Paul Barre Château La Grave 2011
I would like to revisit this wine, perhaps from a less challenging vintage. As such the 2011 Paul Barre Château La Grave is somewhat austere, requiring ample time to open. Initially reserved aromas of black cherries, plums, and red currant are followed underbrush and earth. The attack is soft, giving way to fine, powdery tannins […]
Château Les Charmes-Godard Francs Blanc 2014
I’ll admit, I’m always happy to have a Nicolas Thienpont wine in my glass. The Thienpont family are associated with other great Bordeaux properties including Puygueraud, Pavie Macquin and one of my personal favorites, Vieux Château Certan. The 2014 Les Charmes Godard is slightly austere, with pronounced herbaceousness. Smoky minerality swirls around boxwood, cherimoya and […]
Tire Pé DieM 2012
When I receive samples, I make a point of waiting to research the wines until after I’ve tasted them. First impression—that it’s primarily Cab Franc possibly from the Loire was incorrect—turns out the Tire Pé DieM 2012 is 100% Merlot, organically grown in clay and limestone soils. The profile is light and primary. Cherry clafoutis, […]
Château Le Crock Saint-Estèphe 2011
A nicely-styled Saint-Estephe—from the Cuvelier family, owners of Leoville Poyferre—in a modest vintage year. The 2011 Château Le Crock opens with lush, inviting aromas of black currant, smoky black cherries, pen ink, leather, and earth. There are no hard edges on the palate, black fruit luxuriates against a framework of well-structured tannins, moderate acidity, and […]
Millésima 2017 Wine Blog Awards
I’m honored and overjoyed to announce that I’ve been selected as a finalist in <a href=”http://blog.millesima-usa.com/2017/01/16/the-2017-blog-awards-finalists/”>Millésima’s Wine Blog Awards</a> once again. Last year I was a finalist in the wine and food pairing category, this year it’s wine travel. I didn’t win last year, so I’m embracing 2017 as a new opportunity and challenge. The […]
Clos Puy Arnaud La Cuvée Bistrot 2013
2013 was a difficult vintage for Bordeaux, though the whites fared better, as they are wont to do in such years. Because this is my first experience tasting anything from Clos Puy Arnaud, it’s hard to assess what the wine is like in a more favorable year. It’s quite thin, and the body more closely […]
Château de Reignac Cuvée Spéciale Bordeaux Supérieur 2010
A great value from a stunning vintage, the 2010 Château de Reignac Grand Vin de Reignac is a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. Inky-hued and surprisingly muscular for a Merlot-dominant blend, offering a broad sweep of rich aromas: black cherries, damson plum, cedar, and incense. The tannins are fine but grippy, lending […]
Clos du Jaugueyron Haut-Médoc 2012
The first impression is of minerality with black currents, blackberries, forest floor and sweet spice firmly seated beneath a fine layer of chalkboard dust. The 2012 Clos du Jaugueyron Haut-Medoc is slightly reserved, trussed in polished, slightly chalky tannins that give way to sweet black fruit at the core. There is perhaps a touch of […]
Château La Freynelle Bordeaux Blanc 2015
An under-appreciated category in the United States, Bordeaux blanc—usually a blend of Sauvignon blanc and Sémillon and sometimes Muscadelle—often poses a great value. There is a side of Bordeaux that is inexpensive, and the wines can be quite good in excellent vintages. The 2015 Château La Freynelle is one such example, displaying grassy aromas and […]
Château de Camensac Haut-Médoc Grand Cru Classé 2011
The acidity in this wine is searing, a pity given that Carmensac is a Grand Cru Classé. I can only guess that it’s one of the 2011 vintage that didn’t fare well. Aromas of blackberries, black currants and black cherries are bolstered by vanilla and cedar. It’s quite thin and tight on the palate, lacking […]