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 getting a true read on this. The mouth however features tart fruit, the acid carrying the length a long way. The wine is medium weight with a subtle caress of tannins. To paraphrase the French, only great bottles.
Notes from the more expensive ’05 tasted in the summer: Ripe fruit, smelling as if from the New World. In the mouth there is the structure you would expect from France and the earthy flavors which add a nice complexity, a wine to age.
Aged for one year in French oak. Mis par Michel Rolland in Pomerol 13.5% $36.99 at Bottle Barn Bertineau
Chateau D’Aiguilhe, Cotes de Castillon 2005 This wine is like a smell of the New World, sweet and almost jammy in the nature of its fruit. This follows through in the mouth with a refreshing sense of acidity and a balance of ripe tannin. The finish is very long and this wine has time to age and soften yet is so approachable right now. The property is planted to 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc and the wine is aged in 80% new wood. Proprietor Comtes de Neipperg, mis au chateau in the commune of Saint Philippe d’Aiguilhe 14.5 % $34.99 at Bottle Barn Aiguilhe
