2005 Chateau Belgrave (Haut-Medoc, Bordeaux, France)
Popped and poured with dinner. Deep red hue in color, classic Bordeaux nose of cassis, plum, leather and subtle oak. Medium bodied, chewy tannins, great mouthfeel and a surprising smooth finish. Should be excellent given another 5 years+ of rest.
2004 Lillian Syrah (Santa Barbara County, Central Coast, CA)
Popped and poured with dinner. Inky, purple color. Intoxicating nose of sweet black fruits, raw meat, oak and floral elements. Very expansive in the mouth with velvety, round tannins and I couldn’t detect a trace of the 15.4% alcohol. Exquisitely plush and a pleasure to drink. My only complaint was on night two, I drank the leftover (single glass) and it seemed to have broken down quite a bit and the balance was completely gone.
2004 Clos Figueres (Priorat, Spain)
Decanted for an hour or so and had with dinner. Wow, the nose and palate are assaulted with a heavy barrage of new oak that reminded me of a Kentucky bourbon. Put this one back and revisit in 5+ years.
2004 Pago de los Capellanes Crianza (Ribera del Duero, Spain)
Decanted for an hour or so and had with dinner along with the Clos Figueres. Polar opposite compared to the Clos Figueres. The Pago was extremely approachable and just delicious. Tasty red fruits and spice from the grenache with an added dose of cabernet all melded seamlessly into a very enjoyable wine that paired well with dinner.
