Fright Night Cellars
Marchesi Antinori
Tignanello Toscana Super Tuscan Blend 2019
Pair of 19s on our last night in Vail that will need a lot more time. No corkage allowed so all of the wines shown the past few days were off their lists. — 4 months ago
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1995
Château Haut-Brion
Pessac-Léognan Red Bordeaux Blend 2008
Dark crimson with purple hues in color. Very aromatic nose giving the wine it’s beautiful scents of black-red fruit, perfume, milk chocolate and toasted marshmallow with subtle notes of mint and cigar. Taste is smooth and elegant with a luscious feel. Red fruit/dark plum , spice and mocha flavors are dominant with secondary notes of gravel, tobacco and leather adding to its dry medium plus finish. A treat for sure on this lovely Saturday night. — 6 months ago
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 2011
Happy Labor Day holiday weekend in the USA!
We’re enjoying a night off from studying while sipping a lovely Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2011 paired with a grilled steak, baked potato, green beans, and mushroom / zucchini kabobs. Soon (and sadly) we’ll have to say “au revoir” to summer.
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste is situated on the left bank of Bordeaux, i.e., west of the Gironde Estuary, in the commune of Pauillac. Soils here are gravel-based, and free-draining, ideal for ripening the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon grape, which dominates in this Bordeaux blend.
Pauillac is known for producing age-worthy, structured Cabernet Sauvignon wines due in part to the growing environment. No wonder it’s home to 3 out of 5 first growth wines in the 1855 classification, including, Château Latour, Château Lafite Rothschild, and Château Mouton Rothschild. This particular wine ranks highly, as well, as a fifth growth and understandably so.
Based on our research the 2011 vintage in Bordeaux seemed to fast-forward many typical growing processes and timelines; grapes were budding and ripening ahead of schedule with warmer temperatures early in the season followed by notably cooler temperatures in August, ahead of harvest.
It’s remarkable how variable seasonal conditions can affect a wine’s profile, especially in less consistent climates like Bordeaux where vintage variation is a serious thing… still, this wine is lovely.
It is deep ruby with a medium (+) intensity of developing aromas offering notes of ripe blackberry, cassis, black cherry, plum, black licorice, anise, violet, tobacco, leather, clove, nutmeg, cedar, pencil shavings.
On the palate, this wine is dry with medium (+) acidity, high tannins that are ripe and smooth, a medium (+) body, medium (+) intensity of flavors consistent with the notes. The finish is medium(+).
This is an excellent wine that is drinking well now and could age further.
Cheers to the beauty born in 2011 in Pauillac AOC with this Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste! — 3 months ago
Château d'Yquem
Sauternes Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 1959
Dark amber color, translucent. Usual notes of a Sauternes. Great finish to a great night. — 6 months ago
Produttori del Barbaresco
Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2015
Popped and poured; consumed over a three hour period. No formal notes. The 2015 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco pours a deeper garnet color with a translucent core. Medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is currently bursting with red and dark fruits: blackberries, Luxardo cherry, pomegranate, green herbs, red flowers, green herbs, and tar. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. The notes on the nose are confirmed. The finish is long and savory. Really compelling stuff in the context of the night. I think the 2015’s are drinking so well right now. Unfortunately, this is my last bottle of the “classico” but I’ll be on the hunt for more if I can score at a good price. Drink now if you’re going to allow for some evolution in the glass or enjoy through 2035. — 5 months ago
Jessica Schuh
Light, crisp, acidic, fruity on the nose and tongue — a month ago