Chateau Puy Arnaud, Cotes de Castillon 2005 The oak makes its presence known whey you smell this wine. In the mouth the full ripeness of the fruit comes through, with ample concentration and plenty of structure – a solid value in $10 Bordeaux. The grape behind this wine is Merlot, grown biodynamically. The vines average [...]

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Chateau Raymond-Lafon, Sauternes 2004 In the nose you’ll find honey and tropical fruit with appropriate volatility. In the mouth it is caramel, long lasting caramel, silky and balanced by lemony acidity. Planted 80% Semillon and 20% Sauvignon. The Famille Meslier is Pierre et Charles-Henri Meslier, Proprietaire a Sauternes 13.5%, purchased for $37.99 (375ml) at Bottle [...]

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Chateau Saint-Pierre, Saint-Julien 2005 This is pleasure in a glass, ripeness of fruit, great density yet rounded off edges. The structure supports the density of flavor while the acidity carries the flavor a long way – very nice. The estate is planted to 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Mis en bouteille [...]

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Chateau Gloria, Saint-Julien 2005 There’s a nice smoky essence in the nose while in the mouth you’ll find cranberries and dark chocolate. This wine is quite chewy and would certainly benefit from 6-8 years in the cellar. The estate is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Mis [...]

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Chateau Grillon, Sauternes 2002 In the nose there are dried apricots, hay and a bit of nuttiness. In the mouth the wine is moderately sweet, with moderate viscosity and a nice thread of balancing acidity. This was probably on the crest about 2 years ago and it would be best to drink up any remaining [...]

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Chateau Lascombes, Margaux 2005 This wine is super toasty in the nose with hints of dark chocolate and cassis. The mouth is quite structured urging a good 10 years and more in the cellar, yet already the black fruit is popping out. Fire up the grill for a big steak if you have to dring [...]

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Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Leognan 2005 The nose smells of leather, earth, smokiness, horse blanket and a host of descriptors that get at a sense of brettanomycees as complexity rather than a flaw. That said, I know that this level of brett would be too much for those seeking a more purely fruity expression of [...]

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Chateau Giscours, Margaux 2005 The berry fruit is ripe and expressive in the nose, with a sense of cedar and a light touch of earthiness. The fruit comes through on the palate, with some chewy though ripe tannin and a touch of creaminess. 80.5 hectares of vines are planted on gravel and sand. The mix [...]

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Chateau Rolland-Maillet, Saint-Emilion, Grand Cru 2005 Upon first opening this bottle was uncharacteristically rustic for a Rolland wine; patience is rewarded with 10 minutes or so of air. In the mouth however, the fruit is immediately apparent and the texture is supple – very approachable and ready to drink.
A second bottle opened in November ‘09 [...]

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Chateau Rouget, Pomerol 2005 This wine shows the classic example of tolerated brett. There are Band-Aids competing with ripe fruits in the nose. With 30 minutes the fruit starts to strut into the open. The mouth features the same with a supple texture, rustic yet velvelty, with a juiciness to the fruit. The property is [...]

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Chateau Gravas, Sauternes 2005 The nose features honey, flowers and minerality with an appropriate amount of volatility.  In the mouth, the honey-essence and caramel are there in a light-bodied format with a touch of spiritous character.
Previously I wrote: This wine hasn’t been a show stopper but it isn’t bad. I mean this in the best [...]

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Chateau Grand-Puy Ducasse, Pauillac, Grand Cru Classe 2005 The nose features sweet black fruit, earthiness and wet stones. In the mouth there is an appropriate amount of acidity, a little on the tart side with ripe tannins and a moderate level of concentration. The style is fresh with an Old World sense of acidity making [...]

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Chateau Guiraud, Sauternes 2005 Minerality, honey and tropical fruits mark the nose. The mouth is all caramel with hints of that minerality – destined to be drunk with creme caramel. 85 hectares are planted to 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc; the vines average 35-40 years in age and the soil is predominantly sandy gravel. [...]

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Chateau Bastor-Lamontagne, Sauternes 2001 This wine displays lots of tropical fruit in the nose, a sense of bananas and pineapple mixed with the mineral edge of appropriate volatility, though too much for some of the class. In the mouth, there is caramel, warmth and citrus fruits. This Sauternes is of a more moderate richness level, [...]

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Chateau La Tour Blanche, Sauternes, 1er Cru 2003 The nose is marked by honey and minerality and appropriate VA. The pungency of the cleanser-like VA will certainly be too much for some as it does interfere with the fruit in the nose. That said, this is a tolerated style point in these types of wines. [...]

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Chateau Nenin, Pomerol 2002 Stepping back a year to the ‘02, there is a sense of earthy cheese rind in the nose. This is much more rustic than the ‘03, with ample acidity and chewy tannins.
Notes on the newer ‘03:  My earlier notes this year show a supple wine filled through with blue fruit. Tonight [...]

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Clos du Marquis, Saint-Julien 2003 There is vibrant sweet, black fruit in the nose. In the mouth you could swear this wine is from the New World. While the structure associated with Bordeaux is on stage in this wine, the fruit is vivacious and the tannins are quite ripe. This is the second wine of [...]

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Chateau Fombrauge,Saint-Emilion, Grand Cru 2005 The nose is smoky and toasty with tobacco lead and cherries. The sense of pipe tobacco follows through in the mouth ripe red fruits and the structure that you expect in Bordeaux. There is great balance between all of the parameters and while drinkable now, this would soften considerably with [...]

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Chateau Lagupeau, Graves 2007 The nose is a mix of bay leaves, fruit and chemical notes. In the mouth the wine is hard and lean with lots of acid. There’s a sense that this wine is aging prematurely and I’d be hesitant to purchase another bottle. This is one of the second wines from Chateau [...]

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Chateau Bertineau St.-Vincent, Lalande-de-Pomerol 2004 The nose is restrained upon first pouring with a little sense of stewed fruit coming through. When I opened this wine, there was some carmelized remnants of wine that leaked earlier. Thus I don’t know what sort of temperature or other abuse this bottle might have suffered so we’re not [...]

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Chateau Sociando-Mallet, Haut-Medoc 2004 The smells are a mix of earth, cedar, toasty oak and a fitting amount of the barnyard. The mouth if full of plummy fruit with grip. This is definitely leaner and tighter than the ‘05 which is quite seductive already. Give it at least 30 minutes to open up though the [...]

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Chateau Guiraud, Bordeaux Blanc Sec, Le G de Chateau Guiraud 2006
This vintage is pretty hard to love in that the smell is all minerality and solvent notes. There’s viscosity and acidity but flavor? Sourced from vines with an average age of 15 years, planted 70% Sauvignon and the rest Semillon. The wine was barrel fermented [...]

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Chateau Sociando-Mallet Haut-Medoc 2005
Toasty oak, ripe tannins and black fruits – delicious. 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc from vines at an average 30 years old. Mis au chateau par Jean Gautreau in St. Seurin de Cadourne 13% $54.99 at Beverages & more!
Sequoia Grove Rutherford Napa Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
The last [...]

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Christian Moueix Bordeaux Merlot 2003
From the Petrus folks, a value-oriented red from the land of very expensive wine. This is on the earthy side with fruit that is evolving in a raisin direction; it’s light-bodied and acidic. Mis en bouteille par Jean-Pierre Moueix a Libourne 13% $11.99 at Beverages & more!
Selene Napa Valley Frediani Vineyard [...]

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Chateau Doisy Daene Sauternes 2003
There’s lots of creme caramel and toastiness in this wine and a little lower on the RS scale than other Sauternes. The vineyard is planted to 87% Semillon, 12% Sauvignon Blanc and 1% Muscadelle. The final blend is about 80% Semillon and is aged in new oak. Mis en bouteille au [...]

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Justin Paso Robles Isosceles 2005
Lots of toasty oak and sour cherries with a thickness that lasts a long time. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Merlot. GP&B in Paso Robles 14.6% $47.99 at Bottle Barn Justin
Chateau Leoville Las Cases Saint-Julien 2004
Earth and oak intertwine in a complex mix of smells. There [...]

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Jefferson and others in America’s early history admired the wines of Bordeaux and brought their passion to the early states. This line-up features a wine from the Virginia producer that so delighted us last week and a well-regarded fourth growth of Bordeaux.
Rappahannock Cellars Virginia Cabernet Franc 2006
There’s fresh red fruits and the herbaceousness and acidity [...]

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This flight features 5 wines where Cabernet and others of the famous 5 make an appearance, in vintages ranging from 2005 back to 2002.
The Sinskey and ZD were the clear favorites from the recent vintages in this flight. Their overt fruit was delightful and they each showed a good balance of acidity, such that no [...]

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Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 2004
The previous bottle of 2004 tasted earlier in the year was full of toasty oak with brett complexity. The brett was a nice touch but too much for some. Also the mouth was laced with velvety tannins. Though obviously different vintages, the styling followed a similar taste profile for the 2003, [...]

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Chateau Guiraud Bordeaux Vin Blanc Sec 2005
The last bottle tasted in early 2007 was very fresh, combining high acid with depth of flavor. This bottle was on target again, with roundness to complement the acidity. Sourced from vines with an average age of 15 years, with up to 70% Sauvignon in the final blend and [...]

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