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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