The 2014 Grand-Puy-Lacoste is one of my favorite wines from the Left Bank in this vintage. Bright and vivacious blackberry, cedar and graphite scents soar from the glass with real purpose. Wonderful delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, quite tensile with ample depth. It has matured since I last tasted it four years ago. It is very fresh and has a saline finish. Recommended. Tasted at the Bordeaux Index 10-Year-On tasting. N.B. Two bottles tasted blind at Southwold showed oxidation on the first. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2024)
— a month ago
Flight #2 of our 1997 Retrospective and these were the thoroughbreds. Presented single-blind; no formal notes. Wine #2 had great color, was developing, fresh, focused, balanced; great structure. One of those glasses of wine you didn’t want to end and, for me, a tough call for favorite of the flight along with Wine #1. I vacillated between this being Dominus or Monte Bello; ultimately calling the former. This is in a beautiful phase of life. Monte Bello is one of those wines that needs decades to show its best. Drink now through 2040. — 2 months ago
Can’t tell if not in a great spot or maybe some slight heat damage—but leaning to the latter. Tasty, but not as good as it should have been — a month ago
The 2014 Trotanoy has a more complex bouquet than the 2014 Gazin, with more Pomerol DNA in the mix, iron-tinged red berry fruit, black truffle and cedar. Fine delineation and quintessentially Pomerol. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins and harmonious, soy-tinged black fruit with white pepper sprinkled over the finish. This has personality and class but needs time (comme d'habitude). One of the standouts in what is an inconsistent Pomerol vintage. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, March 2024)
— a month ago
The 1999 Latour has a dark garnet color with little aging on the rim. The nose is closed initially and demands coaxing, eventually revealing blackberry, cedar and light pencil-shaving aromas. The palate is medium-bodied with soft tannins, displaying some secondary notes of clove, white pepper and a distinct earthiness that comes through on the finish. [Post-script: this is one of the few vintages I identified correctly!] Tasted blind from double magnum at a 20-year retrospective at the château. (Neal Martin, Vinous, February 2024)
— a month ago
Open the Bottle night(last Sat of Feb.) and thought I would sacrifice this bottle tonight.
+1 hour decant(chunky/fine sediment). A fabulous dark purplish garnet color with little bricking. On the nose: Intoxicating savory perfumed notes of dark red fruit, forest floor, cigar ash, stewed meat, smoke, soil. Taste: dark cherry/plum, espresso, leather, dark chocolate and a smokey/spiced/earthy long dry finish. YUM! Some slightly kickin still there tannins, but in a good spot for me with time to go at 19 years. — 2 months ago
Joe Weinberger
In a wonderful spot. — 4 months ago