I’ve never been a big fan of Merlot - to me, it normally makes very boring and generic “just red wines” with very little character, often too much alcohol and seldom enough structure - and that’s why I’ve never been a fan of Right Bank of Bordeaux, either.
However, I’ve always thought there are two places where Merlot somehow manages to attain a level of distinction that makes these wines stand apart from the rest: Pomerol and Tuscany. In Tuscany, Merlot tends to taste more like Italy than Merlot - and that’s a good thing, even if I normally prefer grape varieties to show varietal character - and in Pomerol the Merlot-driven wines simply tend to be more impressive than the other Merlot-driven wines from the other parts of Bordeaux.
Which is why I was happy to attend this Pomerol tasting in late 2024: lots of esteemed wines, many even with some age - some up to 20 years! - and even a few mini-verticals to give some perspective. Sure, we didn’t have Pétrus, but we had to keep the tasting cost at a reasonable level!
Well, to my something of a surprise, it turned out that relatively few wines in this tasting managed to impress me much. Unsurprisingly, VCC was a banger - even better than the bottle we had earlier that year - and the two 2006s (a vintage that produced many tough and somewhat foursquare wines) were also very nice. Most of the other wines, however, were quite clumsy, lacking finesse and/or structure, and more often that not, showing way too much new oak for my preference. Most of the wines weren’t bad in any way (well, those younger Feytit-Clinet bottles were approaching the threshold…) but definitely nothing I’d buy for myself. I guess my respect for Pomerol was based heavily on bottles from the pre-2000’s vintages - as I hadn’t had much Pomerols from this side of the millennium - and my love for the region is going to be much more limited from now on!
- 2012 Château La Fleur de Gay - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
100% Merlot from three parcels in Pomerol: La Fleur, Gay and Groupey. Fermented in concrete tanks, then moved into oak barriques for the MLF. Aged in new French oak barriques for 18 months. 14% alcohol.
Dense, very deep and more or less opaque blackish-red color. The nose feels, dark-toned, relatively dry and somewhat smoky with aromas of ripe black raspberries, some inky tones, a little bit of forest floor, light leafy green nuances, a hint of tobacco and a touch of gravelly minerality. The wine feels dense, richly textured and youthful on the palate with a full body and slightly sweet-toned flavors of ripe black raspberries and dark plummy fruit, some toasty mocha oak, a little bit of forest floor, light sweeter nuances of toffee or caramel oak, a hint of tobacco and a touch of coffee. The overall all feel is pretty round and plush with the medium acidity and the supple, velvety medium tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and gently grippy with a dark-toned and somewhat sweetly-fruited aftertaste of dark plummy fruit, some toasty notes of mocha oak and milk chocolate, light coffee tones, a little bit of loose tobacco, an extracted hint of woody bitterness and a touch of ripe black raspberry.
A rather rich, polished and unabashedly modern Pomerol that still comes across as remarkably youthful for its 12 years of age, showing very little if any evolved qualities. I would've loved the wine to show some oak integration, because the toasty oak notes are very much to the fore, making the overall feel quite glossy with all that sweet, chocolatey mocha oak sheen. Add in relatively modest levels of acidity and tannic grip, making the wine feel pretty round and soft, and you can imagine I'm not thrilled. Not one bit. I really hope this wine evolves into something more interesting with age. Structurally the wine doesn't promise much regarding aging, but seeing how very little age the wine shows, I suppose it can still age quite effortlessly for at least another decade, if not more. However, I'm not sure if that is nearly enough to integrate all that rich, sweet oak spice. Feels way too expensive for the quality at 84€.
(85 points) - 2006 Château La Conseillante - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (85%) and Cabernet Franc (15%). Aged in French oak barriques (80-90% new) for 18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Quite deep and dark black cherry color that permits a little bit of light through. The nose feels a bit reticent, fine-tuned and somewhat sweetly-fruited with aromas of dark plummy fruit and blueberries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of sweet, brooding oak spice, light notes of pipe tobacco, a hint of gravelly minerality, a touch of dark chocolate and a woody whiff of savory oak. The wine feels dense, chewy and a bit closed on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and quite ripe, somewhat sweetly-fruited flavors of dark plums and juicy blueberries, some fresh blackcurrant tones, a little bit of crunchy redcurrant, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a sweeter hint of toasty mocha oak and an extracted touch of woody bitterness. The overall feel is firm and quite muscular with the rather high acidity and quite grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is firm, dark-toned and quite tannic with a long, slightly reticent aftertaste of dark plummy fruit and ripe blackcurrant, some earthy tones, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, light blueberry nuances, a hint of sweet, toasty oak spice and a touch of pipe tobacco.
A somewhat reticent but also quite impressively firm, structured and powerful effort for the 2006 vintage. Sure, many 2006 Bordeaux reds have quite a bit of structure, but relatively few wines seem to have the stuffing to flesh out that structural frame, making somewhat tough and angular but also a bit hollow wines. Although the wine was maybe not particularly expressive, it still came across as pretty balanced with enough fruit intensity to stand up to the rather stern and tightly-knit structure. The new oak still does show quite a bit, but not overtly so - I hope another 10 years or so will help to integrate the woody tones better with the fruit. While an impressive effort for a 2006 Pomerol, I'd say this is quite expensive for the quality at 120€.
(92 points) - 2006 Château La Fleur-Pétrus - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (80-90%) and Cabernet Franc (10-20%) vinified in stainless steel tanks and concrete vats. Aged in French oak barriques (approximately 50% new) for 16-18 months. 13,5% alcohol.
Slightly translucent dark red color with a subtly evolved brick-red hue. The nose feels dark-tones and slightly sweetly-fruited with aromas of juicy dark plums, some fragrant floral tones, a little bit of blueberry, light lactic notes of diacetyl lending a subtle nuance of buttery character to the aromas, a hint of blackcurrant and a woody touch of pencil shavings. The wine feels juicy, nuanced and silky on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and quite savory flavors of dark fruits, some developed meaty tones, a little bit of fresh bilberry and crunchy chokeberry, light earthy notes, a hint of extracted woody bitterness and a subtly lactic touch of diacetyl. The structure relies more on the quite high acidity, although the medium tannins that slowly pile up on the gums do contribute to the sense of firmness. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with a nuanced, dark-toned aftertaste of juicy plummy fruit, some tobacco, light bilberry tones, a little bit of woody oak spice, a developed hint of gamey character and a touch of earth.
I was positively surprised that this was another quite impressive effort for a 2006 Bordeaux, after the similarly vibrant 2006 La Conseillante. However, where La Conseillante was remarkably youthful - almost backward - in overall feel, this La Fleur-Pétrus seemed a bit more evolved and meaty, exhibiting more signs of age in both the appearance and in the flavors. Even though the wine has seen quite a bit of new oak during the élevage, the overall feel shows enjoyably little toasty nuances and the wine comes across as quite harmonious. There's only that subtle nuance of diacetyl that slightly distracted from the pleasure. Not much - the wine is still pretty lovely - but I'm sure it would've been even more impressive without the nuance. A fine wine, but feels very expensive for the quality at 100€.
(91 points) - 2008 Château Trotanoy - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Franc (10%) vinified in stainless steel tanks and concrete vats. Aged in French oak barriques (approximately 50% new) for 16-18 months. 14% alcohol.
Quite deep, dark and rather opaque black cherry color. The nose feels dry, savory and a bit dull with somewhat earthy aromas of woody oak spice, some dark plummy fruit, light mocha tones, a little bit of fresh bilberry, light stony mineral notes, a hint of tobacco and a touch of pencil shavings. The wine feels rather ripe and pretty open-knit on the palate with a full body and bit understated flavors of dark plums, some tobacco, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of fresh bilberry, a hint of earth and a sweeter touch of juicy strawberry. The wine is moderately high in acidity with quite supple medium tannins. The finish is dark-toned, savory and quite gently grippy with a long aftertaste of tobacco and dark plummy fruit, some stony mineral notes, a little bit of bilberry, light woody nuances of pencil shavings, a slightly bitter hint of chokeberry and a touch of earth. The wine ends on a slightly mouth-warming note.
This was a somewhat understated and not particularly complex effort. With its moderately ripe overall feel and relatively high alcohol, the wine didn't feel like a classically styled, lean and leafy Bordeaux - but as it didn't come across as particularly lush, big and expressive wine with lots of impactful new oak aromatics, it didn't feel like a modern Bordeaux, either. Nor did it feel corked at any point - while somewhat earthy and reticent, the wine still had quite a bit of fruit and it slowly opened up over the evening, gradually becoming slightly more expressive. This was just a somewhat modest and a bit underwhelming Pomerol with a rather gentle structure and not much character to speak of. Contrasting it with the considerably more impressive vintage 2004 of the same wine, this was quite a disappointment. Very overpriced for the quality at 120€.
(87 points) - 2004 Château Trotanoy - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (90%) and Cabernet Franc (10%). Aged for 18-20 months in French oak barriques (50-60% new). 13,5% alcohol.
Deep, somewhat evolved black cherry color with a reddish-brown dried-blood hue. The nose feels a bit subtle, somewhat evolved and a bit sweet-toned with aromas of black raspberries and chokeberry juice, some developed meaty tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a herbaceous hint of roasted bell pepper, a touch of wizened black cherries and a touch of soot. The wine feels quite rich and textural yet also somewhat airy on the palate with a rather full body and somewhat evolved flavors of dark plums and ripe black raspberries, some woody notes of savory oak spice and pencil shavings, light leafy tones, a little bit of exotic spices, a savory, developed hint of meaty umami and a touch of pipe tobacco. The overall feel is pretty firm and structure-driven with the rather high acidity and ample tannins that feel quite supple at first, but they pile up on the gums, turning the wine rather grippy. The finish is juicy, dark-toned and quite tannic with a long, evolved aftertaste of ripe dark fruits, some woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of ripe blackcurrant, light evolved meaty tones, a toasty hint of fragrant exotic spices and a touch of stony minerality.
A quite serious, firm and harmonious Pomerol with a lovely open-knit texture, good sense of flavor intensity and a nice, firm yet not tough structure. This was miles better than the rather underwhelming and uninteresting 2008 Trotanoy we tasted at the same time. Seeing how the wine is starting to show some age, it is getting near its apogee. It might continue to evolve and improve for at least a handful of years more and probably the wine will keep at least for another decade, but most likely there is not going to be much additional improvement with further aging. Drink now or in the semi-near future. I feel the wine is somewhat pricey for its quality at 80€.
(93 points) - 2004 Vieux Château Certan - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Franc (30%) harvested between September 20th and October 6th, 2004. Aged in new French oak barriques for 18 months. 13% alcohol.
Somewhat translucent and slightly evolved pomegranate color. The nose feels fragrant, nuanced and somewhat sweet-toned with layered aromas of black cherries, some juicy red plums, light perfumed notes of dried flowers, a little bit of licorice, a toasty hint of sweet oak and exotic spices, a touch of old leather and a faint creamy whiff of diacetyl. The wine feels ripe, supple and silky yet pleasantly dry on the palate with a moderately full body and quite intense flavors of juicy red plums and ripe black cherries, some exotic spices, light light licorice tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, a floral hint of violets and a touch of gravelly minerality. With its rather high acidity and still ample tannins that gradually pile up on the gums, the wine still retains a good deal of firmness and structure. The finish is nuanced, ripe and moderately grippy with a dry, lengthy aftertaste of dark plums and fresh blueberries, some exotic spices, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light blackcurrant tones, oaky hints of cedar and toasty mocha character and a touch of gravelly minerality.
A vibrant, nuanced and very attractive vintage of VCC and one of the best 2004 Bordeaux reds I've tasted. Just like the previous bottle we tasted earlier this year, also this bottle showed some diacetyl character. However, here this nuance was much more subtle and not nearly as obtrusive - you could notice it if you knew what to look for, but otherwise it might've escaped you - making this bottle even a tiny bit better than the previous one. I'd say the wine still has some mileage in the tank and its peak is still some distance away, but even then there is relatively little room for further improvement. I suspect this wine will continue to evolve and change, but I'm not sure if it is going to get that much better. Anyways, this is a darn fine wine and a great example of contemporary Right Bank Bordeaux - although I still question whether the wine is really worth the price at 140€.
(95 points) - 2013 Château Clinet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (90%), Cabernet Sauvignon (9%) and Cabernet Franc (1%). Vinified in oak vats and stainless steel tanks. Macerated with the skins for 3 weeks. Aged in French oak barriques (60% new, 40% once used) for 16 months. 13% alcohol. Total production 45,000 bottles.
Somewhat translucent black cherry color that doesn't appear young nor particularly aged. The nose feels fruity but also somewhat understated and not that ripe with aromas of fresh black cherries and crunchy blackcurrants, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light blueberry notes, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of earth. The wine feels dry, somewhat thin and a bit austere on the palate with a medium body and dry flavors of crowberries and fresh, tart damson, some gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of juicy blueberry, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a hint of gravelly earth and a brooding touch of dark-toned, toasty oak. The wine feels pretty firm and angular with its high acidity and rather grippy tannins - to which the fruit department offers relatively little counterweight. The finish is dry, quite grippy and a bit austere with a moderately long but also slightly thin aftertaste of chokeberries and fresh damson, some blueberry tones, a little bit of tart red plum, light gravelly mineral notes, a woody hint of savory oak spice and a touch of loose tobacco.
A somewhat austere and underwhelming Pomerol that offers quite a bit of structure but relatively little fruit to offset the sense of toughness from the high acidity and relatively grippy tannins. This wine obviously bears the mark of the miserable 2013 vintage. Seeing how Bordeaux produced some very impressive wines back in the 1980's - wines that must've been pretty tough and austere in their youth, yet are drinking wonderfully today - there is definitely a chance that this wine might turn out to be impressive with enough aging. However - tasting the wine next to the more enjoyable 2012 and 2011 vintages - I wouldn't be holding my breath. Definitely not worth the 78€ - not by a long shot.
(86 points) - 2012 Château Clinet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (90%), Cabernet Sauvignon (9%) and Cabernet Franc (1%). Vinified in oak vats and stainless steel tanks. Macerated with the skins for 5 weeks. Aged in French oak barriques (50% new, 50% once used) for 22 months. 13% alcohol. Total production 45,000 bottles.
Somewhat translucent dark ruby color that doesn't appear young nor particularly aged. The nose feels a bit understated yet subtly ripe and somewhat sweet-toned with aromas of ripe blueberries, some juicy red plums, a little bit of forest floor, light autumnal leafy tones, a hint of old leather, a woody touch of pencil shavings and a whiff of blackcurrant. The wine feels firm yet moderately ripe and quite balanced on the palate with a moderately full body and slightly sweetly-fruited flavors of dark plums and blueberries, some toasty notes of sweet oak spice and mocha character, a little bit of old leather, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a hint of autumnal leafy character and a touch of fresh black cherry. The structure relies on both the high acidity and the moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, moderately grippy and a bit tough with an aftertaste of ripe dark plums and fresh blackcurrants, some woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, light leathery tones, a hint of leafy forest floor and a sweeter touch of juicy black cherries.
A nice, firm and balanced Pomerol, but with very little of anything that would make it stand out. This was considerably better than the lean and somewhat hollow vintage 2013 of Clinet that we tasted at the same time, but at the same time a bit ho-hum next to the more expressive and impressive wines like La Conseillante, La Fleur-Pétrus or VCC. I guess the vintage conditions necessitated earlier Cabernet harvests, because the wine showed a tiny bit of leafy character that was absent in the 2011 and 2013 vintages - nothing wrong with that! I myself enjoy these herbaceous accents that often serve as a nice counterpoint to the sweeter-toned ripe fruit. I hope the wine would evolve into something more interesting with additional age, because this bottle didn't leave a lasting impression. Quite pricey for the quality at 77€.
(89 points) - 2011 Château Clinet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (85%), Cabernet Sauvignon (12%) and Cabernet Franc (3%). Vinified in oak vats and stainless steel tanks. Macerated with the skins for 5 weeks. Aged in French oak barriques (55% new, 45% once used) for 16 months. 13,5% alcohol. Total production 55,000 bottles.
Quite deep and somewhat translucent blackish-red color with a subtly evolved brick-red hue. The nose feels a bit understated with light aromas of dark forest fruits, some sweeter notes of ripe dark plums, a little bit of pipe tobacco, light fresh bilberry tones, a ferrous hint of blood, a mineral touch of wet gravel and a whiff of savory oak spice. The wine feels juicy, silky and quite dry on the palate with a moderately full body and savory flavors of dark plums and pipe tobacco, some fresh bilberry tones, light woody notes of pencil shavings, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, crunchy hints of redcurrants and red plums and a ferrous touch of blood. The overall feel is pretty firm and sinewy with the rather high acidity and moderately grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, savory and moderately grippy with a long aftertaste of dark fruits and juicy plummy tones, some pipe tobacco, light gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, a sweeter hint of toasty mocha oak and a touch of fresh bilberries.
A somewhat more balanced and slightly more impressive effort than the 2013 and 2012 vintages tasted before this. Compared to these two vintages, this wine comes across as a tiny bit softer with its slightly lower level of acidity and a bit more ripe and gentle tannins, but even if I love firmness and structure in wines, I don't mind - the wine otherwise comes across as more expressive and vibrant that it makes up for the somewhat softer overall feel. This was maybe not that interesting or memorable as a Pomerol, but a thoroughly enjoyable effort all the same and a solid example of balanced 2011 Bordeaux. Most likely the wine will continue to evolve and improve for a good number of years more. Feels a tad expensive for the quality at 87€, though.
(91 points) - 2019 Château Feytit Clinet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (92%) and Cabernet Franc (8%). Fermented and macerated in concrete vats and stainless steel tanks for 5 weeks. Aged in French oak barriques (70% new). 14,8% alcohol, pH 3,8.
Deep, luminous and rather opaque black cherry color with a youthful, purplish hue. The nose feels youthful, noticeably ripe and quite dark-toned with intense aromas of juicy dark plums, some licorice, light blueberry jam tones, a little bit of sweet strawberry, a warm and spirituous hint of alcohol, a touch of toasty mocha oak and a woody whiff of cedar. The wine feels rich, youthful and succulent on the palate with a full body and very ripe, sweetly-fruited flavors of juicy dark plums and strawberries, some toasty mocha oak, light licorice tones, a little bit of extracted woody bitterness, a hint of blackcurrant juice and a touch of ripe blueberry. The overall feel is smooth and soft, thanks to the medium acidity and ripe, mellow tannins. The finish is ripe, juicy and gently grippy with a long, dark-toned aftertaste of sweet dark plums and blackcurrants, some licorice tones, a little bit of chocolatey mocha oak, light notes of pipe tobacco, succulent hints of black cherries and blueberries and an extracted touch of bitter wood tannins.
Ugh, this was so not in my wheelhouse. The overall style is very rich, sweetly-fruited and considerably soft with quite a bit of emphasis on the toasty new oak qualities. This drinks more like a modern, polished and chocolatey Napa Cab than a classic Bordeaux red. Where is the sense of structure? Where is the freshness? Where is any sense of nuance or finesse? This is just a huge fruit bomb firing on all cylinders, but lacking all sense of firmness or a structural frame. I really can't see how such a plus wine as this would be able to improve much with additional aging as it feels just so excessively ripe and soft - neither are qualities that speak of aging potential. At 80€, this feels like a rip-off.
(84 points) - 2018 Château Feytit Clinet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (92%) and Cabernet Franc (8%). Fermented and macerated in concrete vats and stainless steel tanks for 5 weeks. Aged in French oak barriques (70% new). 15% alcohol.
Deep, very dark and slightly translucent matte blackish-red color. The nose feels ripe yet quite savory with bold, dark-toned aromas of licorice and dark fruits, some pipe tobacco, light fragrant notes of elderberries and blueberry juice, a little bit of exotic spices, woody hints of cedar and extracted oak spice, a touch of inky character and a whiff of bitter almond oil. The wine feels ripe, chewy and somewhat sweetly-fruited with a full body and rich flavors of dark plums and blueberries, some inky tones, a little bit of blackcurrant jam, light bittersweet notes of dark chocolate, a hint of dark-toned oak spice and a touch of coffee. The high alcohol lends some heat to the palate and the overall feel is somewhat round and supple with the medium-plus acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is juicy, warm and somewhat grippy with a rich, long aftertaste of sweet dark plums, some toasty mocha oak, light blueberry tones, a little bit of blackcurrant jam, a hint of savory oak spice and a touch of pipe tobacco.
This was quite similar to the noticeably ripe and quite hefty 2019 vintage - both the wines felt more Napa than Bordeaux to me. The wine is super-ripe, sweetly-fruited and round with too much alcohol and way too little in the way of structure - the overall feel is just too soft and round for my preference. I guess this vintage showed a little bit less overt new oak and a tad more acidity than the cumbersome 2019, so I want to rate this higher - but that still doesn't make this a wine I'd recommend to anyone but the most hardcore Napa Cab fans. At 80€ I must say that the price and quality do not match.
(85 points) - 2016 Château Feytit Clinet - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (93%) and Cabernet Franc (7%). Fermented and macerated in concrete vats and stainless steel tanks for 5 weeks. Aged in French oak barriques (70% new) for 16 months. 14% alcohol.
Quite deep and rather opaque black ruby color with a subtly evolved blood-red hue that thins out towards the rim. The nose feels dark-toned, open and quite fragrant with somewhat sweetish aromas of blueberries and fresh blackcurrants, some toasty mocha oak tones, light floral notes of violets, a little bit of pipe tobacco, a woody hint of pencil shavings and a touch of ripe dark plum. The wine feels ripe, quite dense and moderately chewy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and dry-ish flavors of dark plums and juicy blackcurrants, some toasty oak tones, a little bit of blueberry, light floral notes of violets, a hint of elderberry juice and a woody touch of cedar. The overall feel is pretty balanced with the rather high acidity and pretty grippy tannins. The finish is juicy, moderately grippy and a bit warm with a rather rich aftertaste of dark plummy fruit, some pipe tobacco, a little bit of ripe blueberry, light toasty mocha oak tones, a floral hint of elderflower and a touch of savory wood spice.
A quite ripe and rather modern Pomerol where the somewhat noticeable new oak impact competes with the bold, dark-toned fruit. However, compared to the two soft and somewhat clumsy younger vintages of Feytit Clinet (2018 and 2019), this 2016 is a relatively serious effort - it is not as obscenely ripe and high in alcohol; the wine shows good sense of structure and balance; and while showing quite a bit of new oak, the bold, dark-toned fruit still has the upper hand. While this is not made in a style I enjoy, I have a hunch this wine might actually be able to evolve into something interesting with enough age. I'd let the wine wait for at least another decade before popping a bottle open - this is just a too polished crowd-pleaser at the moment. Not really worth the 75€, but still shows better value than the other two Feytit Clinets we tasted.
(90 points)
In addition to these Pomerols, we also had three extra blinds (including one more Pomerol):
- 2007 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9.11.2024)
A blend of Roussanne (80%) with the remainder rounded out with Grenache Blanc and tiny amounts of Picardan, Bourboulenc and Clairette. Aged in stainless steel tanks (80%) and 225-liter French oak barriques (80%). 14% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Pale-to-medium-deep golden yellow color. The nose feels evolved with aromas of honeydew melon and hay, some nutty notes of chopped almonds, a little bit of vanilla custard, light bruised apple tones, a hint of overripe nectarine and a touch of wood. The wine feels ripe, evolved and somewhat sweetly-fruited with a full body and bold flavors of nectarine and apple jam, some honeyed tones, a little bit of almond paste, light oxidative nuances of hay and roasted nuts, a hint of cheesy funk and a touch of creamy oak. The texture is quite rich and somewhat oily, yet the wine doesn't come across as particularly heavy. The high alcohol lends a little bit of warmth to the palate and the medium-plus acidity manages to keep the wine more or less in balance, albeit the overall feel is lacking some freshness and the structure comes across as pretty soft. The finish is broad, somewhat sweet-toned and a bit oily with an evolved aftertaste of honeydew melon and hay, some oxidative nutty tones, a little bit of apple jam, light malty nuances, a hint of creamy oak and a touch of cheesy funk.
A complex, evolved and nuanced Beaucastel Blanc at full maturity. The wine doesn't really show any youthful freshness and some oxidative nuances have started to creep in, making the overall feel quite nutty with tertiary nuances of hay and malt - along with a tiny bit of slightly weird cheesy funk. Despite its rich, aged overall feel, the wine still comes across as relatively fresh and balanced for a white Pape. I guess the wine might've been a bit more vibrant and not as tertiary some years ago, but it is still thoroughly drinkable and enjoyable. I wouldn't wait any more with this wine, though; time to drink up!
(88 points) - 2015 Château La Cabanne - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (9.11.2024)
A blend of Merlot (95%) and Cabernet Franc (5%). Fermented in conical stainless steel vats. Aged in French oak barriques (50-60% new) for 15 months. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind from a half bottle.
Slightly translucent black cherry color with a subtly evolved pomegranate hue. The nose feels open, sweetish and quite toasty with aromas of ripe black cherries, some toasty mocha oak tones, a little bit of ripe red plum and sweet fig, light developed notes of meat stew, a woody hint of savory oak spice, a touch of crunchy redcurrant and a whiff of earth. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite dark-toned with a moderately full body and bold flavors of toasty mocha oak, some earthy tones, a little bit of tobacco, light gravelly mineral notes, a developed hint of gamey meat and a touch of ripe red plum. The overall feel is quite firm and muscular with the rather high acidity and ample, still quite grippy tannins. The finish is long, bold and quite grippy with an intense aftertaste of dark plummy fruit, some tobacco, light chocolatey notes of toasty oak spice, a little bit of earth, a hint of ripe fig and an evolved touch of meaty character. The high alcohol makes the wine end on a somewhat mouth-warming note.
Even though the wine felt quite youthful with its bold, ripe fruit flavors, very prominent oaky tones and ample tannins showing relatively little resolution, the wine still came across as somewhat mature with those developed, savory meaty tones. I can't say I'm a big fan of the style - the wine feels just way too ripe, sweet-toned and excessively oaked for my preference. I suppose the wine we tasted had evolved at an accelerated pace due to its small-bottle format and a standard-sized bottle wouldn't show as much of those tertiary meaty and earthy aspects. I hope the wine was capable of aging for long enough for the oaky nuances to integrate better with the fruit in a standard-sized bottle - at least structurally the wine is built to age.
(88 points) - 2010 Perillo Taurasi Michele Perillo Riserva - Italy, Campania, Taurasi DOCG (9.11.2024)
100% Aglianico. Pre-fermentation cold-soak for three days, spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeast in open-top oak vats and stainless steel tanks. 3-4 weeks of maceration, then aged in old oak barriques for a year, then in larger oak casks for at least another year. 14,5% alcohol. Tasted blind.
Dark, slightly translucent pomegranate color that doesn't look young nor particularly evolved. The nose feels quite dark-toned with aromas of licorice and ripe sour cherry, some loose tobacco, light earthy tones, a little bit of fresh black cherry, juicy hints of dark forest fruits and a faint lifted touch of balsamico. The wine feels savory, firm and slightly evolved on the palate with a medium body and quite dark-toned flavors of licorice root and sour cherry, some saline mineral notes, a little bit of fresh black cherry, light gravelly mineral nuances, an evolved hint of meaty umami and a touch of tobacco. The overall feel is moderately structure-driven yet rather open-knit with the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is moderately grippy and quite ripe yet not particularly sweetly-fruited with a rather long aftertaste of licorice root, some tart cranberry tones, a little bit of sour cherry bitterness, light gravelly mineral notes, an evolved hint of salt-cured beef and a touch of balsamic VA.
An attractive yet also surprisingly gentle, supple and accessible effort for a Taurasi Riserva - I would've expected an Aglianico from the 2010 vintage to be very tough and stern, whereas this wine came across as quite sophisticated and, while quite tannic, still surprisingly supple and friendly. A very different bottle compared to the assertive, almost aggressively tannic 2006 Perillo Taurasi Riserva that I had some years ago. But nevertheless a fine and enjoyable wine. Not perhaps the most distinguished effort, but a lovely drop all the same. Priced according to its quality at 35€.
(91 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
