what happens at dinner.
Part 2. I feel i should be apologising to the bottle! An object lesson - for me at any rate - about giving it time. Warmer, plus chambré, and with food, it was a different experience. The oak and tannin is still there, but the toast transformed into savoury smokiness, well balanced by fruit which roared back (and of OK length). Went well with pan fried pork, roasted vegetables, and pommes dauphinoise (coincidentally).
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5/7/2013 - alanh13 Likes this wine: 86 Points
A comparison with a Rioja Alta 2006 Rioja Reserva - Wine Society Exhibition bottling. Just like I experienced with the Rioja tried earlier tonight, I'm not getting any tertiary leather/barnyard notes, which I have previously got with both wines. I think that is a problem with my nose - had a cold up to a few days ago. So this is largely a palate judging. This is so much more savoury that the Rioja and I prefer it. It has a green stalkiness to it, that I would have thought would have made this quite bitter and more food-friendly but its actually quite drinkable. Although I can see most people preferring the Rioja.
Before opening these I thought they would have been quite similar due to the nose but they are like chalk and cheese. Actually I am getting a chalkiness with the Bordeaux - minerally! Also savoury, blackcurrant, green. Its the green element that stands out compared to the Rioja which is much more rounded, red and so sweet. I think I finally understand Bordeaux now!! And I prefer it. It's a cooler climate. The Bordeaux almost seems more Loire-like than the New Worldiness of the Rioja. Its a bit like the raw, acidic austerity of Chablis versus the lush drinkability (but flabbiness for me) of a Maconnais.
The Rioja definitely has its place but I think I now get the elegance of a classic Bordeaux!
... Hardly any development 24 hours later (fridge, inert gas), unlike the Rioja which became quite volatile and oxidated. Then the Dauphine opened up beautifully after two hours sitting in bottle. Very good.
PS: There was quite a bit of sediment left in the empty bottle.
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3/18/2013 - alanh13 Likes this wine: 86 Points
Old school. Good acidity, some brett/barnyard notes, a little spice, subtle cassis fruit and a little forward but typical of 07. A touch of balsamic. Complex and quite enjoyable, if you like a traditional style.
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5/2/2012 - Xsagaroth wrote: 88 Points
Very quaffable, soft and fruity, nice mouthfeel
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4/1/2012 - lalande wrote: 80 Points
Très peut expressif au départ, il s'améliore en carafe. Ce vin m'a deçu.
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1/6/2012 - flussier wrote: 89 Points
Robe de couleur: Bourgogne foncé; Bouquet: Chêne, cerise, mure, terre, amande; Arômes en bouche: Chêne, fruit rouge, cerise, Très bon nez et complexe, équilibré, rond, à décanté, un peu court
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