February seems both long ago, yet only recent, with both the rhythm of seasons and life partly frozen and confused by lockdowns. This tasting took place in Napa in February 2020. Writing in September 2020, in Melbourne, we remain in lockdown. In our city, this means being permitted only to travel up to 5 kilometres…Continue readingBordeaux 2015 in bottle tasting in Napa
Tag: Saint Julien
Last weekend, the annual Institute of Masters of Wine Bordeaux tasting in bottle of the 2014 vintage took place in Sydney. I expected this to be a much more popular event than the previous year’s tasting of the 2013s (you can read my reviews of that tasting here) which was a poor vintage. But in…Continue readingInstitute of Masters of Wine Bordeaux 2014 in bottle Sydney tasting
Held in Sydney by the Institute of Masters of Wine on the weekend, this was a first close local look at the 2013 vintage of Bordeaux. The 2013 vintage in Bordeaux was, of course, rather dire. It saw a dismal spring, an early summer and catastrophic flowering. The vintage culminated with tropical weather at the…Continue readingIMW Annual Bordeaux tasting – 2013 vintage
Yet more excellent wine. This time I had the fortune to taste three Saint-Juliens blind from the heralded 1989 Bordeaux vintage. Neither vintage, grape variety nor region was disclosed in the tasting. All three wines presented very well. The Léoville-Barton in particular presented as a very typical Saint-Julien. Chateau Léoville-Barton 1989, Saint-JulienI last tasted this…Continue readingA few 1989 Saint-Juliens: Léoville Barton, Beychevelle and Gloria
2007 wasn’t a great vintage in Bordeaux, and I found few of the 07s as new releases compelling. However, now with nine years of age, these two wines both showed extremely well and are in their drinking prime. Experience increasingly suggests that the poorer vintages in Bordeaux can still provide a great deal of enjoyment;…Continue readingA couple of Saint Julien 07s; Château Léoville Barton 2007 and Château Langoa Barton 2007
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Clos du Marquis 1996
The Clos du Marquis is a rather excellent wine from the Domaines Delon in Bordeaux, whose stable includes esteemed second growth Château Leoville Las Cases and its second wine, Le Petit Lion de Marquis de Las Cases. The vineyards for this wine come from the Saint-Julien appellation on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, and…Continue readingClos du Marquis 1996
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Le Petit Caillou Saint-Julien 2009
Le Petit Caillou is the second wine of Bordeaux classed growth Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou in Saint-Julien. Its label – reminding perhaps more of Christmas wrapping paper than a typical Bordeaux label – should not put you off. Inside the bottle is a very classic Bordeaux left bank style wine from an outstanding vintage (2009). Its aromatics…Continue readingLe Petit Caillou Saint-Julien 2009
I am afraid I can only offer glimpses of these wines as I was too busy drinking them. All are highly recommended. Chateau d’Armailhac 2010, PauillacBrooding, structured, cedary and closed. Tannic power. The last glass (of the bottle) opened up with some delicious ripe tannins hidden away. This wine will last decades. Revisit in 10…Continue readingShort notes – d’Armailhac 2010, Talbot 2005 and Bowen Shiraz 2005
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Château Léoville Barton 1989
This is the second time I’ve tried the ’89 Léoville Barton, the previous occasion being at a very good wine dinner that I attended back in 2011 and wrote up here. Four years on, the wine retains its elegant and light fragrance of cigars and ash, although there seem more cherries this time than blackcurrant. The…Continue readingChâteau Léoville Barton 1989
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A weekly wrap; 16 March 2014
It’s not every week that I can look through a number of subregions in the Languedoc-Roussillon, some stellar old white Burgundies from Chassagne-Montrachet dating from the 1980s and early 1990s, some old Bordeaux from 1986 and 1989, and one of the best vintages of Mount Mary’s cabernet that I’ve tasted. Being routinely time poor, it…Continue readingA weekly wrap; 16 March 2014