Ming L

9.4

The nose opens with waves of ripe black cherry, cassis, plum liqueur, and dark chocolate Beneath the opulence lies impressive complexity with hints of espresso, violets, and peppery spice emerge gradually with air. The palate is dense and supple, showing warmth and generosity. Plenty of nuance beneath the lavish fruit.

Possibly the best value for a St-Emilion GCC. Will need to seek out more. — 2 months ago

Ericsson

9.2

It still surprised me that Bordeaux has such a great qpr. So many good wines outside all those big names. In St Emilion. — 4 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Pretty color of dark ruby with a wide reddish rim.

Strong fruity nose with black fruits, cedar, chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf and herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, spices, oak, licorice, light vanilla, dark coffee, tobacco leaf, earth and dark chocolates.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 11 year old Merlot from Saint Emilion is starting to show some age, but still feels very fresh. Rich and fruit forward. Elegant and smooth.

Drinking beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. Complex and well balanced.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, or with food.

A blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (50% new) French Oak barrels for 16 months.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$50 (current vintage). — 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

I thought Les Angelots de Gracia was the second wine of Gracia, the OG “garagiste” producer from Bordeaux. Well, I was today years old when I learned that was not the case, rather it is a unique expression made in the same fashion as Gracia, but highlighting different terroir. Whatever, the results are delicious.

Poured into a decanter about an hour before service. The 2011 Les Angelots de Gracia pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing but beginning to show some vinous qualities with notes of brambles, plums, tobacco, mocha, milk chocolate covered toffee, leather, fertile earth, gentle baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose though it’s a little green on the finish (2011 vintage coming through?). But this is a really tasty wine if not on the more lean side…and that’s a compliment. Whether it’s the vintage or restraint or both, this is quite lovely!

For what it’s worth, I have never really sought out Michel Gracia’s elusive wines for two reasons: 1) I wouldn’t like the modern style and 2) they are elusive and expensive. As it turns out, only one of those things are true. These wines are delicious and worth the effort to seek out (and occasionally splurge for). Drink now with an hour decant and enjoy through 2031. — 2 years ago

Joseph Lewinski

9.1

This is one of those wines that could look blah by the label. Nope. Nicely complex but still relatively approachable. On the nose is raspberry jam and grass notes. Taste is mixed berries quickly sautéed over a camp fire with a bit of lemon and herbs. New Years 2022 goal drink more Bordeaux wines. — 4 years ago

with Ginny

Vanessa

9.3

👁 This wine is deep ruby. It has slow-moving tears.

👃 This wine has a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. Aromas include primary notes of ripe blackberry, black cherry, black cassis, plum, violet, black licorice, clove, anise, and white pepper, secondary notes of cedar, nutmeg, and toast, and tertiary notes of earth, leather, and sweet tobacco.

👄 This wine is dry. It has medium acidity, a full body, high alcohol, medium(+) tannins, and a medium (+) intensity in flavors. Flavors are consistent with the nose and include primary notes of ripe blackberry, black cherry, black cassis, plum, violet, black licorice, clove, anise, and white pepper, secondary notes of cedar, nutmeg, and toast, and tertiary notes of earth, leather, and sweet tobacco. This wine has a long finish.

This wine is outstanding and may be consumed now but has potential for aging and further aging!

Chateau Pavie Macquin, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Premier Grand Cru Classé. Vintage 2012. ABV 14.5%. 84% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. — 6 years ago

with Deked1

"Odedi"

9.1

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Deep purple in color with a wide reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, licorice, herbs, chocolates, light earth, garrigue and peppercorn.

Full bodied and soft, with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black cherries, plums, light oak, spices, coffee, licorice, tobacco leaf, light earth, chocolates, herbs and peppercorn.

Medium plus on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty Merlot based blend from Saint Emilion. Elegant and nicely balanced. Showing good complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

Needed 2 hours in the bottle to open up.

This 10 year old Merlot from the great 2016 vintage still feels young. Probably in its 'dumb phase' right now, and needs a few more years in the bottle to mature properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 7 to 10 years.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and better with food.

A blend of 87% Merlot and 13% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (50% new) French Oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$125. — 2 months ago

AC Fiedler

8.9

Kirkland buy. Can't complain - could've set it down for a year or two. Pretty good. — 4 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.3

2022 Mathilde. This is made from the vineyards of La Fleur Morange that are not classified as Grand Cru Classé. A beautiful wine in its own right that is hard to beat for value for money. — 9 months ago

Ted

9.0

Solid. Blueberries with a touch of earth. — a year ago

with Jeni

Stefan Dolhain

9.5

2020 vintage. Laroque is a very large estate by Saint-Emilion standards, but only the best part of the vineyards is used for the grand vin. The 2019 was pretty good, but this 2020 is a horse of a different breed! — 3 years ago

John Van Trijp

9.4

A big wine that will gaining 4 or maybe 5 points with time. Drink the 2015 Carillon now and let this beast rest in the cellar — 3 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.1

I have opened the 2010 Château Calon Montagne-Saint-Emilion. A blend of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc.

On the nose I am getting black cherry, blackberry, black plum, black currant, herbs, tobacco, licorice, chocolate, spice and earth.

On the palate there is nice dsrk fruit, black cherry, blackberry, plum, black currant, bay leaf, licorice, herbal notes,graphite and earth.

This wine is medium to full bodied with a supple mouthfeel, medium+ acidity and medium to medium + fine supple tannins that leaves you with a long dark fruit earthy finish. Have a great week ahead and please be safe and healthy. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 5 years ago

Mark S.

9.1

Deep garnet color. Aroma includes oak and rich leather flavor. Enough concentration, but with elegancy. Smooth and gentle. Black fruits like black berry. Taste doesn’t include much leather flavor, so it doesn’t choose a specific drinker. A bit spicy. Canon second 8 years would be a reason for this taste. One hour, much powerful. Day 2 taste is much better!!! Aroma is quite gentle, taste is much smooth, well balanced with a bit spicy coffee flavor. It means it is better to decant it for enough hot. Château Canon Croix Canon 2012 @2100, tatong - XH, 201002-201010 — 6 years ago

Ming L

9.2

One of the Thienpont “treelogy” (along with Le Pin and L’Hêtre), this L’if from the weak 2013 vintage highlights finesse, freshness, and soft tannins rather than fruits and depth. Notes of red currant, cranberry, licorice with a distinct rusty iron, mineral edge. The medium body is elegant and finely etched, with brisk acidity and silky texture. Mineral echoes on the long finish.

100% Merlot. — 2 months ago

Wulf Losee

9.4

Peppermint and a hint of tobacco on the nose. Red cherries on the front. Medium tannic structure with pleasing mineral finish. Even though the grapes are from a clay over limestone landscape I’m not picking up the calcaire. Very nice. — 3 months ago

Dave

9.3

The nose on this is stunning. Big and black fruit with a dollop of tar. The palate follows the nose with blackberries, plum, dusty rock, and dark soil. An enjoyable balance of fruit and earth. Steak wine! This is excellent.
Listening to The Lone Bellow — 7 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let's bring Merlot back!

Very dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose of black currants, black plums, chocolates, light cedar, earth, herbs, black coffee and licorice.

Full-bodied and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and fruit forward with plums, cooked cherries, currants, light cedar, herbs, chocolates, earth, coffee, light cola and black pepper.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a beautiful Merlot from Saint Emilion. Elegant and rich. Spicy and entertaining.

Really enjoyed the nose. Complex and interesting. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.

Drinking beautifully now, but not at its peak yet. A great vintage from Saint Emilion, that will continue to age nicely in the next 15 to 20 years. Has good potential to become a 95+ point wine.

Good by itself or with food, and a great sipping wine.

A blend of 83% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. Aged in (45% new) French oak barrels for 15 months.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$50 (current vintage). — a year ago

Suneal Vishnupad

9.0

Not the biggest fan of Saint emilion wines but this was relatively enjoyable. Nose and taste are quite different. Very complex but not a long or deep finish. Kayla thinks 9.4 — 3 years ago

with Kayla

Vanessa

9.1

Deep ruby hue. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, black cherry, creme de cassis, vanilla, cedar, nutmeg, anise, earth, leather, morel mushroom. Well-integrated flavors and great balance. Lovely complement to a truffle-driven meal with chicken Kiev, risotto, and roasted asparagus. Happy (belated) Birthday @lizziehammes ♥️♥️♥️

Clos Labarde, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. Vintage 2015. ABV 14.5%. — 6 years ago

with Deked1