We opened a 2016 Chateau Puygueraud on Friday night. An absolute steal for $14. Medium-bodied, lots of dark fruit and spices, and a nice little bit of acidity to keep everything in balance. Nothing profound, but an excellent bottle that can accompany a wide range of food. A definite re-buy.
The 2009 Bernadotte [Haut Medoc] is drinking great at age 15! Itās mature, balanced, resolved, and low enough acid to enjoy while prepping dinner. I find it has a kirsch, minty complex nose with baking spices too with lush sweet fruit, on a medium frame. 13.5% abv, which seems surprising for the vintage and our modern times. This has always been one of my favorite of the Cru Bourgeois, but I donāt see it all that often, despite it having a large production. Itās had some ownership changes in recent times, so I donāt know if current releases are as good as prior ones, but Iād take a chance if I saw any. Itās a machine harvested property, so one might have to focus on the cooperative years where all the fruit was healthy. For my taste, this K&L sourced bottle - although near release - is an A-.
Does anyone have any history with Jean Faure. Apparently they had no cash to plant Merlot back in the day so they were stuck with a vineyard full of Cabernet Franc. Also they are next door to Cheval Blanc. Must be good right?
Youād think but nahā¦
I enjoyed the early vintages under the new owners (04 and 05) but they did not age into anything. I tried the 2020 recently but didnāt enjoy it or find anything interesting in it even as a young wine.
La Dominique is another St. E in the Cheval neighborhood that has had some notable successes though.
My experience of Jean Faure is limited to one bottle of 2017, so Iām not much use here! But Robert A enjoyed the 09 and the 19. Keith is less enthusiastic, so although our three palates tend to overlap, the jury seems to be still out. I think it depends on what sort of Saint Emilion you like. The 2017 was much more like a Loire CF than what we tend to expect a St.Emilion to taste like today.
Glad to see Keith commenting favorably on La Dominique, I had given up while Thunevin was involved. Seems like he is out now, yes? Iāll grab some of that 19. Many they produced wonderful wines in the late 1980s.
I took about a 30 year break from Bordeaux. Now I am back but not for the Sam Perkins (Big Smooth) style wines. I prefer CF to Merlot so this one sounds interesting. Only the 2020 is available in B.C. I may give one a try.
Yes, I did chuckle a bit! Rolland has been there since time immemorial - Iām not sure, but I think since the late 70s! In your defence, I remember they did take on Thunevin (such a marvellous name, meaning cash-wine!) for a couple of years in the late 00s. Like you, I have very fond memories of the 89 and 90. Things started going downhill after that - I gave up after the 01, which I was good young but which by 2014 for me had faded into an alcoholic mess - 14.5%, which was high at the time. Iāve never tasted anything since so it may well have improved, but itās one of those wines that was really in a lot of conversations in the early 90s, but which I donāt see mentioned much now.