1996 Domaine de la Chanteleuserie Bourgueil

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 93 points

• Options

  • Post a Comment
  • View forceberry's profile
  • Report Issue

  4/2/2021 - forceberry wrote: 93 Points

  12% alcohol.
  
  Slightly evolved and moderately translucent pomegranate red color - although matured, the appearance is more youthful than what I expected! Somewhat evolved, slightly sweetish and subtly leafy nose with aromas of wizened blackcurrants, some ripe raspberry, light roasted bell pepper tones, a little bit of inky character, tertiary hints of meat stew and nuttiness and a touch of pruney dark fruit. The wine is dry, evolved and still pleasantly fruity on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of juicy redcurrants and wizened blackcurrants, some inky tones, light herbaceous notes of cooked bell pepper, a little bit of tobacco, tertiary hints of meat stew, beef jerky and licorice root and an autumnal touch of damp leaves. The age has granted a nice illusion of sweetness to the dried fruit flavors. The overall feel is quite firm and structured, thanks to the bright, high acidity and still rather firm and grippy tannins. The finish is long, dry and rather evolved with flavors of wizened blackcurrants and prunes, some cooked bell pepper tones, a little bit of evolved meat stew, light notes of licorice root and a hint of earth and tobacco. The tannins make the aftertaste end on a somewhat grippy note.
  
  A very nice, dead-serious and classically built Cabernet Franc. The overall feel is enjoyably evolved, yet still very much alive and even surprisingly structured - the wine turned out to be slightly more youthful than I expected. Nevertheless, I'd say the wine is - and has been for some time - on its plateau of maturity; the fruit won't evolve anywhere from here but down, only the structure might resolve a little bit more over the years. An excellent old Bourgueil; drink now or within the next handful of years.

  Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment

Professional reviews have copyrights and you can view them here for your personal use only as private content. To view pro reviews you must either subscribe to a pre-integrated publication or manually enter reviews below. Learn more.