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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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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