Château Suduiraut Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes 2010
A decadent elixir, Castelnau de Suduiraut is the second label of Château Suduiraut—in an excellent vintage like 2010, it offers fabulous QPR—and is exactly the sort of wine I’m inclined to haul out of my cellar during the holidays. Lavishly layered aromas of dried apricot, quince, dried orange peel, sultana, and crème brûlée rise from […]
Château Cantemerle Les Allées de Cantemerle 2010
Another wine tasted in Transylvania at the ROVINHUD wine show in Timișoara. Les Allées de Cantemerle is the second wine of Château Cantemerle, as such it’s a good value. The 2010 is endowed with a classic profile of cassis, black cherries, blueberries, cedar, and an alluring top note of freshly turned soil. It’s still youthful, […]
Château Lafite Rothschild 1999
The 1999 Lafite Rothschild, is a ruby-hued beauty with a translucent rim—this bottle was incredibly fresh and vibrant on opening. Initially, seemingly more red fruit-driven, the nose evolved into a darker expression with time in the glass. Nuanced aromas of loamy earth, rose petal, black currant, and pencil shavings led into a wine that, while […]
Château Angélus Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé 1995
Lovely and accessible, the 1995 Angélus shows off its pedigree and high percentage of Cabernet Franc with only minimal decanting. A slightly woodsy bouquet of black currants, plums, cedar, forest underbrush, spiced orange pomander, dried lavender, and incense. On the palate, poised supple tannins and a fine acid backbone underpin steeped blackberry, crème de cassis, […]
Château Marjosse Bordeaux Blanc 2014
Slightly smoky, flinty notes precede underripe pineapple, canned pear, gooseberry and grass. The 2014 Château Marjosse Bordeaux Blanc is inexpensive, moderate in weight, expressive in temperament—fleshy tropical and orchard fruit give way to leaner tones of white grapefruit. The oak component serves as more or less a backdrop, and the finish tapers off without fanfare. […]
Château Auney l’Hermitage Graves Blanc 2015
Château Auney’s Graves Blanc 2015 is an elegant composition of 65% Semillon, 20% Muscadelle, and 15% Sauvignon Blanc harvested from small, organically farmed two-hectare parcel planted in gravel, clay and limestone soil. Barrel aging has graced it with softer tones of lemon curd, golden apple, and pear layered with a pinch of forest honey and […]
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, […]
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 […]